Texas Legislator Ups the Ante in Board of Regents Battle

The political game of chicken between certain members of the UT Board of Regents and Texas Legislators picked up steam Thursday afternoon.

Just last week, Regent Wallace Hall filed a massive Open Records request that covered not only UT President Bill Powers and other UT employees but every member of the Texas legislature as well.

Representative Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, is getting ready to fire back, as he is starting the impeachment process against Hall.

Pitts, one of the most powerful members of the Texas House, has been a vocal critic of the Regents who have been seen a trying to oust President Powers from UT-Austin.

Pitts has called the Board of Regents investigations a "witch hunt," and he now thinks it has crossed the line.

This will play out one of two ways. Pitts could present a Resolution of Impeachment -- specifically aimed at Hall -- if he can get 76 signatures in the House. It would then move to the Senate.

He might call for a joint committee to investigate Regent behavior that could merit impeachment.

Pitts is moving now because the Legislature is still in special session. That means if the inquiry begins by Tuesday, June 25, it could continue after the special session is over.

No matter, this conflict is now both business and personal.