#TXLEGE, #SD30 Special: Fallon's slight of hand

"Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”
Genesis 3:1

Pat Fallon speaking on behalf of Drew Springer:

First things first...wow Pat seems agitated.   Springer's polling must suuuuck.   Just a suspicion.

That being said, Fallon makes several claims about Springer's record that are worth addressing:

• "Voted against the budget"/"Defeated Wendy Davis to pass a pro-life bill" - Fallon's not wrong.  But both of these things happened in 2013.  It's telling that Drew Springer's biggest accomplishments as a legislator are nearly a decade old.
  
  Speaking of budgets, it's certainly the case that Drew Springer voted against the budget in 2013.  But the budget in 2019 was every bit as bad as the budget in 2013.  And both Drew Springer AND Pat Fallon voted for the budget in 2019.
  
  
• Sanctuary Cities - Springer voted for the bill.  But that bill didn't really do much.  It's also worth pointing out that, practically speaking, Austin gutted what little that bill actually did through clever lawyering.

• Property Taxes - Springer voted for the bill in 2019, but he was one of the primary villains killing it behind the scenes two years earlier.

Fallon also takes a dig at Shelley Luther for having not voted in primaries.   What a dumb, irrelevant, argument to make.  The whole reason why Shelley Luther became a thing in the first place didn't emerge until five months ago.

More of the same.

Bottom Line: Fallon wasn't necessarily 'lying,' but he was absolutely framing half-truths in the most self-serving way possible.

#TXLEGE: What's Bonnen's beef with Michelle Beckley?!?

"The wise shall inherit glory,
But shame shall be the legacy of fools."
Proverbs 3:35

Going back to when we first listened to the audio recording last summer, we've always been struck by Dennis Bonnen's obsession with Michelle Beckley.  Obviously, anyone who know this author knows we don't care about PG-13 language.  Still, for a sitting speaker to get into that level of vulgarity against an irrelevant back bencher is...odd.

But then, over the weekend, this happened:

@ForHD65 Michelle, I don’t think you want anyone reminded why your actions merit the description of “vile and heinous” but since you brought it up... #txlege https://t.co/fIZcLnP3TV pic.twitter.com/7jOfI1xGGV

— Speaker Dennis Bonnen (@RepDennisBonnen) July 26, 2020

Bonnen goes on to link to this Denton Record-Chronicle piece about some extremely vague allegations that Beckley might have made some racially charged comments a few years ago.  Who knows.  Maybe.  But does anyone actually believe that Dennis Bonnen, of all people, actually cares about that?!?

Cuz' we don't.

We strongly suspect that something happened last session that isn't public knowledge.  We don't know what.  But it's the most plausible explanation for how Bonnen's behaving.

Bottom Line: There's GOT to be a backstory here.  Whatever that backstory might be, however, being attacked by Bonnen is pretty much the best thing that could happen to Michelle Beckley.  How odd.

-------

Note: If anybody knows any more details, do feel free to e-mail us at cahnman@hotmail.com.  Confidentiality obviously respected.  Please don't send us direct messages on Facebook or Twitter.

#TXLEGE: Who does Leach think he's kidding?!?

"And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?"

Matthew 7:3

Apparently, Chip Roy was (correctly) raising heck in D.C. yesterday:

Well, hardly anything surprises me anymore - but ⁦@SpeakerPelosi⁩ just tore up the Constitution by jamming “proxy voting” thru so members of Congress can turn over their obligation to work for constituents to other members. We ask Americans to work. So should Congress. pic.twitter.com/al7fwiCeOv

— Chip Roy (@chiproytx) May 15, 2020

O.K. Good deal Chip Roy. Ghost/proxy voting is a wretched procedure.

Then this happened:

You're joking, right?!?

As we explained:

It's funny 'cuz proxy voting happens every single day (sometimes dozens of times per day) the Texas house is in session.

