Chad’s Morning Brief: Greg Abbott Announces He Is Running for Texas Governor, Texas Abortion Bill Passes, & More
Here is your Morning Brief for the morning of July 15, 2013. Give me your feedback below and tune in to The Chad Hasty Show for these and many more topics from 8:30 to 11am. Remember, you can listen online at KFYO.com or with the radioPup App.
1. Abbott's In (link)
As expected, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott announced that he is running for Governor. As of right now, Abbott will face Tom Pauken for the Republican nomination. According to KFYO news, Abbott touted his conservative principles in his speech.
In Abbott’s speech he pointed to his conservative principles and experience in fighting federal government overreach as reasons he should be the Governor of Texas.
Abbott will immediately start campaigning. This week he will be all over the state, including San Antonio, Houston and Lubbock. Abbott will be in Lubbock Wednesday morning at 10:30a at the American Wind Power Center.
You can view the text of Abbott's speech here.
I believe Abbott will have an easy road to the Governor's Mansion. There are no major Democrats who have thrown their hats into the ring, and they wouldn't win if they did. Pauken is a good guy and could pose some threat to Abbott is some areas of the state, but overall I see Abbott winning easily.
2. TX Senate Passes HB 2 (link)
Despite protesters the Texas Senate easily passed HB 2 on Friday night. HB 2 bans abortions after 20 weeks and adds new restrictions on abortion clinics.
Just after Midnight, Saturday, the Texas Senate passed HB 2, which bans late-term abortions and add new restrictions to abortions in Texas. The vote was 19-11.
The marathon session for the Senate started Friday amid numerous pro-choice protestors. The protestors were prepared to disrupt senate proceedings for the second time within the past month.
DPS officials [have] been searching bags before letting people into the gallery, requiring them to throw away paper goods such as magazines, receipts, feminine pads and tampons. One DPS officer said authorities had been instructed by the Senate’s sergeant at arms to confiscate anything that could be thrown from the gallery at senators on the floor. She said they had already found objects such as bricks, paint and glitter in bags.
There were also reports of urine and feces being in the possession of the pro-choice legion.
After the passage of HB 2, Lt. Governor David Dewhurst (pictured, left) said in an e-mail to supporters, “This vote by the Texas Senate also marked a seminal moment for our republic as law and order prevailed over essentially the same mob that just weeks ago shouted down your duly-elected senators. We all owe our heartfelt thanks to the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Capitol Preservation Board and Senate Republicans who worked closely together to ensure a lively debate did not disrupt the time-honored, orderly process that has served our republic across time.
“In short, the passage of House Bill 2 was a victory for all of Texas. Thank you for your ongoing support and prayers. Let’s continue to #Stand4Life,” Dewhurst said.
HB 2 now moves on to Governor Rick Perry for his signature. After the vote, Gov. Perry said, “Today the Texas Legislature took its final step in our historic effort to protect life. This legislation builds on the strong and unwavering commitment we have made to defend life and protect women’s health. I am proud of our lawmakers, and citizens who tirelessly defended our smallest and most vulnerable Texans and future Texans.”
Before the final vote was taken on HB 2 and emotional moment occurred in the Senate Chamber. The Dean of the Senate, John Whitmire (D- Houston), asked for recognition of the DPS Troopers stationed in the gallery and throughout the Capitol that kept the peace during the proceedings.
After the applause, Lt. Governor Dewhurst said, “Senator Whitmire, God Bless You, what a great thing to say. And I gotta tell you I got goosebumps looking up at the gallery. There are orange shirts (pro-choice), blue shirts (pro-life), all standing up and applauding. God, makes me proud to be a Texan. It really does.”
Now get ready for the lawsuits.
3. Zimmerman Acquitted (link)
As you can tell, it was a busy weekend.
Saturday night George Zimmerman was acquitted of all charges in the shooting of Trayvon Martin in Florida. Of course some small demonstrations took place.
Demonstrators from coast-to-coast boisterously -- yet for the most part peacefully -- rallied Saturday night and into Sunday afternoon in protest of a long-awaited verdict that acquitted Floridian George Zimmerman in the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.
But sporadic reports of vandalism trickled out of West Coast cities like Oakland, including the halt of a passenger train, the burning of American and California flags, the lighting of small fires in city roadways, shattered storefront windows and the spray painting of a courthouse, as well as the damaging of a police squad car. Protesters massed there Saturday evening just after the verdict was rendered by a six-person, all-female jury around 10 p.m. ET.
President Obama released a statement that I believe was shameful and will only fan the flames in this case. The President also used the shooting to call for more gun control.
Other Top Stories:
These and many more topics coming up on today’s edition of The Chad Hasty Show. Tune in mornings 8:30-11am on News/Talk 790 KFYO, streaming online at kfyo.com, and now on your iPhone and Android device with the radioPup App. All guest interviews can be heard online in our podcast section after the show at kfyo.com.
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