1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:06,120 Speaker 1: Good morning, July fifteenth. Yesterday was the filing deadline for 2 00:00:06,440 --> 00:00:12,360 Speaker 1: semi annual state campaign finance reports. Those can often tell 3 00:00:12,440 --> 00:00:15,520 Speaker 1: us a lot. Let's see what we learn from this 4 00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:21,680 Speaker 1: year's state contributions over ten thousand. I'll go over those 5 00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:25,759 Speaker 1: in just a moment. Those are big donors. Some of 6 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:28,880 Speaker 1: the highlights. Greg Abbott is sixty seven years old. On 7 00:00:28,920 --> 00:00:32,480 Speaker 1: November thirteenth, he'll turn sixty eight. He is the longest 8 00:00:32,680 --> 00:00:38,600 Speaker 1: serving incumbent governor in the country. He is up for 9 00:00:38,640 --> 00:00:43,640 Speaker 1: reelection should he run next year, and he will, which 10 00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:48,800 Speaker 1: would give him a fourth term should he win. That 11 00:00:48,880 --> 00:00:52,600 Speaker 1: has never been done in Texas history, a governor to 12 00:00:52,680 --> 00:00:59,720 Speaker 1: be elected in four separate gubernatorial elections. He raised twenty million, 13 00:00:59,760 --> 00:01:05,360 Speaker 1: one one hundred thousand. He has eighty six million dollars 14 00:01:05,480 --> 00:01:12,960 Speaker 1: cash on hand. Greg Abbott has pluses and minuses. His 15 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:20,280 Speaker 1: minuses are he doesn't actually believe in very much. He's 16 00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:26,640 Speaker 1: not a leader. He's not willing to go against the critics. 17 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:31,679 Speaker 1: He likes to coast. He's not a guy with an agenda, 18 00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:37,880 Speaker 1: a burning desire to accomplish. See Donald Trump had been 19 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:42,880 Speaker 1: outside of political life, candidate wise, his entire life. If 20 00:01:42,880 --> 00:01:46,440 Speaker 1: he wanted something done, he needed a senator or president 21 00:01:46,640 --> 00:01:49,600 Speaker 1: to do it for him. When he got into office, 22 00:01:50,360 --> 00:01:53,080 Speaker 1: he knew he just had a minute and he wanted 23 00:01:53,080 --> 00:01:56,600 Speaker 1: to get everything done and fast. And you see that, 24 00:01:57,440 --> 00:02:01,800 Speaker 1: you see a person with a burning desire to accomplish overnight. 25 00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:05,920 Speaker 1: Devil may care. Criticize him how you want. That is 26 00:02:05,920 --> 00:02:10,320 Speaker 1: not Greg Abbott. Greg Abbott likes to be in the office. 27 00:02:10,880 --> 00:02:13,360 Speaker 1: If he's got to do something because you've made it 28 00:02:13,400 --> 00:02:17,040 Speaker 1: a big issue, then he'll do a little something, but 29 00:02:17,120 --> 00:02:19,760 Speaker 1: not because he wants to, not because he believes in it. 30 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:23,920 Speaker 1: The Texans for Greg Abbott have raised twenty million, one 31 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:27,520 Speaker 1: hundred thousand for the first half of this year, giving 32 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:32,840 Speaker 1: him eighty six million dollars cash on hand. That is 33 00:02:33,080 --> 00:02:38,320 Speaker 1: enough to ward off a challenger in the primary, and 34 00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:45,600 Speaker 1: that is eighteen months well fifty what seventeen months before 35 00:02:46,760 --> 00:02:49,880 Speaker 1: a November election next year. That is enough to run 36 00:02:49,919 --> 00:02:53,679 Speaker 1: a campaign. And if he has a challenger, he'll be 37 00:02:53,720 --> 00:02:57,119 Speaker 1: able to raise even more. Twenty million raised eighty six 38 00:02:57,200 --> 00:03:00,920 Speaker 1: million on hand, of course, roll over what you've had before. 39 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:04,440 Speaker 1: Dan Patrick has announced that, at seventy five years old, 40 00:03:04,520 --> 00:03:10,200 Speaker 1: he will run for Lieutenant governor next year, which would 41 00:03:10,240 --> 00:03:13,280 Speaker 1: make his fourth term. Doesn't break the record, but would 42 00:03:13,360 --> 00:03:17,480 Speaker 1: make his fourth term. He was in present, he was endorsed, 43 00:03:17,480 --> 00:03:19,799 Speaker 1: and it ain't an auto pen. It's a real endorsement 44 00:03:20,160 --> 00:03:25,960 Speaker 1: by President Trump. He raised five million this first half 45 00:03:26,040 --> 00:03:30,040 Speaker 1: of the year, giving him thirty seven million cash on hand. 46 00:03:30,560 --> 00:03:34,800 Speaker 1: That's enough to ward off a primary challenger and probably 47 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:38,120 Speaker 1: even enough to run an election next November. But of 48 00:03:38,120 --> 00:03:41,680 Speaker 1: course you would want to keep raising. Dustin Burrows, the 49 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:45,360 Speaker 1: Speaker of the House, raised one million dollars. He has 50 00:03:45,440 --> 00:03:51,120 Speaker 1: two million dollars cash on hand. That's an important number 51 00:03:51,840 --> 00:03:56,040 Speaker 1: because a speaker, this is what davee Vieland did, and 52 00:03:56,480 --> 00:04:00,000 Speaker 1: in races that are close, a speaker will give money 53 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:03,680 Speaker 1: to candidates that are loyal to him to ward off 54 00:04:03,720 --> 00:04:06,800 Speaker 1: a primary opponent. If you don't have a lot of 55 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:09,840 Speaker 1: money to do that with, then you don't have the power. 