TX Executive Branch

TX has a plural executive. What does that mean? Which article of the Tx constitution lays out the executive branch?

The powers of the governor are limited and distributed amongst other government officials. Article 4 lays out the executive department ( branch of Texas.

Describe the roles/powers of the following members of the executive:

• Lieutenant Governor” Serves as the presiding officer or the Texas senate, first in line of succession for Governor, member of the legislative redistricting board, chair of the legislative budget board, elected to 4 years terms by the public with no term limits.

• Attorney General

Serves as the lawyer for the state of Texas, including representing the state on civil matters, and responsible for the interpretation of the constitutionally of laws.

• Comptroller of Public Accounts

The comptroller serves as the chief tax collector and accounting officer.

• Agriculture Commissioner

The Texas Department of agriculture (TDA) is a state agency within the state of Texas, which is responsible for matters pertaining to agriculture, rural community affairs, and related matters.

• Secretary of State

The Texas secretary of state is appointed by the Texas governor and confirmed by the Texas senate. The secretary of state serves as the chief election officer mearing the office ensures that county governments abide by election rules, officially attestation the signature of the Texas government and advises the governor on Texas border and Mexican affairs.

How did Abbott describe Obama’s actions as president when he became governor?

What were some of Abbott's early actions that contradicted his initial “small-government” stance?

The republican governor elect said he rejected the path of democratic president Barack Obama who he had sued 34 times as general attorney. He has consolidated power like no Texas governor in recent history.

How many law suits had been filed in the 2 years prior to the article’s publication? When did his expansion of powers “become bolder” and how?

Least 34 lawsuits have been filed in the past two years challenging Abbott’s executive actions, which became border since the start of the pandemic.

Why did the framers of the 1876 constitution create a “weak executive” and what limitations did they create to do that? What has aided Abott “in his push to strengthen” gubernatorial power? How has he used campaign contributions?

The weak governor structure was created by the framers in 1876 who believed that Edmund Jackson Davis, a former union general who led Texas following the Civil War. Aiding Abbott in his push to strengthen executive power have been what is essentially a republican controlled State with no term limits for office holders. Abbott draw about $282 million in campaign contributions.

How does Glenn Smith characterize the shift in power between the legislative & executive? How many bills were filed that were intended to cut the governor’s power? How many passed and what was the content of the successful bill?

Glenn Smith characterized the shift in power between the legislative and executive branches as a surprising acquiescence by republican legislative leadership, noting that the immense powers occurred by governor Greg Abbott had to come from the legislature itself.

What happened to Abbott when he was 26? Describe Abbott’s path to the governor’s office after that.

Greg Abbott was taking a break from studying the bar exam. Abbott’s passed the bar exam the following year.

How did Abbott begin “testing the limits of his executive power”? What was the issue with the legislature’s instructions to state agencies? And how about with state agencies issuing regulations?

Abbott began testing his executive power six months into his first term in June 2015 by systemically using his veto power to override specific legislative spending directives.

How did Byron Cook describe Abbott’s moves? Why has Abbott received “limited pushback”?

This specific critique stemmed from a June 2018 directive issued by Abbott’s office. Abbott’s expansion of executive power is typically attributed to several systemic factors.

Which policy issue is especially highlighted to show when Abbott’s “power consolidation came to a head”? What did he do and how did it specifically expand the powers of the governor’s office?

The policy issue highlighted to show when Texas Governor Greg Abbott power consolidation came to a head is border security and immigration enforcement. Abbott became the first government in recent Texas history to issue a border disaster declaration.

How did Abbott’s continued policies on this key issue further indicate a consolidation of gubernatorial powers? What did he do regarding special sessions and funding from agencies?

Texas Governor Greg Abbott policies particularly regarding his high-profile border security initiative. The Texas Constitution grants the governor exclusive authority to call 30 day special sessions. To keep the legislature barely functioning during his forced special sessions after defunding them.

Per the article, what did he do to continue the operation in April of that year? Be specific about the numbers, both regarding people and money spent. How does Barbara Hines characterize these actions?

In April, the governor used the powers he had tested and amassed to announce his latest step under the umbrella of operation lone star. Texas would transport migrants and the D.C. attorney General is examining immigrant busing into Washington by Texas and Arizona.

The Attorney General (AG) is the head legal officer for the State Gov’t of TX. What does the office often get “headlines” for? What was it “once” and what has happened in recent decades?

The Texas attorney General’s office frequently makes headlines for initiating high profile lawsuits against the federal government challenging national policies and taking a prominent role in national conservative legal movements.

Describe the pipeline between Trump judges and the TX AG. Be specific about judge numbers and the range of issues they’ve influenced. What legal “framework” do they follow & what does it mean?

The Texas AG brings a lawsuit they rely on these frameworks to argue that modern federal agencies are overstepping their legally text-bound boundaries.

For the following AG’s, note their previous positions, key changes made to the structure of the office, and other important facts:

Before his appointment as the nation’s chief law enforcement officer, Blanche built a career spanning both federal prosecution and private criminal defense.

John Cornyn:

Note what did Cornyn created, why, and what the office starts to “slowly wade into.”

Senator John Coryn has authored and introduced multiple immigration enforcement bills. He introduced to address border control infrastructure regulated mail delivery safety and increased accountability.

Greg Abbott:

Note the change in party power that happens while Abbott is AG and how this changes the office. Also note the details of the office’s activities during the Obama administration. Explore how these cases built the office’s national reputation.

During Greg Abbott tenure as Texas attorney General (2002-2015), the state saw a complete consolidation of republican power. When President Barack Obama took office in 2009, Abbott transformed the Texas AG office into the primary legal adversary of the White house. These high profile legal battles built a national reputation for the Texas Ag office as the epicenter of conservative resistance.

Ken Paxton:

Note the direction the office has taken under Paxton, who he’s aligned with, and his strategy in filing cases. How did Trump’s appointments impact this? Under Biden, how did the office “see itself”? What events led to Paxton’s impeachment

Under Ken Paxton who took office in 2015, the Texas attorney General’s office transformed into a national focus point for conservative legal activism. During the Biden’s administration the Texas Attorney General’s office viewed himself as the primary institutional wall against federal overreach.