Texas state Speaker of the House Coercing Fellow Party Members

[ConservativeTeacherInTraining]

We, Conservative Citizens of the state of Texas, are in a fight to keep a corrupt, powerhouse RINO from keeping the Speaker of the House position in our Texas House of Representatives. After the election of November 2, 2010, the Texas State House of Representatives has the largest Republican majority since Reconstruction. Also, the majority of the ones elected are Conservative, representing Conservative districts.

The current Speaker is Joe Straus. His supporters are trying to re-invent his image to portray him as a Reagan social and fiscal Conservative. This man is anything but. His voting record speaks for itself:

Rep. Joe Straus OPPOSED:

•Using statistically-proven methods to strengthen marriage and reduce divorce by encouraging pre-marital counseling (HB 2685, votes 384, 437, and 1407, 2007)

•Parental rights, opposing a bill to let parents know the service-referrals that school counselors are making for their children (HB 2136, ...vote 592, 2007)

•School choice (HB 1, vote 235, 2007)

Joe Straus SUPPORTED:

•Making it easier to perform late-term, third-trimester abortions (SB 419, vote 672, 2005). And in the 2007 session, he received a 100 percent voting record from the radical pro-abortion group NARAL, and the pro-abortion group Planned Parenthood contributed to his reelection campaign.

•Homosexuals as foster parents (SB 6, vote 327, 2005)

•Expanded casino gambling (HB 10, vote 939, 2007)

•Increased gaming and gambling (HB 2265, vote 749, 2007)

•Increased sale and consumption of alcohol during Sunday morning church hours (HB 168, vote 357, 2005)

•Making it easier to sell alcohol without community approval, as is currently required (SB 1626, vote 852, 2005)

•Increasing state budget spending by an amazing 19 percent over only two years (SB 1, vote 946, 2005)

If this isn’t enough, he has also coerced, bribed, blackmailed and outright threatened fellow party Representatives into voting for him for Speaker or have their district redrawn to favor the Democrat in the next election. Representative Bryan Hughes pulled his support for Speaker Straus because of this outrageous attempt at such vulgar coercion, and he released a public statement:

“Today after much prayer and counsel, I formally withdraw my support for Speaker Joe Straus. I do this with no malice toward the Speaker or any other member.

Over the past several days I have heard from an increasing number of my constituents and supporters. Their unanimous voice has called for me to withdraw my support of Speaker Straus.

My decision, though not a light one, was made clearer after a phone call I received over the weekend from a member of Speaker Straus’s leadership team. This member brought up the subject of redistricting and explained to me how that process would be used to punish those members not on Speaker Straus’s list of supporters.

More specifically, this member told me that maps were already being drawn to get rid of Representative-Elect Erwin Cain (R-Sulphur Springs) and Representative Dan Flynn (R-Van), because they were not on the Speaker’s list of supporters.

I was then told that I had nothing to worry about in redistricting, so long as I stayed on the Speaker’s list.

This conversation first saddened and then disgusted me.

Using the redistricting process for retribution reminds us of all that is wrong with politics. The Speaker’s race should be decided not based on threats of punishment and not on promises of power, but on principle.

The people of Texas have chosen us to speak for them. As we prepare to cast our first vote on their behalf, we should lay aside our ambition for powerful committees, stand against the threats, and support the Speaker candidate who best represents our conservative principles." (http://www.navigator-news.com/component/content/article/6-politics/67-one-more-texas-rep-says-not-so-fast-joe-straus)

Joe Straus and his staff are guilty of bribery, blackmail, coercion, and flat out threats of political repercussions if representatives don’t vote for him for speaker, as stated clearly in TX election code cited here: Government Code section 302.032(1), section 302.032(2), and section 302.033. Punishment for violating these is 2 to 5 years in prison. Another violation in play is Bribery Penal Code 36.02, which is a second-degree felony.

Also, Texas is the only state where the minority party is allowed to vote for Speaker of the House. This means that he holds 51 minority Democrat votes in his hip pocket, and in order for him to be stopped, 76 Republicans have to vote against him, instead of just 50, if only the majority party were allowed to vote.

This is urgent. We need national attention brought to this so that the speaker of the Texas house reflects the huge and historic 99 of 150 seat republican majority in the Texas house; the largest majority of any party in Texas since Reconstruction. Not only has Straus broken several laws, he does not come close to representing that Republican majority that WE THE PEOPLE of Texas elected Tuesday November 2.

PLEASE GO TO THESE FACEBOOK PAGES BELOW AND “LIKE” THEM AND PASS THEM ON. PLEASE CALL, FAX, EMAIL, OR MAIL THE TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL GREG ABBOTT, AND THE TRAVIS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY, AND INSIST THAT THEY FILE CHARGES BASED ON THE LAWS CITED ABOVE, COVERING BRIBERY, BLACKMAIL, COERCION, AND OUTRIGHT THREATS. THIS POWER-HUNGRY LIBERAL RINO MUST BE STOPPED.

3 facebook links:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Texas-Tea-Party-Alert-Network/170576062968793
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Oust-Joe-Straus/131120870275669
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Conservative-for-Texas-House-Speaker/143374362376315

AG Greg Abbott: #(512) 463-2100 / FAX: (512) 475-2994 / Email: greg.abbott[@]oag.state.tx.us / MAIL: Office of the Attorney General PO Box 12548 Austin, TX 78711-2548

Travis County DA Rosemary Lehmberg: #(512) 854-9400 / FAX: (512) 854-9695 / MAIL: P.O. BOX 1748 Austin, TX 78767

[ConservativeTeacherInTraining]

He got to be Speaker in the last session when the Republicans only had a 3-seat majority. The Texas House, stupidly allows the minority party to cast votes for Speaker, so he got a bunch of Democrat votes.

