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Today's stories
JAMES DICKEY is outsourcing the GOP Convention to Karl Rove?
Multiple social media postings over the weekend state that Upstream Communications will monitor the Texas GOP Convention if it goes virtual later this week.
If the goal of selecting Upstream, run by political consultant Todd Olsen, to oversee the party's first virtual convention was to temper fears of a rigged proceeding, the opposite effect might have been achieved.
Lawmakers like Kay Bailey Hutchison and Joe Straus (moderate to liberal on the political spectrum) are representative of the flavor of Republican Upstream represents.
The largest Upstream client by total spend is the Associated Republicans of Texas. A recent editorial published by the Texas Scorecard highlighted the giving of the ART members to Democrats in Texas during what is a crucial election cycle for Republicans.
As recently as December 2019, Upstream consulted for Texas Forever Foward, the newly spun up PAC lead by former Speaker Straus, underwritten with funds from the Speaker's campaign coffers.
Over the last several months, the Forever Forward PAC and its leader have taken strictly liberal positions advocating for gun control, praising liberal SCOTUS rulings (DACA | LGBTQ), and marching with BLM.
In February, Straus castigated Republicans for not showing up at gotcha forums hosted by Democrat lead education groups.
This chastisement by Straus took place during an election year in which he and former top tier consultant Karl Rove were appointed to the Republican State Leadership Committee to help lead a project to protect Republican legislative majorities.
Straus is no ally to Republicans, and Rove's name is anathema to the grassroots. That a firm with close ties to both is rumored to have been selected to run the convention is going to ruffle feathers.
Olsen, the President of Upstream, before forming his political consulting firm, Olsen+Company, "managed political and public policy campaigns and served as Executive Vice President of Karl Rove+Company."
TWO POLICE OFFICERS in McAllen Texas were ambushed and killed over the weekend, according to the chief of police they never stood a chance. Flags were ordered to be lowered in their honor.
Hit the links
The conservative indictment of James Dickey
Texas runoff election turnout high
SCOTUS signals a brave new world of popular elections
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