Gov. Rick Perry slipped into Washington and met secretly Friday with the state's Democratic House members, who gave him an earful about his role in redrawing the state's districts and the price Texas paid for
it.
Members described the meeting as frank and candid, at times testy, though never hostile. They said they reminded Perry, a Republican, that a redistricting plan he helped push through the Texas Legislature had cost their state possible chairmanships of the Agriculture, Homeland Security and Rules committees.
"We told him now that we are in the majority ... we control a lot of money," said Rep. Solomon Ortiz, D-Corpus Christi.
I think this is a good example of one of the consequences of the Democratic take-over that many (myself included) are not aware of. Republicans are still firmly in charge here in Texas, but Democrats in Congress are now in charge of billions of dollars that will be sent to Texas for various projects and services, and that kind of money means they're in the position to make demands on Perry...and have them met:
On the eve of the meeting, Texas lawmakers learned that Perry a few days earlier canceled $1.3 million in state contracts with private lobbying firms who represented Texas before Congress, said Rep. Gene Green, D-Houston.
Green, who worked to end the contracts, hailed the decision, saying taxpayers already pay elected officials to represent them.
Questions were raised about the contracts with Cassidy & Associates and Federalist Group because of the firms' ties to convicted former lobbyist Jack Abramoff and former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, who is facing state charges in a campaign finance investigation.
I think Perrry saw the writing on the wall. Expect more of the same. It won't be big news (nobody benefits by shouting this stuff out to the national press) but things, they are quietly a'changin'.
2 comments:
So Perry's done with redistricting, eh? He wants to "go forward"? How about we go forward and redistrict again, this time with a less partisan intent.
I like how ever since redistricting Texas Dems have won a net gain of 7 Texas House seats, and in 2006, won 2 Congressional seats no one could have ever expected.
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