Good morning –

Gov. Greg Abbott’s decision to award a $295 million contract to a shadowy company for a constitutionally dubious “contact tracing” program is raising questions from many Texans... even while most lawmakers are sitting silent.

Here is today's Texas Minute.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan

Tuesday, June 2, 2020

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OK, so not every member of the Texas Legislature is sitting silent. State Sen. Bob Hall [[link removed]] (R-Edgewood) and Rep. Tony Tinderholt [[link removed]] (R-Arlington) have sent Gov. Abbott separate letters expressing frustration with the $295 million contract he awarded to New York-founded MTX Group, which recently opened an office in Frisco. The company doesn’t have much of a track record, and its president appears to have either inflated or misrepresented his educational background.

In his letter, Rep. Tinderholt points to [[link removed]] the incongruities in the businesses the governor is allowing to open compared to those he is keeping shut. “I am baffled that in a state run by a majority of Republicans we are picking winners and losers in every single industry.”

Tinderholt added [[link removed]] that he believes Abbott’s contact tracing program represents a “gross invasion of personal liberty and privacy” that will potentially violate “medical privacy laws.”

Have questions or concerns about the $295 million contract [[link removed]] Gov. Abbott awarded to MTX Group? Make sure the governor and your legislators – both the state representative and the state senator – hear from you. All of their phone numbers are noted below, or can be found online.

Eighty days have passed since Gov. Greg Abbott first issued an emergency declaration over fears of the Chinese coronavirus. Since then, he has used the twice-renewed declaration to order businesses to close, require Texans to stay in their homes, ban large gatherings, and more. Now, State Rep. Mike Lang (R-Granbury) wants the legislature convened into a special session to review the disaster declarations. Brandon Waltens has the full story [[link removed]].

Specifically, Rep. Lang takes aim [[link removed]] at the Texas Disaster Act of 1975 and Section 418 of the Texas Government Code, which the governor has used to justify his unilateral response during the past two and a half months, and says he is drafting legislation to “bring it up to constitutional standards.”

Unemployment claims in Texas brought on by Gov. Abbott’s closure of the state economy are now between 2.4 million and 2.89 million, according to the latest data [[link removed]] from the Texas Workforce Commission. The Texas economy remains approximately 50 percent closed; many of the businesses allowed open by Gov. Abbott are operating between 25 and 75 percent of their capacity.

Not surprisingly, Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar announced yesterday sales tax revenues have plummeted 13 percent compared to last year’s collections – and the steepest year-over-year decline since 2010. Cary Cheshire has the details [[link removed]]. This has deep ramifications for the state’s current budget, and the 2021 legislative session.

Grassroots leaders have called for Gov. Greg Abbott and state lawmakers to get ahead of this by moving to reduce spending and prioritize tax relief immediately, but no significant action has been taken.

The ACLU and its Texas chapter have withdrawn their lawsuit [[link removed]] against seven Texas towns that had declared themselves sanctuaries for the unborn and adopted ordinances outlawing abortion within their city limits. Violence swept across the country over the weekend, with far-left groups taking advantage of the outrage at the killing of George Floyd at the hands of a police officer in Minneapolis. In a new commentary, Metroplex attorney Warren Norred takes a deeper look [[link removed]] at the circumstances leading up to Mr. Floyd’s death.

With Texas’ John Ratcliffe departing Congress to serve as the Director of National Intelligence, Cary Cheshire reports [[link removed]] on what Republican leaders in the 4th Congressional District are saying about the kind of candidate they’re looking for as a replacement on the November ballot.

“We need a smart and intelligent candidate that supports and defends the Constitution of the United States first and foremost.” – Marion County GOP Chairman Scott Stebins

Because Ratcliffe had already obtained the 2020 Republican Party nomination in the March Primary, the election of a new candidate [[link removed]] falls on those officials. Cheshire explained last week [[link removed]] the rarely-used process, set forth in state law.

The CD4 race is a good reminder of why citizens must be involved in all levels of government – especially local government and even party politics – if they wish to maximize their voice.

Records from the U.S. Senate have revealed lobbyist-turned-congressional candidate Josh Winegarner lobbied to keep the now-eliminated NAFTA, and opposed the Trump administration on country of origin labeling standards. Thomas Warren reports [[link removed]] Winegarner is currently locked in a heated Republican primary runoff against Dr. Ronny Jackson, former Physician to the President and retired Navy rear admiral. Jackson has earned the endorsement of President Trump in the contest.

Please join me in wishing a very happy birthday to the president of Empower Texans, Ross Kecseg!

Quote-Unquote

“The trouble with our liberal friends isn't they are ignorant, it's just that they know so much that isn't so.”

– Ronald Reagan​

Number of the Day

42

Number of days until Texas’ primary runoff elections.

[Source: calendar]

Team Spotlight

Tony McDonald, General Counsel

& Host of Texas Scorecard Radio

Q: What is the perfect Saturday?

A: Floating down the Guadalupe River in a tube, drinking a cold beer and smoking a cigar.

Q: What’s your favorite part of the job?

A: Answering personal factoid surveys from Michael Quinn Sullivan.

Your Federal & State Lawmakers

U.S. Senator

John Cornyn - R

(202) 224-2934

U.S. Senator

Ted Cruz - R

(202) 224-5922

Governor of Texas

Greg Abbott - R

(512) 463-2000

Lt. Governor

Dan Patrick - R

(512) 463-0001

Attorney General

Ken Paxton – R

(512) 463-2100

Comptroller

Glen Hegar – R

(512) 463-4600

Land Commissioner

George Bush – R

(512) 463-5001

Commissioner of Agriculture

Sid Miller – R

(512) 463-7476

Railroad Commissioners

Wayne Christian – R

Christy Craddick – R

Ryan Sitton – R

(512) 463-7158

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PO Box 12862, Odessa TX 79768 Produced by Michael Quinn Sullivan and Brandon Waltens, the Texas Minute is a quick look at the news and info of the day that we find interesting, and hope you do as well. It is delivered weekday morning (though we'll probably take the occasional break for holidays and whatnot).

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