Today on the Chris Salcedo radio show Michael Quinn Sullivan of Texas Scorecard released the anticipated audio of a meeting Politics Elections previously reported on between himself, State Rep. Dennis Bonnen (R-Lake Jackson) and State Rep. Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock). This meeting has already lead to Burrows stepping down as Chairman of the Texas House Republican Caucus.
Breaking: Dennis Bonnen urged hardline conservative activist Michael Quinn Sullivan to target members of their own party in the 2020 primaries.
— Texas Tribune (@TexasTribune) October 15, 2019
Bonnen then suggested he could get Sullivan’s group media access to the House floor. https://t.co/ODQ8YqSG2Z #txlege
In the meeting, Bonnen offers Sullivan’s staff access to the house floor if he hits harder on a certain list of people he wants to be replaced with a republican.
LISTEN TO FULL AUDIO BELOW:
See excerpt taken from the transcript below:
DENNIS BONNEN: I guess that’s where I’m going, is can we kind of not waste our resources, yours and mine and everyone else’s, fighting over members that aren’t really a huge problem. You might not find they’ll be your favorites, but they’re not particularly a problem, and even help us out, and maybe kill off one or two or three that are never going to help. And then let’s also turn our guns completely on — and I’m not making a joke when I tell you this — I can’t stand Ana Marie Ramos. I mean, Jon Rosenthal makes my skin crawl. He’s a piece of shit. Gavin Massingill said it well, begging this is all confidential — after we meet with him the first time he leaves us, I said what did you think of him? And he goes, well, his wife’s going to be really pissed when she learns he’s gay. I said yep. But my point is we’ve got Michelle Beckley, who’s vile, okay? But we’ve got people who beat our Republicans, that are not we’ve got people who beat our Republicans, that are not even trying to act like moderate Democrats, okay? Which is good for us because we ought to be able to take their heads off. But I need you firing harder that way than these ways. Does that make sense? And let me tell you what I’ll do for you — real quick, you need to hear what I want to do for you.
MICHAEL QUINN SULLIVAN:· I don’t need anything done.
DENNIS BONNEN:· Well, no, you do. You do. If we can make this work. I’ll put your guys on the floor next session.
Sullivan sent out an email to subscribers of the Texas Score Card on October 14th with a timeline of the events leading up to the release of this audio release and the disclosure of how to listen to the release of the audio. See below:
I will be live on the air with popular radio show host Chris Salcedo tomorrow morning at 9:15 a.m. on WBAP (820AM) discussing the recording and playing clips. At the about same time, the audio recording will go live on TexasScorecard.com.
BONNEN MEETING TIMELINE
December 1, 2018: State Rep. Dennis Bonnen (R-Lake Jackson) receives unanimous support of the Texas House Republican Caucus for the speakership.
April 5, 2019: Bonnen (falsely) claims his family was threatened by a Second Amendment rights activist block walking in Bonnen’s neighborhood.
April 9, 2019: Bonnen storms out of the GOP spring fundraiser without delivering his scheduled remarks.
April 22, 2019: DPS footage shows Bonnen lied about the Second Amendment rights activist.
May 2019: At the insistence of State Rep. Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock), the Texas House Republican Caucus adopts a rule prohibiting members from campaigning against each other.
May 28, 2019: Bonnen says he will punish any House incumbents for “campaigning against each other” in 2020, regardless of party.
May 29, 2019: Michael Quinn Sullivan and Speaker Bonnen see each other at Hobby airport; Bonnen asks Sullivan to meet with him at the Capitol.
June 10, 2019: As requested, Sullivan texts Bonnen to set a meeting. Bonnen suggests 6/12/2019 at 3pm.
June 12, 2019: Meeting occurs at the Texas Capitol, with Bonnen inviting Burrows as an unexpected guest. Immediately after, Sullivan seeks legal counsel based on the quid pro quo offer Bonnen made during the meeting.
June 19, 2019: Sullivan sends letter to Bonnen and Burrows, “I unequivocally reject your offer.”
June 27, 2019: Bonnen sends letter back to Sullivan denying events in meeting. “No offer was made to you of any kind….”
July 25, 2019: Sullivan publishes an article about the Bonnen meeting on TexasScorecard.com.
July 26, 2019: Bonnen emails the House Republican Caucus and claims he told Sullivan in the meeting not to target Republican members.
July 29, 2019: Bonnen releases an official statement: “At no point in our conversation was Sullivan provided with a list of target Members….”
July 31, 2019: To combat the lies being told by Bonnen about the meeting, Sullivan announces he recorded it.
August 12, 2019: Texas House General Investigating Committee requests the Texas Rangers investigate the Bonnen/Sullivan meeting.
August 12, 2019: Bonnen spokesperson promotes an Austin insider’s post defending Bonnen’s behavior.
August 13, 2019: Brazoria County District Attorney Jeri Yenne makes a prosecutorial request of the Texas Rangers to investigate Bonnen.
August 16, 2019: Burrows resigns as GOP Caucus Chairman.
August 22, 2019: Burrows breaks silence to go on a Lubbock radio show saying “there was no physical list.”
September 23, 2019: On the Mark Davis radio show, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick says he and Gov. Greg Abbott want the audio released.
October 8, 2019: Media outlets report Texas Rangers are requesting all House members share information about their investigation into Bonnen.
In summary, after insulting Democrats, Bonnen asks Sullivan to go after specific members of his own party in return for access to the house floor next session. He leaves the meeting to Burrows to come up with the list of Republicans that they want Sullivan to hit hard on. Burrows comes up with a list and goes on about getting consultants from purple states for the general election.
