Judge Strikes Down Texas Gay Marriage Ban - Barry Smitherman for Attorney General, and Ted Cruz, Respond and Stand with Traditional Marriage

Attorney General Candidate Barry Smitherman’s Statement on Judge Orlando Garcia’s Ruling Striking Down Texas Gay Marriage Ban:

The following is a press release from Barry Smitherman:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:	Contact:  Jared Craighead
Wednesday, February 26, 2014	512-522-5601

Attorney General Candidate Barry Smitherman’s Statement on Judge Orlando Garcia’s Ruling Striking Down Texas Gay Marriage Ban

AUSTIN –Today Barry Smitherman issued the following statement in response to Judge Orlando Garcia’s ruling striking down Texas’ gay marriage ban:

“Marriage is between one man and one woman, period.  I am deeply troubled by Judge Garcia’s ruling that I know General Abbott will successfully appeal to the 5^th Circuit.  Some liberal, unelected federal judges with lifetime appointments seem to be missing the point that not only is there a rational basis for our constitutional definition of marriage, there is a compelling governmental interest in maintaining core Judeo-Christian values here in Texas.

From the founding of our Republic, states have always maintained the right to define marriage.  Whether it was a proscription on the ability of people to marry a first or second cousin or some other family member, or a prohibition on children getting married, states have always rightfully been the ones to define who could and who could not marry.  Federal judges’ attempts in the wake of the Windsor case to usurp that power from the states must be halted immediately.

I urge the 5^th Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn this disastrous ruling as soon as possible.”

For more information please visit www.BarryforTexas.com.

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Ted Cruz's Statement on Judge Orlando Garcia’s Ruling Striking Down Texas Gay Marriage Ban:

The following is a press release from Barry Ted Cruz:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                          Sen. Cruz Press Office: 202-228-7561

Feb. 26, 2014                                                                                                  Sean_Rushton@cruz.senate.gov

News Release                                                                                            Catherine_Frazier@cruz.senate.gov

Sen. Cruz: Today's Ruling Invalidating Texas' Ban on Same-Sex Marriage is a Troubling Display of Judicial Activism

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, released the following statement in response to a federal judge ruling Texas' ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional:

"Today’s ruling by a federal judge, invalidating Texas’ ban on same-sex marriage, is a troubling display of judicial activism.  Our Constitution leaves it to the States to define marriage, and unelected judges should not be substituting their own policy views for the reasoned judgments of the citizens of Texas, who adopted our marriage law directly by referendum.  The court's decision undermines the institution of marriage, and I applaud Attorney General Abbott’s decision to appeal this ruling to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals."

Gov. Rick Perry: Barry Smitherman is “the Real Deal” – Texas Attorney General Race Update

The race is on for the next Texas Attorney General. Early voting has already begun and it lasts until February 28^th. The Texas Republican Primary Election Day is March 4^th, 2014.

One Texas Attorney General candidate, Barry Smitherman, stands out above the rest. The Texas Attorney General’s office is one of the largest statewide offices in Texas. As the Chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission, and the past head of Public utilities, Barry Smitherman is the only candidate that has proven he can effectively and efficiently run a large statewide agency.

Smitherman has proven himself to be the best social conservative in this race, having garnered the endorsements of BOTH pro-life groups in Texas. He was even endorsed by David Barton.

Smitherman has also proven himself to be the best fiscal conservative in this race. While his opponents were raising their own office budgets. Smitherman was voting against any increases in his office budget. Smitherman even saved Texas taxpayers millions of dollars over the years.

Smitherman is even the only candidate to get an A+ rating from the NRA. Smitherman is a strong defender of the second amendment. Smitherman fought for and won the right of his field workers to be able to carry a gun for protection and his is the only candidate with a Concealed Handgun license, so he is not just talk!

What Does Governor Rick Perry Say About Barry Smitherman?

"Barry was an outstanding Public Utility Commissioner for several years, and has taken his free market approach to the Texas Railroad Commission, where he has sought to develop Texas’ vast energy potential to create jobs and make our country less dependent on hostile foreign oil. His knowledge of Texas' energy market and our energy needs is unparalleled. He's the real deal, and not just because he's an Aggie!" - Governor Rick Perry

Barry Smitherman has Sued Obama 7 times already

One of the most important things that Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott has done is sue Obama and defend Texas from Obama. Barry Smitherman is the only Texas Attorney General candidate who has already sued Obama. Smitherman has sued Obama 7 times already! In fact, while Smitherman was suing Obama, the business of at least one of his opponents was taking in hundreds of thousands of dollars in Obama stimulus money.

New Smitherman TV Ad: fighting to secure our border, defend the second amendment, and protect our strong Texas values

Fighting For Us from Barry Smitherman on Vimeo.

Barry Smitherman and Ted Cruz, the perfect duo to Fight Obama

The following is a picture of Ted Cruz and Barry Smitherman. I fought to help get Ted Cruz elected because I knew he was the best conservative fighter for the job. I also believe that Barry Smitherman is the best conservative fighter for the Job of Texas Attorney General.

Ken Paxton Betrayed Conservatives – Backed Down vs. Straus – Ted Cruz would NOT Have Backed Down

Some people have asked me how I know that Ken Paxton is not the right man to be our next Texas Attorney General. There are many reasons. Do I think Ken Paxton is conservative? Of course I do, but I do not believe he is the best conservative and I do not believe he is the best leader. I believe Barry Smitherman is the better conservative and a far better leader who will not back down. Unfortunately, I know for sure that Ken Paxton will back down, even after promising not to back down. How do I know that Ken Paxton cannot be trusted when he says he will not back down? Because Paxton already broke that promise just 3 years ago. He betrayed conservatives and backed down from challenging Joe Straus even after he promised just the day before that he would not back down and would take it to the floor (see video below). We need more people like Ted Cruz. Ted Cruz faced a losing Obamacare battle but he stood for nearly a day and took the fight all the way to the end. Cruz is the kind of conservative leader we need. Ken Paxton is no Ted Cruz. Ted Cruz would have never pulled out and betrayed conservatives right before the Joe Straus big vote. Cruz would have taken it to the floor. Ken Paxton did not do that and he will forever be known in my mind as someone who, although he is conservative, is not strong enough to follow through no matter what. He will back down. If he caved in to Straus, what do you think he will do when he faces Obama? Barry Smitherman on the other hand has already sued Obama 7 times and has not backed down.

