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Today’s Stories
DAN PATRICK threw down a higher ed gauntlet with his proposal to abolish University tenure last week. It’s a great concept, but Patrick’s execution remains TBD.
In response to a pro-critical race theory resolution passed by the University of Texas Austin’s so-called “faculty Senate,” the gambit has set off a familiar reactive defensive.
One more thing, the faculty Senate acted at the behest of a national left-wing group. Feel free to click through on that link; these people are goofy.
As Patrick explained in his press conference, the effort at UT-Austin was this group’s first foray into a red state. Thus, Patrick’s strong response has already served a useful purpose.
For their part, the UT politburo is quietly marshaling forces.
At Saturday's Longhorn basketball game (sad trombone), it was impossible to miss Republican State Representative Craig Goldman, and disgraced former Texas House speaker Dennis Bonnen seated courtside with university president Jay Hartzell.
Governor Abbott likewise made an appearance at the game. While he didn’t sit with Bonnen et al., they did take a photo-op together.
More interesting than posing with Bonnen is Abbott sitting next to Steve Hicks. Hicks has been a member of the Board of Regents for over a decade. During that time, he’s most notorious for sandbagging the University’s pursuit of Nick Saban to coach the football team.
To have two legislators sit next to the University president while the hatchetman for the Board of Regents sits next to the Governor is not a coincidence (in context) a day after Patrick’s announcement.
Patrick is on offense; how far he’ll take it is to be seen. Hope for the best, but Patrick’s unforced errors on election integrity and critical race theory during the 2021 session and K-12 policy in the past are of recent vintage that breeds skepticism.
Continuing with the theme of “twos” this Tuesday, the 22nd of the Second month in the twenty-second year of the century, the Dan Patrick News continues in the next item. (AC)
DAN PATRICK was the subject of a Texas Tribune report about his political efforts this cycle.
Most salaciously, the Tribune reports (what had been widely rumored) that Patrick tried to recruit Rick Perry (the actual former Governor, not the guy with the same name on the current ballot) to run against Greg Abbott. PushJunction stans all Perry’s on the ballot, as it provides all sorts of fun.
Beyond that, the Tribune article explores Patrick’s relationship with Donald Trump. It quotes unnamed sources to suggest that Patrick is boxing out other elected officials (specifically Paxton and Sid Miller) with the former president.
The Tribune report rings true (such gripes have been swirling), and Patrick’s response has a distinctly “doth protest too much” vibe.
It’s not a secret that Patrick is consolidating power in the Lt. Governor’s office. As the previous item makes clear, it’d be nice to see him use it for good. Whether or not he does is up to Patrick. (AC)
KEN PAXTON has released a finding that sex changes for minors are child abuse. Duh. This comes ahead of the primary. But, so what? The system works.
ELLEN TROXCLAIR has been accused of siding against police unions by opponent Justin Berry. It’s a nonsense accusation that can be easily debunked by listening to Troxclair’s words.
This is a typical Murphy-Nasica smear, Berry’s political consultant.
Berry has been joined in his assault by the Austin Young Republicans, a group that’s served in a longstanding role as hatchetmen for establishment types. (AC)
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