Posted on 05/31/2015 5:56:58 AM PDT by Kaslin
Last Wednesday, the Texas Legislature pushed through, and I mean pushed, controversial legislation which repeals portions of the First Amendment, effectively ending citizen journalism in the Capitol.
How quaint, eh?
Yep, when Texas legislators found out about the undercover video footage about to be released by Hannah Giles (of ACORN fame) and Joseph Basel with the American Phoenix Foundation, they flipped out and quickly jammed through legislation, SB19, which would criminalize this First Amendment practice from 1985 forward. Why they picked 1985 only lawless liberals and repugnant Republicans can know. I would have thought for an apropos Orwellian effect they’d pick 1984, but then again … who am I? Anyway …
The new law is an attempt for legislators to shield themselves from scrutiny even in public areas of the Capitol building.
Silly Texans. Who are we to want to monitor what these dipsticks we naively elected and pay for are actually doing on our taxpayer dime?
Indeed, in a stunning show of bipartisanship, the Texas House rushed through SB19 which includes provisions which radically curtail the rights of the press to know and report what these cats are actually doing on the clock. That’s our clock. Pardon my redundancy.
Civil penalties for video reporting could now include $10,000 fines per occurrence.
With over 800 hours of footage looming over their nefarious noggins, in a full on Corrupt-O-Crat sweat, the following Texas Republicans voted to pass SB19.
The reason I singled out Republicans is because we expect such fascism from Liberals. But Republicans? Good Lawd! Tell yo’ granny.
So, without further ado, here are the Texas State House Republicans that voted to muzzle the First Amendment in Texas. Please drop ‘em a line or tweet at them and let 'em know what you think of the Constitution.
Trent Ashby (HD 57) @TrentAshbyTX,
Jimmy Don Aycock (HD 54) @Aycockjda,
Cindy Burkett (HD 113) @CindyBurkett_TX,
DeWayne Burns (HD 58) @BurnsForTexas
Angie Chen Button (HD 112) @AngieChenButton
Giovanni Capriglione (HD 98) @VoteGiovanni,
Travis Clardy (HD 11) @TravisForTexas
Byron Cook (HD 8)
Tony Dale (HD 136) @TonyDaleTX
Drew Darby (HD 72) @drewdarby4Tx,
Sarah Davis (HD 134) @SarahforHD134,
Gary Elkins (HD 135) gary@garyelkins.com
Wayne Faircloth (HD 23) @WayneFaircloth
Dr. Marsha Farney (HD 20) @DrMarshaFarney,
John Frullo (HD 84) @FrulloForTexas,
Rick Galindo (HD 117) @GalindoForRep
Charlie Geren (HD 99) @charliegeren
Larry Gonzales (HD 52) @larrygonzales52,
Patricia Harless (HD 126) @PatriciaHarless,
Dan Huberty (HD 127) @DanHuberty,
Todd Hunter (HD 32) @toddahunter, @Dist32StateRep,
Kyle Kacal (HD 12) @KyleKacal,
Jim Keffer (HD 60) @RepJimKeffer,
Ken King (HD 88) @KingForTexas,
Linda Koop (HD 102) @LindaKoopHD102
John Kuempel (HD 44)
Lyle Larson (HD 122) @RepLyleLarson,
Jose Manuel Lozano (HD 43) @RepJMLozano,
Morgan Meyer (HD 108) @MorganMeyerTX,
morgan@morganmeyerfortexas.com
Doug Miller (HD 73) @DougMiller73,
Rick Miller (HD 26) @Vote4Rick,
Jim Murphy (HD 133) @JimMurphy133,
John Otto (HD 18) @RepJohnOtto,
Tan Parker (HD 63) @tparker63,
Larry Philips (HD 62) shmdad@yahoo.com
Four Price (HD 87) @FourPriceTX
John Raney (HD 14) @RaneyForTexas,
Debbie Riddle (HD 150) @debbieriddle
Dr. J.D. Sheffield (HD 59) @dr_sheffield,
Ron Simmons (HD 65) @RonSimmonsTexas,
rsimmons@raa.com
Wayne Smith (HD 128) waynesmith128@comcast.net
Ed Thompson (HD 29) @RepEdThompson,
Gary VanDeaver (HD 1) @GaryVanDeaver
Jason Villalba (HD 114) @JasonVillalba,
Paul Workman (HD 47) @PaulWorkman,
John Wray (HD 10) @wrayfortexas10
This link shows the language of the bill in question.
That said, there were some who weren’t terrified about freedom of the press (remember that?) and here is the proposal from Rep. Matt Schaefer to remove these items from the bill SB19. Here is the official request to amend the bill.
Now, for the record, the following is the Roll Call on this motion to remove portions of SB19. By removing Article 5, and Article 7.05, it would ensure there would be no suppression of First Amendment rights given explicitly to the press. Please note how many Republicans voted
when given the chance to remove Article 5 and article 7.05.
