Rick Grady Calls East Plano Islamic Center Third Home, Sparks Probe Calls

Rick Grady's declaration that the East Plano Islamic Center was his "third home" at a Feb. 9 forum has quickly become a focal point in the Collin County Precinct 3 judge campaign, triggering conservative calls for an Attorney General probe and a rebuke from incumbent Judge Chris Hill, who "called him unprepared."

The remark lands against a backdrop of an expansive development tied to the mosque. The project, originally pitched as EPIC City, is a proposed 402-acre plan in unincorporated Collin and Hunt counties near Josephine that envisions a new mosque, more than 1,000 single- and multi-family homes, a K-12 faith-based school, senior housing, an outreach center, commercial space, sports facilities, and a community college. Judge Chris Hill posted on social media that "EPIC City will now be called 'The Meadow,'" attaching a diagram of the planned development.

The development has already attracted multiple investigations. Attorney General Ken Paxton launched the first probe in March, followed by three additional state investigations and a criminal investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice into allegations of religious discrimination. Separately, EPIC filed suit against the Texas Funeral Service Commission after that agency ordered the mosque to stop performing certain services earlier this year.

For voters in Collin County, the episode raises immediate governance and oversight questions. A candidate asserting close ties to a single large project could create potential conflicts of interest if elected to oversee county matters that touch on land use, permitting, or county services in unincorporated areas. The calls for an AG probe so far have not specified which Attorney General should be asked to act, nor have they publicly detailed the precise nature of Grady's ties to EPIC, beyond his forum remark.

The political effect is also operational. Incumbent Judge Chris Hill has used the episode to question Grady's readiness for office, while local conservative activists have framed the remark as grounds for an investigation. That combination can sharpen turnout dynamics in precinct-level contests, shifting attention from routine county administration to questions of candidate transparency and institutional independence.

Key facts remain to be clarified for Collin County voters. The year of the Feb. 9 forum and the fuller context of Grady's "third home" comment need verification, as does any formal relationship Grady may have with EPIC. Records of Hill's social post and the development diagrams should be obtained, and election-focused disclosures or financial filings could show whether any formal ties exist. County planning filings, zoning records, and any official correspondence with state investigators will be essential to understand how the project could intersect with county responsibilities.

What comes next is straightforward: candidates and officials should provide clear, on-the-record answers about ties, timelines, and potential conflicts, and county residents should expect further public records and possible hearings on the EPIC project. For Collin County voters, the story underscores how large development controversies can reverberate through local races and why scrutiny of candidate relationships with major projects matters for county governance.