Good morning –

In response to yesterday’s One Click Survey, a reader asked a pointed question: “Why isn’t Greg Abbott ordering his appointees on the Texas Ethics Commission to immediately investigate who is paying for the Democrats trip to DC?” The governor has four appointees to the commission, while the lieutenant governor and House speaker each have two.

We’ll get to the other responses at the end of today's Texas Minute.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Thursday, July 15, 2021
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Democrat Admits He’s Still In Texas

• While the nation is focused on the Democrats preening for cameras in Washington, D.C., one of the missing Texas House members claims on Facebook he cannot afford to miss work and is merely hiding out in Texas.
       
• State Rep. Leo Pacheco (D-San Antonio) wrote on Facebook that he must “work for a living” and couldn’t afford to be in Washington, D.C. Instead, he is “in another undisclosed location” in Texas. He also warned that, if found by the Sergeant-at-Arms or Department of Public Safety, “I won't go friendly like.”
       
• Here’s the full story.
      
• Pacheco was appointed by Speaker Dade Phelan (R-Beaumont) to serve as vice-chairman of the House Committee on General Investigating. Neither Phelan nor the chairman of the committee, Haslet Republican Matt Krause, responded to inquiries about Pacheco being in Texas or the comments he has made on social media. 

How Republicans Aided Democrats In The Obstruction

• With the Texas House unable to act due to Democrats’ absence denying the chamber a legal quorum, Brandon Waltens explains how Republicans allowed it to happen. First, they selected the Democrats’ choice for speaker, Dade Phelan, and then allowed Democrats to serve in powerful leadership roles.
     
• For example, Phelan’s hand-picked number two – the chamber’s speaker pro tem – is Democrat Joe Moody of El Paso… who is very prominently among those who fled to Washington, D.C.

For Your Consideration…

• Since nothing else seems to be working, here’s an idea to force the Democrats’ hand. Gov. Abbott should declare the Texas House Democrats’ seats vacant and set a special election date. If the DEMs want to challenge the action, or prove they are alive and still residents of Texas, they can show up at the Capitol.

Senate Keeps Trucking Along

• The Texas Senate has passed seven of the 11 items on the special session agenda, including legislation dealing with election integrity, bail reform, and social media censorship. Jeramy Kitchen has the details.

COVID Passport Required In Texas…

• Despite Gov. Greg Abbott signing into law a statewide prohibition on businesses requiring proof of vaccination, two major cruise lines are requiring customers to prove they are fully vaccinated from COVID-19 before boarding in Galveston. Robert Montoya has the details.
      
• “No business or government entity can require a person to provide a vaccine passport or any other vaccine information as a condition of receiving any service or entering any place,” said Gov. Abbott when signing the prohibition into law.
   
• Yet Carnival and Royal Caribbean International are requiring guests boarding from Galveston, Texas, to provide proof of vaccination before boarding.
   
• “My last prostate exam is as much their business as my vaccine status,” Joel Starnes told Texas Scorecard after learning of these requirements.
   
• Texas Sen. Bob Hall (R-Edgewood) had offered a stronger protection than what was ultimately passed, noting that the bill Abbott signed only applies to Texas businesses, not cruise lines registered internationally.

Suing To Kill

• Businesses that profit off of killing children in the womb are trying to keep their practice legal in the state. Jacob Asmussen reports pro-abortion organizations such as Planned Parenthood and Jane’s Due Process—which specifically aids and abets underage girls in procuring an abortion—have filed a class action lawsuit against numerous elected officials to try to halt the newly approved Texas Heartbeat Act.

Y’All Answered

• Yesterday we asked who Texas Minute readers hold responsible for the Democrats’ thwarting of the special session agenda: “Gov. Abbott,” “Speaker Phelan,” “the Democrat Caucus,” “Someone Else,” or “All the Above.” 
     
• The “winner” was All the Above at 53.94%, followed by:
  Dade Phelan… 30.44%
  Democrat Caucus… 11.71%
  Greg Abbott… 2.81%
  Someone Else… 1.09%

“Voters are responsible for it and only VOTERS can change it.” – Deanna Withers

“As much as I don't want to, I blame everyone involved.  If I had to be specific, I would lay the majority of the blame on Phelan for putting spineless cowards in key positions.” – Andrew Cox

“Appears to me like the Speaker is a bonafide RINO.” – Ray Holloway

“I chose them all…..once again it is ridiculous that the State of Texas has control of all three branches of our government and we have a bunch of babies that do not want to do the job they were elected to do.” – Norma Zeinert

“I hold Dade Phelan responsible for this mess.” – Danny Platt

“The Texas Two-Step is alive and well in the Texas House. Apparently Speaker Phelan makes a fine dance partner for the House Democrats.” – Dale Huls

“I am so tired of these white glove “Republicans” who don’t want to get their hands dirty. Until Republicans decide to play by the same rules as the other side, they will keep losing.” – Vikie Schwartz

“Governor Abbott should have called on Speaker Phelan to get rid of these Dem leadership positions in the House, Speaker Phelan should have done something about this, and the Dems were a bunch of sickos!” – Konrad Wiemann

“The Democrats are cowards and run or blame others for all the problems.” – Mac Webb

“As I have said many times...Phelan owes his Speakership to these same defecting D's.  Lose their support...lose his bed in the Capitol!  Without them, he is only a backbench RINO in the Texas House.” – Rowland Greenwade

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