Background: One of David Dewhurst’s first acts as Lt. Governor was to appoint an Austin liberal Democrat to the Senate Finance Committee. He didn’t stop there, appointing a total of 32 Democrat Committee Chairs and using Democrats to kill conservative legislation.
Among other duties, the lieutenant governor presides over the Senate, appoints its committees and oversees the flow of legislation. (Corpus Christi Caller-Times, 10/20, 02)
“As presiding officer, Dewhurst alone decides whether to recognize a senator for a motion seeking action on any bill. If he chose to be strictly partisan, he could all but silence the voice of Senate Democrats simply by refusing to recognize them.” (San Antonio Express-News, 2/1/03)
1) Dewhurst, working with liberal Democrats he appointed, increased spending $72 billion.
Last week, new Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst appointed [Sen. Gonzalo] Barrientos, a liberal Democrat to the Senate Finance Committee, which will write the Senate’s version of the next biennial budget and handle any tax legislation…. During a session in which budget cutting is necessary and inevitable, a firm and informed voice on behalf of state employees as well as our state’s poorer citizens, is needed to limit the damage.Barrientos has always spoken up for them. (Austin American-Statesman, January 22, 2003)
(RINO Dewhurst)
“Likewise, Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, praised Dewhurst for taking an independent look at overhauling school finance and trying to find a way to unearth more social service dollars.” (Ft. Worth Star-Telegram, 4/27/03)
2) Dewhurst partnered with liberal Democrats to kill conservative legislation, including the repeal of in-state tuition for illegal aliens.
When State Senator Brian Birdwell (R-Granbury) filed legislation to ban taxpayer subsidized college tuition for illegal aliens, Lt. Gov. Dewhurst referred Sen. Birdwell’s bill to a committee chaired by a liberal Democrat, one of many Dewhurst appointed.
Dewhurst could have sent Sen. Brian Birdwell’s bill to the Senate Education Committee, chaired by State Senator Florence Shapiro (R-Plano), but instead sent the legislation to a committee chaired by liberal Democrat Sen. Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo), a vocal supporter of in-state tuition for illegal immigrants, where he knew it would die.
3) Dewhurst decided the bill to stop TSA groping was a bad idea and quietly enlisted Democrat “No” votes behind the back of conservative Republicans.
“Alarmed by an eleventh-hour warning from the Transportation Security Administration that flights in Texas might have to be canceled if the state tried to prosecute TSA screeners for inappropriate touching, Dewhurst decided that the bill, sponsored by conservative standard-bearer Dan Patrick, was a bad idea. So far so good. But, according to senators on the floor at the time, rather than directly confront Patrick, Dewhurst quietly asked Austin Democrat Kirk Watson to line up ‘no’ votes–while Patrick was busy laying out the bill.” (“The Best & Worst Legislators,” Texas Monthly, July 2011)
Dewhurst got “rolled again” after “clumsily” trying to blame Democrats when the TSA groping bill went down in flames.
“When the bill went down, Dewhurst clumsily tried to place the blame on Watson, but an angry Patrick–whose own instincts rarely let him down–saw through the subterfuge and immediately went on the attack. Two days later, after questioning whether Dewhurst had what it took to stand up to the federal government, Patrick announced his own U.S. Senate exploratory committee. Ladies and gentlemen, the lieutenant governor, rolled again.” (“The Best & Worst Legislators,” Texas Monthly, July 2011)
Bottom Line:
When talking to conservatives on the campaign trail, Dewhurst insists that he’s “unapologetically conservative.” But as Lt. Governor, away from the watchful eye of conservatives, Dewhurst empowered and worked with liberal Democrats to increase spending and kill conservative legislation.
Ted Cruz is a proven conservative, not an establishment moderate. He has a record of standing for conservative principles and winning on a national level. In the U.S. Senate, contrary to Dewhurst’s record in the Texas Senate, Cruz will not partner with liberal Democrats to undermine conservative legislation.
Learn more at www.dewbious.com