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Possible Prior Knowledge of House Break in Quorum by Speaker Phelan

Possible Prior Knowledge of House Break in Quorum by Speaker Phelan

28 News 08/05/2021 1862

Dallas, TX. – On Aug 5, 2021, the Texas Freedom Coalition has released responsive records pertaining to multiple public information requests sent to both the Office of State Representative Joe Moody and the Office of Speaker Dade Phelan, regarding communication between the parties during the Texas House Democratic Caucus break in quorum, which has received national attention. A breakdown of the timeline of the requests and information received is as follows:

On July 25 2021, the Texas Freedom Coalition filed a request for public information under the Public Information Act (PIA), with the Office of State Representative Joe Moody, seeking records of communication between Rep. Joe Moody and Speaker Dade Phelan; we asked to be provided with all records of communication between both representatives 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; on July 26, 2021, we sent the same request for public information to the Office of Speaker Dade Phelan.

Texas Freedom Coalition filed the PIA 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:

Did Speaker Phelan have prior knowledge of the Texas House Democratic Caucus’s plan to break quorum and/ or was there coordination on the part of Speaker Phelan and Democratic House leadership prior to the Texas House Democratic Caucus breaking quorum?

Did 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 and was that communicated to Rep. Joe Moody who was Speaker Pro Tempore at the time of the break in quorum?

On July 29, 2021, the Office of State Representative Joe Moody responded to the Texas Freedom Coalition’s PIA, saying that they had a screenshot of “a single responsive record.” Attached to their response was a photocopy of a screenshot of a text message, dated July 9, 2021, at 10:18 a.m., between Speaker Phelan and Speaker Pro Tempore, Rep. Joe Moody. An image of the screenshot text message is attached to the press release, but is transcribed as following:

Rep. Joe Moody: “Mr. Speaker-hope your day is off to a good start. Based on things I’m hearing on our side of the aisle, I think it’s important to sit down with that same group we sat down with on Sine Die and discuss where things ae, and where they might go. I would like to suggest that we meet upon adjournment.” “Things are certainly fragile, but with some good planning I think they can potentially be manageable”

Speaker Phelan: “Sure thing”

Rep. Joe Moody: “Thank you” “See you soon”

On August 5, 2021, the Office of Speaker Dade Phelan responded to the Texas Freedom Coalition’s PIA, saying that “Following an extensive search of our records, we have determined we have no information responsive to your request.” The response of the Office of Speaker Dade Phelan was not congruent with the response of the Office of Representative Joe Moody.

Texas Freedom Coalition believes that the responsive records provided by the Office of State Representative Joe Moody shows that Speaker Dade Phelan likely had prior knowledge of the planned break in quorum by the Texas House Democratic Caucus; it also shows possible coordination. The text message and possible meeting took place on July 9, 2021 and Texas House Democrats left the state on July 12, 2021.

The incongruent response by the Office of Speaker Phelan shows a possible attempt to hide this information from the public.

Texas Freedom Coalition believes that the actions by the Texas House Democratic Caucus has 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 Representative Dade Phelan and that the national political theater that has ensued since the break in quorum has been used by both high-profile Texas Democrats and Republicans to fundraise and campaign, some on a national level.

This is the second release of responsive records in a series of public information requests sent to both Republican and Democratic leaders in the state of Texas, including the Office of Governor Abbott.

Outstanding public information requests will be released, forthcoming.



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