Far-Right Republicans Want To Ban Democratic Chairs In The House

At Stake In 2024: The GOP's latest power play to silence Democratic voices.

https://www.lonestarleft.com/p/far-right-republicans-want-to-ban



Since the beginning of time, chairmanships of Committees in the Texas Legislature have been based on seniority. That was one of the things that set the Texas legislature apart from the chaos in DC and the way DC was run. But in the 87th Legislature, now disgraced Representative Bryan Slaton crafted the idea that because Republicans were in the (slim) majority, Democrats should have no political power in the House.

Slaton managed to catch the attention of the nazi-aligned group Defend Texas Liberty PAC and the cash from West Texas billionaire Tim Dunn. They adopted Slaton’s partisan idea and began pushing it out through the other nazi-aligned legislators, like Tony Tinderholt and Brian Harrison, until the GOP grassroots began pressuring House leadership not to appoint Democratic chairs over committees. As a consequence, Democrats held fewer chairs in the Legislature last session than in sessions before. It still wasn’t good enough for them.

They are trying to oust Speaker Dade Phelan because he has given chairmanships to Democrats.

Going into the 2024 election, the far-right has made banning Democratic chairs a campaign priority.