Officials from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) presented themselves for a verbal public flogging during a hearing on the planned Trans Texas Corridor 35 project at the Yorktown Community Mess Hall August 8.

Filled with mostly residents from Yorktown and the surrounding area, the meeting was attended by at least two Karnes County residents, according to the meeting’s sign-in sheet.

TxDOT gave a 45-minute presentation on the corridor, but after that, the microphone was turned over to the people, who proceeded to give TxDOT officials a severe tongue-lashing.

The politicians were allowed to go first.

Yorktown’s mayor, Patricia Nelson, thanked TxDOT for making Yorktown a part of their "dog and pony show," saying TTC-35 was a bad idea from the start.

Independent gubernatorial candidate Carole Keeton Strayhorn took her turn next. Choosing to address the audience instead of TxDOT, she twisted around the microphone placed at the front of the hall so she could speak into it and face the crowd.

Strayhorn referred to the project as "double taxation" and "the largest land grab in Texas history." She referred to the entire project as a secret contract with a foreign government, and vowed to rid Texas of it once she wins the governor’s seat.

"I call it Trans-Texas Catastrophe, and as governor, I’m going to blast it off the books," she said during her speech which went three minutes over the allowed time limit.

Democrat candidate for Texas attorney general David Van Os also spoke at the meeting, ensuring the crowd their comments would be falling on deaf ears.

"Your comments here are not going to convince TxDOT to change anything," he said during his speech, which went four minutes over the time limit.

He said he too would fight the project. Flyers he handed out stated, "As attorney general, I’ll fight this land grab ‘til hell freezes over, then I’ll fight it on the ice.’"

His wife, Rachel Van Os, followed, expressing equal distaste for the TTC-35 project.

"They’re screwing the people of Texas right in front of their face," she said, after which she grabbed a map of Texas to display to the crowd.

After pointing out the area TTC-35 is tentatively projected to run through, she tore a hole through that section, pled with the crowd, "Don’t let them do this to our state!" and then threw the torn map pieces into the air.

When residents not affiliated with a political candidate took their turns to speak, it was much of the same. One woman faced TxDOT officials at the meeting and told them, "If I had the power to, I’d fire every one of you."

Another man got up, identified himself as a landowner, and said referring to TTC-35, "I came up here to ask who the father of this bastard child was."

Other comments didn’t oppose the project outright, but instead suggested revisions, such as building TTC-35 through West Texas instead of the current planned route.

The official record showed 102 people attended the public hearing. Of those, 10 signed up to address TxDOT (including political candidates).

TxDOT officials stated before comments were allowed that they were not allowed to answer any questions, but that all comments made would be listened to, recorded, and put on official record.

The Trans-Texas Corridor is a massive transportation project being undertaken by the Texas Department of Transportation. Cintra Zachary, a private company from Spain, will be paying for construction and will earn back its investment over 50 years through toll booths placed along the TTC.

Planned to have both northbound and southbound lanes, the corridor may also contain lanes to separate commuter and commercial truck traffic, along with separate areas for rail lines and utilities.

Most of the project’s opposition comes from people who don’t want to be forced to sell their land to TxDOT.