56 00:04:11,640 --> 00:04:15,440 Speaker 1: Texans for Lawsuit Reform Pack political Action Committee, by far 57 00:04:15,520 --> 00:04:19,040 Speaker 1: the most powerful pack in the state, raised eleven million. 58 00:04:19,360 --> 00:04:22,320 Speaker 1: They have thirty seven million cash on hand. There were 59 00:04:22,360 --> 00:04:26,839 Speaker 1: four one million dollar contributions, including from Dick Weekly. The 60 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:30,920 Speaker 1: Judicial Fairness Pack, which is another Dick Weekly pack, had 61 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:36,799 Speaker 1: four million dollar contributions, including from Dick Weekly Joan Huffman. 62 00:04:37,279 --> 00:04:40,200 Speaker 1: Now we turn to the attorney general race, where right 63 00:04:40,240 --> 00:04:44,800 Speaker 1: now we have three, maybe four candidates running. Johan Huffman, 64 00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:47,960 Speaker 1: state senator, raised seven hundred and sixty three thousand. She 65 00:04:48,080 --> 00:04:53,880 Speaker 1: has just over three million cash on hand. Mays Middleton, 66 00:04:54,080 --> 00:04:57,800 Speaker 1: a state senator, raised one hundred and sixty six thousand, 67 00:04:58,120 --> 00:05:01,039 Speaker 1: not nearly as much, but he has ten point two 68 00:05:01,040 --> 00:05:03,640 Speaker 1: million dollars cash on hand, and that includes a ten 69 00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:07,840 Speaker 1: million dollar loan. There is a rumor that Mays Middleton 70 00:05:08,279 --> 00:05:12,320 Speaker 1: could self finance this campaign. He's married into a wealthy family. 71 00:05:13,240 --> 00:05:16,520 Speaker 1: I don't know how far that self financing goes. Only 72 00:05:16,640 --> 00:05:19,120 Speaker 1: raising one hundred and sixty six million is not a 73 00:05:19,160 --> 00:05:22,640 Speaker 1: good sign. My guess is that John Huffman will get 74 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:26,120 Speaker 1: the Texans for Lawsuit Reform money, although Mays Middleton did 75 00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:29,320 Speaker 1: collect a check from them. Aaron Wrights is the third 76 00:05:29,400 --> 00:05:33,000 Speaker 1: candidate in that so you have two state senators. Aaron Wrights, 77 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:35,120 Speaker 1: who worked for Ken Paxton is now at the Department 78 00:05:35,160 --> 00:05:38,680 Speaker 1: of Justice, raised two point one million dollars. He is 79 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:42,839 Speaker 1: not an elected official. That is catching a lot of attention. 80 00:05:43,520 --> 00:05:47,440 Speaker 1: He raised more than Huffman and Middleton combined. She with 81 00:05:47,560 --> 00:05:51,440 Speaker 1: seven sixty three May's with one sixty six, Aaron Wrights 82 00:05:51,480 --> 00:05:54,839 Speaker 1: with two point one million. There is the rumor that 83 00:05:54,880 --> 00:05:58,040 Speaker 1: Trump's going to support him. I am told by some 84 00:05:58,520 --> 00:06:01,000 Speaker 1: in other camps that is not true. I don't know 85 00:06:01,120 --> 00:06:03,479 Speaker 1: it would make a big difference. There is a rumor 86 00:06:03,480 --> 00:06:06,400 Speaker 1: that Ken Paxson will support him. Many people tell me 87 00:06:06,440 --> 00:06:08,960 Speaker 1: that's not true. That's an impression they're trying to give 88 00:06:09,640 --> 00:06:12,600 Speaker 1: either way. Two point one million for his campaign is 89 00:06:12,640 --> 00:06:17,159 Speaker 1: a pretty strong showing. Sean Tier, the Harris County District Attorney, 90 00:06:17,240 --> 00:06:20,800 Speaker 1: raised sixty million, sixty thousand dollars and has thirty nine 91 00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:24,599 Speaker 1: thousand dollars cash on hand. Lena had Allgo raised a 92 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:29,080 Speaker 1: paltry twenty six thousand dollars. She has six hundred thousand 93 00:06:29,080 --> 00:06:32,800 Speaker 1: dollars cash on hand. That's going to be a real 94 00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:38,120 Speaker 1: problem if she runs for county judge. If she runs, 95 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:40,479 Speaker 1: because An Eeseporker is going to be able to raise 96 00:06:40,520 --> 00:06:43,920 Speaker 1: a lot of money. She's got a lot of rich 97 00:06:44,440 --> 00:06:49,400 Speaker 1: white liberal Newstonians. Erica Lee's got some support Partition Plumbobile 98 00:06:49,440 --> 00:06:57,279 Speaker 1: to raise a little I think Lena's President. Trump wants 99 00:06:57,480 --> 00:07:04,320 Speaker 1: five new congressional Sea yeats redistricted in the state of Texas, 100 00:07:05,360 --> 00:07:09,840 Speaker 1: and he has every right to demand it. Here's the problem. 