(But good deal @chiproytx for trying to keep this travesty out of Congress; we've seen how corrupting it is back home.)

Clerk will ring the bell....#TXLEGE https://t.co/jTmnJpnYFy

— cahnman (@cahnman) May 16, 2020

Case in point:

From last session:

But this isn’t a ghost story. It’s a story of representatives helping each other via an informed courtesy involving pushing their voting buttons when they’re away from their desks. Lots of votes are cast on a long day in the House. And lots of times members are elsewhere in the chamber when votes come up. They often leave instructions with desk neighbors on how they want to be shown voting, though they have to be in the chamber to vote.

But sometimes those votes are cast when a member is not in the chamber nor in the building nor even in Austin. That’s not supposed to happen.

But sometimes it changes the outcome of a close vote on an important matter.

You get the point, but there's a wealth of additional examples here.

Bottom Line:  For a member of the Texas house to decry ghost/proxy voting is quite something.

#TXLEGE: Bonnen replaces Dishonest, Unlikeable ,Liberal with Honest, Likeable, One

"Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another."
Ephesians 4:25

ICYMI:

AUSTIN – On Monday, Speaker Dennis Bonnen appointed Representative Mary González to the Legislative Budget Board. “Thank you Speaker Bonnen for entrusting me with this opportunity to serve as a member of the Legislative Budget Board. I am humbled to carry on the work of Representative Drew Darby as a valued member of the Board and trusted voice for our rural communities,” Gonzalez shared.

“Our state’s budget at its core is a reflection of the values of all Texans. In the face of our current health and economic crisis, we will have an even bigger task to provide resources that prioritize working families, our seniors, and our children’s future. I look forward to joining the Board and continuing the work to achieve a fiscally sound budget that puts Texas families first.”

The Legislative Budget Board is a committee of ten legislators responsible for working with state agencies to form the preliminary state budget in advance of each legislative session.

There's been a decent amount of ink spilled about this move.  Texas Scorecard has a good summary of Gonzalez's record.  Likewise, Kyle Biedermann.

The criticisms tend to revolve around Bonnen replacing an alleged Republican with an open Democrat.  That's certainly true.  Bonnen really did do that and it's very valid to criticize him for so doing.

It's also very much the case that Darby was on Bonnen's list during this Michael Quinn Sullivan episode, and that Bonnen continues to play those games.

Still, it's hard to get too upset.

She's replacing Drew Darby.

Historically, Darby supported high property taxes until doing so became politically untenable.  He's never lifted a finger on spending.  Darby's career record on fiscal policy has been smoke and mirrors interspersed with occasional intervals of doing the bare minimum.

While it's absolutely true that Mary Gonzalez will pursue a pretty liberal fiscal policy, she'll also tell you the truth about that that's what she's doing.

That's not nothing.

Bottom Line: Neither one would be our first choice for this position, however...we understand the arguments.

#TXLEGE: Krause Steps Into (Gaping) Leadership Void

"Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct"
Hebrews 13:7

Interesting:

My letter to @GovAbbott listing my 7 recommendations to get Texas working while still staying safe & healthy - which continues to be the goal.

I look forward to seeing Gov. Abbott’s proposal. He has been a strong and steady leader during these difficult times. God bless Texas! pic.twitter.com/PUhSyBQ12M

— Matt Krause (@RepMattKrause) April 14, 2020

We're not going to comment either way on Krause's proposal.  Others are more knowledgeable.  Our observation is more fundamental than that.

During this entire fiasco, Matt Krause if the first person who's shown actual, credible. leadership.

Greg Abbott, by contrast, has vacillated between hiding behind (Democrat) local officials, hiding behind Trump, and corporate welfare for Goldman Sachs.  In isolation, any of those might or might not be good policies [Note: 0 for 3, but that's really a separate discussion.]  But it ain't leadership.

Then there's Dan Patrick...yeah, nuff said.

Which brings us back to Matt Krause.

