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DENNIS BONNEN is a disgraced, washed-up hack of a politician who appears to be trying to rehab and relaunch as a lobbyist.

The context of Bonnen’s disgraced “washed-up-ed-ness'' provides a teachable moment for Texas’ Power Elite.

Bonnen, for those blessed enough to have forgotten, was a one-term Speaker of the Texas House. In 2019, Bonnen was forced to retire after Conservative doyen Michael Quinn Sullivan exposed the then speakers’ offer of a quid pro quo.

Bonnen never really disappeared but largely refrained from public spectacle. Until last week.

Brazoria County, which the former speaker represented in the legislature for nearly a quarter-century, renamed a government building after him. By itself, this isn’t newsworthy. Hack politicians, with massive egos, get government buildings named after them all the time.

But, well, yeah:

Scott Braddock @scottbraddock

Yeah at least 40 legislators #txlege

Jeff Leach @leachfortexas

Honored to be here supporting my friend Speaker @RepDennisBonnen at the dedication of the Bonnen Central Building at Brazosport College. A well-deserved honor for one of the best public servants, legislators, Speakers and guys I know. #txlege

Scott Braddock @scottbraddock

Yeah at least 40 legislators #txlege https://t.co/VkvVk5uNwu

Dade Phelan @DadePhelan

Had a great time in Lake Jackson today at the dedication of the new @RepDennisBonnen bldg at Brazosport College. What a fitting tribute for someone who moved mountains on behalf of his community & dedicated decades of his life to public service. Thank you, Speaker Bonnen.

Joe Moody @moodyforelpaso

Proud of my friend and mentor, @RepDennisBonnen. He always says that relationships with people are far more important than politics—a reminder that more unites us than divides us—and you can see that playing out here. #txlege

Dustin Burrows @Burrows4TX

Proud to be at Brazosport College today for a building named after my good friend @RepDennisBonnen. @GregAbbott_TX @DadePhelan and numerous colleagues enjoyed a great luncheon thanking him for his contributions to the State and House!

Greg Abbott @GregAbbott_TX

Today, I was proud to honor Speaker @RepDennisBonnen at the Bonnen Central Building dedication at Brazosport College in Lake Jackson. His time in office was dedicated to Texas & his home district. His legacy allows students to seek new opportunities & build brighter futures.

Rep. Cole Hefner @ColeHefnerTX

It was good a day to be in Lake Jackson with @GregAbbott_TX , @DadePhelan and 40 current and formers members attending the “Dennis H. Bonnen Central Building” dedication at Brazosport college. A well deserved honor for @RepDennisBonnen. I’m proud to have served with him.

,What else do you need to say?!?

For dozens of lawmakers, along with the sitting Governor, to show up to an event honoring a man who left office in a corruption scandal speaks for itself. Call it the “power elite,” call it the “good ol’ boy system.” Whatever the title, club membership means you never have to apologize.

While our primary objections are systemic, regardless of partisan labels, but a couple of additional points of disdain for the Democrats:

For a sizable chunk of the Democrat caucus to participate in this farce, rather than using it to highlight the corruption of the majority party is a textbook example of why Democrats lack the political chops to flip the Texas house.

That being said, it’s a tacit admission that the minority party likes the status quo.

Teachable moment. (AC)

TEXAS PENSION FUNDS are supporting anti-oil and gas activities by left-wing environmentalists.

This is a manifestation of what’s become known as “environmental, social, and governance” (ESG) investing. Having failed to implement the left’s “climate” goals through the political process, activists are trying to back door them through the financial system.

The most immediate issue is a 2021 fight over three ExxonMobil board of directors seats. During this conflict, Texas’s “Employee Retirement System” and “Teacher Retirement System” both sided with enviros over Texas’s native industry.

Enviros' pursuit of this strategy isn’t surprising. Likewise, at this point, neither is it surprising for woke Wall St. banks to go along. For pension funds representing the state with the most oil and gas to comply, however similarly, is new.

And deeply troubling.

Couple of other, unsurprising points about how these funds are structured:

All board members are either directly appointed, or at least approved by the Governor. This activity was a policy decision made by Greg Abbott’s appointees.
Most, if not all, of the aforementioned board members, are subject to Senate confirmation. We don’t particularly fault the Senators for not anticipating this one. Supporting Texas’ native industry ought to be a no-brainer.

It could make for a real, exciting confirmation fight next session.

Shortly before this newsletter went to publication, Dan Patrick released the following statement:

I am outraged by news that the Employee Retirement System of Texas (ERS) has voted by proxy for numerous shareholder resolutions that go against the spirit of laws passed by the 87th Texas Legislature. Moving forward, ERS has pledged to review and modify its voting policies with its voting proxy to address my concerns.
"Our various investment funds' focus should be on getting the best return on their funds. If companies they invest in take positions that harm Texas, they need to re-evaluate those investments."

Stay tuned.

CEDAR PARK mayoral candidate Jim Penniman-Morin has long-standing progressive ties about which voters should be aware. This isn’t new, but worth a reminder.

Penniman-Morin, a current city council member, was part of a Democrat wave that swept WillCo during the early Trump era. Alongside two-time loser M.J. Hegar, Penniman-Morin was at the vanguard of Democrats’ “find a liberal who spent ten minutes in the military and repeat the word Veteran a zillion times” strategy.

We’ll see if it works in 2022. (AC)

NEW YORK Young Republicans have filed a lawsuit to overturn the state’s assembly districts.

New York's assembly's lower chamber in that legislature is the functional equivalent to the Texas House.

This results from a recent court ruling over the Congressional and NY Senate maps we discussed last week. Due to a legal technicality, that ruling didn't include the maps for the NY Assembly.

The current lawsuit aims to add the Assembly in the previous order.

Unlike the NY Senate (which Republicans controlled for most of the 50 years before 2018), there’s **ZERO** chance of a partisan flip in the NY Assembly.

That being said: **IF** New York is forced to adopt new maps for the Assembly, it Republicans could flip 3 or 4 seats in Brooklyn and Queens that would have been unfathomable a few years ago. (AC)

Hit the Links

Hispanics Lose Confidence in Democrats over inflation

Mexico Butthurt over Border Security

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MON brief 5.2.22