101 00:07:10,800 --> 00:07:14,080 Speaker 1: In order to do that, he needs to rely on 102 00:07:14,160 --> 00:07:20,040 Speaker 1: Greg Abbott, the governor, to make it happen. The reason 103 00:07:20,160 --> 00:07:24,840 Speaker 1: deportation is so dangerous to Democrats is those are their voters. 104 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:31,000 Speaker 1: If you drain out just the illegal aliens, they lose 105 00:07:31,040 --> 00:07:36,000 Speaker 1: congressional seats in California, in Texas, and in many other states, 106 00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:40,600 Speaker 1: but particularly in those two plus New York and Florida. 107 00:07:42,680 --> 00:07:47,160 Speaker 1: The difference is estimated between about twenty and twenty eight 108 00:07:47,160 --> 00:07:54,640 Speaker 1: congressional seats across the country. That is an unwinnable, undefeatable margin. 109 00:07:55,720 --> 00:07:58,840 Speaker 1: Democrats would not have any influence in the House of Representatives. 110 00:07:59,520 --> 00:08:02,840 Speaker 1: You could have a few flake Congressmen on whatever issue 111 00:08:02,880 --> 00:08:06,840 Speaker 1: and it wouldn't matter. You would have a dominant House majority, which, 112 00:08:06,880 --> 00:08:11,720 Speaker 1: by the way, Democrats did for fifty years until New 113 00:08:11,760 --> 00:08:19,400 Speaker 1: Gingrich led the Republican Coalition that won in ninety four, 114 00:08:19,960 --> 00:08:24,280 Speaker 1: midway through Bill Clinton's first term. I will turn this 115 00:08:24,360 --> 00:08:28,160 Speaker 1: one over to I believe it was Brandon Walton's who 116 00:08:28,160 --> 00:08:33,360 Speaker 1: wrote this. When he says, will Democrats walk out again? 117 00:08:34,120 --> 00:08:39,680 Speaker 1: Special session agenda revives quorum busting talk. This is Brandon 118 00:08:39,679 --> 00:08:43,320 Speaker 1: Walton's with the with Texas Core Court. There were virtually 119 00:08:43,400 --> 00:08:47,520 Speaker 1: no consequences when Democrats fled in twenty twenty one. Could 120 00:08:47,600 --> 00:08:53,680 Speaker 1: Texas Democrats break quorum again? It's a question resurfacing in 121 00:08:53,679 --> 00:08:58,000 Speaker 1: political circles after Governor Greg Abbott unveiled an eighteen item 122 00:08:58,040 --> 00:09:02,840 Speaker 1: agenda for the upcoming special session largely packed with conservative 123 00:09:02,840 --> 00:09:09,040 Speaker 1: priorities that stalled during the regular legislative session. But what's 124 00:09:09,080 --> 00:09:12,480 Speaker 1: really turning up the temperature is an effort to redraw 125 00:09:12,760 --> 00:09:18,440 Speaker 1: congressional maps to increase the Republican majority in Congress. President 126 00:09:18,520 --> 00:09:20,960 Speaker 1: Donald Trump has told members he wants to see five 127 00:09:21,400 --> 00:09:26,400 Speaker 1: new Republican seats from Texas. That's the same issue that 128 00:09:26,520 --> 00:09:30,240 Speaker 1: sparked the infamous two thousand and three walk out, when 129 00:09:30,320 --> 00:09:33,160 Speaker 1: fifty one Democrat members of the Texas House boarded a 130 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:38,320 Speaker 1: pair of charter buses and fled to Ardmore, Oklahoma. Their 131 00:09:38,360 --> 00:09:42,080 Speaker 1: goal to deny the House a quorum and block a 132 00:09:42,160 --> 00:09:46,520 Speaker 1: Republican led congressional redistricting plan backed by then House Speaker 133 00:09:46,760 --> 00:09:50,640 Speaker 1: Tom Cratick and US House Majority Leader Tom Delay will 134 00:09:50,679 --> 00:09:54,280 Speaker 1: come back to Tom Delay. The standoff lasted four days 135 00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:57,400 Speaker 1: until the clock ran out on the session, when Governor 136 00:09:57,440 --> 00:10:00,480 Speaker 1: Rick Perry called a special session to revive the redistrict effort. 137 00:10:00,880 --> 00:10:04,520 Speaker 1: Democrats in the Texas Senate followed suit, this time fleeing 138 00:10:04,520 --> 00:10:08,160 Speaker 1: to Albuquerque, New Mexico. That stand off dragged on for 139 00:10:08,200 --> 00:10:11,000 Speaker 1: over a month, but ultimately failed to stop Republicans from 140 00:10:11,040 --> 00:10:14,480 Speaker 1: pushing through a new mount that helped shift the state's 141 00:10:14,520 --> 00:10:19,360 Speaker 1: congressional delegation further to the right. More recently, in twenty 142 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:22,240 Speaker 1: twenty one, Democrats once again fled the state over election 143 00:10:22,440 --> 00:10:27,880 Speaker 1: integrity legislation. Nearly sixty House Democrats chartered private planes to Washington, 144 00:10:27,920 --> 00:10:32,800 Speaker 1: d C. Claiming to fight for voting rights. Their absence 145 00:10:33,400 --> 00:10:37,560 Speaker 1: ground legislative business to a halt for thirty eight