Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) is determined to spend taxpayer dollars denigrating transgender student athletes.
The far-right politician is calling on Gov. Greg Abbott (R) to call a special session of the legislature in order to pass a bill that would ban trans students from participating in school sports.
Related: Texas Lt Governor insinuates Beto O’Rourke is gay on live television
The proposed law died in the state’s House after Democrats pulled out the stops to run out the clock on several pieces of controversial legislation, including the attack on trans youth. Supporters waved the trans flag when the clock struck midnight and the time expired.
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Patrick also wants the legislature to take up two other bills. One would prevent towns and cities from using taxpayer funds to pay for lobbyists to represent their interests in the state capitol. Another would punish social media companies for “censoring” Texans.
Abbott rebuffed Patrick’s grandstanding, saying it was premature to say the bills were completely dead for the session and that Republicans should “work together to get important conservative legislation to my desk.”
“Some are trying to end the game before the time clock has run out,” he said. “Members in both chambers need to be spending every minute of every day to accomplish that mission.”
The internet was quick to point out that Patrick’s interests lay more in attacking teenagers and Twitter than protecting citizens who’ve been battered by the pandemic and severe weather over the past months. While landlords, employers, and working parents suffer, Patrick is focused on 13-year-old gymnasts and Facebook pages.
Patrick is possibly best known outside of the state for his nonstop attacks on the LGBTQ community. A religious right devotee, Patrick has been behind practically every legislative attack and gleefully promoted them in front of the cameras.
Asking @GregAbbott_TX to call a June #SpecialSession today to pass #SB29 to save girls sports, #SB10 to end taxpayer funded lobbying and #SB12 to stop social media censorship. The TxHouse killed these conservative bills that majority of Texans in both parties support. #txlege
— Dan Patrick (@DanPatrick) May 26, 2021
How about that power grid? That seems more important that checking the genitalia of children. Just me? Healthcare? Education? Infrastructure since the freeze busted up so many roads? Maternal mortality? Lots of stuff that actually needs to be fixed.
— Stormkestrel of House Moderna (@Stormkestrel) May 27, 2021
his donors want it, those are his masters, dummy is just a puppet for the wealthy
— Thomas in Texas (@thomasntexas) May 26, 2021
You are truly a monster and these kids and their families fear you
There are children who are crying because of you
And for what?
What do you possibly gain?— Dr. Ada-Rhodes Short 🤖🧠 (@The_Ada_Rhodes) May 26, 2021
Possible & probable.Dan Patrick & Greg Abbott are not in politics to pursue a more perfect union. They know that re-election for them depends on division.They are the George Wallace’s of our time, without the blatant rhetoric.
The bell will toll for both of them on Nov. 8, 2022
— Scott Uhl (@ScottUhlTX) May 26, 2021