For the dull amongst us … “Nay” means they chose not to remove the articles, (5) and (7.05), that blatantly violate the First Amendment and heavily penalize the press for doing their job, i.e. keeping the representatives accountable to the people they serve. Please see Article 5 and 7.05. Two-party consent laws are made for those who have something to hide and have no place in the people of Texas’ House.
So there you have it, Texans: Republicans, many of whom you elected and trusted to uphold our Constitution and Bill Of Rights, whizzing on freedom of the press simply because some have been busted on video doing dirty deeds.
Please let them know how you feel about SB19 and encourage Governor Abbott not to sign it into law.
Tuesday March 1st 2016
“It’s also next to impossible to become a naturalized Swiss citizen. 99%+ of citizens were born to Swiss parents. This makes for a very stable, homogenous population....with deep roots, and profound love of country.”
NEVER trust a “reformed” Demorat! In the South switching parties to stay in power is a “locally imbedded political process.”
“She’s got good grades though regarding guns”
So she gets the NRA “endorsement” and the rubes who like guns ( but don’t have a clue about the rest of her record) keep voting for her. I love guns, and have a bunch of them. That said I don’t let the NRA endorsement be the sole determining factor in getting my vote.
Simply remedy...pressure Abbott not to sign it.
You are right.
Many of us remember when contact with the government was almost completely limited to the postman, the sheriff waving as he drove by, an occasional visit to the courthouse to buy a car tag or a garbage permit.
Now contact is constant, daily and usually punitive.
We are an election or two from complete tyranny.
Appreciate the clarification.
How and why did such a Bill get started? I have long known the Texas Legislature can sometimes get pretty f’d up, but this blatant Pols CYA is hard to figure. Can’t imagine this ever getting into law.
“Wait, I thought Texas was going to lead the rebellion AGAINST tyranny in the U.S.?”
Apparently the only thing these Texas pols want to protect is their right of tyranny, and of keeping their actions secret from the public they like to tout/claim that they serve.
They are members in a D/R club of political elites whose mission is to protect the political elites at the expense of their constituents. They are the privileged establishment and they want to protect that status quo.
I’ve had that problem (saying one thing, doing another) in my life to be honest, its goes on in churches and politics.
I have to change and part of that change for me is not supporting the business as usual people and not being afraid of the consequences of some D winning instead.
I would always tell people God was in control, I didn’t live that way. Now I get to not worry about who wins elections because I live as if God is in control.
I would to be honest.
See post #49.
I am with you on this.
See my post #49.
There is a lot of deceit in the world, saying one thing and doing another.
Paul in the Good Book called himself a ‘chief’ of Pharisees and hypocrites. I have my own track record in this regard.
Texas and other places seem to have front groups leading grassroots conservatives into the GOP and supporting GOPe candidates, groups with names like “Conservative Republicans of Texas” or “Real Conservative Republicans of Texas”. I saw how CROT trashed Perry, then supported him in 2010 when Perry jazzed up his rhetoric.
I have no final opinion on RCROT, they appear to be Dan Patrick supporters. Patrick used the toughest immigration rhetoric, anti-illegal language in his campaign. Does he mean anything he’s saying?..folks in TX are better placed, (if not fully informed in many cases, they should be) to see what Patrick is up to.
When did Townhall start requiring that reader comments be placed through Facebook? FB is in my opinion is an outright foe of conservative principles.
The CEO favors amnesty, gun control and spying on Americans, but not illegals and tracking your political beliefs, likely to be used against you when needed. Chances are they’d never hire you as a conservative except as an underpaid runt of the bottom of the ladder.
+1 You and I agree on this. That’s why I call myself apoliticalone. I affiliate more with the candidate not the Party. I consider myself conservative and libertarian as stated in my profile from day one. Politicians for the most part are opportunists that follow the winds of money. The power they accumulate becomes just as addictive as heroin and they act like addicts. They’ll do anything to stay in office.
In Pennsylvania (my home state) one standout example of that is Arlen Specter. He started D, went R and then swung back to D again. It was all about getting elected and staying in power.
“””You’d think that from the propaganda that emanates from Texas... “”””
And from a lot of TX FReepers.
Please read the link at 40.
...and there are still plenty of business as usual Americans that are blissfully and ignorantly enamored with Republicanism as some sort of ersatz conservative panacea who continue to keep the UNIPARTY political class in power, unfortunately.
I’m more realistic than most. And more cynical perhaps.
I accept what you say is true, but I don’t have to be part of it, I can disagree with it and keep talking about it with knowledge that if God wants it a different way, it will change.
Evil like this will not stand in the end one way or another and I don’t think the weight of the world rests on my very human shoulders.
I support Cruz and a few others, but for the rest primaries plus third options in general elections up to and including a new third party, would be just fine with me.
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