Legislators Who Fanned Drugging Flames
Could Be Short-Lived if They Knew Truth

Capitol Inside
May 1, 2021

Some Texas lawmakers would be in deep trouble if there's evidence to show that they knowingly perpetuated a date rape drug tale in the public arena when they already knew that the allegations that a female state House aide had made against a lobbyist weren't true.

GOP House Speaker Dade Phelan would have the most to lose in such a scenario after an angry speech that portrayed the Austin lobby as a culture of sexual depravity based on the claim that the Austin American-Statesman wrote about in a scintillating piece last weekend.

Several top Phelan lieutenants sparked suspicions on a potential set up with astonishing tweets that took the extraordinary steps of banning the lobby firm where the alleged suspect works from their offices at the Capitol. They will be hoping there's nothing to suggest that they'd been aware that the drugging allegations were a lie before touting them on social media.

But the case - despite its political career killing potential - has given Phelan an opportunity to break free of his predecessor's giant shadow by slamming the brakes on legislation that was spawned by the statehouse staffer's story on the drugging that was wildly unbelievable and easy to disprove.

Phelan ventured into dangerous territory on Monday with a personal privilege speech on the House floor where he portrayed the Capitol culture as a breeding ground for sexual depravity based on a story that had been wildly unbelievable and easy to disprove.

But Phelan wasn't the only lawmaker who'd been duped by a female House aide's claim that she was given a date rape drug by a lobbyist that happened to work at the Texas Capitol City's most renowned lobby firm for the past two decades. The Beaumont Republican who captured the gavel in January told his colleagues that he was disgusted with the allegations while giving the clear appearance that he'd fallen for the narrative on the roofie spiking.

HillCo Partners - the lobby shop where the man who'd been falsely accused is employed - issued a statement on Thursday praising the speaker for his handling of the crisis in a fair and impartial manner. The HillCo decision to give Phelan a pass on the wages of the firm's wrath appears to be an invitation for a new alliance that could put an end to the grudge that predecessor Dennis Bonnen has had with the firm since a self-implosion in a colleague targeting scandal two years ago.

Bonnen had a major role in Phelan's winning race for speaker last fall. Phelan responded by naming GOP State Rep. Greg Bonnen of Friendswood to the House's most coveted and powerful position as the Appropriations Committee chairman. Phelan chose Dennis Bonnen's most influential ally - Republican State Rep. Dustin Burrows of Lubbock - to be the House's second most powerful member with an appointment this year as the Calendars Committee chairman.

Several freshmen Republicans including State Rep. Shelby Slawson of Stephenville allowed themselves to be bamboozled as well by declaring her statehouse office off-limits to all lobbyists. Slawson also hatched the idea of women lawmakers and lobbyists wearing pink ribbons on Tuesday to show their support for the alleged victim who was actually making fools of them.

Bonnen the ex-speaker has appeared to blame HillCo for problems that he created for himself when he teamed up with Burrows two years ago in a scheme that would have targeted GOP colleagues in re-election races in the 2020 primary. Conservative activist Michael Quinn Sullivan blew the whistle on the leadership duo plotting - and Bonnen ended up calling off his own bid for another term in the House as a consequence of the self-inflicted damage. Burrows stepped down in his role as the House GOP Caucus chairman in the aftermath of the furor.

Some of Phelan's other top GOP allies organized a photo op on Tuesday that featured several dozen female lawmakers and lobbyists sporting pink ribbons outside the House floor in a show of solidarity two days before state and local law enforcement confirmed that the date rape drug allegations were false.

One of the most amazing manifestations of the House staffer's lies has been legislation that was whipped up overnight and passed out of the House State Affairs Committee on Thursday night after the state police had cleared the lobbyist who'd been wrongly accused.

Democratic State Rep. Senfronia Thompson's bill of Houston would force all of more than 1,500 registered lobbyists to take classes that would ostensibly train the male predators in their ranks how to not sexually harass, abuse or rape women. Thompson's role as the author of House Bill 4661 is highly surprising and ironic given her status as a lawyer who's the House's most revered and respected member as a representative for more than 48 years.

Thompson is the House's most powerful Democrat this year in her role as the Licensing & Administrative Procedures Committee chair. Thompson has been a warrior in fights for the rights of women, minorities and the poor. She presented the lobby regulation punishment measure to the State Affairs Committee on Thursday morning with a story on how she'd been referred to as some man's Black mistress earlier in her long career.

Thompson didn't appear to be present when the House committee voted unanimously for HB 4611 in a move that suggested that none of its member had heard that the case that had been the measure's springboard had turned out to be a fraud.