Move Reportedly Afoot To Remove Straus From Speaker’s Chair

Texas Insider is reporting this afternoon that there is a move underway in the Texas House of Representatives to remove House Speaker Joe Straus (R-San Antonio) from the speaker’s chair later this session.

Via Texas Insider:

Word around the Texas House of Representatives is that a phantom list of nearly 76 signatures is circulating that will take out Speaker Joe Straus when the time is right. A few representatives wishing to remain anonymous have told Texas Insider they have signed the sheet calling for a motion to remove the speaker.

When the House debated the Rules early this session, an interesting debate ensued – one that most people thought was moot once Tom Craddick was no longer speaker. Last session, Speaker Craddick was heavily criticized for his decision not to recognize members who were trying to push the legislative session off its tracks in its final days.

The issue in question was the infamous Rule 5, Section 24, which addresses recognition by the speaker.

This session, though a new speaker was named, (one many touted as bringing peace back to the House,) the issue of recognition was still at hand. Ultimately, the majority of House members voted to allow a speaker to be removed mid-session if, after a member called for his removal, the speaker denied it, and then 76 members signed an appeal to remove him.

But who ever thought members would use this new rule?

Fast forward a few weeks. We are now two-and-a-half months into the 81st Legislature. Committees and chairmanships have been assigned, and all of a sudden members are second guessing the choice for speaker.

Many Democrats had high hopes for plumb chair posts and committee assignments, but when appointments came out they were surprised to see their support for Straus didn’t pay off they way they anticipated.

Consequently, a large number of Democrats and a few Republicans have signed a list that may unseat Speaker Straus when the time is right. It has been rumored that the proper timing would be shortly after the budget passes the House, which it is expected to go for a vote the week after Easter (April 12).

The obvious irony in all of this, is that the coalition of 11 Republicans and 60+ Democrats who worked so hard to unseat Craddick finally have power. Rather than ensure they keep power, this same coalition made it even easier to oust a speaker mid-session by setting the bar for removal of the Speaker at 76 votes in the House Rules. A group of Republicans and a handful of Democrats failed in a vote to set the bar at 90 votes.

A couple of things on this. Number one, while this may be just a rumor, it is one that is difficult to discount, given dissatisfaction on both sides of the aisle with Straus. Number two, removing Straus could prevent Voter ID from being taken up in the chamber if it passes the Senate, as is expected.

Finally, this kind of rumor isn’t unexpected given the dissatisfaction with Straus.