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An appointment of Texas Governor Greg Abbott wiped away tears and gave an emotional defense of her credentials following a tense exchange on policy for diversity determination, which was later followed by the state’s leading Republicans who publicly supported her.
Texas Water Board Development Chairman L’Areal Stepney, who is black, was at one point comforted by lawmakers after the exchange Thursday with the GOP state, Brian Harrison, who interrogated her and other agency officials about their rental practices.
Abbott, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick and the Speaker of the House, Dustin Burrows, who are all Republicans, later issued support statements for Stepney and her service, while other GOP legislators criticized Harrison over the exchange.
“While passionate and open discussion will always be welcomed, remarks that Demean and Vleittle will never be tolerated,” Republican State Representative Greg Bonnen, chair of the Home Budget Committee, posted on X.
Harrison is an outspoken critic of efforts to diversity, fairness and inclusion in the state government. He interviewed Stepney and Edna Jackson, who is also black, about a line in the agency’s strategic plan that his workforce should reflect the growing diversity of the state.
During the hearing, Harrison did not directly question the credentials of Stepney or any other agency workers.
On Friday, he defended his interrogation during the hearing.
“My interrogation was perfect and professional,” Harrison says, adding that he had similar questions to dozens of other agencies. ‘It was the Democrats in the committee that raised the issue of her qualifications. I never said a word about it. ‘
Harrison’s interrogation has led Democratic State Representative Nicole Collier, who is black, expressing her outrage over the fact that two black women have to defend 246 years of systemic racism. “
Stepney then delivered an emotional defense of her credentials to the panel. She said March will be for the state for 33 years and listed her two engineering degrees from the University of Texas in Austin, one in Aerospace Engineering and the other in civil engineering.
“It was a deep honor for me to be appointed to the council, to be confirmed by the council and to be appointed chairman,” she said. “I’ve always been grateful to the governor. What did I do? I protected the drinking water supply of 31 million Texane. ‘
