Former Salon Owner Jailed by Liberal Judge During COVID Wins TX House Race

Shelley Luther, the former Dallas salon owner who was jailed after reopening her salon during the COVID-19 pandemic, defeated Democrat Tiffany Drake Tuesday night, earning more than 75 percent of the vote to win in Texas House District 62.

Luther made national headlines when she reopened her far North Dallas salon in defiance of countywide restrictions.

She was jailed for seven days in 2020 after a Dallas County Civil District Judge Eric Moyé found her guilty of civil and criminal contempt of court.

Luther was fined $1,000 for each day her salon, Salon à la Mode, was open after a court ordered it closed.

She was released from jail early following an order from the Texas Supreme Court.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott modified his original executive order, to make certain local officials could not jail people who violate the state’s stay-at-home order at the time.

“Throwing Texans in jail who have had their businesses shut down through no fault of their own is nonsensical, and I will not allow it to happen,” Abbott said in a statement. “That is why I am modifying my executive orders to ensure confinement is not a punishment for violating an order.”

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton called Luther’s sentence “outrageous and out of touch.”

“The trial judge did not need to lock up Shelley Luther,” Paxton said in a statement. “His order is a shameful abuse of judicial discretion, which seems like another political stunt in Dallas.”

“I find it outrageous and out of touch that during this national pandemic, a judge, in a county that actually released hardened criminals for fear of contracting COVID-19, would jail a mother for operating her hair salon in an attempt to put food on her family’s table. The trial judge did not need to lock up Shelley Luther. His order is a shameful abuse of judicial discretion, which seems like another political stunt in Dallas. He should release Ms. Luther immediately.”

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick not only said he would take Luther’s place in jail but would pay her fine. After Luther’s release, Patrick paid her fine.

Sen. Ted Cruz tweeted “7 days in jail for cutting hair?? This is NUTS.”

The day after she reopened the Salon, he went for a haircut:

“And government officials don’t get to order citizens to apologize to them for daring to earn a living,” he added.

A GoFundMe page set up raised $499,965 for her.

Later in 2020, Luther ran as a Republican for a Texas Senate seat in District 30, which covers areas of North Texas such as Sherman, Denton, Weatherford and Stephenville.

She lost in a special runoff election in December 2020 to Drew Springer.

Nearly two years later, Luther also ran for Texas House District 62 in the Sherman area. She lost to incumbent Rep. Reggie Smith in the March 2022 primary.

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