Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick Embraces Report He Says Discredits Bathroom Bill-Induced Negative Economic Impact

AUSTIN, TX — Like Donald Trump, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is no fan of the so-called mainstream media — or for the hard-core detractors, the more pejorative "lamestream media." But on Monday, the former conservative talk radio host offered a full-throated endorsement of a published report casting doubt on the negative hit the state economy would take if his pet "bathroom bill" should be enacted into law.

Patrick has aggressively championed crafting legislation that would ban transgender individuals from using public bathrooms matching their gender with which they identify. But many have come out against the proposed Senate Bill 6, including the Texas Association of Business which predicts major economic losses of up to $8.5 billion should the legislation pass.

As the Austin American-Statesman reported, Patrick embraced a report by PolitiFact Texas, a column that largely debunks TAB's claims, including its prediction of 185,000 lost jobs should SB6 pass legal muster. TAB based its predictions largely on the effects such laws have had in other states where similar laws have been passed, only to see boycotts lead to revenue loss.

PolitiFact Texas is a nonpartisan fact-checking service based at the Statesman in partnership with the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News. After vetting TAB's claims, researchers deemed the TAB study's claims as “mostly false."

Patrick leaped at the opportunity to use the report to his benefit in pushing for his bathroom bill: "That's data that we've known was faulty," Patrick said. "Fear mongering is what that report is about."

So much for the "lamestream" media. Well, at least on this topic, eh?

>>> Read the full story at Austin American-Statesman

Image: Official photo of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick via State of Texas