Paxton PROMISED to Challenge Liberal Texas Speaker Joe Straus and Take It To The Floor. Paxton Had No Guts and Backed out the Day of the Vote, Leaving Conservatives Hanging and Betrayed

Texas has a liberal, pro-abortion Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, Joe Straus. Straus got elected by teaming up with all the Democrats to rally against the Republicans to get him elected.

Conservatives demanded that Joe Straus be challenged. Conservatives even kicked out several moderate Republicans and replaced them with conservative ones who would vote against Straus.

Ken Paxton says he will challenge Straus. I supported Ken Paxton as the clearly better choice over Joe Straus. Ken Paxton PROMISED that he would take it to the floor and have an open vote for Speaker of the House. Paxton promised that he would never back out of the race no matter what. He promised he would take it to the floor. Conservatives were trusting him to actually challenge Straus and force a vote on the floor. Even if Paxton was not going to win, by taking it to the floor and forcing a vote, the conservatives in Texas could see which representatives supported the liberal Straus. By seeing which State Representatives voted for Straus, the conservatives in Texas could rally and defeat those State Reps and get conservatives elected who will vote against Straus and defeat him once and for all.

On the day of the election, Ken Paxton dropped out of the race. He allowed Straus to become the speaker again without a challenge and without a floor vote. No one even got to see which Reps would have voted for Straus.

Conservative State Reps got Punished for Supporting Paxton. Paxton refused to help them

There was no floor vote so no one got to see who the moderates were. No one got to see who would have supported Straus. On the other hand, everyone know who the State Representatives were who supported Paxton. There were several brave, conservative State Reps who publicly spoke out in favor of Paxton and in opposition to Straus. The voters never got to see who would have voted against Straus, but Straus got to see who openly opposed him. The state Representatives who openly opposed Straus were: Leo Berman (HD-6), Cindy Burkett (HD-101), Erwin Cain (HD-3), Wayne Christian (HD-9), Dan Flynn (HD-2), Jim Landtroop (HD-85) , Phil King (HD-61), Jodie Laubenberg (HD-89), Tan Parker (HD-63), Ken Paxton (HD-70), Charles Perry (HD-83), David Simpson (HD-7), Van Taylor (HD-66), James White (HD-12), Bill Zedler (HD-96)

This list of conservatives were targeted by Straus. Straus hurt them in redistricting. He botched their districts so that they would not win, or he put them in districts where they would have to run against his well-funded Chairmen. Most notably, Wayne Christian had 80 percent of his district moved to a completely different area. The change in his district was absolutely unneeded for redistricting and was clearly a way to push him out. Also, my current State Representative James White opposed Straus and, during redistricting, was put into the same district as Straus Chairman Mike Hamilton. Mike Hamilton had the money backing of friends of Straus so they thought White would lose easily to Hamilton. Also Conservative anti Straus Reps Charles Perry and Jim Landtroop were paired together in the same district so that one of them would lose for sure. All of these changes were not needed for redistricting. Wayne Christian made a youtube video that breaks down exactly how Straus was attacking anti-Straus conservatives in redistricting, and Bryan Hughes even accused a Straus leader of directly telling him that he would be hurt in redistricting if he supported Straus.

I spoke privately with one of these conservative state reps who supported Paxton and was attacked by Straus in redistricting. I asked the State Rep to give me the inside story and promised that I would not reveal his name so I am not. His information was true though after I checked into it so his points are valid. What happened was these conservative State Reps reached out to Paxton for help. They stood up for him and they were asking him to help them defend against the attacks from Straus.

Paxton was sitting on around $800,000. Paxton had no serious challenger and could have used the money to help out his fellow conservatives who were being attacked in the election by Straus. In the end, I can only find on the Texas Ethics website where Paxton only ended up giving money to one of the State Reps, Jim Landtroop. A small $2500 donation while he sat on nearly a million.

Bottom line, Paxton is not a liberal, he is a conservative. He is NOT the best man to be our next Texas Attorney General. He is no Ted Cruz. Paxton has proven that he WILL back down when the going gets tough, even after promising not to back down. Texas needs a guy like Barry Smitherman who will not back down and is super conservative.

Don’t Take My Word for It – Watch the Video Below and See Ken Paxton Himself Back Down From Challenging Straus After Promising to Take It To The Floor

Barry Smitherman New TV ad about Securing the Texas/Mexico Border

from Texas GOP Vote:

As the run-up to early voting, which starts in just over two weeks, Texas Attorney General candidate, Railroad Commission Chairman Barry Smitherman, is taking his message to the voters with a new television ad which launched this morning.

“My first ad focuses on border security and prosecution of crime along the border because that will be one of my top priorities as the next Attorney General,” said Barry Smitherman.

“Too many Texas landowners, farmers, ranchers and south Texas families," Smitherman continued, "are being subjected to trespass, vandalism, violence and mayhem. We have got to restore law and order, keep people safe, protect their property and stop heinous crimes like drug, sex and human trafficking where it starts: on our border with Mexico."

"Stopping crime along the border before it migrates throughout the rest of the state is critically important. As the only former prosecutor in the race and the only candidate that has effectively run large state agencies like the Office of the Attorney General, I am uniquely qualified to lead the effort to stop crime along the border,” concluded Smitherman.

From the very beginning of his campaign, Smitherman has not only made border security and illegal immigration top priorities, but he has also detailed out specific plans on how to assist border sheriffs and prosecutors to increase enforcement as stated in two prior interviews done with TexasGOPVote. Interview 1 - Interview 2

- See more at: http://texasgopvote.com/issues/fix-immigration/barry-smitherman-campaign-takes-its-message-television-006338#sthash.2IfdLnhn.dpuf

Barry Smitherman’s Prosecutor Evaluations Show He Never Backed Down, was One of Best

The Texas Attorney General is the top lawyer in Texas. He defends the state, our laws, our Constitution, and the people. He also prosecutes those who break the laws. With Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott running for Governor, we have a chance to elect a new Texas Attorney General. We need to elect a Texas Attorney General who stands on Conservative values, and who will also be an effective defender and prosecutor.

