AUSTIN, Texas -- A secret recording released Tuesday morning by conservative activist Michael Quinn Sullivan revealed Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, suggested he target members of their own party in the 2020 primaries in exchange for granting Sullivan's group media access to the House floor.
- Secret recording confirms Texas House Speaker Bonnen suggested targeting GOP members
- Bonnen says recording shows no laws broken
Sullivan is the head of Empower Texans. He released what he said is the "full, uncensored and unredacted" audio of his June 12 meeting with Bonnen and Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock.
Sullivan also talked about the recording on WBAP (820AM) telling the host he recorded the meeting to protect himself.
“I’ve never been a ‘record the meeting’ kind of guy,” he said when asked why he waited to release the audio. “I wanted to give him (Bonnen) the chance, to again, make things right, and he chose not to do so.”
About nine minutes into the 64-minute recording, Bonnen tells Sullivan he wants to win in November of 2020.
"Let’s not spend millions of dollars fighting in primaries when we need to spend millions of dollars trying to win in November,” Bonnen said. “I wanted to see if we could try and figure that out. … If you need some primaries to fight in — I will leave and Dustin will tell you some we’d love if you fought in. Not that you need our permission.”
About five minutes later, Speaker Bonnen can be heard saying, “Let me tell you what I can do for you. Real quick, you need to hear what I want to do for you.”
Sullivan responded he didn't need anything.
“Well, no you do,” Bonnen said. “We can make this work. I’ll put your guys on the floor next session.”
Bonnen went on to say that he'd take Scott Braddock off the House floor. Braddock is a reporter for our partner publication, the Quorum Report.
After the release of the recording, Bonnen said he repeatedly called for it to be made public because “it will be immediately clear that no laws were broken.”
“This was nothing more than a political discussion — the problem is that I had it with that guy,” Bonnen said in a statement. “My colleagues have always deserved the facts and context this recording provides, and with clear evidence now disproving allegations of criminal wrongdoing, the House can finally move on.”
Sullivan has been sharply critical of Bonnen's first term as speaker.
By Tuesday afternoon, no Republicans had weighed in or responded to requests for comment. A number of Democrats, however, whether named in the recording or in leadership positions, were quick to put out statements.
“The Democratic Caucus will hold a previously-scheduled meeting tomorrow and we will discuss this situation then,” said Rep Chris Turner, D-Grand Prairie and chairman of the caucus. “Speaking only for myself, I personally believe these revelations are incompatible with Mr. Bonnen serving another term as Speaker.”
State Rep. James Talarico, D-Round Rock, who Bonnen discussed recruiting a GOP challenger against, said “the Speaker has lost his way.” He went on to say, “Texas deserves leaders who will put people over politics.”
This is a developing story. We will have more on Capital Tonight at 7 p.m., including reaction from our political analysts.