days. Eventually, 146 00:10:37,960 --> 00:10:41,360 Speaker 1: members began to trickle back, quorum was restored, and the 147 00:10:41,440 --> 00:10:45,240 Speaker 1: legislation was passed. Despite breaking quorum and leaving the state 148 00:10:45,320 --> 00:10:49,359 Speaker 1: for over a month, there were virtually no consequences. Lawmakers 149 00:10:49,440 --> 00:10:52,960 Speaker 1: continued collecting their pay, held onto their committee positions, and 150 00:10:53,040 --> 00:10:59,320 Speaker 1: returned without any meaningful reprimand now with redistricting once again 151 00:10:59,360 --> 00:11:02,120 Speaker 1: on the call, and reports that national Democrats are urging 152 00:11:02,200 --> 00:11:07,319 Speaker 1: another walkout. Questions or building over whether Governor Greg Abbot 153 00:11:07,559 --> 00:11:11,679 Speaker 1: will implement stricter deterrence, such as declaring the seats of 154 00:11:11,760 --> 00:11:16,880 Speaker 1: absent lawmaker's vacant as of publication. Abbot's office has not 155 00:11:16,920 --> 00:11:21,680 Speaker 1: responded to a request for comment, of course not. Meanwhile, 156 00:11:21,720 --> 00:11:25,280 Speaker 1: in Washington, d C. US House Minority Minority Leader Hakim 157 00:11:25,360 --> 00:11:28,640 Speaker 1: Jeffries appeared alongside members of the Texas congressional delegation on 158 00:11:28,679 --> 00:11:33,440 Speaker 1: Tuesday to accuse Abbot of using the special session to 159 00:11:33,559 --> 00:11:37,160 Speaker 1: quote conspire to rig the congressional map in the wake 160 00:11:37,200 --> 00:11:41,600 Speaker 1: of the deadly Hill Country floods. Well, this is an 161 00:11:41,600 --> 00:11:48,440 Speaker 1: opportunity for Greg Abbott, and you know duncan means yo. 162 00:11:49,520 --> 00:11:53,680 Speaker 1: John Cornyn, who is in real trouble, trailing over twenty 163 00:11:53,800 --> 00:12:00,680 Speaker 1: points behind Attorney General Ken Paxton, has d debuted an 164 00:12:00,720 --> 00:12:05,720 Speaker 1: ad today. We'll talk about that in a moment. But 165 00:12:05,880 --> 00:12:15,320 Speaker 1: his fundraising report shows two point three million dollars raised 166 00:12:15,800 --> 00:12:19,200 Speaker 1: from January of this year through the end of June. 167 00:12:19,600 --> 00:12:22,320 Speaker 1: Two point three million, well almost two point four I'll 168 00:12:22,360 --> 00:12:28,080 Speaker 1: given benefit of doubt. Ken Paxton's report, which only begins 169 00:12:28,120 --> 00:12:33,600 Speaker 1: on April first through June thirtieth, has him at two 170 00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:41,160 Speaker 1: point nine. Fundraising is not the sole determinant of who wins, 171 00:12:42,559 --> 00:12:49,120 Speaker 1: but Fundraising early can be a determinant of what of 172 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:53,920 Speaker 1: two things. Number one, are people willing to put their 173 00:12:53,960 --> 00:12:58,320 Speaker 1: money into the race? Well, we know the swamp will 174 00:12:59,320 --> 00:13:03,679 Speaker 1: Carl has access to a lot of money. There are 175 00:13:03,679 --> 00:13:08,160 Speaker 1: a lot of people who don't have the energy to 176 00:13:08,280 --> 00:13:12,240 Speaker 1: keep up with the race in Wyoming and a congressional 177 00:13:12,280 --> 00:13:18,480 Speaker 1: race in California and another one in Montana. So they 178 00:13:18,520 --> 00:13:21,760 Speaker 1: give their money to Rove and they count on him 179 00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:28,040 Speaker 1: to go in and do it. Well, that's not always bad, 180 00:13:28,800 --> 00:13:33,760 Speaker 1: but it's often. It's often the reason that we end 181 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:39,640 Speaker 1: up with a Dustin Burrows as speaker or a Dade 182 00:13:39,640 --> 00:13:47,000 Speaker 1: Fhlan as speaker and a big fund to defend himself. 183 00:13:48,080 --> 00:13:52,520 Speaker 1: Ken Paxton only announced on April eighth, so he got 184 00:13:52,520 --> 00:13:56,600 Speaker 1: into the race January February March ninety almost one hundred 185 00:13:56,720 --> 00:14:00,960 Speaker 1: days later than Cornyn, and he already out raised him. 186 00:14:02,080 --> 00:14:05,360 Speaker 1: Brandon Waltons with Texas Scorecard, authored the piece that I 187 00:14:05,400 --> 00:14:07,600 Speaker 1: read to you just a moment about the quorum busting 188 00:14:07,640 --> 00:14:11,400 Speaker 1: in the lack of any real punishment last time, Brandon, 189 00:14:11,400 --> 00:14:12,240 Speaker 1: welcome to the program. 