Knock-Off Caskets Become A Campaign Issue

Fake Chinese coffins might become a factor in the race for Galveston’s tax assessor-collector, at least that’s what county GOP chairman John LeCour is hoping. Candidate Matt Crowder is running against incumbent Cheryl Johnson in that race. Does the name Crowder seem familiar? It should, the James Crowder Funeral Home was one of the businesses that were issued a retraining order recently after the York Group, a Pennsylvania-based coffin manufacturer, claimed the funeral homes were selling Chinese knock-offs of York caskets.

James Crowder, Matt Crowder’s grandfather, founded the business back in 1959. His sons and grandsons, including Matt, continue to operate the company. LeCour is hoping there’s enough doubt and suspicion about the funeral home’s alleged fake caskets to carry over and smear Matt a little.

It doesn’t help that the order against the funeral home has already been lifted. Or that the home was not named in the suit itself. Or that, at least at this point, the company has not been accused of any wrongdoing by anyone.

Nice try, LeCour, but no basket.

— Olivia Flores Alvarez