Tuesday, May 28, 2013

More on the Extended Gun Rights for Texas Legislators

 Dallas News further to our story the other day when it looked like this would pass.

In a hail of angry words, lawmakers fought over gun rights and special privileges before all but defeating a bill that would give legislators and congressmen the right to carry concealed weapons anywhere in Texas.

The provision was tacked onto a bill that initially had widespread legislative support. But House members balked when the bill’s authors quietly negotiated a deal to give certain elected officials a broad right not extended to other concealed handgun license holders.

“When I was sent here, I was sent to take care of my constituents, not to advance my own self-interests,” said Rep. Kenneth Sheets, R-Dallas.

Bill sponsor Rep. Ryan Guillen, D-Rio Grande City, came under withering criticism for seemingly promising he would strip off the language that gave legislators the special right to carry guns anywhere.

Instead, Guillen acknowledged that he not only didn’t take the provision out, he added members of Congress, as well. He also denied ever pledging to erase such a privilege, prompting a fellow Democrat, El Paso Rep. Joe Pickett, to question Guillen’s integrity.

Republicans and Democrats alike denounced the bill, saying it was wrong to allow themselves perks that others didn’t have. The procedural vote to take up the bill was defeated, 103-38.

2 comments:

  1. The easier solution, one that would apparently never occur to a politician, would be to make no distinctions between different types of good citizens. Of course, the idiot who thought that the people of Texas would tolerate special privileges for legislators is from which party, exactly?

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  2. What do you know...some politicians upset with the idea of giving themselves privileges that others don't have. Wonder of wonders.

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