Where have I been? Let's just say the Texas House went into complete meltdown. Had it gotten any worse we would have seen a brawl on the House floor of Taiwanese parliament proportions.
Some would say the trouble starting brewing back in 2003, when the House elected its first Republican speaker since Reconstruction. Since then, that speaker, T0m Cr@ddick, has been accused of centralizing power, punishing enemies, and being too close to special interests. Oh, and being Tom Delay's bitch.
This session started with a speaker's race -- when a challenger failed to unseat the speaker. The session ended yesterday with turmoil, but not a race. Why? Cr@ddick - in a stunning display of raw power, decided that he will NOT RECOGNIZE any motions from the floor to "vacate the chair". The parliamentarian quit in protest. He installed former lawmakers in her place. Now the new parliamentarians have interpreted the rules such that the speaker has "absolute authority" to recognize members or not. He no longer recognizes even motions to adjourn. Angry members walked out en masse to protest Craddick early Monday morning.They put him in, but they still can't take him out. And we gaveled out the session last night with Craddick still in power.
Video story, and the photos...via pinkdome