190 00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:14,839 Speaker 2: They always good to be on. 191 00:14:15,400 --> 00:14:21,040 Speaker 1: So we've got an eighteen agenda item special session before 192 00:14:21,160 --> 00:14:25,880 Speaker 1: US President Trump is counting on the governor of Texas 193 00:14:25,600 --> 00:14:29,160 Speaker 1: to shepherd this thing through. I'm getting the sense that 194 00:14:29,240 --> 00:14:35,240 Speaker 1: you share my concern that Abbot won't have the stones 195 00:14:35,240 --> 00:14:37,440 Speaker 1: to get this done. 196 00:14:38,400 --> 00:14:41,000 Speaker 2: Well, you know, look, I don't know whether Governor Abbot 197 00:14:41,000 --> 00:14:45,280 Speaker 2: will or won't. What I do know is that Democrats, 198 00:14:45,360 --> 00:14:48,760 Speaker 2: when presented with a similar set of circumstances twenty years ago, 199 00:14:49,240 --> 00:14:53,600 Speaker 2: a mid cycle redistricting, they left right. They went to Oklahoma, 200 00:14:53,640 --> 00:14:56,360 Speaker 2: they went to New Mexico to try to stop that. 201 00:14:57,360 --> 00:15:00,600 Speaker 2: We know that Democrats broke quorum four year ago, and 202 00:15:00,600 --> 00:15:05,160 Speaker 2: that was just for election integrity legislation. You know, redistricting 203 00:15:05,240 --> 00:15:08,360 Speaker 2: is done right will cost them seats in Congress. This 204 00:15:08,440 --> 00:15:12,320 Speaker 2: is a you know, an existential threat to Democrats, and 205 00:15:13,680 --> 00:15:16,240 Speaker 2: there's not really been you know, four years ago, there 206 00:15:16,240 --> 00:15:19,000 Speaker 2: were no consequences, like you said, I mean, they came back, 207 00:15:19,120 --> 00:15:23,520 Speaker 2: they had their committee positions, they had their offices, they 208 00:15:23,560 --> 00:15:26,280 Speaker 2: you know whatever. There were no real consequences when they 209 00:15:26,320 --> 00:15:29,000 Speaker 2: came back. And so the question is, you know, are 210 00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:30,320 Speaker 2: there going to be is it going to be some 211 00:15:30,400 --> 00:15:33,400 Speaker 2: stronger enforcement to make sure that they don't try to 212 00:15:33,440 --> 00:15:35,760 Speaker 2: do this again. We haven't heard from the governor on 213 00:15:35,800 --> 00:15:39,520 Speaker 2: this so I don't know, you know what he is 214 00:15:39,680 --> 00:15:41,800 Speaker 2: or isn't willing to do, but I do know that 215 00:15:41,920 --> 00:15:44,640 Speaker 2: you know, last time, you know, it wasn't enough. It 216 00:15:44,680 --> 00:15:48,920 Speaker 2: certainly didn't deter them from leaving. And there's a lot 217 00:15:48,960 --> 00:15:51,480 Speaker 2: of questions right now when you look at national Democrats 218 00:15:51,520 --> 00:15:55,120 Speaker 2: like a Keem Jeffries are sort of goating Texas Democrats 219 00:15:55,160 --> 00:15:58,160 Speaker 2: to leave, as questions about whether or not that'll happen again. 220 00:16:00,040 --> 00:16:03,960 Speaker 1: Brandon Walton's Texan scorecard is our guests, But I would 221 00:16:03,960 --> 00:16:08,040 Speaker 1: assert that Democrats have a better do a better job 222 00:16:08,200 --> 00:16:11,440 Speaker 1: of wrangling their people from top to bottom. They're much 223 00:16:11,520 --> 00:16:16,040 Speaker 1: more a hierarchical structure from the top down. They've got 224 00:16:16,040 --> 00:16:19,720 Speaker 1: funding behind that, whether that be Soros or another different organizations, 225 00:16:20,000 --> 00:16:24,640 Speaker 1: whereas Republicans tend to be a much more loosely even 226 00:16:24,680 --> 00:16:27,920 Speaker 1: if you want to call it organized group. I just 227 00:16:28,120 --> 00:16:30,760 Speaker 1: I wonder to the extent I wonder the extent to 228 00:16:30,840 --> 00:16:36,600 Speaker 1: which President Trump's wishes can be carried out when when 229 00:16:36,760 --> 00:16:40,240 Speaker 1: when they don't necessarily have a anything personal to gain. 230 00:16:40,440 --> 00:16:42,480 Speaker 1: I don't know, I'm raising the question. 231 00:16:43,920 --> 00:16:47,120 Speaker 2: No, I think I think it's a great question, And 232 00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:50,840 Speaker 2: I'll say this, you know, when this redistricting issue was 233 00:16:50,880 --> 00:16:53,200 Speaker 2: first brought up a couple of weeks ago when it 234 00:16:53,240 --> 00:16:56,520 Speaker 2: was put on the call for the special session. Most 235 00:16:56,560 --> 00:16:58,600 Speaker 2: people look at that and said, okay, maybe too, maybe 236 00:16:58,680 --> 00:17:02,160 Speaker 2: maybe we'll we'll be able to two more Republican seats. 237 00:17:02,760 --> 00:17:06,120 Speaker 2: The President said yesterday he wants to see five, which 238 00:17:06,200 --> 00:17:09,480 Speaker 2: is going to require some you know, some real work 239 00:17:09,600 --> 00:17:11,880 Speaker 2: and and but it's something at the same time that's 240 00:17:11,880 --> 00:17:17,960 Speaker 2: going to cause Democrats to to want to push back obviously. 241 00:17:19,520 --> 00:17:23,760 Speaker 2: And the question is, you know, are are is the governors, 242 00:17:23,800 --> 00:17:25,800 Speaker 2: the Speaker of the House Dustin Burrows, are they going 243 00:17:25,840 --> 00:17:27,760 Speaker 2: to be willing to actually do what needs to be 244 00:17:27,800 --> 00:17:30,280 Speaker 2: done to say, look, you know, for example, we've had 245 00:17:30,280 --> 00:17:32,280 Speaker 2: some lawyers. I'm not a lawyer, but but some have 246 00:17:32,320 --> 00:17:34,800 Speaker 2: looked and said, look, the governor if they if they leave, 247 00:17:34,840 --> 00:17:36,840 Speaker 2: they don't show up, they leave the state. The governor 248 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:39,840 Speaker 2: can can essentially say you need to come back to 249 00:17:39,920 --> 00:17:41,359 Speaker 2: your seat. It's going to be vacant. We're gonna have 250 