This has been such a bizarre incident. Patrick and Dewhurst went at each other verbally, but in loud voices, in a Senate committee of the whole earlier today. One of the subjects was David Simpson’s anti-grouping bill, about which I wrote earlier. Patrick manipulated a situation in which he was able to accuse of Dewhurst of sinking his and Simpson’s anti-groping bill Tuesday night — and, further, of being “someone who will not stand up to the federal government.” I’m no admirer of Dewhurst’s leadership of the Senate this session, but Patrick, in one moment, reverted to the showboat side of himself that he has kept under wraps this session. This is theatre of the absurd. What is a responsible politician supposed to do when a U.S. Attorney says that a state legislative action is in violation of federal law and warns that the federal government will seek an emergency stay old the legislation? Perhaps Dewhurst could send Brandon Creighton to negotiate. I don’t think sending the federal government a copy of the Tenth Amendment is going to change the U.S. Attorney’s mind. This has to be one of the all-time clownish moments of the Texas Legislature.