Good morning,

The only place Texas House Democrats could go to find accolades [[link removed]] for their cowardly behavior was Washington, D.C. Austin’s sewer-rats are the toast of the Biden swamp.

Here is today's Texas Minute.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan

Wednesday, July 14, 2021

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Busted Quorum, Day Two BeginsOf the Democrats who busted the Texas House quorum, 24 were hand-picked by Republican House Speaker Dade Phelan [[link removed]] (R-Beaumont) to serve on his leadership team in positions ranging from Speaker Pro Tempore to the chairmen and vice-chairmen of key committees like Ways & Means and Public Education.

After the “Number of the Day” you will find the full list of House Democrats who busted the legislative quorum rather than debate public policy proposals.

As Jeramy Kitchen explains [[link removed]], when a quorum is not present the Texas Constitution allows the remaining lawmakers to issue a call and compel the attendance of their absent colleagues. By a vote of 76-4, the House sergeant-at-arms was authorized yesterday to secure a quorum “under warrant of arrest if necessary.”

The four voting “no” were also the only Democrats in attendance: State Reps. Ryan Guillen [[link removed]] (Rio Grande City), Tracy King [[link removed]] (Uvalde), Eddie Morales [[link removed]] (Eagle Pass), and John Turner [[link removed]] (Dallas).

It should be noted that the arrest authority does not extend beyond the state lines. Republicans Let It HappenIt is all the rage in Austin for Republican lawmakers to pound tables in anger over Democrats’ busting the quorum and heading to Washington, DC. There are suddenly chest-beating calls for “punishment” of the ne’er-do-well “DemocRATs.” Yet this is all mainly for show.

Democrats have chairmanships and power in the Texas House only because the Republican majority has allowed it. There are no rules in place to punish quorum-busters because Republicans explicitly and directly refused to do so.

None of this was unexpected. Democrats have busted quorums in the Texas Legislature before to stop work on redistricting and election integrity – including this year! Everyone knew it would happen again.

In the first week of the regular session, State Rep. Bryan Slaton (R-Royse City) proposed a rules change to prevent Democrats from serving as committee chairmen. His Republican colleague, Briscoe Cain (R- Deer Park) opposed the measure [[link removed]], saying there were Democrats he’d rather have chairing committees than Republicans. He dismissed the amendment as trying to turn Austin into D.C. (Now, of course, those Democrats that Cain wanted as committee chairmen are in D.C. thwarting Texans’ legislative priorities.)

On the first day of this special session, State Rep. Tony Tinderholt (R-Arlington) offered an amendment to the rules to punish anyone who participated in busting the quorum. He was ignored by his House GOP leadership colleagues.

Yesterday, Tinderholt started to make a motion [[link removed]] to punish the absent members but was shot down by the House leadership. House Speaker Phelan told the chamber [[link removed]] he simply did not have the authority to strip the absent Democrats of the chairmanships he himself had given them.

Not so, responded the chairman of the Republican Party of Texas, Matt Rinaldi – who is a former member of the legislature. He pointed out [[link removed]] that under the Rules of the House the speaker “has a right to remove any chair he himself appointed.”

It begs the question: Exactly whose side is Dade Phelan on? Proudly Waving The White Flag Of SurrenderState Rep. Kyle Kacal [[link removed]] (R-Bryan) thinks Democrats should be given “a victory or two” so they will want to return to Texas. Brandon Waltens reports [[link removed]] on the interview Kacal gave a local TV station about the situation in the Capitol.

“The Democrats told us that they would walk out if they weren’t happy, and apparently they’re not happy,” said Kacal. “They are walking out, and it doesn’t look like they’re going to return. We need to have some communication and come up with a moderated deal that brings everybody to the table and makes sure they have a victory or two.”

Because appeasement always works…

Quote-Unquote

“I seem to smell the stench of appeasement in the air.”

– Margaret Thatcher​​

Texas Senate Got Work DoneWhile the House is playing partisan games, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and members of the Senate have been busy. Even though nine Senate Democrats didn’t show up on Tuesday, the chamber still had a quorum and went to work.

That included – most notably – debating a comprehensive election integrity bill by Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola) similar to what senators had passed in the regular session. Erin Anderson has the details [[link removed]].

“How much fraud is okay? None. How much suppression is okay? None. That’s why this bill makes it easy to vote and hard to cheat.” – State Sen. Hughes [[link removed]]

Senators also passed a supplemental payment – a so-called “13th check” – for retired teachers. Protecting Girls’ SportsMeanwhile, the Senate’s Health and Human Services Committee has given its approval to legislation that will ensure male students would not be allowed to compete on designated women’s sports teams.

As Jacob Asmussen reports [[link removed]], the proposed law says Texas’ public K-12 schools and universities “may not allow a student to compete in an interscholastic athletic competition sponsored or authorized by the institution that is designated for the biological sex opposite to the student’s biological sex.” Free Speech Win!In the latest edition of the Luke Macias Show [[link removed]], learn about the big federal court win for free speech that almost no one is talking about. Luke chats with attorney Mark Pulliam [[link removed]] about the successful lawsuit he filed challenging the State Bar of Texas. ONE CLICK SURVEY

Who do you hold responsible for the Democrats’ thwarting of the special session agenda?

Gov. Abbott [[link removed]] All The Above [[link removed]] Speaker Phelan [[link removed]] Democrat Caucus [[link removed]] Someone Else [[link removed]]

Once you’ve clicked an answer, reply to this email with any thoughts you’d like to share!