00:17:41,400 --> 00:17:45,240 Speaker 2: a special election for your seat. There are new rules 251 00:17:45,280 --> 00:17:48,600 Speaker 2: put in place that go after you know that, that 252 00:17:48,800 --> 00:17:52,560 Speaker 2: find people who break quorum. But even then, right there's 253 00:17:52,560 --> 00:17:54,320 Speaker 2: sort of questions about whether or not that'll be in 254 00:17:54,400 --> 00:17:56,320 Speaker 2: forest or if that will even be a drop in 255 00:17:56,320 --> 00:17:58,840 Speaker 2: the bucket, especially if you know the National Democrat Party 256 00:17:58,880 --> 00:18:02,560 Speaker 2: wants to pick up the bill for that, and so, uh, 257 00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:05,080 Speaker 2: you know, there's there's just going to need to be 258 00:18:05,440 --> 00:18:08,400 Speaker 2: you know, more gun. I think Attorney General compacton yesterday 259 00:18:08,480 --> 00:18:12,080 Speaker 2: said that, you know, if they tried to do that, 260 00:18:12,080 --> 00:18:14,320 Speaker 2: they needed they need to be arrested. They're certainly in 261 00:18:14,400 --> 00:18:16,520 Speaker 2: powered to arrest and bring these people back to the 262 00:18:16,560 --> 00:18:20,920 Speaker 2: Capitol and hopefully if that happens, that that's, uh, that's 263 00:18:20,960 --> 00:18:22,080 Speaker 2: a step they're willing to take. 264 00:18:22,840 --> 00:18:25,720 Speaker 1: Well, I'm not one who believes that Dustin Burrows is 265 00:18:26,320 --> 00:18:29,200 Speaker 1: either a true Republican nor a man of great conviction. 266 00:18:29,280 --> 00:18:31,840 Speaker 1: But Matt Rinaldi had a great tweet yesterday. He said, 267 00:18:31,840 --> 00:18:35,440 Speaker 1: wait until Trump realizes the only thing keeping him from 268 00:18:35,440 --> 00:18:39,760 Speaker 1: winning this redistricting fight is the guy flaunting his endorsement 269 00:18:39,880 --> 00:18:44,880 Speaker 1: won't arrest Democrats breaking quorum because their votes elected him. 270 00:18:44,920 --> 00:18:47,960 Speaker 1: Speaker Brandon. I don't know how how deeply you dig 271 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:51,560 Speaker 1: into Harris County politics, but I harkened back to a 272 00:18:51,560 --> 00:18:56,520 Speaker 1: few years ago. We had a Republican county commissioner named 273 00:18:56,520 --> 00:19:00,040 Speaker 1: Cactus Jack Cagel and Rodney Ellis, who's the boss of 274 00:19:00,040 --> 00:19:04,400 Speaker 1: of Harris County politics and runs heard over everyone. He 275 00:19:04,560 --> 00:19:09,320 Speaker 1: just he just redistricted Jack Cagele out of his commissioner's 276 00:19:09,359 --> 00:19:12,760 Speaker 1: seat and replaced him with his hand picked John Arnold 277 00:19:12,800 --> 00:19:16,640 Speaker 1: picked Leslie Brioni's Democrat and now a four to one 278 00:19:16,720 --> 00:19:19,879 Speaker 1: Republican commissioner's court in Harris County is a four to 279 00:19:19,880 --> 00:19:22,679 Speaker 1: one Democrat. And everyone hooted and hollered and said, oh, 280 00:19:22,720 --> 00:19:24,320 Speaker 1: there's no way he can get away with that, But 281 00:19:24,400 --> 00:19:28,199 Speaker 1: he did because in politics, might makes right, and I 282 00:19:28,240 --> 00:19:30,359 Speaker 1: think if Trump can pull this off, they can bitch 283 00:19:30,359 --> 00:19:33,239 Speaker 1: and moan all they want, but we'll be grateful for it, 284 00:19:33,320 --> 00:19:34,959 Speaker 1: you know. At at at the end of the day. 285 00:19:35,320 --> 00:19:39,119 Speaker 1: Wonderful piece by you, by the way in Texas scorecard 286 00:19:39,200 --> 00:19:41,439 Speaker 1: on that and you folks are doing great work. Is 287 00:19:41,480 --> 00:19:44,920 Speaker 1: this guy trimor is that he works with y'all? Doesn't he? 288 00:19:45,960 --> 00:19:49,560 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, he's fantastic, he is, absolutely. I know he's 289 00:19:49,640 --> 00:19:53,480 Speaker 1: new and he's fantastic. Women are chief Michael mary Man. 290 00:19:53,520 --> 00:19:54,520 Speaker 1: I think that there might. 291 00:19:54,359 --> 00:19:56,240 Speaker 2: Because I got nothing going on down there. 292 00:19:56,320 --> 00:20:02,480 Speaker 1: Probably Houston Public Media, it's not exactly a conservative outlet. 293 00:20:03,320 --> 00:20:09,199 Speaker 1: Headline Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton opens investigation into allegations 294 00:20:09,200 --> 00:20:13,720 Speaker 1: of quote potential non citizens end quote voting in Harris 295 00:20:13,760 --> 00:20:20,080 Speaker 1: County that means illegal aliens. The investigation, which also targets 296 00:20:20,160 --> 00:20:25,760 Speaker 1: Cameron County, Eastland County, and Guadeloupe County, comes ahead of 297 00:20:25,760 --> 00:20:29,919 Speaker 1: a special legislative session in which state lawmakers will consider 298 00:20:30,040 --> 00:20:35,480 Speaker 1: giving the Attorney General's office the authority to prosecute election crimes. 