We already know that Texas Attorney General candidate Barry Smitherman has the conservative values. I have written many articles about what Smitherman believes. He is a strong Christian conservative who always stands for what is right. When his opponents in the Texas Legislature were voting to raise their office budgets, he was voting against his office budget increases. When liberals were rallying for abortion, he was rallying for life. When his opponents were missing hundreds of votes, he never missed one.

So now the only question is, will Barry Smitherman be an effective defender and prosecutor?

The answer is yes!

Smitherman’s Prosecutor Evaluations Show he Never Backed Down and was One of the Best Prosecutors in Harris County

I got a chance to see the evaluation reports that were written about Smitherman by his superiors in Harris County. The evaluations were nothing short of stellar. The reports show that, not only was he a very effective prosecutor, he was also very fair and he never backed down when faced with a tough case. That is the kind of person needed to step in and take over where Greg Abbott has left off.

I could explain more about Smitherman’s performance reviews, but it would be better for you to just see exactly what the reviews said.

Below are some of the exact quotes from Smitherman’s reviews:

"Barry did not shy away from hard to win cases and was not pressured by defense attorneys to see things their way and cave in and either dismiss the case or offer a different punishment unless it was warranted."

“Excellent – extraordinary performance far above the norm.”

“Barry has a strong sense of right and wrong, he never hesitated to try a difficult case….”

“Barry always sought to see justice done….”

“Barry is aggressive and assertive in the courtroom. There is no mistaking that he is a prosecutor, and is out to seek justice for the victim of the crime, or for the state of Texas.”

Smitherman Handled MANY cases in his time at the Harris County DA’s office

Some of the opponents of Smitherman try to distract people from Smitherman’s stellar record as a prosecutor by saying that Smitherman was not a prosecutor for more than 2 years and he only took a couple dozen cases to trial. That is like saying that McCain is a better senator than Ted Cruz because Ted Cruz has not been in the Senate very long. I don’t care if Smitherman worked there for 1 year or 20 years. I care about how he did when he worked there. Ted Cruz is better than McCain based on their performance, not based on the number of years they performed. Smitherman’s reports clearly show that he was one of the best and never backed down. He proved himself to be top notch and it did not take him long before he moved up to bigger and better things.

Also, the idea that Smitherman did not work many cases is incorrect. Smitherman’s case record doesn't count cases that pled out during trial before going to the jury, cases where he sat "second chair" with some other prosecutor as "lead" or where he was still a number "3" and didn't do the case alone or get credit for it. The record also doesn't include the summer spent working with JPs to whittle down their dockets where some cases were tried and lot dismissed or plead out. 

Smitherman was a fighter for Women

While a prosecutor, Smitherman focused on family violence and assault and often stood up for women, who for fear of repercussion, couldn't or wouldn't stand up for themselves. A big function of the Texas Attorney General’s office is standing up for victims who cannot stand up for themselves. In this day and age when the media plays up an idea that that there is a war on women, Smitherman has a clear record of standing up for women who were victims of violence.

Longer Recording Released of Ken Paxton’s Underwhelming Answer to Stopping Common Core and CSCOPE as Attorney General

At the end of November, I posted up an article, Shock Recording: Ken Paxton Not interested in Stopping Common Core or CSCOPE as Attorney General.

The article included a clip of a voice recording where Ken Paxton is asked about CSCOPE and Common Core. Ken Paxton responded by saying the Attorney General will probably won’t get involved in that.

In response to the article, I had some Paxton supporters contact me and say that the audio clip was cut short. They alleged that someone cut the recording short and that Ken Paxton did say he would not get involved, but then went on to say he will fight these things as Attorney General. This bothered me because I certainly would never post any audio that was altered, or that was cut short in a way to make it appear as though someone said one thing when in fact they go on to answer the question in further detail.

I think Paxton is a good guy and a conservative. I only oppose him now because I believe that Barry Smitherman is better than Paxton. I truly believe that Barry Smitherman is even more conservative and will be more of a fighter. It is the little things that no one sees that sets Smitherman apart from Paxton in my mind. Such as Paxton Missing Hundreds of Votes and Smitherman Missing None, or Smitherman rejecting budget increases for his office while Paxton voted to increase his office budget.

That being said, I would never post anything false against Paxton, so I went on a mission to find a longer version of the audio recording. If the audio I had was cut short then I wanted to make it right.

I did find a longer version of the recording. I uploaded this longer version to YouTube and posted at the end of this article for everyone to hear. This audio recording shows Paxton answering a question before the CSCOPE/COMMON CORE question, and then he answers the CSCOPE/COMMON CORE question, and then this longer version also shows him going on to answer a different question about redistricting. This longer version clearly shows that the original voice recording I posted a month ago was accurate and Paxton was not cut short in the recording.

Also in response to the article, I had some Paxton supporters contact me and tell me that Paxton stood against COMMON CORE and CSCOPE as a legislator. To this I replied that I never said he didn’t do that as a legislator, but he is not running for the Texas Legislature, he is running to be the Texas Attorney General. What he did as a Legislature is good but I want to know what he will do as the Attorney General. His response that as Attorney General he will probably not get involved was surprising to me. But since Paxton did not know he was being recorded, I believe his response to show his true intentions regarding the issue. Barry Smitherman has come out and stated that as Attorney General he will fight against Common Core and CSCOPE. Why wait for a lawsuit as Ken Paxton has said should happen before he gets involved? Attorney General Greg Abbot did not wait for a lawsuit. He sent a letter to CSCOPE and told them to comply with the law and they did. There was no lawsuit there but Abbott was being proactive and defending the laws of Texas. Smitherman will also be proactive in defending Texas from illegal use of CSCOPE and Common Core. Paxton clearly states that as Attorney General he would probably not get involved unless there was a lawsuit. That is not good enough for me.

I welcome Ken Paxton or his campaign to reply under this post any response to this recording and what Paxton said in the recording. I have not received any statement from Paxton regarding this recording or else I would have posted it here.

Barry Smitherman is ONLY Candidate endorsed by Both Texas Right to Life & Alliance for Life

On December 20th, 2013, Texas Alliance for Life released their pro-life endorsement of Barry Smitherman for Texas Attorney General. This endorsement means that Barry Smitherman is the only candidate in the Texas Attorney General race to be endorsed by BOTH Texas Right to Life and Texas Alliance for Life.

I previously wrote an article about Barry Smitherman being endorsed by Texas Right to Life. You can read that article here.

