Many know by now that David Dewhurst, the embattled Lieutenant Governor of Texas, is facing a brutal battle to keep his job as the state’s second-highest public official. As President of the Senate, Dewhurst (according to the GOP) is the one that allowed State Senator Wendy Davis to gain national attention with her filibuster of the state’s omnibus abortion bill. As a result, He’s got four significant challengers for the Republican Primary alone, with potential Democrats yet to be announced. Well after a recent forum discussion with those challengers in Houston, Dewhurst didn’t do himself any favors. Directly from Patricia Kilday Hart of the Houston Chronicle, here’s a small portion of what happened…
Dewhurst reminded the conservative crowd of other highly partisan issues [besides the omnibus abortion bill] he passed, such as Voter ID. “You think that was easy? That was a blood bath,” he said. “We had to change the rules. We had to fight the Democrats.”
He also said taxes have been cut “50 times,” including a $7 billion local property tax cut, since he took office. “I want to come back and cut ’em even more,” he said.
Patrick claimed that Democrats have been allowed to block legislation on sanctuary cities and school choice, largely because Dewhurst has given them too much power.
“I will not appoint half of the Democrats as chairman of committees,” he said.
Dewhurst responded that Democrats led only 5 of 17 Senate committees, and assured the crowd that none of them was important.
He’s supposed to be the Lieutenant Governor of all Texans, right? If so, then why is he BRAGGING about not listening to the citizens of his state? If you admit that you have to “change the rules” to be able to pass bad legislation, maybe it shouldn’t be passed in the first place.
Even more sickening is his comment saying that 5 of 17 Senate committees aren’t important. Among Lt. Governor Dewhurst’s list of “non essentials” is the Committee on Criminal Justice chaired by Senator John Whitmire, the Committee on Open Government chaired by Senator Rodney Ellis and the Committee on Veteran Affairs and Military Installations chaired by Senator Leticia Van De Putte.
For the Lieutenant Governor of a state to imply that any of the work he does on behalf of the people of Texas is “not important”, that’s problem number 1. Each and every committee has some level of importance. Even that Open Government committee is critically important, as the rules they set and refine are the whole reason Texans know what’s going on in Austin to begin with. And to say that the work of the Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs isn’t important… Does the Lieutenant Governor have some sort of problem with Texas Veterans? Senator Van De Putte responded to his comment with a Tweet. I agree with her assessment… if Dewhurst doesn’t think the work of the Senate is important, then maybe he should find another job.
