FOIA Filed by Texas Freedom Coalition

Tyler, TX. – On July 12, 2021, the Texas Freedom Coalition filed a request for public information under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) asking that the Office of Governor Abbott provide all records of communication between Governor Abbott and Representative Dade Phelan and their respective staffs, during the time period of July 5, 2021 and July 12, 2021, including, but not limited to, e-mails, text messages, phone records, and any other documented communication. Since then, a similar request was made of Rep. Joe Moody's office.

On July 16, 2021, Texas Freedom Coalition clarified the original FOIA request to include the following staff members for all parties: Chiefs of Staff, Deputy Chiefs of Staff, and all Senior Advisors.

Texas Freedom Coalition filed the FOIA in response to the Texas House Democratic Caucus trip to Washington D.C. that was intended to break quorum and bring the 87th Texas Legislative Special Session to a halt. We believe it is in the public's interest to know the following:

• Was there prior knowledge and/ or coordination on part of Governor Abbott and the Republican House Leadership prior to the Texas House Democratic Caucus breaking quorum?
• Did Governor Abbott and the Republican House Leadership have a communicated and coordinated plan of action in response to the break in quorum by the Texas House Democratic Caucus?

Texas Freedom Coalition believes that the actions by the Texas House Democratic Caucus have hurt every day, hardworking Texans whose taxes are used to fund the 87th Texas Legislative Special Session, with the expectation that their legislators will show up to work. Texas Freedom Coalition also believes that the Texas House Democratic Caucus break in quorum could have been prevented by both Governor Abbott and Representative Dade Phelan and that the national political theater that has ensued since the break in quorum has been used by all parties to fundraise and campaign, some on a national level.

On July 22, 2021, Kieran Hillis, Public Information Coordinator & General Counsel at the Office of Governor Abbott (OOG) responded to the Texas Freedom Coalition's FOIA, saying that "The OOG has reviewed its files and has no information responsive to your request."

Texas Freedom Coalition believes that the response of the OOG shows negligence on the part of both Governor Abbott and Rep. Phelan, as the lack of information or records indicates there has been little to no communication between the parties, during a time of significant and unprecedented crisis in the legislative branch of the government of Texas.