Below is the press release from Texas Alliance for Life regarding their endorsement of Barry Smitherman:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Demcember 20, 2013

Austin, TX — Texas Alliance for Life PAC strongly endorses Barry Smitherman for Texas Attorney General. We are confident that Smitherman is the best candidate to lead the Office of Attorney General, which is critically important to defending Texas’ pro-life laws from attacks in the courts.

For years, Smitherman has actively supported the pro-life movement as an individual, showing that protecting the right to life is a among his core convictions.Barry is a fourth generation Texan who grew up in a working class neighborhood on the east side of Houston. It is there that his parents taught him the value of hard work and a strong Christian faith. He worked his way through college and law school and earned degrees from Texas A&M University, The University of Texas School of Law, and Harvard. Barry Smitherman won statewide election to the Railroad Commission of Texas in November 2012 with 74% of the vote. He was previously appointed by Governor Rick Perry to the Commission in July 2011.“I am honored and grateful for the endorsement of the Texas Alliance for Life PAC,” said Smitherman. “I’m proud to stand with these Pro-Life champions from all across Texas and appreciate their confidence in me to vigorously defend our strong Pro-Life laws. As the only proven prosecutor and experienced litigator in this race, Texans can have confidence in me that our strong Pro-Life laws will be upheld,” concluded Smitherman. 

Barry Smitherman Stood for Religious Rights of Kountze Students with Greg Abbott

As Christmas nears, one thing we are talking about is the Merry Christmas bill. The Merry Christmas bill was passed this year to allow teachers and students to be able to celebrate Christmas in schools without fear of lawsuits. This is a great bill, but it only scratches the surface of stopping the attacks against Christianity in schools. The Texas Attorney General is on the front lines defending the religious rights of Texans and Texas Students.

Texas Attorney General Candidate Barry Smitherman does not just stand up for Christian Conservative values, Smitherman goes out of his way to get involved. From rallying against Common Core and CSCOPE, to promoting the Merry Christmas Bill, Smitherman has been there. Just last week, Barry Smitherman went way out of his way to speak at a Women on the Wall #CanISee anti-Common Core community meeting in Frisco, TX organized by Alice Linahan.

Since we are on the topic of standing up for students in Texas, I want to let everyone know about how Smitherman stood up for the religious rights of cheerleaders at Kountze High School. Many people do no know about how Smitherman went out of his way to stand up for the religious rights of students in the small east Texas city of Kountze. Kountze, TX is a small city in Hardin County in East Texas. Last year there was a battle of ideas that occurred here. The Kountze Cheerleaders made their own signs with their own money to hold up at public football games after school. Some of the signs had encouraging Bible verses on them. The Wisconsin based freedom from religion foundation did not like that these signs had Bible verses on them. This anti-Christian organization is known for going around the country finding people to threaten with lawsuits unless they back down from anything that even mentions God. These students have a Constitutional right to express their faith, even in school. Unfortunately, many organizations and individuals do not have the money to fight a lawsuit so they just give in to the demands of the freedom from religion foundation.

These students in Kountze, TX were not backing down from their faith or from their rights. The students and parents started speaking out and created a facebook group. They took a bold stand. Word started to get out about the situation and the cheerleaders got some legal help from the Liberty Institute.

Texas Railroad Commissioner Barry Smitherman heard about this situation in Kountze, TX. Smitherman probably had lots of important issues on his plate, but he took time to get involved and stood up for these kids in Kountze. I am from Hardin County and I was very involved in standing up for the Kountze Kids. Barry Smitherman personally sent me a hand written statement expressing support for the Kountze Kids and standing up for their Constitutional rights.

See the Kountze Faith letter form Barry Smitherman here

This really impressed me and this is one of the reasons why I really support Barry Smitherman. Smitherman got involved even when no one was looking. His actions are exactly what I would expect from a possible Texas Attorney General. In fact, your current Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott did get involved to defend and protect the religious rights of the Kountze Kids.

Barry Smitherman getting involved over the years from Frisco to Kountze shows me that he have the values and dedication needed to be the next Texas Attorney General.

Donna Garner Endorses Barry Smitherman, Says Ken Paxton Never Publicly Helped Conservatives on SBOE and he Supported Moderates

also read this Statement from Barry Smitherman: Barry Smitherman takes Strong Stand against Common Core and CSCOPE as Attorney General

Donna Garner is one of the foremost education experts in Texas. She has been fighting against liberalism in our Texas Public education since probably before I was born. Every elected official in Texas and anyone in the Texas education world knows Donna Garner. She fought for conservative State Board of Education Members when they were attacked. She fought against Common Core and CSCOPE.

Donna Garner has endorsed Barry Smitherman for Texas Attorney General. Donna Garner sent out an email yesterday explaining in detail why she supports Barry Smitherman over Ken Paxton. Basically, the summary of what Donna Garner says is that she has been intricately involved in Texas Education and not once in the past decade has Paxton testified for or promoted any of the important conservative issues facing Texas education. Even when the conservative State Board of Education members were vilified by the media for standing for conservative values, Paxton was nowhere to be found and offered no help to the conservative SBOE members who were facing challengers in their elections. in fact, Paxton admitted to Donna Garner that he was supporting a moderate to the SBOE because she had given him large campaign donations.

Donna goes on to say that Paxton did finally do something this past session by co-authoring a bill against CSCOPE, but then a recent recording surfaced of Ken Paxton stating that as Texas Attorney General he will probably not get involved in Common Core or CSCOPE.... that lackadaisical attitude towards defending Texas from Common Core is not something she wants to see from a possible future Texas AG.

Donna Garner then goes on to explain what she supports Smitherman, who has clearly claimed that as Texas Attorney General he will fight Common Core from coming into Texas.

Below are a few paragraphs from Donna Garners Full article which can be found here:

WHAT ABOUT KEN PAXTON FOR TAG?

Then there is Ken Paxton.  I actually endorsed Ken for the TAG early-on when called by his campaign staffer.  At that time I knew many negatives about Dan Branch but almost nothing personal about Barry Smitherman, the Texas Railroad Commissioner.

I knew that Ken was a pro-life, pro-family-values conservative; and I had worked hard along with many other conservatives leading up to the 82^nd Legislative Session to help him to become the Speaker of the House instead of Joe Straus. Unfortunately, Ken took his name out of consideration at the very last minute, leaving us without a conservative champion to support.

