May 25, 2007

House on Collision Course as Parliamentarian
Quits over Craddick Ruling that Could Crush Coup

Lower Chamber Resembles Volcano Ready to Blow Amid Tense
Speculation about Walkout by Speaker Allies to Break Quorum

By Mike Hailey
Capitol Inside Editor

A monumental train wreck appeared to be shaping up in the Texas House on Friday night after the parliamentarian resigned on the spot in the wake of a ruling by Speaker Tom Craddick that has the potential to prevent a move to force him out of the job from ever happening.

Tempers flared, heated words were being exchanged nerves were clearly frazzled as some state representatives who are Craddick supporters were seen leaving the Capitol amid speculation that they might vanish in an attempt to break a quorum when the House is called back to order following a recess that's supposed to end at 11 p.m.

The break in the action gave both sides an opportunity to try to fly several House members back to Austin for a possible late-night vote on motion to end Craddick's tenure as speaker. One of Craddick's supporters, State Rep. Dan Branch of Dallas, was reportedly back in his district and scrambling to get back to the Capitol. State Rep. Mark Homer, a Paris Democrat who's part of the group that wants to replace Craddick, was back home in northeast Texas trying to arrange a quick flight back to Austin when the attempted mutiny that members have been anticipating all week appeared to be finally under way. State Rep. Frank Corte, a San Antonio Republican who chairs the House GOP Caucus, was en route back to the Capital City after delivering a commencement speech for one of the high schools in his district. It was unclear whether other members were not in Austin as the rebellion appeared to be reaching its peak.

The incredible chain of events that had the lower chamber of the Legislature on an angry edge began when the Republican speaker ruled when questioned by critics that a resolution calling for him to vacate the chair would not be a matter of privilege that he would have to automatically recognize. Appearing to sense a window of opportunity with several House members back in their districts, Democratic Caucus Chairman Jim Dunnam posed the questions to Craddick and noted that the speaker had taken the opposite view when he and other House members known as the Dirty Thirty were trying to oust Gus Mutscher's from the speaker's post as the Sharpstown scandal was brewing in 1971.

Parliamentarian Denise Davis and her assistant walked out on the job in protest of Craddick's ruling amid speculation that he'd ignored her on the Dunnam's sensitive inquiry and was taking advice from State Rep. Harold Dutton, a Houston Democrat and Craddick ally who was on the dais at that time as well. The resignations left the entire process in limbo with just three days left in the regular session because the House cannot officially meet without a parliamentarian on hand for guidance on constitutional questions and the House rules.

Craddick Press Secretary Alexis Delee said that the speaker in recent weeks has sought a wide range of opinions on " intricate and complicated constitutional issues" and "put a higher premium" on the outside advice than on the counsel provided by Davis.

The first African-American to advise a speaker as the House parliamentarian, Davis has held the position since early 2004 when Craddick tapped her for the job when Steve Collins resigned to become a vice-chancellor for the University of Texas System. Before taking the job as Craddick's parliamentary advisor, Davis had stints as a lawyer for the Texas Legislative Counsel and the Texas Judicial Counsel under former Supreme Court Chief Justice Tom Phillips.

When naming Davis as parliamentarian, Craddick said it would be tough to replace Collins but added that "there is no one else that I would rather have by my side at the podium keeping me and the other members on task than Denise."

Craddick hired Chris Griesel to be the deputy parliamentarian a month after bringing Davis on board. Griesel quit Friday night at the same time Davis resigned.

Before the pair of parliamentary advisors quit their jobs without notice, State Rep. Todd Smith, a Euless Republican who part of the group that wants to oust Craddick, asked the speaker if he'd ignored Davis' recommendation on the question of whether or not the insurgents would have to be officially recognized by the chair before forcing a vote on the incumbent's ouster. Craddick responded the his conversations with Davis were privileged.

That prompted State Rep. Jim Pitts, a Waxahachie Republican who mounted a bid to unseat Craddick at the start of the session, to ask the speaker who was directly responsible for hiring the House parliamentarians. Craddick said that was his decision as speaker.

If the ruling stands, Craddick could conceivably put an end to the attempted coup by simply refusing to recognize any of the Republicans or Democrats who are behind it.

Pitts is one of four Republican House members who've filed to be candidates for speaker if a move to vacate the chair is successful before the session ends Monday at midnight. One of the other speaker contenders, State Rep. Fred Hill of Richardson, said that the House members who favor a change in leadership had picked up support since the blowup involving the parliamentarian and the ruling that triggered it.

Hill vehemently denied suggestions that some members on both sides in the speaker's fight have made about the possibility of him being a stalking horse who was really trying to help Craddick with the campaign that he launched for the House's top leadership post earlier this week.

more to come ...