By: Steven Hotze, M.D.
Governor Abbott, Lt. Gov. Patrick and Speaker Phelan intentionally failed to take advantage of the opportunity to protect the integrity of elections during the recent Texas Legislative Session. They had claimed that this was a top priority, yet they waited until the last possible day, May 30, to bring the Omnibus Election Protection bill up for a vote in the Texas House. As you are probably well aware, the Democrats walked out, leaving the House without a quorum, and the Election Protection bill died.
Abbott, Patrick, Phelan and the Republican leadership could have easily brought this bill up for a final vote in April. The Democrats would not have walked out then, because they had bills that they wanted passed, which had not yet been voted upon.
Every Republican legislator, both in the State Senate and House, was able to vote in favor of their respective Election Protection bills. Because the House and Senate bills had different provisions, they had to be reconciled in joint committee. It was this reconciled Election Protection bill, HB 6, that never made it up for a final vote in the House.
The Republican leadership never intended to pass an Election Protection bill. They couldn’t face the pressure from the large corporations, professional sports, liberal mainstream media and the Communist Democrats, all of whom accused the Republicans of “suppressing” the vote. The Republican leadership knew that its base of conservative supporters were demanding election reform to ensure that the elections were honest and fair. So, they had to create a situation where every Republican legislator would have the opportunity to vote for Election Protection, while at the same time, preventing its final passage.
This was all political theatre.
Now the Republican legislators and statewide leaders can boast to their conservative base that they prioritized and voted for Election Protection, while condemning the Democrats for blocking it. The Democrats can boast to their base that they blocked the Republicans from passing any election reform. It was a win-win for the politicians of both parties. Nothing in politics happens by accident.
The politicians in both parties tell their supporters whatever they want to hear in order to be reelected. It is all about power, control and money. You can be sure that the lobbyists pass the envelopes and use other means to compromise the politicians.
How else can you explain that the Republicans, who control all statewide offices and the legislature, failed to pass key legislation including Election Protection, protecting children from sex change drugs and surgeries, securing the border, ending social media censorship, banning boys from competing as girls in school athletics, and stopping criminals from being released without posting bail.
The Special Session, called by Abbott, is just more political theatre. Abbott, facing opponents in his reelection bid next year, is attempting to portray himself as hard-nosed conservative. Abbott didn’t provide the leadership to get the job done during the regular session. Anyone with a lick of sense knew that the Democrats were going to walk out during the Special Session. They are protecting their interests. Abbott, Patrick, Phelan and the Republican legislators are protecting theirs.
Christian Conservative Patriots need to step forward and retake the Republican Party from the weak, ineffective, cowardly and compromised Republican politicians, by running for office in the 2022 Republican primary elections.
Patriots also need to run for local offices including school boards, city councils, and county commissioner courts. We must restore our nation to the Christian heritage of our founding fathers.
All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men and women to do nothing.
Thank you for your support and friendship.
“Through God we shall do valiantly and it is He who will tread down our adversaries.” (Psalm 108:13)
Sincerely yours for protecting our Constitutional liberties, I remain, as always,
Steve Hotze, M.D.
Chairman
Conservative Republicans of Texas