I decided to endorse Ken for the TAG but in doing so I had to overlook the personal conversation in which I learned that he supported a moderate for the Texas State Board of Education simply because she had given his campaign large donations.

I also had to swallow my deep emotions over the fact that Ken along with the other Texas Legislators had passed HB 5 and HB 866 which basically gut the authentic education reform that we conservatives had fought for 15 years to establish in Texas.

As Ken came out yesterday with strong statements about what a stalwart he has been on education issues, I have done some reflecting on my own.  During the years 2005 – 2012 in which the Texas State Board of Education conservatives were fighting against all odds to adopt Type #1 curriculum standards (TEKS) for English/Language Arts/Reading, Science, Social Studies, and Math, I do not think I can remember a single time when Ken Paxton’s name was mentioned.  I cannot remember that he ever testified, wrote a public statement, came out with editorials in support of the SBOE’s efforts to put Texas on the path to authentic education reform with the 4 x 4 graduation requirements and Type #1 STAAR/EOC’s.  Nor can I remember his authoring or helping to pass legislation to try to rescue the SBOE conservatives from vilification by the media, Democrats, and the RINO’s.  In fact, so far as I can remember, Ken was nowhere around when the SBOE needed  his public  support during those very difficult years. 

It Ken was concerned enough to co-author HB 462 that supposedly banned Common Core Standards in Texas, how could he possibly have muddled his answer so badly on Nov. 18, 2013, when the question was asked him regarding Common Core Standards during the TAG campaign event?  (Please listen to either of the audio clip attachments.)  I do not think that Ken’s lackadaisical answer sounds like the type of response that the committed and impassioned people who signed his endorsement letter yesterday would have said. I believe that if any of them had been asked the same question Ken was asked about Common Core Standards, these people would have answered back with a diatribe of all that is wrong with CCSI. 

I have it on record that when Barbara Cargill was contacted by Ken’s campaign on 11.22.13 after my article had surfaced, she was driving home from an arduous four-day Texas State Board of Education meeting in Austin.  Barbara had not read my article at that time because she had been so inundated with chairing the SBOE sessions. I know that she and Ken have been friends for some time and that she had no idea what came out of his own mouth on Nov. 18, 2013, when asked about his position on Common Core Standards/CSCOPE if elected TAG. Whether that would have changed her endorsement of him, I cannot say.

BARRY SMITHERMAN FOR TAG 

In contrast to Ken’s weak answer on the Common Core/CSCOPE, how did Barry Smitherman answer questions about education issues and the positions he would take as the TAG? 

We have at least three strong indications:  (Exhibit A) Barry’s response to the article on global warming, (Exhibit B) his strong statement issued  on 11.23.13 about Texas HB 462/state sovereignty, and (Exhibit C) the letter he sent to his own daughter’s teacher regarding the Southern Poverty Law Center and its liberal-left dogma that had been inserted into his daughter’s curriculum lesson on “To Kill a Mockingbird.” 

Exhibit A

11.18.13  -- “TX RR Comm. Barry Smitherman Responds to Common Core Global Warming” -- http://nocompromisepac.ning.com/profiles/blogs/texas-railroad-commissioner-smitherman-responds-to-common-core

Exhibit B

11.23.13 -- “Ken Paxton Not Concerned About Common Core or CSCOPE” – http://nocompromisepac.ning.com/profiles/blogs/ken-paxton-not-concerned-about-common-core-or-cscope-by-donna?xg_source=activity

Exhibit C

9.30.13 – “Letter to Daughter’s Teacher: Intolerance in American Study” -- http://nocompromisepac.ning.com/profiles/blogs/barry-smitherman-s-wife-interviewed-women-on-the-wall-9-30-13?xg_source=activity  -- (This article contains Barry Smitherman’s letter to his daughter’s teacher in which Smitherman explains his concerns over a worksheet provided by the Southern Poverty Law Center when the class was studying To Kill a Mockingbird.  The SPLC is the organization that continues to label tea party patriots, constitutionalists, Family Research Council, Texas Eagle Forum, Concerned Women for America, and many others as either a "hate" group or "right wing extremists.” Barry Smitherman makes it very clear that the SPLC worksheet has no place in Texas schools.

BARRY SMITHERMAN’S PERSONAL LIFE AND LEGAL BACKGROUND

Ken Paxton is a fine Christian fellow; and I applaud him and the other Legislators who fought for pro-life bills in the Legislature. However, Barry Smitherman is a strong conservative Christian also.  People who know him and his family well and who are respected conservatives themselves have testified to this. 

10.31.13 – “The Race for Texas Attorney General – Barry Smitherman’s Record” by Bob Price --http://texasgopvote.com/issues/stop-big-government/race-texas-attorney-general-barry-smithermans-record-006025

9.30.13 – “Texas Right To Life Endorses Barry Smitherman for Texas Attorney General” -- http://www.scribd.com/doc/172171261/PR-13-09-30 – contains this quote from Smitherman – “I always have and always will stand shoulder to shoulder with Texas Right to Life promoting Pro-Life policies; and as Attorney General, I will defend good Pro-Life pieces of legislation like HB-2 that are constantly under assault from radical pro-choice organizations.”

COMPARING BARRY AND KEN

Therefore, we have to consider the skill sets that are necessary for the Texas Attorney General’s office which is very different from a state legislator’s skill sets.  Even though Ken Paxton has made a good Texas Legislator, he may not have the natural leadership skills and background expertise to be the TAG.  As someone recently stated succinctly, this is the choice we have: 

Ken Paxton – probate lawyer; estate planning; real estate; corporate transactions; 2003 to current, Texas Legislator

OR

Barry Smitherman – former Harris County prosecutor (Assistant District Attorney), service on the Public Utilities Commission (PUCT) where he also served as Chairman, heading up two large state agencies (2004 – present) plus 17 years in the private sector working in public finance, has sued the EPA 7 times to protect Texas oil and gas. 

