The Benedict Arnolds of Texas

Published on:

January 20, 2025

Chairman's Monday Message

Our entire family spent Christmas in Texas Hill Country in a nice beautiful log cabin in Blanco, just north of San Antonio. We headed down on the Sunday before Christmas, and stopped in Marble Falls for a nice late lunch before arriving. It is a lovely drive down Hwy 281, and we were looking forward to getting away. The following day, Monday, we loaded up and went down to San Antonio. This was something we had not done as an entire family: my wife Angela, daughters Aubrey and Austen, their husbands Troy and JD, and grandsons Jaxton and Levi.  Our first stop, and the most important one, was to visit The Alamo. I have been to The Alamo on countless occasions and one had the distinct honor of speaking there on April 6th, the anniversary of the day it fell. Having been born and raised in Georgia, and a graduate of the University of Tennessee, Texas history and The Alamo have always held a place of impeccable relevance and regard.

There were 38 Tennesseans, and five Georgians among the 183 who manned those ramparts from February 24 – April 6, 1836 — thirteen glorious days — and gave the ultimate sacrifice. There are some notable names in Texas history from my two formative states: Sam Houston, Davy Crockett, Mirabeau Lamar, James Fannin, Thomas Jefferson Rusk, to name a few. I even had the pleasure of sharing the story of Emily West Morgan — who may be a distant relative — at her bronze statue on The Alamo grounds. Her courage to “occupy” General Santa Anna at the battle of San Jacinto earned her the honor of being called the “Yellow Rose of Texas,” and having a really nice hotel in her name.

There have been so many great military leaders from this state called Texas, including Audie Murphy, Dwight Eisenhower, Chester Nimitz, and Walton Walker, along with the great Navy SEAL Sniper Chris Kyle. Truly, the fabric of Texas is one replete with legends and examples of courage, bravery, heroism, conviction, and admirable character.

Which is why the events of Tuesday, January 14, 2025, in the Texas State House on the opening day of the 89th Legislative Session are disturbing. I do not believe asking someone to adhere to their own rules and standards is divisive, nor a “purity test.” If elected officials refuse to be governed by the rules they set for themselves, why would we believe they would honor the laws they set for us?

The Texas State House for the 89th legislative session has a majority of 88 Republicans and a minority of 62 Democrats. The Texas State House has 150 seats, corresponding to the 150 Psalms. The State Senate has 31 seats, just as there are 31 chapters in Proverbs. However, wisdom and discernment were absent from the Texas State House, as well as contrition of heart. There were 36 “Republicans” who decided to violate their own House Republican Caucus rules of “should support” the individual who wins the House Speaker nomination from within the GOP caucus. Instead, these 36 joined with 49 Democrats to select Dustin Burrows as Texas House Speaker. The disconcerting point is that these 49 Democrats chose the Speaker of the House for the State of Texas when there are 88 Republicans in a clear majority. Dustin Burrows had 53 Republicans and 2 Democrats who did not support him for this position.

I think it is imperative to remind everyone that these same Democrats were the ones who went AWOL from the last legislative session to Washington, DC. They did so to stop the Republican Party of Texas election integrity legislative priority from passing. They received no admonishment or adverse action since they had enabled one Dade Phelan to be elected as Texas Speaker in the 88th legislative session. I am quite sure that this quid pro quo will continue with Democrats being rewarded with key Chairman committee leadership positions. And do not forget that legislation that would have precluded geopolitical foes, like China, from buying land in Texas was defeated in the Texas State House in the 88th session, after it had passed in the Texas State Senate.

The abject arrogance of these elected officials is unpalatable. They are in the truest form political traitors. In a state that Donald Trump recently won by 15 percent, and Ted Cruz by nearly 11 percent, these Republicans joining with progressive socialist leftists is an act of cowardice. It is not bipartisanship, a word that is used only when Republicans are in a majority, who then like Charlie Brown and Lucy with the football,  fall for the same trick.

Here in Dallas County, State Representatives Morgan Meyer and Angie Chen Button were part of the 36 Benedict Arnolds of Texas. The Bible says that which a man sows, he shall also reap. I hope that these two elected officials enjoy the moment. I hope they have fun with the Austin lobbyists. This shall be their last legislative session because having served on the battlefield, traitors and cowards are not welcome.

The history of Texas is not one that celebrates such.

Steadfast and Loyal.