May 21, 2019      3:54 PM

Failure of anti-lobby bill exposes rifts, prompts celebrations

Lt. Gov. Patrick’s anger boils over, Gov. Abbott’s top staff avoid the House floor during debate, professional advocates stung from “being used as political props”

Freshman Rep. Mayes Middleton’s effort to ban local officials from hiring lobbyists on tax issues – and provide a red-meat win for Republicans – went down to defeat despite efforts to massage, narrow and compromise on the bill.

After it failed on the floor, over in the other chamber Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick threatened to kick lobbyists out of the gallery. He said some of them had celebrated in the gallery which he would not allow.

Senate Bill 29 appeared to morph considerably – and possibly fatally – by the time it got to the House floor.

Copyright May 21, 2019, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved