State Rep. Dan Huberty, R-Houston, on Monday apologized to his colleagues in the Texas Legislature, his family and those involved in a late April car crash that led to his arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol.
âMy name is Dan and Iâm an alcoholic,â Huberty said in an emotional speech from the House floor.
He said Monday he began seeking treatment immediately after the incident and acknowledged that he has struggled with alcoholism throughout his adult life. To a standing ovation from his colleagues in the lower chamber, Huberty added that he has completed three of the 12 steps of recovery.
This column originally published online on January 17, 2021.
Q: Seeing the terrifying images of what happened in Washington, D.C., recently, I was wondering if the Texas Capitol has ever been the site of any violence?
Joel Fischbacher, Austin
A: Before he proceeds to answer your question, Mr. Fischbacher, the Texanist would be derelict in his duties to not say out loud what many Texans have been thinking: the events that unfolded in our nation’s capital on January 6 were shocking and sad. Until the Texanist witnessed on television the mayhem that ensued that day, he had been under the impression that he was a fairly imperturbable sort. He was wrong. The horrific barbarity of the insurrection left him completely perturbed.