Reports on social media indicate that the Texas House of Representatives levied fines of more than $9,000 to the quorum-busting runaway Democrats who fled the state earlier this month. Previous reports indicate the legislators must pay the fines with personal funds, not campaign funds.
The Texas House of Representatives’ effort to approve a mid-census congressional redistricting map cleared an important hurdle with the passage of the bill’s initial reading on Wednesday afternoon. The resolution was approved along party lines after a five-hour debate. Final passage by the House is expected later on Wednesday.
As the 1 p.m. deadline for a quorum call came and went, Texas Speaker of the House Dustin Burrows announced a series of actions to hit House Democrats in their pocketbooks.
A motion to issue arrest warrants for the dozens of Texas Democrat legislators who fled the state Sunday to prevent their Republican colleagues from voting on a congressional redistricting map has been passed by the state’s House of Representatives.
Texas Speaker of the House Dade Phelan withdrew his bid to remain in that position for the upcoming legislative session. The move could dramatically change the opportunity to pass key conservative legislation next year.
The Texas House Investigative Committee on the Robb Elementary School Shooting released a 77-page report on Sunday providing the most detailed account of the incident to date. The report said no one was able to stop the shooter because of what it described as “systemic failures and egregious poor decision making” by people who were either in power our could have been in power to take action.
A political writer released the long-awaited recording of a meeting he held with the two top Texas Republican House leaders. The tape replays what has been alleged to be a quid pro quo offer from the Speaker of the Texas House in exchange for political action against certain legislators by the writer’s political action committee.
The Brazoria County, Texas, district attorney reportedly joined the investigation into allegations made against House Speaker Dennis Bonnen regarding a June meeting with political activist Michael Quinn Sullivan. Brazoria County is Speaker Bonnen’s home and under a new Texas law, would be responsible for investigating and prosecuting any potential criminal case against him.
The Texas House General Investigating Committee voted to request an investigation into allegations made against the Speaker of the House and the Republican Caucus Chairman. The accusations stem from a June 12 meeting in the Capitol where the House Speaker and Republican Caucus chairman allegedly made a quid pro quo offer to an activist in exchange for political action against fellow House members.
The Texas Democratic Party and a Democrat State Representative reportedly filed a lawsuit against the man who accused the Texas Speaker of the House and Chairman of the House Republican Caucus of misconduct and bribery. The lawsuit seeks to protect records and force the release on a recording from a meeting between the three parties.
At least three Texas state representatives said they believe the House Speaker has not been truthful about a meeting with a political activist where an alleged bribery attempt took place. The comments come after the legislators listened to a purported recording of the meeting captured by the activist.
A Texas Republican legislator reportedly listened to a recording of a meeting between a Texas political activist and two leaders of the House in which an alleged bribery attempt took place. The legislator said the recording confirms the allegations of wrongdoing by the speaker and the chairman of the House Republican Caucus on June 12.
Two key Republican leaders are largely remaining silent on allegations of serious legal and ethical improprieties leveled by a conservative political organization’s leader. The allegations involve promised use of official power from elected officials in exchange for political favors to include government-issued media credentials.