299 00:20:35,520 --> 00:20:40,119 Speaker 1: You'll remember our state Supreme Court took that power away 300 00:20:40,640 --> 00:20:47,919 Speaker 1: from the Attorney General, which was carte blanche to Rodney 301 00:20:47,920 --> 00:20:54,280 Speaker 1: Ellis to run amok to cheat elections. I will remind you. 302 00:20:55,680 --> 00:20:59,200 Speaker 1: First we had Chas Bono, remember her. They brought her 303 00:20:59,359 --> 00:21:01,560 Speaker 1: or him or whatever it was in to be the 304 00:21:02,119 --> 00:21:06,160 Speaker 1: Longoria was her name, and she was the elections administrator 305 00:21:07,119 --> 00:21:11,560 Speaker 1: and she was brought in to cheat. Well, they did 306 00:21:11,560 --> 00:21:15,720 Speaker 1: a dry run during the primaries. Republicans didn't even complain 307 00:21:17,080 --> 00:21:21,000 Speaker 1: because the cheating was done within the Democrat primary. And 308 00:21:21,040 --> 00:21:25,159 Speaker 1: the way that was done is Rodney had his candidates 309 00:21:25,160 --> 00:21:31,760 Speaker 1: he wanted to win, and in Democrat seats he had 310 00:21:31,800 --> 00:21:36,520 Speaker 1: to replace them with Democrats. So this time the fraud 311 00:21:36,680 --> 00:21:41,199 Speaker 1: got real attention because this time it was against Democrats. 312 00:21:42,200 --> 00:21:44,719 Speaker 1: There was a hue and cry, and well, they couldn't 313 00:21:44,840 --> 00:21:49,760 Speaker 1: they couldn't put that one down. So jas Bono was 314 00:21:51,359 --> 00:21:55,359 Speaker 1: given several more months of pay. I believe she was 315 00:21:55,480 --> 00:21:59,880 Speaker 1: vested in a retirement plan and she was given Chuck 316 00:22:00,080 --> 00:22:02,880 Speaker 1: Cheese gift cards for life. I don't know about that last, 317 00:22:02,920 --> 00:22:04,520 Speaker 1: but I just suspect I have a feeling. I have 318 00:22:04,520 --> 00:22:09,200 Speaker 1: a feeling. You get feelings sometimes. Well, then they brought 319 00:22:09,240 --> 00:22:13,760 Speaker 1: in Clifford Tatum. This was when Rodney knew he was 320 00:22:13,800 --> 00:22:17,720 Speaker 1: in trouble. Lena Hidalgo was going to lose and they 321 00:22:17,800 --> 00:22:23,080 Speaker 1: knew it. They were looking at polling. Alex Meeler was 322 00:22:23,119 --> 00:22:26,439 Speaker 1: going to beat her, and he couldn't have that. He 323 00:22:26,560 --> 00:22:29,320 Speaker 1: has to be able to control that. This is sort 324 00:22:29,320 --> 00:22:33,800 Speaker 1: of like the Biden administration. Democrats had to win to 325 00:22:33,920 --> 00:22:37,960 Speaker 1: keep control of the purse strings and the power and 326 00:22:38,000 --> 00:22:43,159 Speaker 1: the positions, but they also had to win to fend 327 00:22:43,200 --> 00:22:48,840 Speaker 1: off prosecution. I think Rodney's strategy is if he can 328 00:22:48,880 --> 00:22:52,760 Speaker 1: stay in power till he dies, you can't prosecute him. 329 00:22:54,320 --> 00:22:58,400 Speaker 1: He knows what he's done. He knows what he's done 330 00:22:58,400 --> 00:23:01,840 Speaker 1: more than anyone knows what he he's done, and he 331 00:23:01,960 --> 00:23:05,480 Speaker 1: has to be scared that somebody's gonna come in there 332 00:23:06,040 --> 00:23:09,199 Speaker 1: and reopen all those investigations with an intention of actually 333 00:23:09,200 --> 00:23:13,560 Speaker 1: prosecuting them. He can't control if that happens from the 334 00:23:13,600 --> 00:23:16,800 Speaker 1: state or the Feds, especially not with Trump as president. 335 00:23:18,800 --> 00:23:21,560 Speaker 1: But it's been a sort of hands off in Austin 336 00:23:22,040 --> 00:23:26,119 Speaker 1: toward Harris County. And I know that folks in Harris 337 00:23:26,160 --> 00:23:29,960 Speaker 1: County have been very angry. Greg Abbott, where are you? 338 00:23:31,240 --> 00:23:33,480 Speaker 1: Why can't you put a Secretary of state in there 339 00:23:34,160 --> 00:23:38,600 Speaker 1: who works for you to prosecute election fraud in Harris County? 340 00:23:39,560 --> 00:23:42,600 Speaker 1: And for that matter, Bettencourt, for all his talk, has 341 00:23:42,640 --> 00:23:44,680 Speaker 1: never really done anything. And he's on the evening news 342 00:23:44,680 --> 00:23:47,879 Speaker 1: every evening as if he's done something. Ah, the toll 343 00:23:47,960 --> 00:23:50,359 Speaker 1: road money, the toll road and money needs to be 344 00:23:50,400 --> 00:23:54,360 Speaker 1: given back. And then's, oh, there's tough talking Bettancourt, Oh, 345 00:23:54,640 --> 00:23:57,240 Speaker 1: toll road money to be given back. You ever follow 346 00:23:57,320 --> 00:24:00,320 Speaker 1: up what happens on that? For all the time tough 347 00:24:00,359 --> 00:24:04,800 Speaker 1: talk in all of the various interviews, he never actually 348 00:24:04,840 --> 00:24:08,119 Speaker 1: accomplishes any of it. Oh, betten Corey are fighting for us. 349 00:24:08,320 --> 00:24:11,440 Speaker 1: The only thing Bettencourt is fighting for is more tax 350 00:24:11,480 --> 00:24:15,760 Speaker 1: protest customers. This is a guy who was tax assessor 351 00:24:15,760 --> 00:24:21,040 Speaker 1: collector at Harris County, resigned so that he could so 352 00:24:21,119 --> 00:24:26,160 Speaker 1: that folks could open a tax protest firm in his name, 353 00:24:27,200 --> 00:24:30,080 Speaker 1: and then resigns from the position he was elected to 354 00:24:31,000 --> 00:24:34,960 Speaker 1: and then runs for state senator because as state senator 355 00:24:35,960 --> 00:24:39,880 Speaker 1: he could talk tough, go back and forth to Austin, 356 00:24:40,880 --> 00:24:45,639 Speaker 1: and get paid a bunch of money for tax protests. 