After it was revealed that he helped craft controversial House rules that expanded Democrat power in the Texas House, Democrat lawyer Hugh Brady was not reappointed as parliamentarian by Speaker Dustin Burrows this session.
However, recent revelations show that Brady is still advising the Texas House under a new title: “parliamentary counsel.”
According to his updated LinkedIn description, Brady’s responsibilities include serving as the House’s legal adviser on constitutional and legislative procedures and advising the speaker, members, committees, officers, and employees.
Brady, a longtime Democrat operative, has been a fixture in the Texas House since 2019, when he was appointed parliamentarian by former Speaker Dennis Bonnen. He previously served as general counsel for the White House Office of Administration under President Barack Obama from 2014 to 2017 and as parliamentarian for the Travis County Democrat Party.
State Rep. Steve Toth (R–The Woodlands) criticized Brady’s continued presence in the House, telling Texas Scorecard, “The man behind the curtain, the great and powerful Oz is still here, aka Hugh Brady. He’s alive and well and doing the bidding of Democrats. What a joke.”
Despite not holding the official title of parliamentarian, Brady’s role as “parliamentary counsel” raises concerns about the level of influence he continues to wield over House procedures and legislative outcomes. While Texas Scorecard has submitted a Public Information Act request to determine his current salary, the most recent records showed Brady making $233,730 as parliamentarian.
Neither Brady nor Sharon Carter, who now serves as the House parliamentarian, responded to requests for comment on what the parliamentary counsel position entails or how it differs from a traditional parliamentarian role.
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