It's not a secret that this website has grown more ambivalent towards Krause in recent years.  We spent most of 2019 ripping on Krause's primary legislative "achievement."  Still....

Likewise, it's also not a secret that this website floated the idea of Krause as speaker last month.  This week's proposal is a good example why.  It doesn't take a genius to see how Krause provides a tangible path between the world as it exists and the world as it should be.

Put differently: Krause has a knack for finding the least bad realistic possibility.

Bottom Line: Somebody had to do it.

TPPF, once again, BAILING OUT Texas GOP

"Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?!?"
Matthew 20:15

Inbox this morning:

TPPF Wins Injunction Stopping Dallas Mandatory Paid Sick Leave Ordinance

Federal Judge Holds Dallas Ordinance Violates Federal Constitution and Is Preempted By Texas Law

AUSTIN – A federal judge in Plano issued an injunction yesterday stopping the city of Dallas from enforcing its mandatory paid sick leave mandate that was set to go into effect on April 1.

“Once again, Texas courts are unanimous that it is unconstitutional for cities to mandate paid sick leave,” said Robert Henneke, lead counsel for the plaintiffs in the case and general counsel for the Texas Public Policy Foundation. “These unlawful city policies improperly interfere with the rights of employees to negotiate their own terms of employment. Now is not the time for government to force burdensome regulations upon small business struggling to keep their workers employed and doors open.”

The court found that the plaintiffs had shown a likelihood that the Dallas ordinance violated their Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable searches and was also preempted by Texas state law.

The court ordered, “The City of Dallas’s Paid Sick Leave Ordinance, Dallas, Texas, Ordinance No. 31181; Municipal Code § 20-1–20-12, is ENJOINED and unenforceable. No officer, agent, servant, employee, attorney, or other person in active concert with the City of Dallas may enforce the Paid Sick Leave Ordinance against any business or entity pending the resolution of this case.”

State courts have previously issued injunctions stopping similar mandatory paid sick leave ordinances in both Austin and San Antonio.

Read the Dallas injunction order in full here:

https://files.texaspolicy.com/uploads/2020/03/31093315/Dallas-grant-of-PI.pdf

We addressed this subject at length a couple of months ago (in the context of the San Antonio ordinance).  We can't add anything.  But we do recommend reading that post.

The TL,DR version is that the lege was supposed to address this last session.  They didn't.  The GOP, from Greg Abbott down, hasn't lifted a damn finger since.

So someone had to pick up the ball.

Bottom Line: Texas is likely to dodge this bullet, no thanks to an of our elected so-called leaders.

#TXLEGE: Depressing

"Jesus wept."
John 11:35

We discussed this morning's Trib event with Craig Goldman and Celia Israel yesterday.  Yeah, we didn't go.  We did watch online. It was a great reminder of the ongoing institutional wretchedness...otherwise known as the Texas house.

The top line takeaway is easy: The majority party in the Texas house continues to suck.  The opposition party, however, continues to suck even more.  Thus, something close to the staus quo is likely to continue.

In a competition between D-minus and F, D-minus will continue to win by default.



It's difficult to oversell just how vacuous Craig Goldman was this morning. He's still drinking the Kool-aid from last session. "Transformational education reform" or some such nonsense.

For everything that could be said about Craig Goldman, however, all you have to know is that he praised "the leadership of...Speaker Bonnen."

He actually said it.

Yet, Celia Israel didn't call Goldman out.

[Note: Evan Smith didn't call Goldman out either.  But we can let that one slide.  That's not necessarily the moderator's job (although it is something a good moderator would do).  It is, however, the opposition party's job.]

Think about that: A member of the majority party praised a presiding officer who's being forced out because of corruption.  Furthermore, he did so while the campaign chief for the opposition party was literally sitting next to him.  Yet, that opposition party campaign chief didn't think such comments from the member of the majority party were noteworthy.