357 00:24:46,680 --> 00:24:51,760 Speaker 1: So he'd we gotta fight the tax increases really for 358 00:24:51,880 --> 00:24:57,280 Speaker 1: pay or as a senator. Bettencourt doesn't want to see 359 00:24:57,320 --> 00:25:02,000 Speaker 1: your taxes go lower in court benefits from your taxes 360 00:25:02,040 --> 00:25:05,480 Speaker 1: going sky high because his firm then protests those taxes. 361 00:25:06,920 --> 00:25:09,400 Speaker 1: It's not just the Democrats running game on you, folks, 362 00:25:09,480 --> 00:25:16,640 Speaker 1: Let's be clear on that. So we've got Paxton pushing 363 00:25:17,040 --> 00:25:23,800 Speaker 1: to prosecute in these Harris County elections. Well, what's interesting 364 00:25:23,840 --> 00:25:26,879 Speaker 1: about this is Paxton's office as they have over one 365 00:25:26,960 --> 00:25:31,240 Speaker 1: hundred potential non citizens that's illegal aliens voting in the 366 00:25:31,280 --> 00:25:34,320 Speaker 1: two recent election cycles that goes back to twenty twenty two. 367 00:25:35,840 --> 00:25:40,479 Speaker 1: The investigation is focused heavily on alleged election crimes in 368 00:25:40,560 --> 00:25:46,280 Speaker 1: Harris County. That's where it has happened and we all 369 00:25:46,320 --> 00:25:50,439 Speaker 1: know it illegal aliens and foreign nationals must not be 370 00:25:50,480 --> 00:25:55,000 Speaker 1: allowed to influence Texas elections by casting illegal ballots with impunity. Well, 371 00:25:56,720 --> 00:26:00,520 Speaker 1: we know it did happen. In fact, Clifford Tatum, who 372 00:26:00,560 --> 00:26:04,520 Speaker 1: was brought in to be the elections administrator skip Town 373 00:26:04,600 --> 00:26:10,000 Speaker 1: after that election, remember that, Remember all the scandals around that. 374 00:26:10,960 --> 00:26:15,000 Speaker 1: But like the assassin he is. He was paid the 375 00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:18,919 Speaker 1: big money, some of it by taxpayers. Who knows what 376 00:26:19,000 --> 00:26:23,000 Speaker 1: he got under the table, maybe nothing, but I wouldn't 377 00:26:23,000 --> 00:26:27,080 Speaker 1: count on it. He comes in. They rigged that election. 378 00:26:28,040 --> 00:26:35,400 Speaker 1: Hidalgo wins. Republicans have mustered everything they can to beat 379 00:26:35,440 --> 00:26:42,359 Speaker 1: haidalgo In, the candidate of Alex Meeler, and still lose. Well, 380 00:26:43,480 --> 00:26:46,080 Speaker 1: we know a number of things had happened, the biggest 381 00:26:46,080 --> 00:26:48,399 Speaker 1: of which was Republicans said, and I hear it, I 382 00:26:48,400 --> 00:26:52,399 Speaker 1: heard every election drives me crazy. We won't vote early. 383 00:26:54,040 --> 00:26:56,399 Speaker 1: We won't vote early, and then they won't know how 384 00:26:56,480 --> 00:27:00,800 Speaker 1: many ballots to stuff so they can pull the data. 385 00:27:01,560 --> 00:27:05,880 Speaker 1: Republicans weren't voting early. Republicans were sandbagging till the very end. 386 00:27:06,600 --> 00:27:10,840 Speaker 1: And on the last day of the general election, Republicans 387 00:27:10,880 --> 00:27:12,840 Speaker 1: were going to go in and vote, and then you 388 00:27:12,880 --> 00:27:15,560 Speaker 1: wouldn't be able to cheat enough. So what did they do? 389 00:27:16,800 --> 00:27:22,320 Speaker 1: They didn't send ballots to the Republican voting locations. It's 390 00:27:22,520 --> 00:27:27,840 Speaker 1: always better to vote early, always better, because everybody who 391 00:27:27,840 --> 00:27:29,760 Speaker 1: says I'm gonna vote, I'm gonna wait till the last day. 392 00:27:30,840 --> 00:27:34,280 Speaker 1: Some percentage of those people end up getting sick. A 393 00:27:34,359 --> 00:27:37,680 Speaker 1: relative gets sick, a friend ends up in an accident, 394 00:27:38,080 --> 00:27:40,840 Speaker 1: it ends up raining, you get sent on a work project, 395 00:27:41,640 --> 00:27:44,600 Speaker 1: something happens, your kid gets in trouble, you get called 396 00:27:44,640 --> 00:27:50,680 Speaker 1: to the school, there's a flood, whatever that is. Harris 397 00:27:50,720 --> 00:27:54,479 Speaker 1: County's elections are absolutely third world criminal and Rodney has 398 00:27:54,560 --> 00:27:58,920 Speaker 1: run rough shot over this county period, end of story, 399 00:28:02,160 --> 00:28:06,160 Speaker 1: and something needs to be done about it. You want 400 00:28:06,200 --> 00:28:08,760 Speaker 1: to talk about what, what what makes people? What prevents 401 00:28:08,760 --> 00:28:12,960 Speaker 1: people from wanting to be involved in elections? To bust 402 00:28:13,000 --> 00:28:17,360 Speaker 1: your ass in an election, give everything you've got, get 403 00:28:17,359 --> 00:28:20,120 Speaker 1: everybody else excited, and get them to vote, and they 404 00:28:20,200 --> 00:28:23,280 Speaker 1: cheat so much that you still lose. The next time 405 00:28:23,320 --> 00:28:28,920 Speaker 1: people don't they don't even want to participate, and that 406 00:28:28,920 --> 00:28:31,920 Speaker 1: that that's the scarecrow effect. They don't have to be 407 00:28:32,160 --> 00:28:34,200 Speaker 1: You beat yourself at that point. It's frustrating.