Craddick stays in power
Those trying to oust him give up – for now
– but vow a challenge next session
By KAREN BROOKS, Dallas
Morning News
Leaders of the movement to oust House Speaker Tom Craddick
during the legislative session declared defeat late Sunday,
saying that while they could not get past his absolutist rulings
on his own powers, the race to be House speaker in 2009 has
already begun. "I don't think this is an obituary" for the
movement, said Rep. Fred Hill, a Richardson Republican and
committee chairman who plans to run against Mr. Craddick. "It's
just the first act. You're going to have 18 months to play out
the scenario."
Lawmakers stage walkout in protest of
Craddick
By JAY ROOT, Ft. Worth
Star-Telegram
Opponents of embattled House Speaker Tom Craddick staged
another attempt to challenge his authority in the wee hours
Monday, wiping out a slew of major bills in the process and
sparking a walkout that elicited cheers as they walked out
of the chamber. The flap got started when Rep. Pat Haggerty,
R-El Paso, tried to call out members' names one by one and
ask them whether they supported Craddick or not. When the
speaker’s leadership team were about to shut him down, he
called on members who opposed Craddick to walk out in
protest.
Lawmakers opposed to Craddick stage walkout
By GARY SCHARRER, Houston
Chronicle
Tempers finally spilled over on the House floor this
morning with two lawmakers shoving each other and members
walking out of the chamber after Rep. Pat Haggerty began
taking a roll call on who supported Speaker Tom Craddick and
who wanted to remove him from office. The House had to
adjourn when the walkout left the chamber without a quorum.
The House had approved a new state budget before the
disruption, but the walkout jeopardized several other major
bills, including a new water plan, a Texas Department of
Criminal Justice sunset bill and a bill involving parks
funding.
Huntsman orders election Nov. 6 on school vouchers
By Tiffany Erickson, Deseret Morning News
Voters will have their say on private school vouchers in
November. Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. issued an executive order
Wednesday calling for a statewide special election on the school
voucher referendum for Nov. 6, saying it will allow voters to
voice their opinions "as soon as logistically possible." "This
will allow for the greatest participation, where voters won't be
disenfranchised, and moves to settle the issue sooner rather
than later, and that is in everyone's best interest across the
board," said Lindsay Zizumbo, spokeswoman for Utahns for Public
Schools. But while voucher opponents applaud the move,
supporters say it doesn't matter when the vote is because there
is already a voucher law on the books. "Whether it is in
November or February, it's inconsequential — we still want to
see HB174 implemented now," said Leah Barker, spokeswoman for
Parents for Choice in Education and Children First Utah.
Catholics
and evangelicals leap to Romney's defense
By Lisa Riley Roche, Deseret Morning News
Catholics and evangelicals came to the LDS Church's
and GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney's defense Wednesday,
calling on the Rev. Al Sharpton to answer for suggesting Mormons
don't believe in God. "Extraordinarily bigoted" was how Romney
described Sharpton's comment made during a debate on religion
held Monday in New York City, where Sharpton said, "as for the
one Mormon running for office, those that really believe in God
will defeat him anyway, so don't worry about that, that's a
temporary situation."
