Tonight, the Texas Senate Republican Caucus, 18 of the 19 Republicans in the Senate, took the unprecedented step of writing a letter to refute some of the stories you’ve been hearing about Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst.
The letter pretty much speaks for itself and is an example of the consequences when Republicans forget who the opposition is and begin attacking the record of one of our own.
Texas State Senate Republican Caucus Sen. Robert Nichols, Chair Open Letter to Texans July 8, 2012Setting the Record Straight:
An Open Letter to Texans Dear Fellow Texans: In the U.S. Senate primary race, statements have been made that are untrue regarding the records of Lt. Governor David Dewhurst, the Republican Texas Senators, as well as Governor Rick Perry. This letter is to set the record straight.
The Anti-Sanctuary Cities Bill
Many members of the Texas Senate and the Lt. Governor felt strongly about outlawing the practice of sanctuary cities for illegal immigrants. During the Regular Session, the Anti-Sanctuary Cities Bill was blocked by the Democrats through the use of a parliamentary procedure. The Lt. Governor asked Governor Perry to call a special session, removed the parliamentary block, and the bill then passed the Senate along party lines early in Special Session on June 14th. The bill was sent to the House early in the Special Session where it failed to move and died. We are confident that the Senate will again pass the bill in the upcoming 2013 Legislative Session.
Controlling & Cutting State Spending
Governor Perry, Lt. Governor Dewhurst and the Republican-led Texas Legislature have always been committed to balancing the state budget without raising taxes, and have repeatedly done so since 2003. Most recently, the state budget was balanced in 2011 by cutting $14 billion in overall spending. Budget watchdog groups have repeatedly praised Texas for being a low tax, low spending state and specifically for keeping state spending lower than the rate of population and inflation growth since 2003. To characterize the Texas record as one of reckless spending is simply untrue.
The TSA Anti-Groping Bill
The Senate Republicans and the Lt. Governor wanted to protect travelers from unwanted and unlawful intrusion, so Lt. Governor Dewhurst requested that Governor Perry add the TSA Anti-Groping Bill to the agenda for the Special Session. The Texas Senate passed S.B. 29, the TSA Anti-Groping Bill, with enough time remaining in the Special Session for the House to take up and pass the bill. The bill was a tougher version than that of the House, but ultimately died as a result of opposition on the House side.
State Income Tax, Wage Tax and Payroll Tax
We the undersigned, and the Lt. Governor, have always opposed a state income tax for Texas, as well as a wage or payroll tax. Newspaper fact checks clearly confirm this.
Texans deserve to know the truth in this important election.
Signed by Senators John Nichols (Chairman), John Corona, Bob Duell, Robert Duncan, Kevin Eltife, Craig Estes, Troy Fraser, Chris Harris, Glen Heger, Joan Huffman, Mike Jackson, Jane Nelson, Steve Ogden, Dan Patrick, Kel Seliger, Florence Shapiro, Jeff Wentworth, and Tommy Williams.
Not signing was Senator Brian Birdwell – I’m sure we’ll read the story on that, soon.
WingRight 
Okay, so the House, as in Straus, is at fault for the Sanctuary City, and Anti-Groping bills falling by the way side. Wow, a play on words. Seems the House passed both the bills in the regular session, but failed to act in the special session–something awry in upper level politics. Both Straus and Dewhurst can now say it was the other chamber’s fault that the bills didn’t pass. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out there was collusion between Dewhurst and Straus. I don’t trust either of them to be truthful and forthright with voters, just heard too much spin from the two of them.
Posted by D Easton | July 11, 2012, 11:26 AMLook at this link
http://www.texastribune.org/texas-legislature/82nd-legislative-session/the-final-push-a-special-session-update-/ for a breakdown of how the TSA and Sanctuary cities stalled.
Straus and Dewhurst were in Competition to out-Conservative one another. There was no collusion.
The evidence is clear that a few House members sabotaged the Bills. Byron Cook sat on the Sanctuary cities bill in committee for two weeks. Straus public ally called the TSA Bill a “publicity stunt.”
Posted by bnuckols | July 11, 2012, 3:01 PMIsn’t it something that no one’s talking about everything good done in 2011!!! Two bills didn’ pass, but many great conservative bills did: Sonogram, Voter ID, loser pays, strengthened eminent domain protection, and defunding of PP,not only that but increased taxes didn’t go through, and toll roads and a felony charge for failing to pay toll fees and fines failed.
Posted by bnuckols | July 11, 2012, 3:06 PM