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September 15, 2024
NEWS DIGEST
by Brandon Waltens
Good morning,
The vote for Speaker of the House will take place on the first day of the legislative session on January 14, 2025.
The decision may be made long before that as part of the Republican Caucus’ nominating process.
The process of Republican legislators nominating a unified speaker candidate ahead of the official vote at the start of the session in January was adopted in 2017, in an attempt to prevent Republican speaker candidates, like then-Speaker Joe Straus, from courting Democrat support for the position.
In the years since, however, both the former Speaker Dennis Bonnen and the current Speaker Dade Phelan have released lists containing Democrat supporters ahead of the caucus vote, making the exercise a formality.
This year appears to be shaping up differently as Phelan has already gained four challengers who have promised to appoint only Republicans as committee chairs and gain Republican support first. For the first time, the caucus nomination process could be significant.
The caucus vote will take place in December as part of their retreat ahead of the session. To clench the caucus’ nomination, multiple rounds of voting can take place during a secret ballot. The winner must receive 2/3 support during the first two rounds of voting. If that does not occur, the threshold then drops to 3/5.
Caucus rules bind members to support their nominated candidate in January, although they are under no legal obligation to do so.
The five candidates who have announced against Speaker Dade Phelan thus far are:
Tom Oliverson
Shelby Slawson
David Cook
James Frank
John Smithee
Featured
A new investigative report revealed that House Speaker Dade Phelan used a state jet for campaign activities.
KHOU 11 has reported that members of the Texas House have used TxDOT’s executive-style jets for activities that crossed the line between “official state business” into personal or political business.
According to state law, the jets cannot be used for attending “an event at which money is raised for private or political purposes.”
State
Records, Video Show Cole Hefner Skipped Paxton Impeachment Vote
An investigation into lawmakers’ use of state jets has revealed that Cole Hefner “ghost voted” to impeach Ken Paxton last year while using a government plane for personal business.
‘Secret Speech Police’ Granted Exclusive Power Over Campaign Violations, Court Rules
The Court of Criminal Appeals says the Texas Ethics Commission has exclusive jurisdiction over matters regarding campaign law violations.
Beth Van Duyne Tapped to Lead Texas GOP Victory Effort Ahead of November Election
Before being elected to Congress in 2020, Van Duyne served in the Trump administration as part of the Department of Housing and Urban Development and previously held office as Mayor of Irving.
Local
Texas School Superintendents Mysteriously Suspended, Resign
Parents in Grand Prairie and Harlingen are left wondering what happened with their school districts’ top administrators.
Kerrville Residents Win Partial Injunction Against City’s Electioneering Ordinance
Two sections of the city’s electioneering law, including restrictions on residents “congregating” outside its sole polling location, are temporarily voided.
Lubbock County Officials Break Quorum Again to Block Property Tax Hike
Commissioners Jason Corley and Jordan Rackler can force the county to adopt the No New Revenue rate by skipping one more meeting.
Federal
Texas ‘Trump Train’ Trial Begins With First Amendment at Forefront
Pro-Trump Texans have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in court to defend their 2020 interaction with Biden’s campaign bus.
Measure Slashing Funding to China-Infiltrated Universities Passes US House
The act was sponsored by U.S. Rep. August Pfluger and co-sponsored by three other Texas representatives.
Elon Musk Notches Legal Win Over Liberal Attack Group
Media Matters will have to defend its effort to drive advertisers from X.
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