Quote from David Bellow:

As head of the Texas Public Utilities Commission, Smitherman sued Obama's EPA 5 times. Then, as the statewide, elected Chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission, Smitherman sued Obama's EPA 2 more times. Suing Obama 7 times is a huge statement and one that clearly shows that Smitherman is already ready to step into the position of Texas Attorney General and keep on suing Obama. (11.11.13)

Quote from David Bellow: 

As Chairman of Texas Public Utilities and the Railroad Commission, Barry Smitherman spent DOUBLE DIGIT percentages UNDER BUDGET and gave over 130 million dollars back to the State of Texas. (9.28.13 –http://www.texasgopvote.com/issues/grow-economy/barry-smitherman-saved-texas-taxpayers-over-130-million-slashed-spending-cut-005906 )

TWO MORE POINTS

The usual talking points against Barry Smitherman are (#1) he has no voting record, and (#2) he supposedly brought Smart Meters into Texas.

On point (#1), what about our Texas Hero Ted Cruz?  He had no voting record, but we all know his strength of commitment which he carried right into the Senate and The Beltway.   

On Point (#2), if voting records are so important, then what about the voting records of Ken Paxton and Dan Branch? 

As best I can document, way back on 4.13.05, Dan Branch and Ken Paxton both voted for HB 2129 (79^th Legislative Session – R). This bill set up the original legislation for Smart Meters (i.e., the deployment of advanced electricity meters…advanced metering and metering information networks) – Section 7(b)(h); Section 8(b) -- http://www.journals.house.state.tx.us/hjrnl/79r/pdf/79rday48final.pdf#page=12

Dan Branch co-authored Smart Meters legislation. Paxton actually voted twice for the implementation of Smart Meters and directed the Public Utilities Commission to allow the utilities to charge a fee for installation.  Paxton also supported a provision that required the PUC to report to the Legislature on the utilities progress in installing Smart Meters.

If both Dan Branch and Ken Paxton felt the Smart Meters were such an important issue, why did neither of them address it during the 83^rd Legislative Session?

To be honest, if the Texas Legislature had not passed the Smart Meters bills in the first place, we would not have them in our state. The PUC agency did not step outside its boundaries and make law; the PUC’s job is to implement whatever the Legislature passes. In fact, if Smitherman as chair of the PUC had “made” the Smart Meters laws, he most certainly would not have been re-appointed by the Texas Senate in 2007 and reconfirmed in 2009. That is the checks and balances process on the PUC by the TX Senate, and Ken Paxton was in the Senate when Smitherman was confirmed.

Now to be fair to all three men (Smitherman, Paxton, and Branch), back when Smart Meters were first introduced, the public did not widely know of any potential health hazards; and we did not know that Obama would be able to usurp state sovereignty and take complete control of our country. We did not have to fear the federal government as we now do under Obama. 

In fact, on June 27, 2012, Barry Smitherman shared his vision about the future of energy and electric cars [This piece was actually taped in 2009; the SwitchEnergyProject, begun in 2009, is under the Bureau of Economic Geology at the University of Texas/State of Texas and took three years to produce -- http://switchenergyproject.com/about/the-project].  Smitherman said he felt that gasoline-powered cars would prevail until at least 2050 but that people who chose to purchase electric cars could use their Smart Meters to save them money by figuring out what hours were the least expensive to charge the batteries on their cars:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wd93yV1Fg98

Unfortunately, because of the newly released information about the NSA data collection, the IRS targeting of conservatives, and the total takeover by the federal government of our healthcare system through ObamaCare and our public school education system through ObamaCore, Americans now understand that Smart Meters could be used by the Obama administration to control our personal lives.  

*To clarify yet one more myth about Smitherman, he has told me that the only time he visited the White House was under President G. W. Bush and that Smitherman has never even met with Obama. 

Barry Smitherman takes STRONG Stand Against Common Core and CSCOPE - Texas Attorney General Race Update

Also see: Texas Conservative Education Hero Donna Garner Endorses Barry Smitherman, Says Ken Paxton Never Publicly Helped Conservatives on SBOE and he Supported Moderates

Texas Attorney General Candidate Barry Smitherman has taken a STRONG stand against CSCOPE and Common Core and Smitherman has vowed to fight it tooth and nail as Texas Attorney General.

Statement from Barry Smitherman regarding Defending Texas from Obama’s Common Core

“As the chief law enforcement officer for the State of Texas, the Attorney General must ensure that the laws of Texas are obeyed and enforced.  

When the Texas legislature passes a bill, in this case HB 462, which forbids Common Core Standards in Texas Schools, then the Attorney General should ensure that Common Core Standards are not utilized by Texas schools.  

We cannot let the enticement of federal dollars cause our school districts to ignore state law.  I have personally reviewed CSCOPE curricula which is extremely biased against fossil fuels; describing, for example, only the “harmful effects” of oil, natural gas, and coal.  The State of Texas is the leading provider of fossil fuels in America, driving our economy forward, lowering energy costs, and eliminating our country’s dependence on fuel from countries that are hostile to America and her ideals.

I have stood strong for Texans by suing the Obama EPA 7 times to stop the implementation of poorly scienced, boneheaded environmental regulations. I will continue to fight for all Texans against an ever encroaching federal government, and as the next Attorney General, I will vigorously defend all of the laws of the state of Texas.” Barry Smitherman

Candidate Ken Paxton, on the other hand, has stated that he does not plan to fight Common Core or CSCOPE as Texas Attorney General

Attorney General Candidate Ken Paxton was asked recently how he, as the Texas Attorney General, would approach Common Core Standards and CSCOPE. Shockingly, Ken Paxton was caught on a recordingresponding, “the Attorney General probably won’t get involved in that.”

This is absurd! Texans have been fighting tooth and nail to stop CSCOPE and Common Core from getting into our public schools, and Ken Paxton, in his own words, says he probably won’t get involved in defending Texas law that bans common core?

Shock Recording: Ken Paxton NOT interested in Stopping Common Core or CSCOPE as Texas Attorney General

Texas Law bans Common Core in Texas Public Schools. The Texas Attorney General plays a very crucial role in defending Texas from Obama’s attempts to break Texas law by getting Common Core into our schools. Attorney General Candidate Ken Paxton was asked recently how he, as the Texas Attorney General, would approach Common Core Standards and CSCOPE. Shockingly, Ken Paxton was caught on a recording responding, “the Attorney General probably won’t get involved in that.”

This is absurd! Texans have been fighting tooth and nail to stop CSCOPE and Common Core from getting into our public schools, and Ken Paxton, in his own words, says he probably won’t get involved in defending Texas law that bans common core?

