Good morning –

What did I learn from yesterday’s Texas Minute? If legislators don’t allow unfettered access to the Texas Capitol during the legislative session, Texans may bring a battering ram to the 2022 election season.

More on that at the end of today's Texas Minute.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan

Wednesday, December 9, 2020

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In a lawsuit filed directly with the Supreme Court of the United States by the office of Attorney General Ken Paxton, Texas is challenging the results of the 2020 presidential election in four battleground states, asking the nation’s highest court to throw out the votes and direct state legislatures to appoint presidential electors. Erin Anderson has the details [[link removed]].

The Texas Attorney General alleges a variety of different constitutional violations in Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, though all relating to the loosening of mail-ballot processing rules.

“Trust in the integrity of our election processes is sacrosanct and binds our citizenry and the States in this Union together,” said Paxton in announcing the legal action. “The states violated statutes enacted by their duly elected legislatures, thereby violating the Constitution. By ignoring both state and federal law, these states have not only tainted the integrity of their own citizens’ vote, but of Texas and every other state that held lawful elections.” Meeting behind plexiglass shields at the Texas Capitol – and taking only invited testimony – the Senate State Affairs Committee discussed the issue of taxpayer-funded lobbying yesterday in a hearing citizens could not attend in person. Brandon Waltens has the story [[link removed]].

The hearing began with State Sen. Brian Birdwell (R-Granbury) suggesting a ban in 2021 could exempt rural counties and apply only to large urban counties. That, of course, would be contrary to the call of the Republican Party of Texas to “Abolish all forms of taxpayer-funded lobbying.”

The presumption of some legislators seems to be that it is the amount of money that matters; in fact, it is the principle of citizens being plundered to subsidize their political and legislative opposition.

As an interim committee hearing conducted in advance of the legislative session, no action was taken. The Dallas City Council is scheduled to vote today on whether to spend $200,000 in taxpayer money to hire lobbyists to represent the city government’s interests in the state Capitol. Robert Montoya has the details [[link removed]].

Or, put more succinctly: Dallas council members will decide if they should steal more money from taxpayers so they can hire lobbyists to work against the citizens. UPDATE: Yesterday we reported [[link removed]] about a leftwing organization – the California-based “Independent Voter Project” which promotes the abolition of party primaries – hosting an exclusive trip to Hawaii for state legislators at a time when government restrictions and guidelines make such trips almost impossible for citizens. Several Texas lawmakers allegedly attended but no one knew who.

Now we do, at least partially. Two lawmakers admitted to the Dallas Morning News they attended the conference. No, it wasn’t two Democrats, as you might expect given the group organizing the trip. It was State Rep. Lyle Larson (R-San Antonio) and State Sen. Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood).

Frankly, no one is surprised. Larson votes like a Democrat, and Taylor would ditch almost everything if a surf board is dangled in front of him. Who else went? Before I forget... Please join me in wishing a very happy birthday to Texas Scorecard’s managing editor, Brandon Waltens! It is being widely discussed that Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, and the legislative leadership teams are planning to keep the Texas Capitol mostly closed – or incredibly difficult to access – for citizens during the upcoming session. We asked yesterday whether voters should care.

An overwhelming 97.2 percent of readers who responded answered that voters “should be furious.” The remaining 2.7 percent were of the opinion voters shouldn’t care.​Y’all Answered

“From a Purple Session to a Blue Session. Austin is a sewer.” – Christopher Ekstrom

“We, the People, need to push back on this one! Open it up...it belongs to US!” – Stephanie Fredin

“Unnecessary, but a great way and deliberate attempt to hid the sins of the establishment.” – Nemo Stone

“Will the same exclusions and burdens apply to their favored lobbyists? No? Then we no longer have representative governance nor consent of governed.” – Robert Jeter III

“It belongs to the people, not the politicians! Wrong on so many levels!” – Eileen Miller

“This is a pile-on, more of the same. These people are revealing their true nature; tyrants with a perverse attitude that they are better than the rest of us.” – Roger Taylor

“Texas used to LEAD!! Now, our governor cowers!!” – Dena McKeel

“Let them keep their offices closed...cut their salary off 100%. Less govt is better anyway!” – Debbie Jenkins

“I knocked on doors for Abbott. Never again. Nor will I ever vote for him again. I’m tired of getting screwed by my own damn side.” – Vikie Schwartz

“What they’ll do is steal us blind with no one watching and make burdensome edicts. I hope he knows few in Texas will support his bid for President.” – Jean Whitsitt

“Sounds like they don't want to hear from the Deplorables - you know, those people that pay their salaries.” – Pat Vick

“They don't want to be held accountable for letting Abbott circumvent them making them irrelevant therefore aiding his destruction of Texas freedom and economy.” – Senthea Clinton

“Abbott and Patrick haven’t let us down yet. I can only assume that they know what they’re doing!” – Ken Burling

Number of the Day

$108,159,975​

Estimated total taxpayer-funded lobbying expenditures in Texas for 2019-2020, based on state records.

[Source: TransparencyUSA]

Quote-Unquote

“There are people who think that plunder loses all its immorality as soon as it becomes legal.”

– Frédéric Bastiat​​

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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 we find interesting, and hope you do as well. It is delivered weekday mornings (though we'll take the occasional break for holidays and whatnot).

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