July 24, 2015 12:33 PM

Emails show Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's staff did not object to release of veto memo

One of the emails notes that both the Speaker and Lt. Governor's offices had previously met and agreed that LBB director Ursula Parks should send her analysis to the Comptroller

Emails that have now been released to the Texas Tribune and Quorum Report show that the office of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick did not object to the distribution of a now controversial memo about Gov. Greg Abbott’s line item vetoes.

In the emails, Legislative Budget Board Director Ursula Parks asks whether her analysis of Abbott’s line item vetoes – in which she questioned the way in which he slashed millions in spending – was okay for distribution.

The budget director for Speaker Joe Straus, Andrew Blifford, and Patrick’s budget director Mike Morrissey both said it was fine to do so. Neither raised any objections. In fact, in one of the emails Blifford notes that both the Speaker and Lt. Governor's offices had previously met and agreed that she should send her analysis to the Comptroller.

You can see the email exchange by clicking here.

Gov. Patrick’s office on Friday maintained that even though Morrissey raised no objection to the distribution of the memo, Patrick’s staff does not agree with Parks’ findings and made no move to sign onto her analysis.