Good morning, 

Here is today's Texas Minute.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Thursday, August 1, 2019
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• In a surprise announcement, State Rep. John Zerwas (R–Richmond) announced he would not seek re-election to the Texas House and would, instead, resign effective September 30. As Brandon Waltens reports, Zerwas served as chairman of House Appropriations during the recently concluded legislative session.
     
• During his time in the legislature, Zerwas earned a career “F” rating on the Fiscal Responsibility Index due to his liberal voting record. In 2013, Zerwas led an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to bring Obamacare to Texas through Medicaid expansion.
    
• Add Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Conaway of Congressional District 11 to the list of those incumbents not seeking re-election. Considered a West Texas seat, it actually starts in the outskirts of the Austin area and includes Midland and Odessa.
   
• A former Navy SEAL has announced his Republican candidacy to challenge a Democrat in a historically conservative congressional district. Sam Samson reports Floyd McLendon will challenge freshman Democrat Colin Allred for the Dallas County seat previously held by Pete Sessions.

• Yesterday afternoon I announced what many have been wondering for the last week. Yes, I recorded the meeting with House Speaker Dennis Bonnen in which he proposed giving media credentials to Texas Scorecard reporters if I agreed to a set of political demands.
     
• I don’t record meetings, but Bonnen’s history of flat-out lying about conservative activists had me suspicious it was a set-up – that Bonnen intended to make me his next victim. I made the recording to protect myself, my family, my organization, and staff. 
      
• It was never my intention to release the recording because some of what he says could be used by Democrats to damage Republicans who do not deserve to be associated with Dennis Bonnen’s approach to politics.
      

• Each time I listen to the recording and reflect upon it, I’m struck by how easily Bonnen made his pitch and how insistent he was I listen to it. It makes me wonder what other deals he has cut in his seven months as speaker. How many lists of Republican targets has Bonnen distributed to other groups and organizations? And what did he offer them?

      

• It’s time for the GOP to clean up Bonnen’s mess. How much more license to lie will Republican members of the legislature give to their chamber’s leader?