Baptists vs. another Straus, 1974: "Texas Baptists Blast Remark"

  Religious Republicans' sniping at speaker candidate Joe Straus III (see below) isn't the first exchange between a Straus and religious conservatives.

The Dallas Morning News archives include this item from June 1, 1974:

Texas Baptists took exception to a recent remark made about their anti-gambling stance and called it a "cheap attempt of gambling proponents to arouse religious prejudice against Baptists."

The 192-member executive board . . . zeroed in on Joe Straus Jr. of San Antonio, who accused Baptist leaders of "blackmail" and "bullying tactics."

In a statement made last weekend, Straus, co-chairman of the Texas Citizens for Pari-Mutuel Horse Racing, also charged the Baptists with trying to "impose their moral beliefs on generations of Texans to come."

. . . The resolution, passed unanimously by the board, said Straus' statement "reveals he is ignoring the fact that many people from all walks of life and religious persuasion joined with Baptists in resistance to the pari-mutuel push . . . [based on] a clear evidence of obviously destructive social consequences which result from legalized gambling."

Joe Straus Jr. went on to co-found San Antonio's Retama Park horse track.

NEW: Joe III told The Associated Press on Monday that if elected speaker, he would avoid involvement in any bill involving gambling.

"I will not be involved in an issue, any issue, where my personal interests will be advanced," he was quoted as saying. He added he has a "small limited partnership interest" in Retama, but does not have any executive role in the horseracing industry.

Straus' spokesman, Russ Keene, told Star-Telegram reporter Dave Montgomery on Monday that Straus' father "has nothing to do with the House of Representatives."

Keene added, "Most elected officials really resent their parents being drawn into political events, especially something said in 1974."

--Bud Kennedy

Comments

[Miketex]

Mr. Keen....with all due respect...Mr. Joe R. Straus Jr. made two contributions on 10/6/08 to the Texans for Economic Development Pac. This PAC was used over the last year to defeat and or elect members of the legislature that did not agree with the idea of allowing slot machines at horse tracks. There were two contributions of very odd amounts from Mr. Straus???...
$6,145.63
$145.44

Anyhoo..here is the link to the public filing at the ethics commission if interested:

http://204.65.203.5/public/389364.pdf