The Texas House LGBTQ Caucus last week called out Speaker Dennis Bonnen for his alleged homophobic remarks made during a private June meeting. The meeting was secretly recorded but hasn’t been publicly released.
A few lawmakers have said they listened to the recording and that Bonnen said derogatory things about a Democratic colleagues’ perceived sexuality.
In a statement, the Caucus said it was “dismayed” at the reports. Being LGBTQ, they said, was not “an insult.”
Since the existence of the recording was made public, Bonnen sent an email to his House colleagues apologizing “for the hurtful things I said or the discussion that was had.”
The LGBT Caucus was started earlier this year by State Reps. Mary González, Julie Johnson, Jessica González, Erin Zwiener, and Celia Israel. The group has seen early success in giving the House a megaphone for LGBTQ equality.
On Monday, a House committee ordered the Texas Rangers to investigate what was said during the Bonnen-Sullivan meeting. Sullivan alleges the Speaker offered government favors in exchange for negative campaign activity targeting 10 GOP House members.
