Good morning, 

Each day’s installment of the Texas Minute this week focuses on two of the top ten stories of 2021 as selected by our readers.

In the last One Click Survey of the year, we ask if incumbent Republican legislators should be held accountable in the primary for the House GOP leadership’s decision not to punish Democrat quorum-breakers. 

You’ll find that at the end of today's Texas Minute.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Tuesday, December 28, 2021
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ICYMI: Yesterday’s countdown highlighted the fight to end gender transition procedures on children, and the renewed interest parents have in public school curriculum. 

#8… Election Integrity, Wins and Losses

• Few issues drew as much attention in this year as election integrity. Erin Anderson recaps the year-long fight to bring higher standards of security to Texas’ elections – which inexplicably resulted in Republican lawmakers reducing the penalties for voter fraud.
   
• Readers said the fight on Election Integrity was the #8 story of 2021.
       
• Well before questions about the 2020 presidential election captured headlines, the Republican Party of Texas and grassroots activists across the state made securing the ballot a top legislative priority for 2021, after lawmakers failed to pass proposed election reforms in prior sessions. The Texas Senate responded by passing dozens of provisions to the Texas Election Code that voting integrity advocates say make it “easy to vote and hard to cheat.” 
       
• One of the most significant reforms in 2021 was a ban on using private third-party money to fund election administration. The ban was prompted by millions in outside cash from Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg funneled to select local election offices last fall, which had an unprecedented influence on voting in the 2020 presidential election.
   
• The House – run by Speaker Dade Phelan (R-Beaumont), who actively courted Democrats to secure the post – floundered on the biggest aspects of election security in the regular legislative session, thereby forcing a summer special session to be called. Democrat obstruction delayed work for 37 days (see below), but a comprehensive measure was finally passed.
   
• House Republicans have still not explained their last-minute decision to lower the penalty for illegal voting from a felony to a misdemeanor—the exact opposite of what grassroots conservatives told lawmakers they wanted.
   
• When the change was discovered, House Speaker Phelan said he would not entertain legislation restoring the original penalties.

#7… Democrats Face No Consequences

• As noted, Democrats obstructed the legislative process for 37 days in an effort to block consideration of election security measures. Despite tough (hopeful?) talk from backbench Republican legislators, the GOP House leadership did nothing to penalize the Democrats.
       
• Readers said the GOP’s refusal to punish Democrat lawmakers was the #7 story of 2021.
      
• As Brandon Waltens notes in his recap, not only did Democrats get to keep their committee chairmanships and other perks of power – but they were allowed to take their “per diem” checks as if they were actually at the Capitol working.
     
• As the DEM walkout dragged on, State Rep. Cody Vasut (R–Angleton) filed House Resolution 72, which would have ensured that penalties could be applied to those derelict members—including stripping chairmanships, fining the members, and taking away their seniority privileges such as preferred offices and parking spots. But despite being referred to the House Administration Committee chaired by State Rep. Will Metcalf (R–Conroe), the measure never received a hearing. Similar legislation was also ignored during the third special session of the fall, called to address redistricting issues. 
     
• The chairman of the Republican Party of Texas, Matt Rinaldi, said the need to penalize the quorum-busting Democrats was evident in all corners of the GOP.  “I have never seen an issue that so firmly unites Republicans across the political spectrum as this one does.”

ONE CLICK SURVEY

House Democrats’ obstruction of the legislative process, abusing the constitutional quorum requirements, stalled state business for 37 days. The Republican leadership in the Texas House refused to penalize the Democrats. Should incumbent GOP lawmakers be held accountable for that decision in the primary?
 

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