That, right there, tells you EVERYTHING you need to know about Celia Israel's political competence.

Then again, what would you expect from a political party that was too stupid to figure out the guy to whom they just lost was a slumlord?!?

Suffice to say, putting Jim Murphy in charge of cleaning up this Teacher Retirement system mess didn't come up.

Bottom Line: For as much material as the Texas GOP seems determined to give them, the Texas Democrats ongoing failure to exploit it remains a sight.

#TXLEGE: Maybe, just maybe, Jim Murphy isn't the best choice

"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."
Matthew 6:24

We discussed the mess related to teacher retirement fund renting luxury office space a couple weeks ago.

The legislature is OUTRAGED!!!

(Outraged, they tell ya.)

So outraged they put someone in charge:



LOL, of course.

For those who don't remember, Jim Murphy is this guy:

HOUSTON – It appears that state Rep. Jim Murphy likes taxpayer-funded hats. Channel 2 Investigates identified him wearing a couple of them. One is for the 133rd District on Houston's west side, and the other remains unclear. 

Employment contracts between Murphy and the Westchase District, a governmental agency and political subdivision of the state, show Murphy banking a fixed monthly fee of over $26,000 a month. That is a whopping $312,000 a year. The contract also lists him as a "consultant" even though the website for the Westchase District clearly says he's the general manager. 

So what is the problem? 

State law says, "No member of the Legislature may hold any other office or position of profit, except as a notary public." 

In other words, a legislator cannot hold another taxpayer-funded job. 

Murphy is a five-time state representative.

[Note: We can't post the original TV report due to formatting issues, but we strongly recommend you click through the link above and watch the full report (approx. 5 minutes).]

Bottom Line: Foxes, henhouses, and all that.

#TXLEGE: At least the Arlington Chamber's Honest

"The merchants of these things, who became rich by her, will stand at a distance for fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,"
Revelation 18:15

The Arlington Chamber of Commerce recently wrote a blog post defending taxpayer funded lobbying.  Empower Texans has a pretty good summary.  However, a closer reading of the blog post reveals some details ET missed:

It would be understandable that cities and counties feel the need to protect their revenue streams from a hostile legislature. SB29 would have unilaterally disarmed cities and counties, leaving them at the mercy of industry lobbyists.

A concern among Chambers, PTAs and other groups that receive support from taxing entities is that we not get caught in the unintended consequences of loosely written legislation like SB29.

[Note: Emphasis Added.]

In other words: We're getting a lot of preferential treatment (including direct payments).  We're also able to outsource our lobby expenses to the taxpayer.  Keep that going!!!

We confess mixed feelings.  On the one hand, their policy position is obviously repellent.  On the other hand, there's a certain level of honesty.

Chamber types usually hide their avarice and mendacity behind euphemisms.

Bottom Line: In attempting to defend taxpayer funded lobbying, they make a pretty good case for its abolition.

#TXLEGE: TPPF bailing out lege over their FAILURES re: "Sick Leave" Ordinances

"Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?!?"
Matthew 20:15

TPPF press release:

TPPF Assumes Role of Lead Counsel in San Antonio Paid Sick Leave Appeal 

AUSTIN – Today, the Texas Public Policy Foundation filed a notice of appearance of counsel with the Texas Fourth Judicial Court of Appeals in San Antonio in City of San Antonio v. Associated Builders of South Texas.

This notice advises the court of appeals that the Texas Public Policy Foundation will assume the role of lead counsel on appeal for the plaintiffs/appellees in the case against the city of San Antonio’s Mandatory Paid Sick Leave Ordinance.

“Today’s announcement furthers the role of the Texas Public Policy Foundation as a defender against unconstitutional municipal mandatory paid sick leave ordinances,” said Robert Henneke, Texas Public Policy Foundation’s General Counsel. “The San Antonio district court made the right call in enjoining the San Antonio ordinance. While it’s likely that the Texas Supreme Court will decide this issue statewide in 2020, thus making this appeal moot, TPPF will continue to fight for the rights of workers to negotiate the terms of their employment, rather than these being dictated by government overreach and national union organizations.”

