Someone's hand's gonna stink. Credit: Photo courtesy Pink Dome

It’s Friday afternoon, so it’s the perfect time to sneak out bombshell press releases. Guess what? Speaker Tom Craddick has just launched a doozy.

At 3:17pm, Craddick finally announced his new parliamentarian. His selection? Former Austin Rep. Terry Keel. The same Terry Keel that became the temporary parliamentarian when the last one quit over Craddick’s management style. The same Terry Keel who provided Craddick with the questionable constitutional advice that he was basically immune to removal by a rebellious House. The same Terry Keel whose advice is now being examined by the attorney general. The same Terry Keel that rapidly became one of the most hated figures in Texas politics.

However, there are probably sighs of relief among the reps that the man that served as his deputy, Ron Wilson, won’t be back. The former Houston Craddick Dem, who didn’t look like he was having much fun by the end of the session, is being replaced by Craddick’s policy analyst, Kate Huddleston. That will give him time to work on his burgeoning rap career.

This article appears in June 29 • 2007.

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The Chronicle's first Culture Desk editor, Richard has reported on Austin's growing film production and appreciation scene for over a decade. A graduate of the universities of York, Stirling, and UT-Austin, a Rotten Tomatoes certified critic, and eight-time Best of Austin winner, he's currently at work on two books and a play.