AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A federal jury in Texas on Monday dismissed voter intimidation allegations against all but one of former President Donald Trump’s supporters. surrounded a Biden-Harris campaign bus in the days leading up to the 2020 election.
Only one of the six Trump supporters sued in civil suits was found liable by the jury. A Texas man whose car crashed into another as the caravan of vehicles dubbed the “Trump train” sped down Interstate 35 was ordered to pay the bus driver $10,000 and an additional $30,000 in punitive damages.
Both sides declared victory after a two-week trial in an Austin courtroom. The five Trump supporters cleared in the lawsuit — which was filed by three people on the campaign bus, including former Texas Democratic Rep. Wendy Davis — described the verdict as vindication and relief.
“We’re ready to feel like normal people again,” said Joeylynn Mesaros, one of the defendants, who said she was harassed for participating in the “Trump Train.” “It’s been a thousand days since we’ve had our day in court.”
Lawyers for those on the bus said justice had been served, even though they disagreed with the jury’s decision to acquit five of the defendants.
“When I came on this file, it was never about politics that day. I’m grateful, I’m proud of my team,” said Tim Holloway, who was driving the campaign bus on Oct. 30, 2020.
The Biden-Harris campaign bus was driving from San Antonio to Austin for an event when a group of cars and vans waving Trump flags blocked the bus on the highway. Davis testified she feared for her life.
Video recorded by Davis from the bus shows one of the defendants, Eliazar Cisneros, crashing into a campaign volunteer’s car as trucks took up all lanes of traffic, forcing the bus and everyone around it to travel at 15 mph.
It was the last day of early voting in Texas, and the bus was scheduled to stop in San Marcos for an event at Texas State University. The event was canceled after Davis and others on the bus — a campaign staffer and the driver — repeatedly called 911 to request a police escort through San Marcos and no help arrived.
THE trial centered on whether the actions of the “Trump Train” participants constituted political intimidation.
No criminal charges have been brought against the six Trump supporters.
A lawyer for Cisneros, the only member of the convoy the jury found responsible, said he would appeal.
“As far as my client is concerned, it’s not over yet,” said lawyer Francisco Canseco.
Davis testified that she felt scared and anxious throughout the ordeal. “I feel like they were having fun scaring us,” she testified. “It’s traumatic for all of us to relive that day.”
