During a recent hearing of the Texas House County Affairs Committee, Republican Representative Tony Tinderholt used the term "illegal immigrant" in a question regarding the census.
Democratic Chairwoman Victoria Neave Criado stopped him, saying she wanted to avoid having "politicized discussions right now," but Rep. Tinderholt did not back down.
"I hear you, and I agree, but I'm not going to have anyone dictate the terms I use or don't use -- period," he declared.
Cathie Adams, a former chairwoman of the Republican Party of Texas, thinks it is "courageous" of Rep. Tinderholt to use "the proper term regarding those who have crossed the border illegally."
"Tony Tinderholt is a warrior," she states. "He won't back down, and that is the kind of leadership that we need in Texas."
On another note, she says it is an outrage that moderate Republican House Speaker Dade Phelan would appoint a Democrat to chair a committee in a Republican majority state House.
"If we had a better speaker, we would not have appointed Democrats to chair committees," Adams asserts. "The Democrats will vow to vote as a bloc for this moderate Republican, and then he knows that he can win with just a few Republican votes. That's how the game is played … and it's hurting the people of Texas."
