(C) Texas Tribune This story was originally published by Texas Tribune and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . The Blast: Introspection and finger pointing [1] [] Date: 2024-07 Amid bipartisan calls for unity following the failed assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump, some Texas Republicans are doing a bit of introspection. And while Trump and President Joe Biden have called for unity, several Republicans have called for accountability from Democrats regarding political rhetoric surrounding Trump and the 2024 election. In a social media post this morning, state Rep. Jared Patterson, R-Frisco, shared the perspective of former U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr that Democrats need to stop “grossly irresponsible rhetoric about Trump being an existential threat to Democracy.” But Patterson also referenced the man who was charged with threatening Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan this year amid intraparty tensions. “The same could be said in Republican politics here in Texas. The grossly irresponsible lies about our speaker’s record and that of my Republican House colleagues must end,” Patterson wrote. “I agree that it’s time for a change, alright. And it starts with those screaming the lies the loudest on this platform.” Former Republican Party of Texas Chair Matt Rinaldi dismissed Patterson’s comparison between Republicans’ rhetoric and Democrats’ rhetoric. Phelan has empowered Democrats who have compared Trump to Hitler and who have called the GOP a threat to democracy, he suggested. Currently, a driving point of tension within the Texas GOP is Phelan’s continuation of a longstanding practice of giving some committee chairmanships to the minority party. Patterson stands by Phelan’s leadership, even as past Phelan supporters now say they want a speaker who won’t empower “Democrat chairs.” Patterson has previously been critical of the right side of the Texas House Republican Caucus, including state Rep. Brian Harrison of Midlothian, for the fights they pick with House leadership. Today, Harrison led 26 other Republican state lawmakers and candidates in writing a letter to U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett calling on the Dallas Democrat to resign. Crockett co-sponsored legislation back in April that would strip Secret Service protection for convicted (and sentenced) felons and their families. If Trump is sentenced for his hush money conviction, the bill would apply to him. The bill would not strip protections for presidents, vice presidents, president-elects and vice president-elects or any other officer next in the order of succession to the presidency. “You have forfeited any moral authority to represent the State of Texas,” the 27 Republicans wrote, calling for Crockett to resign immediately. Quite the cross-section of the Legislature signed the Harrison-led letter. Signatories included state Sens. Mayes Middleton of Galveston and Kevin Sparks of Midland, state Reps. Jeff Leach of Plano and Lynn Stucky of Denton, and the candidate who ousted Stucky, Andy Hopper. State Rep. Justin Holland, R-Rockwall, had a different take on the shooting. He noted that the shooter was 20 years old and used “an AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle” in the attack. Holland last year voted in favor of a bill that would have raised the age to buy certain semi-automatic rifles from 18 to 21. That vote became part of the attack line against Holland this spring, when he was ousted during the Republican primaries. Crockett was a member of the Texas House for the 87th Legislature and served with several of the signatories. Crockett’s staff did not respond to The Blast’s request for comment. Also on the Hill, U.S. Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, R-Texas, today called on U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, the Illinois Democrat who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, to call a hearing to investigate the attempted assassination. [END] --- [1] Url: https://mailchi.mp/texastribune/the-blast-introspection-and-finger-pointing Published and (C) by Texas Tribune Content appears here under this condition or license: Used with Permission: https://www.texastribune.org/republishing-guidelines/. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/texastribune/