Activists are sounding the alarm in Texas, as the legislature has only one day left to add H.B. 1399 – which would ban chemical castration and radical transgender surgeries for minors – to the calendar. With only hours left to act on the legislation, Republican Texas Rep. Jared Patterson called a woman “crazy” and said he would have called police to “haul out the trash” had he known she apparently visited his office.
Texas Republicans have until Monday to get H.B. 1399, which would ban radical transgender surgeries and chemical castration for minors, on the calendar for a full House vote. Rather than address a constituent’s concerns about why this is not being accomplished, Rep. Jared Patterson instead called her a “crazy person” and suggested he would have police arrest her if she visited his office.
After Tracy Shannon, an activist urging legislators to schedule and vote for the bill that would prevent life altering transgender treatments for minors in Texas, reported that her “activist was told by [Jared Patterson’s] Chief of Staff that [Rep. Dustin Burrows] and [Rep. Tom Craddick] were killing the bill” and “Other source said Burrows is promised a lobbying job,” instead of addressing the concerns from Shannon, Patterson insulted her, writing, “Get your facts straight crazy person,” and claimed the legislature is having its “most conservative session in history.”
Get your facts straight crazy person. Our team is tight and will not be pulled apart by your conspiracy theories.
Chairman @Burrows4TX, Speaker Craddick, and Speaker @DadePhelan, and our team of Rs should be commended for the most conservative session in history. https://t.co/rAz8qvSwyi
— Rep. Jared Patterson (@JaredLPatterson) May 9, 2021
When another Twitter user confused Shannon for a male activist who visited Patterson’s office, Patterson called Shannon “trash” and said he would have called the police had he known of her presence. “My staff is far too professional and courteous,” wrote Patterson. “I would’ve had [Texas Department of Public Safety] haul out the trash.”
Ohhhh. I heard about that. My staff is far too professional and courteous. I would’ve had DPS haul out the trash.
— Rep. Jared Patterson (@JaredLPatterson) May 9, 2021
National File has repeatedly attempted to contact Patterson about his comments. National File attempted to reach Patterson via phone, email, and Twitter, and will update this article when we receive a response. However, Patterson did respond to a tweet from this reporter, National File Editor-in-Chief Tom Pappert.
“Haven’t been silent at all,” Patterson said regarding the bill. “But yes, ‘the trash’ is who comes into my office to yell and cuss at my staff members. It won’t be tolerated no matter where they live.” However, it would appear that Shannon is not the activist who reportedly visited his office and used abrasive language. National File has attempted to contact Shannon to learn more about this alleged incident.
Patterson did not reply when asked for a comment “on whether HB 1399 will be added to the calendar tomorrow” or whether Patterson is “lobbying to get the bill [he] coauthored a vote” when asked via a phone call, email, Twitter direct messages, and a tweet.
Thanks for the response. It appears Ms. Shannon is not the activist identified by the other Twitter user.
However, since you're here, can you comment on whether HB 1399 will be added to the calendar tomorrow?
Are you lobbying to get the bill you coauthored a vote? https://t.co/MVkfScPrj9
— Tom Pappert is also infrastructure (@realTomPappert) May 9, 2021
When asked whether it is “conservative” to allow children to undergo life altering transgender therapies and surgeries that include castration, Patterson did not reply. Likewise, when asked about H.B. 1687, which would prevent employers from discriminating against employees based on whether they have received a COVID-19 vaccine, Patterson did not reply.
Patterson also did not reply when asked about H.B. 1927, which would allow Constitutional Carry in the state of Texas. The bill was reportedly returned to the House from the Senate with a poison pill that will make it illegal for the House to pass, with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick reportedly inserting the bad language to keep the bill from becoming law. Finally, National File asked Patterson exactly what makes this the “most conservative session in history” and did not receive a response.
