H.R. No. 2171
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Legendary Texas journalist R. G. Ratcliffe is
retiring from Texas Monthly magazine in 2019, drawing to a close a
remarkable four-decade career covering state and national
politics; and
WHEREAS, Raised in Dallas, Robert Gary Ratcliffe first saw
his name in print at the age of five, when he got behind the wheel of
his mother's car and drove it into a house, an episode that became a
national wire service story; he subsequently focused on covering
the news rather than making it, and he honed his skills as a student
radio reporter at the University of Missouri while earning a degree
in journalism and American history; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Ratcliffe spent the early years of his career in
Georgia and Florida, and it was during that period that he developed
an interest in political journalism after conducting investigative
reporting on elected officials who took bribes from Colombian drug
lords; he also covered the trial of serial killer Ted Bundy for the
Florida Times-Union; returning to Texas, he worked briefly in the
Arlington bureau of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram before relocating
to Austin; after initially covering events in the capital city for
the Star-Telegram, he spent 24 years as a reporter for the Houston
Chronicle; in 2011, he started writing for Texas Monthly, and he
joined the magazine's permanent staff in 2017; and
WHEREAS, Over the course of his 40 years in journalism,
Mr. Ratcliffe has covered six Texas governors, from Bill Clements
to Greg Abbott, as well as every national presidential race from
1988 to 2008; along the way, he also reported on the 1985 Mexico
City earthquake, chronicled the tectonic shift from Democratic to
Republican dominance in Texas politics, and authored an
investigative story about University of Texas management company
investments that has been used in teaching journalism classes at
Columbia University; he even got to enjoy a moment in the limelight
when he was featured in the HBO documentary Journeys with George,
about the 2000 presidential campaign; and
WHEREAS, By dedicating himself to the mission of holding
elected officials accountable for their actions, R. G. Ratcliffe
has earned a well-deserved reputation as one of the best political
reporters in Texas and throughout the nation, and his sharp
intellect, keen insight, and dry wit will be greatly missed by all
those who have had the good fortune to appreciate his work; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas
Legislature hereby congratulate R. G. Ratcliffe on his retirement
from Texas Monthly and extend to him sincere best wishes for
continued success and happiness; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Mr. Ratcliffe as an expression of high regard by the
Texas House of Representatives.
Raymond
Bonnen of Brazoria Guerra Noble Bonnen of Brazoria Guerra Noble
Bonnen of Brazoria Guerra Noble
Allen Guillen Oliverson Allen Guillen Oliverson
Allen Guillen Oliverson
Allison Gutierrez Ortega Allison Gutierrez Ortega
Allison Gutierrez Ortega
Anchia Harless Pacheco Anchia Harless Pacheco
Anchia Harless Pacheco
Anderson Harris Paddie Anderson Harris Paddie
Anderson Harris Paddie
Ashby Hefner Parker Ashby Hefner Parker
Ashby Hefner Parker
Bailes Hernandez Patterson Bailes Hernandez Patterson
Bailes Hernandez Patterson
Beckley Herrero Paul Beckley Herrero Paul
Beckley Herrero Paul
Bell of Kaufman Hinojosa Perez Bell of Kaufman Hinojosa Perez
Bell of Kaufman Hinojosa Perez
Bell of Montgomery Holland Phelan Bell of Montgomery Holland Phelan
Bell of Montgomery Holland Phelan
Bernal Howard Price Bernal Howard Price
Bernal Howard Price
Biedermann Huberty Ramos Biedermann Huberty Ramos
Biedermann Huberty Ramos
Blanco Hunter Raney Blanco Hunter Raney
Blanco Hunter Raney
Bohac Israel Raymond Bohac Israel Raymond
Bohac Israel Raymond
Bonnen of Galveston E. Johnson of Dallas Reynolds Bonnen of Galveston E. Johnson of Dallas Reynolds
Bonnen of Galveston E. Johnson of Dallas Reynolds
Bowers J. Johnson of Dallas Rodriguez Bowers J. Johnson of Dallas Rodriguez
Bowers J. Johnson of Dallas Rodriguez
Buckley Johnson of Harris Romero, Jr. Buckley Johnson of Harris Romero, Jr.
Buckley Johnson of Harris Romero, Jr.
Bucy Kacal Rose Bucy Kacal Rose
Bucy Kacal Rose
Burns King of Hemphill Rosenthal Burns King of Hemphill Rosenthal
Burns King of Hemphill Rosenthal
Burrows King of Parker Sanford Burrows King of Parker Sanford
Burrows King of Parker Sanford
Button King of Uvalde Schaefer Button King of Uvalde Schaefer
Button King of Uvalde Schaefer
Cain Klick Shaheen Cain Klick Shaheen
Cain Klick Shaheen
Calanni Krause Sheffield Calanni Krause Sheffield
Calanni Krause Sheffield
Canales Kuempel Sherman, Sr. Canales Kuempel Sherman, Sr.
