AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, is apologizing to the members of his chamber for taking a meeting with a conservative activist.

"I was stupid to take a meeting with an individual who has worked hard to divide our House,” Bonnen said in a Tuesday email to House members. “I said terrible things that are embarrassing to the members, the House, and to me personally."

Nearly two weeks ago, the head of the conservative group Empower Texans accused Bonnen and another member, Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, of offering his group House media credentials in exchange for targeting 10 Republican members in 2020 primaries.

Bonnen has since pushed back about what happened during the meeting but his email to members did not explicitly address the allegation.

Empower Texans’ CEO Michael Quinn Sullivan has also said he has a recording of the meeting, which several members have listened to and have said it could be damaging to Bonnen.

Tuesday, Bonnen reiterated his request to release the entire recording.