Fort Worth Council: Motheral withdraws as District 7 candidate, throws support to Firestone

Paxton Motheral has withdrawn as a candidate for the Fort Worth City Council District 7 race, citing issues regarding the City Charter and public-private partnerships such as the Clearfork project he leads.

“I had to make the very tough decision to withdraw my candidacy from the Fort Worth City Council District 7 race (Friday, Feb. 12) due to my involvement in the Clearfork project which includes a public-private partnership with the City of Fort Worth,” he said in a letter to family, friends and supporters. “ Due to ambiguity in the City Charter, it is unclear if anyone involved in a public private partnership can qualify as a candidate for the City Council.  I am hopeful that the City Council will clarify this issue moving forward,” he wrote.

Motheral had been considered a strong candidate for the position, replacing currently District 7 Councilman Dennis Shingleton, who is not seeking re-election.

Motheral said he is endorsing Leonard Firestore for the District 7 race, which has 12 candidates. Entrepreneur Firestone was originally expected to enter the race, but had instead come on board as Motheral’s campaign treasurer.

Now those positions are reversed.

“I am enthusiastically endorsing Leonard Firestone for City Council District 7 and I will be serving as Leonard’s campaign treasurer,” he said in his letter. “I believe Leonard will bring the same kind of energy and commitment to serving our neighborhoods that has made him one of Fort Worth’s most exciting business success stories.

Firestone, along with partner Troy Robertson, founded Firestone & Robertson Distilling Co., the first craft bourbon and whiskey distillery in North Texas in 2010 and sold the brand to Paris-based Pernod Ricard in 2019. The spirits are still distilled in Fort Worth.