Based on another audio clip from the "Battlefield Dallas" meeting that Battleground Texas just posted, it is evident that the TX GOP is no longer even trying to pretend that they're not waging a war on black voters:
Question: "What are the Republicans doing to get black people to vote?"
Ken Emanuelson: "Well, I'm going to be real honest with you: The Republican Party doesn't want black people to vote, if they're going to vote 9 to 1 for Democrats."
I'll give Emanuelson that much: His reply was certainly honest. No pretense from him that the Republican Party is going to bother trying to persuade black Texans to vote for them. And just in case you think Emanuelson, a leading Dallas Tea Party organizer, was going rogue or something—he was speaking at the same "Battlefield Dallas" event where Steve Munisteri, chair of the Republican Party of Texas, acknowledged that
Texas will be a battleground state.
I'll wait while you click here to listen to Emanuelson's remarks yourself and read the excellent post by Cliff Walker, Political Director for BGTX.
I want to emphasize Walker's call to action here:
Like we say in our headquarters, "Don't get angry. Get Active." If these attacks disgust you as much as they disgust me, join us. Volunteer to register new voters, host a phonebank or become a Neighborhood Team Leader.
Just do something. We don't have any time to waste. Or do something additional—I am a BGTX Summer Fellow, and I will be attending Volunteer Deputy Voter Registrar training in another county tonight.
And, if you can, please follow Battleground Texas on Twitter and Facebook, and share their posts.
2:09 PM PT: From tom 47 in the comments:
House Select Committee on Redistricting Schedules Field Hearings
The House Select Committee on Redistricting has scheduled field hearings in Dallas, Houston and San Antonio to hear public testimony on redistricting. The legislature is currently in a special session called by Governor Rick Perry to formally adopt interim redistricting maps drawn by a federal court in San Antonio.
It is important to note the federal district court repeatedly expressed that these interim redistricting plans are temporary plans. Not only are the interim redistricting plans temporary in nature, the courts only ordered the plans to provide for timely 2012 primary and general elections in Texas.
The interim maps do not go far enough to reflect the minority population in Texas. Therefore, I encourage you to attend any one of the hearings and urge the select committee to draw and adopt fair, nondiscriminatory plans that accurately reflect the population of Texas.
Important Dates:
Upcoming Public Hearings of the House Select Committee on Redistricting
Dallas, Thursday, June 6th at 2:00 PM:
DART Headquarters - Board Room
1401 Pacific Ave.
Dallas, Texas 75202
San Antonio, Monday, June 10th:
Location and Time TBD
Houston, Wednesday, June 12th at 2:00 PM:
University of Houston-- Michael J. Cemo Hall
4800 Calhoun Road
Houston, Texas 77004
If you have any questions regarding the hearing dates, please contact the House Select Committee on Redistricting at 512-463-9948.
Representative Yvonne Davis serves as Vice Chair of the Select House Committee on Redistricting.
2:22 PM PT: Also from tom 47 in the comments, the inevitable retraction:
Tea Party Leader Says He Misspoke About Black Voters
by Jay RootJune 4, 2013 17
Enlarge photo by: Bob Daemmrich Steve Munisteri campaigning for Texas GOP chairman.Updated, 1:40 p.m.:
Dallas Tea Party leader Ken Emanuelson said Tuesday that he misspoke when he told an activist last month that Republicans don't want blacks to vote because they overwhelmingly support Democrats.
"That was a mistake," he said in an email. "I hold no position of authority within the Republican Party and it wasn't my place to opine on behalf of the desires of the Republican Party."
http://www.texastribune.org/...