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June 2, 2024
NEWS DIGEST
by Brandon Waltens
Good morning,
A majority of Texas House Republicans say they do not want Democrats placed in leadership positions next session, a strong rebuke of a policy that has been embraced by current House Speaker Dade Phelan.
The letter, signed by 46 current and incoming Republican members, states:
In a collective effort to respond to Republican voters and reform the Texas House, we will only vote for a candidate for speaker pursuant to the Platform and the Caucus By-Laws who will only appoint Republicans as committee chairs.
Phelan, meanwhile, has repeatedly defended the practice of placing Democrats as chairs of committees, despite the fact that ending the practice has been a priority of the Republican Party of Texas. In a recent interview, he said he would “not waver” from placing Democrats in charge, despite the Republican majority in the chamber.
The letter comes as a group of lawmakers have been circulating a Contract With Texas, a series of 12 proposed reforms to end the Democrat power-sharing that is prevalent in the House. State Rep. Nate Schatzline (R–Fort Worth) told Texas Scorecard the group will continue pushing for all 12 points.
“Today the majority of the Texas House Republican Caucus agreed to support 2 points in the Contract with Texas, effectively blocking Dade Phelan from gaining the caucus endorsement for speaker. However, we can’t stop here. The 21 signers of the contract with Texas remain steadfast in supporting a speaker who we believe will enact all 12 points,” said Schatzline.
The letter may be viewed here.
Featured
A New York jury has convicted former President Donald Trump on charges he falsified business records to cover up an alleged affair. Texans have stepped forward to denounce the trial and the verdict.
State
Gov. Abbott Declares Victory for School Choice Following Electoral Gains
Abbott, Club for Growth, and AFC have announced that there are now enough votes for school choice to pass in the Texas House.
Senate Takes Up Issue of Election Security During Interim Hearing
Testimony from former big tech employees suggests social media giants are manipulating would-be voters.
Texas Supreme Court Rules State Abortion Ban Is Constitutional
The Court unanimously agreed to vacate the trial court’s injunction of the law.
Local
Seven Indicted in Houston Public Corruption Scheme
Mayor John Whitmire vowed to work with any agency to identify and remove corruption as his administration moves forward.
Former Texas Teacher Gets 30 Years in Prison for Producing Child Porn
Authorities found Snapchat videos of Sonya Murillo performing sexual acts on a prepubescent child.
Dallas ISD Organized ‘LGBTQ Youth’ Trainings for School Staff
Newly obtained internal communications reveal that the district’s coordinator of support services for “LGBTQ” youth worked with a local “transgender” clinic to train staff.
Federal
14 Democrat Attorneys General Urge DOJ to Look Into Daniel Perry Case
They are asking U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland to open a federal criminal civil rights probe into Perry’s shooting of a BLM protestor.
Texas Congressmen Say Collin Allred Hardly Worked on FAA Act
U.S. Reps. Troy Nehls and Brian Babin say Rep. Colin Allred was more concerned with including mask mandates than fighting for Texans when passing the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024.
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