Is Norquist still the man? | Blue Texas

Is Norquist still the man? | Blue Texas

From the Houston Chronicle

THE Texas Supreme Court has ordered Gov. Rick Perry and the Legislature to come up with a new school funding plan before June 1.

When Perry calls a special session to do that after the March primary, we will learn something important about Texas:

Whether Grover Norquist is still in charge. Norquist's name has come up recently in connection with the Abramoff/Reed/DeLay Gang and their dealings with Indian casinos, but the Washington-based tax fighter became notable in Austin before that.

You may recall that in 2004, before the last regular legislative session, Gov. Perry flew to the Bahamas for three days of serious discussion of school finance and reform.

Voucher advocate and San Antonio hospital bed magnate Dr. James Leininger and Houston businessman Bobby Nau sponsored the trip, which also included Perry's wife and several of his aides.

But the other key guest was Norquist.

Abramoff is toast. Delay's goose is in the oven. But if we truly want to destroy the cesspool of corruption that has overtaken the GOP, then we need to bring down Norquist and Ralph Reed.

And for those of you in the know, I'd also like to know how much this trip had to do with school finance, and how much it had to do with Perry's wife and her plans.