Good morning,

A showdown is brewing in the Texas Capitol.

Here is today's Texas Minute.

– Brandon Waltens

Monday, October 4, 2021

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When grassroots decided to make election integrity the number one priority of the Republican Party of Texas, lowering the penalty for illegal voting was not what most had in mind.

Yet, that is exactly what the the Texas Legislature did. And the Speaker of the House Dade Phelan says he has no intention of fixing the issue.

Senate Bill 1 [[link removed]], Texas Republicans’ signature election integrity measure passed during the second special session in August, actually included a provision to weaken the penalty for illegal voting from a second-degree felony to a Class A misdemeanor.

Weaker penalties for election law violations was the exact opposite of what Republican grassroots told lawmakers they wanted.

“Who in their right mind would agree to reducing the criminal penalties for voter fraud?” asked JoAnn Fleming. Her conservative advocacy group, Grassroots America – We The People, was the first to call out [[link removed]] the last-minute bait-and-switch in the bill.

Under pressure from concerned citizens, last week Gov. Greg Abbott added the issue to the special session lawmakers are currently halfway through.

“The State of Texas has made tremendous progress in upholding the integrity of our elections,” Abbott said in a press statement. “By increasing penalties for illegal voting, we will send an even clearer message that voter fraud will not be tolerated in Texas.”

Of course, it’s less like “increasing the penalties” and more like restoring them to what they were before House Republicans muddied the bill. When Abbott placed the fix on the special session agenda, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick was quick to endorse the addition, claiming they and Attorney General Ken Paxton had “found” the problem and “agreed it must be corrected.” A bill [[link removed]] was quickly filed by State Sen. Bryan Hughes that is set to be heard in the Senate State Affairs Committee this morning.

In the House, however, it’s been a different story. Speaker Dade Phelan, a Republican, says he does intend to “re-litigate” the issue, calling the amendment to decriminalize voting “thoughtful.”

Nonetheless, State Rep. Mayes Middleton filed an identical bill to undo the Legislature’s unexplained decriminalization of illegal voting [[link removed]]—a collection of offenses [[link removed]] that includes stealing votes, double voting, and other forms of cheating—and keep the current felony penalties.

In addition to Middleton, Republican State Reps. James White [[link removed]], Tony Tinderholt [[link removed]] and Keith Bell [[link removed]] have said they support grassroots’ calls to restore stronger voter fraud penalties. So have Texas GOP Chairman Matt Rinaldi and the party’s Legislative Priorities Chair Jill Glover.

Most House members, however, have remained silent on the issue. Will House Republicans defy Speaker Phelan and stand up for election integrity?

If left unchanged, the weaker fraud penalties will take effect on December 2. 🔒 Donate to Texas Scorecard 🔒 [[link removed]] Today in History

On October 4, 1927, the first actual work of carving began on Mount Rushmore.

Quote-Unquote

“The more I study [the Constitution] the more I have come to admire it, realizing that no other document devised by the hand of man ever brought so much progress and happiness to humanity.”

– Calvin Coolidge​

Your Federal & State Lawmakers

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U.S. Senator [[link removed]]

John Cornyn - R

(202) 224-2934

U.S. Senator [[link removed]]

Ted Cruz - R

(202) 224-5922

Governor of Texas [[link removed]]

Greg Abbott - R

(512) 463-2000

Lt. Governor [[link removed]]

Dan Patrick - R

(512) 463-0001

U.S. House [[link removed]], District

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Texas House [[link removed]], District

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Speaker of the Texas House

Dade Phelan (R)

(512) 463-1000

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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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