Hughes' Work as Trial Lawyer Could Impact Speaker Bid
*Correction appended
Some conservative critics of Republican House Speaker Joe Straus say he’s too moderate to run the Texas House. But the man they hope will replace him is carrying around two words that aren’t generally associated with conservative causes: trial lawyer.
State Rep. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, who has filed scores of personal injury lawsuits over the years, has received at least $68,000 from trial lawyer interests — including the Texas Trial Lawyers Association — in his past runs for office, according to records at the Texas Ethics Commission.
Now those donations and the personal injury suits could hurt ...
Comments (8)
Proud Texan
“I don’t vote in lock-step with anybody,” he said. “I think people are going to look at my voting record and make a judgment based on that.”
In fact, he didn't even vote in the last Speaker's race. Lack of courage. Lack of conviction. Lack of any ability to be Speaker. Lack of votes to come anywhere close.
Michael B Openshaw
Nice try. Fortunately, our vocations do not restrict us to a given political philosophy. Both Phill Gramm and Dick Armey came out of academia- hardly a hotbed for conservative thought, and your benefactor George Soros is a billionaire entrepreneur, and would never be accused of being a conservative.
Secondly, the primary issue is one of representative governance, not conservative vs. liberal. It is that we send 150 representative to the legislature, but only a dozen or so (the hand-picked committee chairs) matter at all for the vast majority of proposed bills. This gatekeeping oligarchy thrives on political 'gifts' which are the only way any bill is ever even given a hearing. The power held by this group should be reduced and I think even the Democrats can agree on that. More bills need to make it for floor votes or, at bare minimum, committee votes.
I know; this is unprecedented- and will complicate the life of the Professional Political Class, who make a living tweaking the levers of power in the background. Too bad; it's what needs to be done. And Bryan Hughes understands that.
robert moore
How can Mr. Keffer have an opinion on this when he is a HABITUAL LAWBREAKER. His company gets raided and the illegals hauled off regularly. After 40 years a man that smart should be able to spot forged documents. Thats what is wrong with Texas and our country. The lawbreakers are running and ruining this place.
George Maxwell
This comes as no surprise to the thousands on thousands of Texas Conservatives who are paying attention. Did Rep. Hughes really think that his convenient transformation from a liberal trial lawyer wouldn't raise some eyebrows? At least it seems like most of our state House won't be duped. I for one don't particularly want an ambulance chaser for speaker...
daphne french
I'm glad to see this getting some attention. I've read about Hughes being involved in some frivolous "slip and fall" cases. I don't see how one goes from being a liberal trial lawyer to a conservative over night!
Bill Carson
Nice smear job, Jay. Are trying to tell me that Straus has never taken any money from any trial lawyer? $68,000 over ten years is small potatoes. And who is Texans for Lawsuit Reform, anyway? They won't tell you who their donors are.
Bill Carson
Conservative Christian trial lawyer vs. a Moderate Jewish gambling tycoon. Hmmmm... Tough choice.
George Maxwell
Daphne, I saw that too! Seems like everywhere I turn there is another Hughes case that should make any Conservative uncomfortable with his bid for Speaker...