Texas man arrested for 'hitting poll worker who told him to take off his MAGA hat'

A man in Texas wearing a MAGA hat at a 2024 early presidential election site was arrested after he punched a poll worker who asked him to remove the hat.

Jesse Lutzenberger, 63, was arrested Thursday and charged with injury to an elderly person, according to a Bexar County Sheriff's Office incident report.

According to Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar, Lutzenberger initially complied with a request from the 69-year-old early voter. The worker told him that wearing political clothing at a polling place was illegal under Texas law, ABC News reports.

When he finished voting, Lutzenberger put his hat back on but reportedly remained standing in the polling building. The worker again let him know this was “unacceptable” and attempted to escort him out of the building.

As the couple approached the polling station doors, Lutzenberger allegedly “threw an arm back toward the victim,” according to Salazar. The sheriff said the incident was captured on surveillance video.

“The victim appeared to be pushing away from the suspect. At that moment, the suspect turned and struck the victim several times directly in the face,” the sheriff said.

Salazar said the poll worker had “marks on his face” but was otherwise uninjured.

Lutzenberger was arrested and charged with a third-degree felony. He is in jail on a $30,000 bond.

Salazar said an investigation will determine whether Lutzenberger can be charged with assaulting a poll worker.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 21 states ban the wearing of political or campaign clothing at or in close proximity to polling places.

Salazar noted that there have been other minor incidents at polling stations since early voting began, and warned voters not to allow themselves to be sent to jail based on their emotions and political views.

“Look, nothing here is worth getting hurt and going to jail for. This election will go one way or another. One side will win, one side will lose. “It’s just the nature of things,” he said. “But it makes no sense to take up a criminal case, to take up a criminal story – or to hurt or even kill someone in the name of politics. It just doesn’t make sense.”