I'm rich, beeyotch!!! Credit: Photo by John Anderson

Freshman state Sen. Dan Patrick would, it seems, rather be stacking bills than working on them.

The Houston GOPer got some bemused media coverage for his ridiculous photo opportunity – sorry, press conference, when he had a million dollars (possibly in unmarked bills) wheeled out to prove … something about budgets (see the Real Player footage here.) Problem? It meant he missed a morning session of the Senate Committee on Intergovernmental Relations, which he sits on and which heard three bills while Patrick was in absentia and in front of the cameras.

Now we know it takes a little while to settle into the demands of a new job. Maybe committee chair Sen. Royce West might want to send him a quick memo about the demands of his job. Like being at the committees on time.

This article appears in February 9 • 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.