In comparison, Texas Attorney General Candidate Barry Smitherman has taken a STRONG stand against CSCOPE and Common Core and Smitherman has vowed to fight it tooth and nail as Texas Attorney General. See statement from Barry Smitherman below.

The rest of the article below is a more in depth information from Alice Linahan originally posted at Voices Empower:

Last session, the Texas Legislature passed HB 462 which bans Common Core in our Texas public schools.  The U. S. Dept. of Ed. under Obama has created a work-around in which Race to the Top funds are sent directly to Texas public school districts.  RTTT-D demands that schools implement the Common Core Standards Initiative. Last year Harmony and Idea Charters received the RTTT-D1 funds, and this year Houston ISD and Pasadena ISD are in the running for the RTTT-D2 funds. This puts these schools directly in opposition to Texas law under HB 462. 

Barry Smitherman has issued a strong commitment to uphold Texas laws, including HB 462: 

   

“As the chief law enforcement officer for the State of Texas, the Attorney General must ensure that the laws of Texas are obeyed and enforced.  

When the Texas legislature passes a bill, in this case HB 462, which forbids Common Core Standards in Texas Schools, then the Attorney General should ensure that Common Core Standards are not utilized by Texas schools.  

We cannot let the enticement of federal dollars cause our school districts to ignore state law.  I have personally reviewed CSCOPE curricula which is extremely biased against fossil fuels; describing, for example, only the “harmful effects” of oil, natural gas, and coal.  The State of Texas is the leading provider of fossil fuels in America, driving our economy forward, lowering energy costs, and eliminating our country’s dependence on fuel from countries that are hostile to America and her ideals.

I have stood strong for Texans by suing the Obama EPA 7 times to stop the implementation of poorly scienced, boneheaded environmental regulations. I will continue to fight for all Texans against an ever encroaching federal government, and as the next Attorney General, I will vigorously defend all of the laws of the state of Texas.” Barry Smitherman

 In Contrast AG candidate Ken Paxton states….

At a Q&A session Texas Attorney General candidate Ken Paxton was asked about how he would approach Common Core Standards and CSCOPE. 

“That’s more of a legislative function…The Attorney General probably won’t get too involved in that.”

Here is the recording of Ken Paxton saying this:

Then Paxton referenced “lawsuits” as a reason he would avoid taking action on Common Core Standards/CSCOPE issues.

TEX. ATTORNEY GEN. GREG ABBOTT AND CSCOPE

On May 6, 2013, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott came to the assistance of Texas parents by sending an official letter to TESCCC, the corporate owner of CSCOPE, in which Abbott reminded them of Section 26.006(a) in the Texas Education Code which gives parents the right to review all teaching materials, lessons, etc. that are utilized in their children’s classrooms.  https://www.oag.state.tx.us/oagnews/release.php?id=4394

As stated in the Dallas Morning News on 7.17.13, “Republican Attorney General Greg Abbott is a fierce critic of CSCOPE and has threatened to subpoena its records.”  –http://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/headlines/20130717-texas-criticized-cscope-curriculum-system-may-live-again.ece

COMMON CORE IS A TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL ISSUE – COMMON CORE BANNED BY TEXAS LEGISLATURE FROM TEXAS PUBLIC SCHOOLS – HB 462

Following is a statement sent to Texas public school personnel on 11.7.13 by Texas Commissioner of Education Michael Williams in which he explains the ramifications of HB 462 recently passed by the Texas Legislature:  http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index4.aspx?id=25769808124

As you consider funding opportunities, especially those offered by the United States Department of Education, I want to remind you of the provisions in a new law prohibiting the adoption or use of the Common Core State Standards.

The 83rd Texas Legislature passed House Bill 462 (HB 462), which contains several important prohibitions relating to curriculum standards. The bill:

1.     prohibits the State Board of Education (SBOE) from adopting Common Core State Standards;

2.     prohibits school districts from using Common Core State Standards to meet the requirements to provide instruction in the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS);

3.     prohibits a school district or open enrollment charter school from being required to offer the Common Core; and

4.     prohibits the Texas Education Agency from adopting or developing assessments based on Common Core State Standards.

You may read the full text of HB 462 at: http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/83R/billtext/pdf/HB00462F.pdf#navpanes=0.

Barry Smitherman Sued Obama's EPA 7 times to Protect Texas Oil and Gas - Most Qualified for Attorney General

The Texas Attorney General election is not until the March 2014 Republican Primary, but the race is already in full swing. One candidate is clearly the most qualified and experienced for the job. Barry Smitherman. The Texas Attorney General is the top lawyer for the State of Texas. The Attorney General defends Texas against lawsuits, and he also files lawsuits against others, like Obama, on behalf of Texas in order to protect Texas. When the new Texas late term abortion restrictions passed into law, it was the Texas Attorney General, Greg Abbott, who defended the law in court so that the law could go into effect. When Obama passed Obamacare, it was the Texas Attorney General, Greg Abbott, who sued Obama in order to protect the rights of the people of Texas and to protect the state sovereignty of the State of Texas from the over-reaching healthcare law.

Greg Abbott is stepping down from his current job as Texas Attorney General in order to run in the Texas Governor's race. Texas Railroad Commission Chairman Barry Smitherman is stepping up and running to fill the shoes that Greg Abbot will be leaving.

So who in the Texas Attorney General's race is actually experienced and qualified to defend the laws of Texas from President Obama's over-reaching administration?

Barry Smitherman is the only candidate with the qualifications and experience to do the job. Why? Because Barry Smitherman has ALREADY sued Obama's EPA 7 times. Greg Abbott likes to say that he has the best job in the world because he wakes up and gets to sue Obama. Well, if you have to replace Abbott, it should be someone who already knows how to sue Obama and loves doing it. The only person in the race who can say that is Barry Smitherman.

Obama's EPA is constantly coming to Texas trying to kill our oil, gas and energy industry. Obama wants to kill our jobs, raise gas prices, and force his climate change agenda on Texas.

Every time Obama's EPA came to Texas to attack our great State, Barry Smitherman was right there standing tall and fighting back. 

