Thread by @ChrisGTurner

First of several*** #txlege

Received calls today complaining of Republican operatives staked outside @TxDPS Driver License offices — Hurst and Fort Worth — talking to citizens about abortion and trying to register voters. So, I went to see for myself.

Sure enough. This is FW megacenter. All four of these folks are with Engage TEXAS.

Not familiar? No reason you would be. They are a brand new GOP Super PAC, aimed at trying to save the TX GOP from demise. They’re starting out with a modest $10M: texastribune.org/2019/07/31/eng…

Here’s the TENT they have set up at the Hurst DL office.

I went up and talked to these folks at both offices. They catch you coming out of the building by asking you to sign their petition on banning late term abortion. They talk about that for a while. They say they don’t want TX to be like NY, but it’s a petition to Congress.

Anyway, I asked what Engage TEXAS is. They were straightforward- one said a GOP SuperPAC, the other a “conservative” superPAC.

I asked if they had permission to be there. Yes, they assured me. Permission had been worked out by their superiors to be at several @TxDPS offices.

Couple in Houston, two in DFW, one in Austin area. I have no doubt permission was granted — they’ve been out there all day at multiple offices. Obviously, @TxDPS has approved this.

Voter registration is one thing. A petition (collecting names, emails and phones) and...

...pushing an agenda is different. So, question for @TxDPS: you’ll be getting this more formally in a letter from me, but what is the criteria by which you approve the conduct of political activity on your premises? And don’t say voter reg, because it’s much more than that.