Good for them.  Because, honestly, somebody needs to do it.  Furthermore, we suspect it ain't been cheap.  (Imagine how many labor hours three separate lawsuits on this subject must consume.)

The pathetic thing, of course, is that it should never have come to this.  The lege was supposed to address this.  They dropped the ball.  There's a lot you could say about why this happened, but the fact remains that it did.

So good deal TPPF (and your donors).

Because we're likely to survive this one (no thanks to the legislature).

Bottom Line: TPPF is the only reason the worst case scenario probably won't emerge.  They deserve some credit.  They won't get it.  But they deserve it.

#atxcouncil, #TXLEGE: A Predictable Response to the Legislature's Incompetent Policymaking

"He who is slothful in his work
Is a brother to him who is a great destroyer."
Proverbs 18:9

From the department of completely unsurprising developments:

As Texas law enforcement grapples with how to determine whether a substance is marijuana after lawmakers legalized hemp last year, one city’s officials are putting forward their own solution: effectively decriminalize possession of small amounts of pot altogether.

The Austin City Council will vote on a proposal later this month that, if approved, would “virtually end arrests and fines” by city police for possession of personal amounts of cannabis, according to a summary and copy of the measure obtained by The Texas Tribune.

The resolution, raised by four progressive members of the 11-member council, would largely direct police to stop arresting people or issuing citations in low-level marijuana possession cases in which officers won’t be able to get lab reports to chemically distinguish between now-legal hemp and illegal marijuana. It also would forbid the city from spending funds or using its personnel to perform such tests.

There's a lot that can be said about the wisdom of this development.  It might or might not be a good idea.  But there's a more important question: What did you expect?!?

Because the die on this one was cast last summer, when the Legislature botched the hemp bill.

As we said last July:

Obviously, this story is amusing. The stoner jokes write themselves. Furthermore, the policy outcome is one this author has long supported.

That being said, there is a serious angle to this story: Legislative sloppiness.

While the hemp/marijuana slip up is humorous, the policymaking environment that enabled it is NOT.

The legislature routinely passes massive, complicated, bills without having a clue what they'll actually do. Sometimes those bills have real world consequences. Unfortunately, half-assed policymaking is a predictable consequence of the legislature's culture of entitlement.

[Note: Emphasis in original.]

When the legislature's half-assed policymaking creates a gigantic loophole in the law, it should surprise nobody when Greg Casar drives a Mack truck through it.

If the state of Texas doesn't like it, the Governor can call a special session.

Cuz' this is their own damn fault.

Like it or not.

Bottom Line: The State of Texas could fix this legal loophole in 30 minutes if there was political will to do so.  There isn't.  Like it or not, Casar's action has all the legal justification it needs.

#TXLEGE 2019: Everybody Sucked

"Because of the transgression of a land, many are its princes;
But by a man of understanding and knowledge
Right will be prolonged."
Proverbs 28:2

Forty five minutes ago, we sat down to write a blog post, "Dingus of the Year: George P. Bush."

It would have been easy to write.  There's plenty of material.  For crying out loud, we just called for the man's impeachment.

Unfortunately, even with that much material, we're not sure George P. Bush really was the dingus of the year.

He certainly had competition:

• Greg Abbott?!?

• Dan Patrick?!?

• Dennis Bonnen?!?

• Poncho Nevarez?!?

That's without considering various examples of minor league dingosity.

Bottom Line: If you take public policy seriously, nothing good happened.  On the other hand, it was entertaining.  So there's that.  Happy new year.

