The Republican Party of Texas has issued a sharp rebuttal to State Rep. Cody Harris, who filed a sworn complaint with the Texas Ethics Commission accusing Texas GOP Chairman Abraham George of violating ethics laws by urging him to vote for the Republican nominee for speaker of the House.
The complaint, filed on January 8, 2025, claims that George attempted to intimidate Republican members of the Texas House into supporting State Rep. David Cook, who won the Republican nomination in December.
According to Harris’ complaint, George threatened to send mail to lawmakers’ districts if they did not support Cook’s speakership bid and that they may be removed from the Republican primary ballot for not supporting the Republican speaker candidate. Harris contends this tactic constitutes unlawful intimidation to influence legislators’ votes for speaker.
In a press release issued shortly after the complaint became public, the Texas GOP labeled Harris’s actions as baseless and an attack on grassroots conservatives. The party’s statement defended George’s conduct, arguing that advocating for adherence to the party’s rules and legislative priorities is both lawful and constitutionally protected.
George addressed the issue directly, stating, “The delegates of the 2024 Texas Republican Convention elected me to represent them, which means bringing truth to the establishment power that impeached our duly elected attorney general last legislative session. The delegates adopted our rules and legislative priorities, and I will continue to serve as a strong advocate for our party and our rule of law.”
George also criticized Harris for not attending the 2024 Republican Convention, suggesting that his lack of understanding of grassroots operations fueled the complaint. “I hope that the Texas Ethics Commission will do the right thing and reject this baseless complaint,” George concluded.
Indeed, the Republican Party Platform as well as the rules of the House Republican Caucus stipulate that members support the Republican nominee for speaker. Despite losing that vote last month, State Rep. Dustin Burrows has joined with Democrats and a minority of Republicans to attempt to take the gavel next week when the legislature convenes.
In an interview with Mark Davis on Thursday morning, Harris defended his decision to support Burrows despite the caucus vote by using semantics.
“If we want to get into the weeds on the caucus rules, the caucus rules say the member ‘should’ support the Republican nominee. It does not say ‘shall.’ I think it leaves the opportunity for us to evaluate who that candidate is.”
When Davis asked rhetorically if the caucus is ridiculous and should be eliminated, Harris responded, “Yeah, right now, absolutely.”
Harris already has a possible primary challenger in his district, as Corsicana City Councilman Chris Woolsey has filed a treasurer appointment ahead of a potential run.
The Texas Ethics Commission, meanwhile, has been called the “secret speech police” by critics. A recent report by the Sunset Advisory Commission paints a troubling picture of inefficiency, outdated practices, and burdensome processes that often punish those attempting to comply with the law.
The statement from the Texas GOP indicates that George could be facing imprisonment under Harris’ complaint.
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