Now that the Conservatives have such a LARGE majority, we’re all working to see he’s ousted.

[smokingfrog]

Letter On Leadership

[ConservativeTeacherInTraining]

It is also interesting that Straus refused to answer questions on the VoteSmart.org “Political Courage Test” - http://www.votesmart.org/npat.php?can_id=49917

He was asked repeatedly by Vote Smart, national media, and prominent political leaders.

[TexasPatriot8]

House General Investigating and Ethics Committee Chairman Chuck Hopson will have a hearing on the charges brought forth by Bryan Hughes on Nov. 22nd or 23rd, the first day the full Committee can meet.

So the stink is about the hot the fan. Straus better get himself a scotch guard suit, he’s gonna need one soon.

[TexasPatriot8]

Excellent! Thank you for posting that. Our GOP Chariman in our county told us she signed that. Thank you. :)

[TexasPatriot8]

For all Texas conservatives, and anyone that knows any Texas conservatives, please go to and ask them to go to http://www.facebook.com/texastpalert and “like” it and spread it to all their conservative family, friends and contacts. The more conservatives and Tea Party groups possible that are linked together for communication to get word spread quickly on important events the better. Thank you.

[MeekOneGOP]

“LIKE” !!

And I wore my “Don’t Tread on Me” T-Shirt yesterday !!!

Today, I am wearing my “Just Say NO to Socialism” shirt!

Got them HERE:

http://libertyshirtmarket.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0573bc6ab27f599d41ad4fc74&id=3c229826e9&e=8d5623b78a

NO... NOT my store. I’m just a happy repeat customer. :)

[MeekOneGOP]

Anyone wanting to join me on Facebook, here I am:

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1794667501

Let me know you are a Freeper if you request friends. :)

[MeekOneGOP]

**Texas Tea Party Alert NetworkACTION
ALERT !!!!!!! Do you want to talk directly to the Speaker of the House,
Joe Strauss? Townhall meeting 11/11/10 at 7:00 PM call 888-886-6603
enter event ID 15979. let Joe know what we think of him. His
supporters are trying reinvent his image as a ProLife Reagan
conservative.2 hours ago**
- - - - -

Gotta love it!!

[MeekOneGOP]

Please go here and read the WHOLE letter !!!

AN OPEN LETTER TO TEXAS HOUSE SPEAKER JOE STRAUS
FROM CONSERVATIVE STATE REPRESENTATIVE LEO BERMAN
http://news.navigator-news.com/component/content/article/6-politics/63-an-open-letter-to-texas-house-speaker-joe-straus-from-conservative-state-representative-leo-berman

Excerpt:

At the beginning of last session you and 10 of your cohort Republicans, RINOS would be the proper term, decided you did not want my good friend Tom Craddick, a solid conservative Speaker, to preside over the session. You met and voted among yourselves as to who would be your Speaker candidate.

It fell upon you since you were the least controversial although you were the one with the least service in the House. You had 11 votes but needed 65 more to make the 76 it takes to elect a Speaker.

You decided to go to the Democrats who eventually gave you the 65 votes to win. What did you give them? You gave them a promise not to bring legislation dealing with ILLEGAL ALIENS, PRO-LIFE ISSUES, or VOTER-ID to the House floor and that is exactly what happened during the session. The Democrats loved that deal because they opposed all three issues vehemently.

When I saw that no bills on illegal aliens were coming out of the State Affairs Committee Chaired by Rep. Burt Solomons, I did notice that Democrats were bringing bills to the floor that would have funneled millions of dollars directly to illegal aliens. I started to amend those bills immediately, with simple words which said, “These benefits are for U.S. citizens only”.

Excuse the term, but the Democrats went “nuts” over my amendments and Joe, you tried to come to their rescue. You came to my desk on the House floor and asked what you can do for me (like hearing one of my bills in Solomon’s committee) to get me to stop amending the Democrats’ bills. I could not believe what I heard from you. I asked you if you took the same oath of office that I did and then requested that you leave my desk quickly before I really got angry.

Finally, you single-handedly killed the Voter –ID Bill, a bill that 96% of Republicans in the 2008 Primary election voted to have considered in the next session.

[TexasPatriot8]

I love that MR. Straus sent to Rep. Leo Berman, cited in an open letter that former Texas GOP Chariman Cathy Adams wrote to the Texas GOP Blog, quoting MR. Straus as saying “The election is over, the grass roots movement needs to sit down and shut up”. Oh I HOPE MR. Straus runs his mouth like that some more, cause he’s about to get the grass roots effort RIGHT IN HIS FACE! Jack booted dirty money thug RINO, should deport him from Texas, send him to Illinois or New Jersey, he’d fit right in there.

[TexasPatriot8]

THANK YOU! Really apprecaite your help with this! :)

[MeekOneGOP]

You bet! :)

[speelurker]

Bump and more evidence of why Straus must go!

http://dallasteaparty.org/userdata/dallasteaparty/Straus_Leadership_Team.pdf