Texas House Revolts Against Tom Delay Crony Craddick

May 26 (LPAC)--Texas House Speaker Tom Craddick, nationally known for his collaboration with then-U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay to gerrymander Texas House districts in 2002, is now the target of a bipartisan effort to oust him from his position.

Democrats and Republicans alike complain that Craddick has ruled the House with an iron fist, and that his win-at-all-cost style often forces them to vote against the interests of their own districts, reports Associated Press today.

At least four Republicans have filed candidacies to replace Craddick, and one of them, Rep. Fred Hill, made a request Friday night, that would have allowed the chamber to vote on Craddick's removal. Craddick blocked the vote, and then declared, in response to an appeal by Hill, that "the speaker's discretion to recognize a member on a motion on any matter is unappealable."

Pandemonium ensued. Lawmakers surged towards the speaker's podium, but were physically restrained by sergeants at arms from seizing it. The House parliamentarian, Denise Davis, resigned over the incident.