Elections chair speculation
I'm hearing on good authority from three reliable sources that Rep. Leo Berman, R-Tyler, has been tapped to lead the House Elections Committee.
Berman won't comment on whether he asked for that post or whether he's been tapped for it.
And I still haven't heard from the Republican rep who has taken bullets for Speaker Craddick in the past and, reportedly, thought he was getting that post.
Why is this interesting?
Berman, if you'll recall, is the legislator who wants Texas to take "birthright citizenship" to court with the goal of stripping away the right to automatic citizenship for children born to illegal immigrants.
One piece of legislation that goes through Elections, formerly headed by Rep. Mary Denny, is the one requiring a picture ID to vote. Advocates for immigrants, the elderly and the poor don't like this because they say it preys on those populations - making it more difficult to exercise their rights to vote.
Berman's proposed legislation got a chilly reception from the guv, who found it "divisive," sparking a war of words between Perry and Berman. If Berman gets put in this spot - where he can mess with leadership favorites like February presidential primaries, just to name an example - that would be a thorn in some people's sides.
Nobody's saying he will, of course, or that they need Leo Berman to pass a Voter ID bill - since they did that last time (and it died in Senate). And since House members are getting bolder and bolder about throwing out legislation in amendments on the floor and bypassing committee altogether in recent years.
But if it's true, it'll be great fun to watch.