Dem Party Sues GOP TX House Speaker

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- The Texas Democratic Party is suing state House Speaker Dennis Bonnen and conservative activist Michael Quinn Sullivan, seeking release of a recording made secretly of a meeting between the two.

The lawsuit filed in a state district court in Austin Thursday alleges the meeting violated state campaign finance laws.

Sullivan has said he recorded his June meeting with Bonnen. Sullivan hasn't publicly released the recording, but he says it includes a Bonnen offer to give Sullivan's Empower Texans group media credentials if it would attack several Republican lawmakers in the primary.

Bonnen, who previously denied a target list of lawmakers, apologized to lawmakers Tuesday for "embarrassing" and "hurtful" things he said the recorded conversation. He didn't address whether he targeted fellow Republicans for primary challenges.

(KR)