#TXLEGE: Things *might* not mean what Lt. Dan apparently thinks they mean

"Pride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before a fall."
Proverbs 16:18

This is...quite the arrogant press release:

PR 19 12 11 by DanPatrickTX on Scribd

To be fair, everything on which this author was working this past session passed the Senate.  We're not particularly angry with the Senators listed in this press release.  At least, not anymore than we're angry with the rest of the institution.

But come on: Does anybody seriously think that successfully primarying Dawn Buckingham or Charles Perry (two of the bigger drop offs this session) will change anything?!?

Cuz' it won't.

And it won't change anything...because of people like Dan Patrick.

Speaking of primary challenges.

Bottom Line: This was an astonishingly stupid press release to send out.

First National Conservative Media Outlet, pretty much EVER, Calls BS on Abbott

"Better is the poor who walks in his integrity
Than one who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool."
Proverbs 19:1

One America News is a newer outlet.  To be honest, we're not super familiar.  We do, however, have a couple of business acquaintances who are big fans.

That being said, they've certainly taken the lead on one of the most important stories that needs to reach a broader audience.

In reporting on the Baby Tinslee case, OAN anchor illuminates deeper truths about Greg Abbott and the Texas GOP that can be applied to an number of issues.



Highlights:

• "Republicans in Texas, our eyes are on you."

• "Republicans in the state legislature, Governor Greg Abbott, YOU have the power to repeal this rule once and for all."

• "Governor Abbott, call a special session and repeal this rule."

• TxRTL likewise calling for a special.

• "Call these Texas Republicans out for what they're doing!!!"
• Dear National Conservative Media: MORE OF THIS.

• "Texas legislature, and Governor Greg Abbott, they have the ability to call a special session."

• TxRTL: Abbott "is the only one who has the power to end this right now."

• TxRTL has learned about more cases since the Baby Tinslee case has been in the news.

Bottom Line: We need A LOT more of this, but you've got to start somewhere.

#TXLEGE: Adios Muchacho

"It is not good to show partiality to the wicked,
Or to overthrow the righteous in judgment."
Proverbs 18:5

Lolz, couldn't happen to a nicer guy....

On September 6 a pair of DPS employees at the TXDOT Flight Services location in Austin, Texas found a sealed white envelope on the ground outside of the terminal. Inside were four clear plastic baggies containing “white power.”

That powder was cocaine.

The envelope was white letterhead reading, “Office the State of Texas House of Representatives Member Poncho Nevarez.“ A review of video footage by DPS officers showed Poncho exiting the airport in burnt orange, dropping the sealed envelope and getting into an SUV driven by his chief of staff.

According to the affidavit, Poncho arrived in Austin that day flying a private Cessna T206 owned by the Nevarez Law Group. He was arriving from the Texas-Mexico border, where his legislative district is located.

In a CYA statement to the Trib, Nevarez belatedly claims:

Nevárez said "grief and addiction were consuming me" and noted that he plans to "seek treatment."

Blah, blah, blah.

[Note: Taxpayers gonna be on the hook for that so-called "treatment?!?"]

The only thing to which Poncho Nevarez was "addicted" was arrogance and entitlement.

This author doesn't care about Poncho Nevarez's recreational activities.  Glass houses, stones, the mid-2000's, and all that.  We do, however, care about arrogance and entitlement in the political arena.

It speaks volumes to the culture in the Texas house that the Chairman of the frickin' Homeland Security committee was caught trafficking cocaine.

Sure, it was a relatively small amount.  Sure, there was a big football game that weekend.  Sure, in isolation, this one specific action doesn't amount to much.

But he's the chairman of the Homeland Security committee.

Call us old-fashioned, but we don't think the chairman of the Homeland Security committee should fly cocaine from the Mexican border into the interior.

Just a thought.

Bottom Line: It's not the cocaine.  At least, not really.  It's the arrogance and the political entitlement.

