Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to Dan Patrick (politician)

Controversies are a part of history. Explore the biggest scandals linked to Dan Patrick (politician).

Dan Patrick, born Dan Goeb Patrick, is an American radio talk show host, television broadcaster, and politician. He currently serves as the 42nd Lieutenant Governor of Texas, a position he has held since 2015, working alongside Governor Greg Abbott. Before entering politics, Patrick had a career in media, hosting radio shows and working in television broadcasting. His political career is marked by his conservative stances on various issues, making him a prominent figure in Texas politics.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Controversies & Scandals

April 2004: Boycott of Houston Chronicle Announced

In April 2004, Dan Patrick announced a boycott of the Houston Chronicle newspaper and owned a blog called Chronically Biased, which criticized the newspaper.

May 2011: Passage of Mandatory Ultrasound Bill

In May 2011, Governor Perry signed into law Texas' "Mandatory Ultrasound Bill", authored by Dan Patrick. The bill requires women seeking an abortion to have a sonogram of the fetus taken at least twenty-four hours before the abortion is performed.

January 10, 2012: Fifth Circuit Court Ruling on Ultrasound Bill

On January 10, 2012, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled in Texas' favor in the case of Zurawski v. State of Texas, allowing Patrick's Mandatory Ultrasound Bill to take effect after it was initially halted by an injunction.

January 2014: Statement on Abortion Exceptions

In January 2014, Dan Patrick stated that the only exception to outlawing abortion would be if the life of the mother was truly in danger, noting that such cases are rare.

2014: Opposition to Same-Sex Marriage

In 2014, after a federal court ruled Texas' ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional, Dan Patrick expressed his opposition to same-sex marriage, vowing to fight such court decisions if elected Lt. Governor, and argued that its removal would lead to legalizing bigamy, pedophilia, and incest.

2014: Controversy Surrounding Employee's Immigration Status

In 2014, during his campaign for lieutenant governor, questions arose about the immigration status of one of Dan Patrick's employees, Miguel "Mike" Andrade, leading to conflicting recollections about Andrade's employment. This matter was raised by opponent Jerry Patterson, who questioned Patrick's commitment to halt illegal immigration.

May 2016: Criticism of Obama Administration's Transgender Directive

In May 2016, Dan Patrick criticized the Obama administration's directive for public schools to allow transgender students to use bathrooms corresponding with their identified gender, stating he would not yield to blackmail and risk federal funding.

2016: Controversial Tweet After Orlando Nightclub Shooting

In 2016, hours after the Orlando nightclub shooting, Dan Patrick tweeted a picture of the Bible verse Galatians 6:7, leading to controversy. An adviser stated the tweet was pre-scheduled, and it was later deleted due to hateful comments and misinformation.

January 5, 2017: Push for Bathroom Bill

On January 5, 2017, Dan Patrick strongly pushed for a bathroom bill similar to North Carolina's law at its proposal, encouraging state Senator Lois Kolkhorst to introduce it.

April 2019: Remarks About Beto O'Rourke

In April 2019, Dan Patrick called Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke "light in the loafers", a slur often used to insinuate someone as gay, and also called O'Rourke a "moron". Patrick later stated that the insinuation was unintentional.

October 17, 2019: Remarks at Trump Rally

On October 17, 2019, Dan Patrick spoke at a political rally for President Trump, telling a crowd of 20,000 that liberals are the enemy.

2019: Comments on El Paso Shooting Factors

Following the 2019 El Paso shooting, Dan Patrick listed factors he believed contributed to the shooting, starting with video games and saying the industry teaches young people to kill.

2019: Shift on Gun Control Stance

In 2019, Dan Patrick initially called for requiring background checks for gun sales between two strangers but later backed away, instead supporting legislation to expand gun rights, including constitutional carry.

March 23, 2020: Willingness to Risk Life for Economy

On March 23, 2020, in an interview with Tucker Carlson on Fox News, Dan Patrick stated he was willing to risk his life from the COVID-19 pandemic to avoid an economic shutdown, believing it would negatively impact future generations.

May 2020: Payment of Fine for Lockdown Violation

In May 2020, Dan Patrick paid a $7,000 fine imposed on a Dallas businesswoman who defied Texas's lockdown orders by keeping her hair salon open, calling the punishment outrageous.

2020: Claims of Vote-by-Mail Scam

In 2020, Dan Patrick referred to vote-by-mail expansion efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic as a "scam by Democrats to steal the election."

October 2021: Voter Fraud Reward Payment

In October 2021, Dan Patrick paid the first reward of $25,000 to a Pennsylvania poll worker who reported a man that voted twice, after promising to pay up to $1 million for reports of voter fraud after the 2020 election.

2021: Passage of Legislation Restricting Voting Rights

In 2021, Dan Patrick presided over the passage of legislation in the Texas Senate that restricted voting rights, including prohibiting local boards from sending applications for mail-in ballots to voters.

2021: Support for Limiting Civil Rights Writings in Schools

In 2021, Dan Patrick supported legislation aimed at preventing public schools from mandating students to read writings by civil rights figures, such as Susan B. Anthony, Cesar Chavez, and Martin Luther King Jr., when covering women’s suffrage and the civil rights movement in social studies classes.

2022: Pledge to End Tenure and Revoke for CRT Teaching

In 2022, Dan Patrick pledged to end tenure for new hires at Texas public universities and stated his intention to revoke tenure for faculty who teach critical race theory.

2022: Inaccurate Absentee Ballot Mailing

In 2022, Dan Patrick's campaign sent a mass mailing to Republican voters across Texas with inaccurate instructions on how to send requests for absentee ballots. The mailing included return envelopes that were addressed to the Texas secretary of state's address when they should have been to local election offices.

March 7, 2023: Guest lecture by Dr. Joy Alonzo

On March 7, 2023, Dr. Joy Alonzo, a Texas A&M professor, gave a guest lecture at University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB). She suggested that the Patrick administration's policies on the opioid crisis had led to more opioid deaths. Subsequently, Patrick's office contacted Texas A&M chancellor John Sharp about Alonzo, leading to her being placed on administrative leave and formally censured by UTMB.

August 2, 2023: Defense of Conduct in Houston Chronicle Op-Ed

On August 2, 2023, Dan Patrick defended his conduct in an op-ed published in the Houston Chronicle regarding the controversy surrounding Dr. Joy Alonzo's statements about his administration's opioid crisis policies.