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Texans color rush12/24/2023 ![]() ![]() We should note that the lieutenant governor was presiding over the trial in the Senate, so. So - and that's what happened.ĭAVIES: Right, right. And clearly, you know, they openly favored acquitting Ken Paxton. During the Paxton trial, just before it began, for instance, two Midland oilmen provided the lieutenant governor, Dan Patrick, with $3 million - $1 million down and $2 million alone. And this is what really concerns me about the state. And voters were so upset they elected his wife to succeed him, so it didn't really strike much of a chord then.īut that - you know, it wasn't like Illinois or New Jersey or New York, you know, where we - you know, you have a history of corruption until lately. We only - before Ken Paxton, the only statewide official we ever impeached in our whole long history was the governor named James "Pa" Ferguson in 1917. But historically, first of all, I'll say that, you know, Texas has never really been corrupt. WRIGHT: (Laughter) Well, first of all, let me say I have a lot of affection for the state despite my criticisms. And I just don't think that Americans and even Texans have taken in how consequential this growth is.ĭAVIES: Before we get to the fictional story, tell us a real story about Texas politics that gives us a sense of how, well, weird it can be. But to be that big, to have, you know, so many electoral votes, it will be the future of America. You know, right now it's a, you know, very important force in American politics. WRIGHT: Well, no matter what you think about Texas, it's growing so fast that, by the year 2050, it's projected to be about the size of California and New York combined. Why should people across the country care about what happens in Texas politics? You know, this book, apart from being a fun read, which it is, raises a question. It's - and I hope you recover quickly.ĭAVIES: Vaccinated and all. ![]() Lawrence Wright, welcome back to FRESH AIR. I'm going to be fine, but you may find my voice is just a little off. I should also mention that, as we record this, I'm suffering some symptoms from COVID. Though he's lived for decades in Austin, Lawrence Wright has been a staff writer for The New Yorker since 1992. The result is funny, revealing, and thought-provoking. He wrote a nonfiction book about the changing character of his home state titled "God Save Texas." His new novel looks at the Texas legislature through the story of a fictional rancher who's cast by circumstance into a successful race for the state House, where he sees how things really work in the capital. Wright has also written screenplays, musicals and performed a one-man show about his research into al-Qaida. Wright is probably best-known for his Pulitzer Prize-winning book "The Looming Tower" about the rise of al-Qaida, which was also a Hulu series, and "Going Clear," his book about Scientology, which became an Emmy-winning documentary that aired on HBO. ![]() Texas politics, long known for producing colorful characters and larger-than-life dramas, are the subject of a new novel by our guest, veteran journalist and author Lawrence Wright. Paxton now says he'll file criminal complaints against the lawmakers who led his impeachment. The official, Ken Paxton, was acquitted by the 31 members of the Texas Senate, one of whom was Paxton's wife, though she recused herself from the vote. If you follow the news, you might remember that a few weeks back, the attorney general of Texas was impeached in his state's legislature for many well-publicized acts of mischief and alleged criminality. ![]()
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