#TXLEGE: So-called "Campus Free Speech" Bill Accomplished NOTHING (Like We Predicted)

"Professing to be wise, they became fools,"
Proverbs 1:22

Lovely:

A speech panel titled “When Hate Comes to Campus: Free Speech” was held at the University of North Texas last week. What was intended to be a learning experience for us all devolved into toxicity and victimhood.

The panel opened with a speech by Caitlin Sewell, a lawyer on the university’s general counsel. Ms. Sewell discussed the First Amendment and Texas Senate Bill 18 by going over examples of what is protected by free speech and what is not. In one example of what is protected, she decided to use a racial epithet in its entirety. Later in her speech, however, she chose to censor an expletive by using the term “f-word.”

The students in the audience were not fond of these choices made by Ms. Sewell. Some jumped out of their seats to yell, and one student accused the speaker of “oppressing her.” The president of the student government, Yolian Ogbu, also had quite a bit to say on the matter, claiming that “we can think of a million words to harass black people, brown people … but we can’t even think of a single word to do that for white people. Why? Because we are living in a white supremacist system.”

The students rallied behind these outlandish claims made by Ms. Ogbu, and quite a few students on social media pushed for Ms. Sewell to be fired. She resigned the next day.

Despite lavish protestations otherwise, nothing's really changed.

As we said last month:

So why is anyone surprised?!?

We've been making this point for years: See 2017, and 2018, and 2019.

Once again, witness list from this past session's UNT Board confirmation hearing:

Bottom Line: The legislature can pass all the bills it wants.  Absent personnel that will faithfully implement those laws, however, nothing will change.  This has been obvious since (at least) 2016.  We've been on this soapbox since 2017.  But uprooting an entrenched bureaucracy is hard.  So-our so-called "leaders" do nothing.  "Keep Texas Red" Tho....

#TXLEGE: GOP Likely Dodged the Bonnen Bullet

"He who covers his sins will not prosper,
But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy."
Proverbs 28:13

Trib poll confirms what we've always suspected:

A recorded and reckless conversation between a top state official and a political activist rocked the state Capitol this summer and upended the career of Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen last month. But it hardly registered with most voters, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll.

More than two-thirds of registered voters said they have heard “nothing at all” (50%) or “a little” (18%) “about the controversy over a June 2019 meeting between the speaker of the Texas House and the head of a political action committee.” Only 12% said they have heard “a lot,” and 19% said they have heard “some” about the incident. 

Bonnen, elected speaker in January, met shortly after the end of the legislative session in June with Michael Quinn Sullivan of Empower Texans and state Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock. Sullivan alleged Bonnen and Burrows offered him media passes to the floor of the House and gave him a list of Republican colleagues they said they would be happy to replace. Sullivan recorded the conversation and released that recording last month, undermining denials made by Bonnen and Burrows and resulting in Bonnen’s decision not to run for another term in the House.

That’s been big news for months in Austin and among Capitol insiders. But not, apparently, to voters.

Duh.  That's why Bonnen had to leave when he did.  While not many people know about his scandal(s) now, that wouldn't have been the case a year from now.

Bottom Line: It took too long.  Taking too long revealed other alarming things.  That could all still have a reckoning. Concerning the Dennis Bonnen scandal specifically, however, this week's Trib poll suggests the public never caught on.

#TXLEGE: Lt. Dan continues campaign against scourge of...Mild Relaxation by teenagers

"The wise shall inherit glory,
But shame shall be the legacy of fools."
Proverbs 3:35

Dan Patrick dropped several interim charges yesterday.

[Note: Two hours before Game 7 of the World Series...CLASSY.]

In fairness to Patrick, most of them are fine.  A few of them are relatively good.  Most are fairly minor.

There was, however, this:

Keeping Vaping Devices/E-Cigarettes Out of the Hands of Children: Consider the emerging public safety concerns from the rise in “vaping” and ecigarette use by minors. Study whether current criminal penalties are sufficient to deter individuals from selling these devices and substances used to fill these devices to minors.

