Corruption by Coercion — How Political Threats Paved the Way for SB 3’s Passage

By: Chasity Wedgeworth | Published: June 26,2025

Picture of James Talarico https://www.fox7austin.com/video/1626013

June 26,2025

The dust may be settling on Texas’s 89th Legislative Session, but the truth is only just beginning to rise. In recent days, members of the Texas House have begun revealing what many of us suspected all along — that Senate Bill 3, one of the most controversial bills of the session, was passed under conditions of coercion, retaliation, and political strong-arming.

According to multiple representatives, members were told behind closed doors that if SB 3 was not passed as a full ban, then “none of their bills would make it out of the Senate.” In other words, political hostage-taking — not constituent will — guided the legislative process.

This revelation, confirmed by House members themselves, raises serious questions. Why are lawmakers speaking up only now? Why weren’t these threats disclosed when Texans were flooding inboxes, jamming phone lines, and showing up at the Capitol demanding their voices be heard?

A Pattern of Coercion

Representative James Talarico (D-Round Rock) was among the only lawmakers to say it out loud: that Governor Greg Abbott called members into his office one by one, allegedly threatening a “bloodbath” in their primaries if they supported an amendment to allow Texans to vote on school vouchers. This wasn’t just hardball politics — it was legislative blackmail.

Members have since admitted that similar threats were extended to the passage of SB 3, a bill that effectively destroys the legal hemp market in Texas, banning products that are federally protected under the 2018 Farm Bill.

Ethics Violations — Or Something More?

While political coercion is unfortunately not new in Texas, what’s troubling is the apathy and silence that followed. The Texas House has the constitutional power to investigate or impeach the Lieutenant Governor. Yet no reports were filed. No ethics complaints submitted. No committee hearings launched.

Instead, members remained silent, seemingly protecting their own legislative agendas while leaving thousands of small business owners, medical patients, and constituents to suffer the consequences of bad-faith governance.

And now, with the bill vetoed, and raids already underway, those same lawmakers have the audacity to recast themselves as victims.

Let’s be clear: If you voted for SB 3 under threat, and you didn’t speak up before the vote, you enabled the corruption.

Who’s Responsible?

The blame lies not just with Dan Patrick or Greg Abbott, but with every lawmaker who stood by and allowed it to happen. The legislative silence, the refusal to push back, the willingness to watch a corrupt bill steamroll through the process — all of it points to a Texas Legislature that has lost touch with the people it claims to represent.

And now, the people must respond.

What Texans Deserve

We deserve transparency. We deserve ethics. We deserve a legislature that does not legislate by fear, by favor, or by threat.

If your representative voted for SB 3 — or failed to oppose it publicly — hold them accountable. Ask them why they didn’t stand up to Dan Patrick. Ask them why they chose silence over courage.

Because democracy is not just about voting. It’s about vigilance. And in Texas, it’s time we demand better.