SDEC Threatens Censure Over Speaker Vote & Dan Patrick Calls Kettle Black

Speaker Vote Chaos: Democrats draw a line as Patrick fans the flames.

The Texas House and Senate will gavel in for the 89th Legislative Session tomorrow at noon. The first order of business is to elect a Speaker of the House. With just over 24-hours left, anything could happen.

Yesterday, we discussed Representative Richard Raymond’s (D-HD42) apparent alliance with the Tim Dunn faction of the Texas House and willingness to sign on to cripple Democrats during the session. If you missed it:

• The First Betrayal Of The 89th Texas Legislative Session

Last night, more than two dozen SDEC (State Democratic Executive Committee) members and members of the Texas Progressive Caucus signed a letter threatening Richard Raymond with censure if he doesn’t withdraw his support.

According to the letter’s authors, Raymond’s endorsement of David Cook (R-HD96) breaches Democratic Party unity and principles. They argue that Raymond’s endorsement undermines efforts to protect democratic values and weakens the party’s ability to advocate for key issues such as healthcare, education, and voting rights. The signatories urge the SDEC to take disciplinary action, potentially through a formal censure, to reaffirm party solidarity and accountability.

The letter concludes with a call for Raymond to withdraw his endorsement and realign with the party’s values, with an extensive list of SDEC members and other officials signing supporting the statement.

This is the right move for the SDEC to take.

Democratic voters rely on our elected officials to fight for what matters most to us—healthcare access, public education, fair elections, and economic justice. We elect leaders to hold the line against extremist policies, not to bend over and get rammed up the ass by extremists and fascists hell-bent on dismantling progress and erasing our rights.

When one of our own defects to empower the far-right agenda, it sends a message to every Texan fighting for a better future: that their sacrifices can be bargained away for political expediency. That kind of weakness is precisely what Republicans count on to push through their most regressive policies.

We’ve seen what happens when Democratic leaders capitulate. They lose credibility, and we all lose ground. The SDEC is right to draw a hard line here. If Democrats don’t stand firm against internal backstabbing, how can we be trusted to stand against external threats to our democracy?

The people of Texas need fighters, not fence-sitters. We need representatives who will reject extremism, not fold under pressure. This isn’t just about Richard Raymond. It’s about every single legislator who thinks they can play both sides and still claim to represent the will of the people.

If Raymond doesn’t change course, the SDEC must follow through with censure and make it clear: betraying the party isn’t politics. It’s treason to the people who elected you. It’s the right course of action.

Meanwhile, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick takes a dump on the non-Dunn faction of Republicans in the House.

He also accuses them of everything he, himself, is guilty of. Check it out:

Patrick accuses:

• Cody Harris (R-HD08)

• Dade Phelan (R-HD21)

• Greg Bonnen (R-HD24)

• Dustin Burrows (R-HD83)

• Dennis Bonnen (No longer in the Texas House)

of all being business partners in a bank together. Third Coast Bank, to be specific.

Patrick accuses them of “running the Texas House like their own personal business.” Are you kidding me? Most Texas House members are multi-millionaires who run the House like their own personal business…and the Senate. It’s set up like this to keep working people unable to hold office and the wealthy in power.

During the last legislative session, the corrupt Republicans in the Texas Legislature even set up a private court system for Greg Abbott’s donors.

See: Naked Corruption: Abbott’s Private Business Courts

For Dan Patrick to accuse certain Republicans of the very thing that ALL Republicans are guilty of is disingenuous and hypocritical.

Patrick then said, “The Texas House has become an oligarchy.” This statement comes only 18 months after the Lt. Governor accepted a $3 million bribe from Texas’ biggest oligarch to let Ken Paxton off for his crimes. Dan Patrick is the embodiment of the very oligarchic structure he’s criticizing.

Patrick’s political career is bankrolled by powerful right-wing billionaires like Tim Dunn and the Wilks brothers. These figures use Patrick to push extreme policies, such as banning abortion and blocking Medicaid expansion, in exchange for their financial backing. This makes Patrick’s “concern” about legislative independence laughable.

Dan Patrick has tightly controlled the Texas Senate, forcing loyalty by punishing dissenters with bad committee assignments or removing them entirely. Much like the “Goodfellas” comparison he uses, Patrick has run the Senate like a personal empire, where only his close allies have a say in shaping policy.

Dan Patrick is the big, fat pot calling the kettle black. He’s not concerned about democracy or fairness. He’s trying to shift blame and grab more power for his faction by sowing division. If he genuinely cared about accountability, he’d start by looking in the mirror. But it is not like Republican voters will pay attention to this.

We’re still more than 24 hours out from the Speaker vote, and everything is already coming unglued.

The chaos unfolding in the Texas House is a symptom of the unchecked greed and power struggles that define today’s Republican Party. While the far-right factions tear each other apart and Democrats scramble to contain internal betrayals, everyday Texans are left wondering who, if anyone, will actually fight for them this session.

The Speaker vote is shaping up to be more than just a procedural formality. It’s a battle over who controls the agenda for the next two years. And right now, it’s a disaster. Patrick is fanning the flames to consolidate his power. Richard Raymond is throwing his lot in with the very people who would burn down democracy to stay in control.

By tomorrow, we’ll know where everyone stands. And we won’t forget. This isn’t just about politics. It’s about the future of Texas. When the dust settles, the voters will remember who fought and who sold out.

You can watch the opening ceremony and Speaker’s vote live, but I’ll also have updates with video clips for you after the fact. Links:

• House Opening Ceremonies - 1/14 at noon.

• Senate Opening Ceremonies - 1/14 at noon.

Buckle up and prepare your popcorn because it will be a wild ride.

• January 14: The 89th Legislative Session begins.

• March 14: The last day Legislators can file bills.

• June 2: The 89th Legislative Session ends.

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