This is the letter Rep. Leo Berman of Tyler recently sent to the House Freshman Class:

Congratulations to all of you for the hard work and time you put in to campaign and win.  You have a great opportunity to do great things for Texas, for your constituents and families.   We now have a CONSERVATIVE House, with a LIBERAL Speaker.  You’ve read many things about getting rid of Joe Straus.  I was there.  Let me tell you why it must be done!
 
1.       11 Republicans broke off from the remaining Republicans seeking their own Speaker rather than Conservative Tom Craddick.  Among them were Straus, Cook, Eissler, Keffer,, Solomons,  Keumpel (Who passed away suddenly), Bryan McCall, Tommy Merritt, Delwin Jones, Geren. Straus and 5 others now remain in the House.  The 11 cast several votes among themselves and Straus, with only 2 ½  years experience got the most votes.  It takes 76 votes to become Speaker.  They needed 65 Democrats. To get that number, Straus promised no bills on illegal aliens, no pro-life bills and no voter-ID bill.  The Dems loved it and Straus became Speaker while compromising his Integrity.  His discussion with Democrats became an article in the Austin Statesman, especially with liberal caucus leader Trey Martinez Fisher.
 
2.       They won the Speakership, but the next thing they did was to keep Conservatives’ bills tied up in committee.  They PUNISHED conservatives.
 
3.       When I saw no bills on illegal aliens got out of Solomons State Affairs Committees, I noticed that Democrats were bringing bills to the floor that actually funneled millions of dollars to illegal aliens.  I began to amend each of them with a simple amendment.  It said, “these benefits are for US citizens only.   The Democrats complained to Straus.  Straus came to my desk.  He asked me what he could do for me to stop amending the Democrats bills.  He offered to hear one of my bills in Solomons committee.I couldn’t believe what I heard.  I asked him if he had not taken the same oath of office that I took.  I told him to leave quickly before I lost my temper.
 
4.       Senator Dan Patrick had a great pro-life bill which would require a woman, seeking an abortion, to view a sonogram of her child before going through with the procedure.  It died in Solomons Committee.
 
5.       Finally, Joe Straus himself, allowed the Democrat Speaker Pro-Tem to delay the local and consent calendar for 5 days for the purpose of killing the VOTER-ID bill which 96% of all Republicans in Texas wanted passed.
 
If you can support Straus or any of his cohorts, you compromise your own integrity.  This is not what those who helped you win want to see you do and you can expect to hear from them.  Vote for a true experienced Conservative who will lead us through a difficult session VOTE FOR REP.WARREN CHISUM!        LEO BERMAN , A 12 YEAR CONSERVATIVE FROM Tyler, Texas.