Keep in mind, this is the same Texas Senate that thought raising the tobacco age to 21 was a worthwhile endeavor.

Furthermore, we stand by our suspicion that somebody's getting paid.

Bottom Line: Vaping by teenagers might not be good.  But come on.  No, seriously, come on.

#TXLEGE: "Save James" case proves longstanding hypothesis about Governor FoxNews

"And He answered and said to them, 'Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’"
Matthew 19:4

[Note: We've been discussing this case with Capitol sources all day.  There's a lot that we can't publish.  Suffice to say, the so-called "Big 3" are a bunch of frickin' tyrants.]

Well, well, well:

FYI the matter of 7 year old James Younger is being looked into by the Texas Attorney General’s Office and the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. #JamesYounger

— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) October 23, 2019

So nice of you to show up.

Late > never etc.

This case has been in the public domain since January.  Since then, any number of folks have worked it doggedly.  Recollections vary, but Abbott's staff was told no later than the second week of February.  Almost immediately, they stopped returning phone calls.

It's impossible to know if Greg Abbott was personally informed.  But the boss sets the organizational tone.  If Greg Abbott's staff kept this information from Greg Abbott personally, it's because they knew Greg Abbott didn't want to hear it.

So the case festered until the verdict earlier this week (aka. seven months later).  Luckily, the verdict happened to go viral.  And the verdict happened to go viral on a slow news day for national conservative media.

Thus:

• Steve Deace - A Texas jury just told a father he cannot prevent his son from being mutilated. It is past time for Christians to act.

• Matt Walsh - Court Rules That A Mom Can ‘Transition’ Son Into Girl Against His Dad’s Wishes. This Is Evil, Insane Child Abuse.

Finally, because this is Greg Abbott we're discussing, the most important outlet:

• Fox News - James Younger, 7, to have Texas judge decide fate amid parents' gender transition battle.

Once Fox picked up the story, Abbott no longer had a choice.  The story became too hot to ignore.  So he tweeted.

Of course, none of this is surprising.  We've been arguing for years that Greg Abbott cares far more about national conservative media than the grassroots of his own party.  That's why we started calling him Governor FoxNews in the first place.

But it's always been more of a hypothesis than anything.  It's difficult to prove.  It's impossible to test.

Until this week:

1. Abbott ignores issue for over seven months.
   
2. Out of nowhere, national conservative media becomes very interested.
   
3. Abbott at least pretends to do something.

If scientists had designed it in a lab, you couldn't have had a much better test of the "Governor FoxNews" hypothesis.

Greg Abbott behaved exactly how that hypothesis would predict.

Bottom Line: James Younger got lucky.  But the whims of social media and the national news cycle are no way to govern a self-respecting republic.  Even if it worked this one time.

--------

Note: If you work for a national conservative media outlet who covered this story this week, thank you!  You made more of a difference than you know.  Thank You.

#TXLEGE: Apparently, Planned Parenthood Supports Prop. 6

"You also took up the tabernacle of Moloch,
And the star of your god Remphan,
Images which you made to worship;
And I will carry you away beyond Babylon.’"
Acts 7:43

The things you see scrolling through Twitter:

Join PPTV at @CheerUpCharlies to get out the vote!

It's only fitting that, in honor of #BreastCancerAwarenessMonth, we're getting the word out about #Prop6 in order to prevent more Texans from losing their lives to cancer.

Early voting is happening now through Nov. 1. #TxLege pic.twitter.com/EuAotwykzp

— Planned Parenthood Texas Votes (@PPTXVotes) October 22, 2019

YOWZA.

Obviously, we've opposed Prop. 6 since we first heard about it. CIPRIT has been scandal plagued for years.  They don't need an additional $3 Billion.

But we didn't expect Planned Parenthood to get in on the act.

Then again, we never expected NARAL and Wendy Davis to show up here.

Bottom Line: We already thought Prop. 6 was a boondoggle, but this is all the more reason to oppose it....