The Week in Quotes (May 8 – 14)

Here are some of the week’s most notable quotes culled from news reports from across Texas, and beyond.


Rolling Stone magazine politics blogger Julian Brookes, in a post titled, “Texas Politics: Crazier Than A Sprayed Roach.”

Nothing against Texas. Great state. Not to be messed with. But: unless I’m mistaken, Texas politics seem to have a higher-than-average crazy quotient.

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Texas state Rep. Armando Martinez, D-Weslaco, to state Rep. Aaron Peña, R-Edinburg, during debate on legislation filed by Martinez.

I didn’t run away. Maybe I thought you were going to eat me.

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Texas state Rep. Armando Martinez, D-Weslaco, to state Rep. Bill Zedler, R-Arlington, during debate on a House Bill on corporal punishment in public schools.

Mr. Zedler, do you like getting spanked?

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Norman Pawlewski, a lobbyist for Iowa Right to Life, saying he believes it would be nearly impossible for a Republican candidate who focuses on economic over social issues to win over Iowa’s GOP base. Iowa is one of the first presidential primary states.

The social aspect is more important. No question.

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Texas state Rep. Leo Berman, R-Tyler, saying he and other supporters of the “sanctuary cities” bill in the House of Representatives are not motivated by racial fears.

I don’t have a racist bone in my body. We have Hispanic government in San Antonio. We have many Hispanic police officers.

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Ryan Valentine, deputy director of the Texas Freedom Network, on the religious right’s favorite fake historian, David Barton.

As politicians have adopted him, cozied up to him, he seems to be speculating even more widely now on even more GOP talking points. His lack of expertise in an area does not slow him down.

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Missouri state Sen. Jolie Justus, D-Kansas City, explaining why he and his fellow Democrats did not fight a proposed constitutional amendment guaranteeing the right to privately pray in public places.

This was such a meaningless amendment, we just didn’t feel like we needed to put forth the effort to stop it this year. It doesn’t do anything at all, so I just decided to focus on trying to stop bills that actually do harm.

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