Dewhurst punishes two senators (one of ours - Shapleigh)

[sonias]

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/02/4senate.html
Dewhurst removed Sen. Eliot Shapleigh, D-El Paso, from the powerful Senate Finance Committee and took the chairmanship of the Senate Administration Committee away from Sen. Chris Harris, R-Arlington.

Shapleigh blamed his demotion on his refusal to support Dewhurst's school finance and tax proposals last year. He said he could not support a tax bill that would have raised taxes on the poorest 94 percent of his constituents while cutting taxes for the wealthiest 6 percent. He also said the education bill would have given El Paso public schools less money than they received under current law.

Yet Capitol observers who did not want to be named for fear it would affect their jobs suggested Shapleigh's endorsement of Sen. Frank Madla's opponent in next month's Democratic Primary might have more to do with it. Typically, senators don't get involved in one another's elections, so Shapleigh's endorsement of Rep. Carlos Uresti, D-San Antonio, over Madla raised eyebrows.

"The first vote that the (Senate) Republicans go to get is Frank Madla's," Shapleigh said of his fellow Democrat.

Shapleigh is one of our best Senators fighting for one of the poorest senatorial districts in the state. Dewhurst is just being a prick.

Madla sold us out on the Gay marriage ban as well. If he would have held to his promise to hold on the Democratic block (12 Dem Senators can block any bill from being considered due to the 2/3 rule), then we never would have had that whole amendment fiasco. That one rests squarely on Madla's shoulders.

Sonia

[cosmik debris]

1. Dewhurst??? A Prick???

That's a promotion for him isn't it? :)

[TexasLinda]

5. You need to put a warning on something like this

I think I hurt myself when I inhaled a whole mouthful of Pepsi. :P

[NoPasaran]

2. Here's hoping Uresti beats Madla in the primary

I don't think any of us will shed many tears when the DINOs become extinct.

[johncoby2]

3. What does anyone expect from dewhurst?

[sonias]

4. Just this kind of petty behavior of course

Maybe the republican senator who broke the rules by trying to get his legislation put on calendars by an end around, deserved to be demoted, but the Shapleigh demotion is pure politics.

It may not be nice for sitting Senators to endorse the incumbent's opponent in other Senatorial races, but it was a Democratic party issue and Dewhurst should have stayed out of it. He's acting like Madla is one of his republican colleagues. But then again that's exactly what Shapleigh believes too.

Sonia