Chiming In
More voices are chiming in after Attorney General Greg Abbott released his official opinion on House Speaker Tom Craddick's powers.
The following statement was issued by Rep. Geanie Morrison (current chair), Rep. Dan Flynn, Rep. Phil King (current chair), Rep. Jim Murphy (loyal freshman), Rep. Diane Patrick (loyal freshman), Rep. David Swinford (current chair) and Rep. John Zerwas (loyal freshman):
“The attorney general’s opinion is a strong confirmation that the speaker respected the constitution and the rules, and that a speaker’s contest should end, not begin, on the first day of session. During the 140 days legislators are in Austin, the focus must be on addressing the business of the people and not political agendas. While we support a member’s right to inquire about the rules and the democratic process spelled out in the constitution, with this opinion now issued we hope our most vigorous debates will be focused on the matters that most directly impact Texans, such as border security, property rights, education reform and fiscal discipline.”If Craddick is re-elected to a fourth term as speaker, Patrick, Murphy and Zerwas have certainly proven their loyalty and may very well join the ranks of chairmen. After all, there will be lots of vacancies to fill.
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