Canales Kuempel Sherman, Sr.
Capriglione Lambert Shine Capriglione Lambert Shine
Capriglione Lambert Shine
Clardy Landgraf Smith Clardy Landgraf Smith
Clardy Landgraf Smith
Cole Lang Smithee Cole Lang Smithee
Cole Lang Smithee
Coleman Larson Springer Coleman Larson Springer
Coleman Larson Springer
Collier Leach Stephenson Collier Leach Stephenson
Collier Leach Stephenson
Cortez Leman Stickland Cortez Leman Stickland
Cortez Leman Stickland
Craddick Longoria Stucky Craddick Longoria Stucky
Craddick Longoria Stucky
Cyrier Lopez Swanson Cyrier Lopez Swanson
Cyrier Lopez Swanson
Darby Lozano Talarico Darby Lozano Talarico
Darby Lozano Talarico
Davis of Dallas Lucio III Thierry Davis of Dallas Lucio III Thierry
Davis of Dallas Lucio III Thierry
Davis of Harris Martinez Thompson of Brazoria Davis of Harris Martinez Thompson of Brazoria
Davis of Harris Martinez Thompson of Brazoria
Dean Martinez Fischer Thompson of Harris Dean Martinez Fischer Thompson of Harris
Dean Martinez Fischer Thompson of Harris
Deshotel Metcalf Tinderholt Deshotel Metcalf Tinderholt
Deshotel Metcalf Tinderholt
Dominguez Meyer Toth Dominguez Meyer Toth
Dominguez Meyer Toth
Dutton Meza Turner of Dallas Dutton Meza Turner of Dallas
Dutton Meza Turner of Dallas
Farrar Middleton Turner of Tarrant Farrar Middleton Turner of Tarrant
Farrar Middleton Turner of Tarrant
Fierro Miller VanDeaver Fierro Miller VanDeaver
Fierro Miller VanDeaver
Flynn Minjarez Vo Flynn Minjarez Vo
Flynn Minjarez Vo
Frank Moody Walle Frank Moody Walle
Frank Moody Walle
Frullo Morales White Frullo Morales White
Frullo Morales White
Geren Morrison Wilson Geren Morrison Wilson
Geren Morrison Wilson
Gervin-Hawkins Muñoz, Jr. Wray Gervin-Hawkins Muñoz, Jr. Wray
Gervin-Hawkins Muñoz, Jr. Wray
Goldman Murphy Wu Goldman Murphy Wu
Goldman Murphy Wu
González of Dallas Murr Zedler González of Dallas Murr Zedler
González of Dallas Murr Zedler
González of El Paso Neave Zerwas González of El Paso Neave Zerwas
González of El Paso Neave Zerwas
Goodwin Nevárez Zwiener Goodwin Nevárez Zwiener
Goodwin Nevárez Zwiener
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 2171 was adopted by the House on May 26,
2019, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Bonnen of Brazoria Guerra Noble
Allen Guillen Oliverson
Allison Gutierrez Ortega
Anchia Harless Pacheco
Anderson Harris Paddie
Ashby Hefner Parker
Bailes Hernandez Patterson
Beckley Herrero Paul
Bell of Kaufman Hinojosa Perez
Bell of Montgomery Holland Phelan
Bernal Howard Price
Biedermann Huberty Ramos
Blanco Hunter Raney
Bohac Israel Raymond
Bonnen of Galveston E. Johnson of Dallas Reynolds
Bowers J. Johnson of Dallas Rodriguez
Buckley Johnson of Harris Romero, Jr.
Bucy Kacal Rose
Burns King of Hemphill Rosenthal
Burrows King of Parker Sanford
Button King of Uvalde Schaefer
Cain Klick Shaheen
Calanni Krause Sheffield
Canales Kuempel Sherman, Sr.
Capriglione Lambert Shine
Clardy Landgraf Smith
Cole Lang Smithee
Coleman Larson Springer
Collier Leach Stephenson
Cortez Leman Stickland
Craddick Longoria Stucky
Cyrier Lopez Swanson
Darby Lozano Talarico
Davis of Dallas Lucio III Thierry
Davis of Harris Martinez Thompson of Brazoria
Dean Martinez Fischer Thompson of Harris
Deshotel Metcalf Tinderholt
Dominguez Meyer Toth
Dutton Meza Turner of Dallas
Farrar Middleton Turner of Tarrant
Fierro Miller VanDeaver
Flynn Minjarez Vo
Frank Moody Walle
Frullo Morales White
Geren Morrison Wilson
Gervin-Hawkins Muñoz, Jr. Wray
Goldman Murphy Wu
González of Dallas Murr Zedler
González of El Paso Neave Zerwas
Goodwin Nevárez Zwiener