Number of the Day

24

The number of Texas House Democrats put in leadership positions by Republican House Speaker Dade Phelan who have now busted the quorum and stopped legislative business.

[Source: Texas House]

Democrats Who Busted The House Quorum

(Click the legislator’s name for social media accounts and phone numbers.)

Alma Allen [[link removed]] (Houston)

Rafael Anchia [[link removed]] (Dallas) – Chairman: Pensions, Investments, & Financial Services Committee

Michelle Beckley [[link removed]] (Carrollton)

Diego Bernal [[link removed]] (San Antonio) – Vice Chairman: Public Education Committee

Rhetta Bowers [[link removed]] (Rowlett)

John Bucy III [[link removed]] (Cedar Park)

Liz Campos [[link removed]] (San Antonio)

Terry Canales [[link removed]] (Edinburg) – Chairman: Transportation Committee

Sheryl Cole [[link removed]] (Austin)

Garnet Coleman [[link removed]] (Houston) – Chairman: County Affairs Committee

Nicole Collier [[link removed]] (Ft. Worth) – Chairman: Criminal Jurisprudence Committee

Philip Cortez [[link removed]] (San Antonio) – Chairman: Urban Affairs Committee

Jasmine Crockett [[link removed]] (Dallas)

Yvonne Davis [[link removed]] (Dallas) – Vice Chairman: Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence Committee

Joe Deshotel [[link removed]] (Beaumont) – Chairman: Land & Resource Management Committee

Alex Dominguez [[link removed]] (Brownsville)

Harold Dutton Jr. [[link removed]] (Houston) – Chairman: Public Education Committee

Art Fierro [[link removed]] (El Paso)

Barbara Gervin-Hawkins [[link removed]] (San Antonio) – Vice Chairman: Culture, Recreation, & Tourism Committee

Jessica Gonzalez [[link removed]] (Dallas) – Vice Chairman: Elections Committee

Mary Gonzalez [[link removed]] (El Paso) – Vice Chairman: Appropriations Committee

Vicki Goodwin [[link removed]] (Austin)

Bobby Guerra [[link removed]] (Mission)

Ana Hernandez [[link removed]] (Houston) – Vice Chairman: State Affairs Committee

Abel Herrero [[link removed]] (Robstown) – Vice Chairman: Energy Resources Committee

Gina Hinojosa [[link removed]] (Austin) – Vice Chairman: Human Services Committee

Donna Howard [[link removed]] (Austin)

Celia Israel [[link removed]] (Austin)

Ann Johnson [[link removed]] (Houston)

Jarvis Johnson [[link removed]] (Houston)

Julie Johnson [[link removed]] (Carrollton)

Oscar Longoria [[link removed]] (Mission)

Ray Lopez [[link removed]] (San Antonio)

Eddie Lucio III [[link removed]] (Brownsville)

Armando Martinez [[link removed]] (Weslaco)

Trey Martinez-Fischer [[link removed]] (San Antonio)

Terry Meza [[link removed]] (Irving)

Ina Minjarez [[link removed]] (San Antonio)

Joe Moody [[link removed]] (El Paso) – Speaker Pro Tempore; Vice Chairman: Calendars Committee

Christina Morales [[link removed]] (Houston)

Penny Morales-Shaw [[link removed]] (Houston)

Sergio Munoz Jr. [[link removed]] (Mission)

Victoria Neave [[link removed]] (Dallas) – Chairman: Juvenile Justice & Family Issues Committee; Vice Chairman: General Investigating Committee

Claudia Ordaz Perez [[link removed]] (El Paso)

Lina Ortega [[link removed]] (El Paso)

Leo Pacheco [[link removed]] (San Antonio) – Vice Chairman: Higher Education Committee

Mary Ann Perez [[link removed]] (Houston)

Ana-Maria Ramos [[link removed]] (Richardson)

Richard Pena Raymond [[link removed]] (Laredo) – Chairman: Defense & Veterans’ Affairs Committee

Ron Reynolds [[link removed]] (Missouri City)

Eddie Rodriguez [[link removed]] (Austin)

Ramon Romero Jr. [[link removed]] (Ft. Worth)

Toni Rose [[link removed]] (Dallas) – Vice Chairman: Redistricting Committee

Jon Rosenthal [[link removed]] (Houston)

Carl Sherman Sr. [[link removed]] (DeSoto)

James Talarico [[link removed]] (Round Rock)

Shawn Thierry [[link removed]] (Houston) – Vice Chairman: Ways & Means Committee

Senfronia Thompson [[link removed]] (Houston) – Chairman: Licensing & Administrative Procedures Committee; Vice Chairman: S/C on Constitutional Rights & Remedies

Chris Turner [[link removed]] (Grand Prairie) – Chairman: Business & Industry Committee; Chairman: House Democrat Caucus

Hubert Vo [[link removed]] (Houston) – Vice Chairman: Insurance Committee

Armando Walle [[link removed]] (Houston)

Gene Wu [[link removed]] (Houston)

Erin Zwiener [[link removed]] (Driftwood)

Your State Lawmakers

Governor of Texas

Greg Abbott - R

(512) 463-2000

Lt. Governor

Dan Patrick - R

(512) 463-0001

House Speaker

Dade Phelan – R

(512) 463-1000

Texas Senate, District

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Texas House, District

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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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