As head of the Texas Public Utilities Commission, Smitherman sued Obama's EPA 5 times. Then, as the statewide, elected Chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission, Smitherman sued Obama's EPA 2 more times. Suing Obama 7 times is a huge statement and one that clearly shows that Smitherman is already ready to step into the position of Texas Attorney General and keep on suing Obama. Smitherman's record is almost too good to be true so PolitiFact has examined all seven lawsuits and has determined that it is true that Smitherman has sues Obama's EPA 7 times. Smitherman really is as conservative, genuine, and dedicated as he seems. His proven record shows that he is not too good to be true. He is just too good.

I want an Attorney General who is not afraid to go toe to toe with Obama and Barry Smitherman has the proven record to show that he can and will Stand up to Obama and protect and defend Texas. According to the Texas Tribune, during one of Smitherman’s past Public Utility Commissions meetings, chairman Barry Smitherman, in a brief digression from the agends, said that the federal agency was attempting to “disarm the U.S. economy,” with a raft of rules covering everything from fly-ash waste from coal plants to greenhouse gasses.

Lastly, check out the video below from Barry Smitherman's campaign. Smitherman calls for Texans to join his conservative crusade to defend and protect the laws and Constitution of the great State of Texas. Count me in!

Related articles:

Barry Smitherman saved Texas Taxpayers OVER $130 MILLION – Slashed Spending, Cut Budgets – Attorney General Race Update

Texas Right to Life Endorses Barry Smitherman for Attorney General

Smitherman REJECTS Budget Increase - Paxton, Branch APPROVE Increases - Texas Attorney General Race

Paxton and Branch Missed Hundreds of Votes in Legislature – Texas Needs a Full Time Attorney General

Statement by Barry Smitherman in response to USDOJ Challenge to Texas Voter ID Law

The Race for Texas Attorney General - Barry Smitherman's Record

AG Candidate Dan Branch Joined House Democrats Seeking to Expand 3rd Trimester Abortions

Barry Smitherman's Outstanding Conservative Record - Texas Attorney General Race

Smitherman has a record. His record has given him an A rating from the NRA. His record has given him an endorsement for Attorney General from Texas Right to Life. He has refused office budget increased and has even reduced his overall state agenct budgets and saved Texas Taxpayers over 130 Million Dollars. He has a record of being a tough prosecutor which will serve us well as he moves forward to use the AG's office to help secure the Texas border with Mexico. He has a record of being a staunch defender of the state's economy against a federal government that has declared war on the people and economy of Texas. He has sued Obama 7 times already to defend the Texas Oil ad Gas Industry. He has a record of being able to manage large executive branch agencies of government and apply the law as it is written.

Opponents of Barry Smitherman like to say, "He doesn't have a legislative record where we can judge him by how he votes." Well guess what... Ted Cruz didn't either. What Barry Smitherman does have is a record that proves he has the skills that will be required of the next Attorney General of Texas.

the following article is by Bob Price originally posted at Texas GOP Vote

Earlier this week we looked at the legislative record of State Representative Dan Branch and found a surprising record where he offered an amendment to a bill that would have expanded third trimester abortion rights in Texas. This illustrates why a candidate's record is important. Opponents of Smitherman like to point out that he does not have a legislative voting record. I think that is a pretty weak argument. Records are important, but you don't have to be a legislator to have a record. Berry Smitherman has a strong and easy-to-find record of public service to the people of Texas.

Smitherman is asking the people of Texas to elect him to be the next Attorney General of Texas. An executive branch of government position that requires many different skills. Certainly different skills than those required to be a legislator. Let's take a look at some of those.

Smitherman served as a prosecutor in one of the greatest District Attorney's Offices in this nation, the Harris County District Attorney's office. While there, he established a strong record of prosecutions, particularly in the area of domestic violence and drunk driving cases. One of the functions of an attorney general is to oversee prosecutions like the one today where Attorney General Greg Abbott's team secured a major human trafficking conviction. During an interview I conducted with Smitherman in September, Smitherman pledged to use the full prosecutorial powers of the Attorney General's Office to assist local prosecutors and law enforcement officers who protect the border regions of Texas, where drug cartels and human traffickers run rampant.

Our state is under continuous attack from an over-reaching and over-regulating federal government. As Chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission, Smitherman has a solid record of acting as a litigator to protect the extremely valuable energy industry from attacks by the ObamaThugs in the Environmental Protection Agency. In this capacity he has sued the ObamaThugs seven times protecting jobs, families and the Texas Economy.

Barry Smitherman Talks to Voters in Fort Bend County

Also as Chairman of the Public Utility Commission, Smitherman has a record of being able to manage a huge executive branch agency in the Texas government. He has a record of being able to hire good managers to carry out the laws of the state handed to his agency by the Texas Legislature and Governor.
Smitherman earned an "A" rating from the National Rifle Association because of his record as Railroad Commission Chairman where he established policies to allow Railroad Commission employees to carry concealed weapons while on duty. Often times these workers are in remote locations where help could be far away.

Having gathered executive management skills is a record that will serve the people of Texas well as the Texas Attorney General's Office is a vast complex agency, which must be staffed and managed by someone who has a proven record of being able to do so. One needs only look at the Obama Administration to see what happens when you elect an executive manager with no management experience.

Barry Smitherman Speaks at Reagan Dinner in San Jacinto County

Smitherman has a record. He has a record of being a tough prosecutor which will serve us well as he moves forward to use the AG's office to help secure the Texas border with Mexico. He has a record of being a staunch defender of the state's economy against a federal government that has declared war on the people and economy of Texas. He has a record of being able to manage large executive branch agencies of government and apply the law as it is written.

Opponents of Barry Smitherman like to say, "He doesn't have a legislative record where we can judge him by how he votes." Well guess what... Ted Cruz didn't either. What Barry Smitherman does have is a record that proves he has the skills that will be required of the next Attorney General of Texas.

Related articles:
Barry Smitherman saved Texas Taxpayers OVER $130 MILLION – Slashed Spending, Cut Budgets – Attorney General Race Update
Texas Right to Life Endorses Barry Smitherman for Attorney General
Smitherman REJECTS Budget Increase - Paxton, Branch APPROVE Increases - Texas Attorney General Race
Paxton and Branch Missed Hundreds of Votes in Legislature – Texas Needs a Full Time Attorney General
Statement by Barry Smitherman in response to USDOJ Challenge to Texas Voter ID Law