Business Hypocrisy Called Out As House Leadership Runs Out of Reasons to Block Privacy Legislation

Now that House State Affairs Committee Chairman Byron Cook has been confronted for his refusal to schedule the Texas Privacy Act for a committee hearing, the spotlight now turns on Committee members.

The members of the House State Affairs Committee are: Reps. Cook, Helen Giddings (Vice Chairman), Tom Craddick, Jessica Farrar, Charlie Geren, Ryan Guillen, Ken King, John Kuempel, Morgan Meyer, Rene Oliveira, Chris Paddie, Eddie Rodriguez, and John Smithee.

House leaders have often pointed to opposition from business lobby groups (including “Mostly False” predictions of economic gloom) and statements from large corporations (such as Apple, American Airlines, and Google) to justify their inaction. However, those strongholds are beginning to weaken, said Jonathan Saenz, President of Texas Values.

“We’re having this discussion on the South Steps of the Texas Capitol — when will the Texas House allow a floor debate and vote?” Saenz said. “One by one, the reasons given by House leadership for blocking the Texas Privacy Act are proven false or misleading. The fact is that a majority of Texans support privacy in our intimate spaces. Over a thousand pastors and faith leaders signed a letter in support of the Texas Privacy Act, which we helped to deliver on Thursday, only to find Rep. Cook’s office door locked. And now even opposition from the alleged ‘business community’ is being exposed as shaky. Let’s get this bill moving and to the Governor’s desk!”

This week, Empower Texans reported that the Texas Association of Business received $130,000 of its total $200,000 campaign budget from national LGBT groups, including the Gill Foundation and the Human Rights Campaign. Funding also came from cities such as Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio.

And now a national family advocacy group is calling out large corporations for their hypocrisy for criticizing legislation designed to keep men out of little girls’ showers, restrooms, and locker rooms. Family Research Council Action launched a video ad campaign across Texas, titled “Big Business Hypocrisy,” urging Texas residents to contact House Speaker Joe Straus, Chairman Cook, and select House members to tell them to heed their constituents and support the Texas Privacy Act.

“… Big business is demanding Texas expose women and children to policies that could endanger them in the most private of places … by allowing men into women’s restrooms and locker rooms,” the video states. “But those same businesses like Hilton, Marriott, La Quinta, American Airlines, Google, and others refuse to enact the same unsafe policies in their own facilities… even though they are free to do it.”

Links to the ads, custom-tailored to the selected Representatives, are included below.

Rep. Byron Cook
Rep. Chris Paddie
Rep. Dennis Bonnen
Rep. John Kuempel
Rep. Ken King
Rep. Charlie Geren
Speaker Joe Straus

About Texas Values

Texas Values is a nonprofit organization dedicated to standing for faith, family, and freedom in Texas. More information is available at txvalues.org.