In the clips that follow, listeners can hear Bonnen’s take on the impact of the socialist values driving the defunding movement and anecdotes of Adler’s history of using law enforcement as pawns in his game to resist property tax reforms and increased transparency for taxpayers. In a word, the mayor’s newest attack on public safety and taxpayer rights is nothing new.
Worst Response
In this segment of his conversation with KOKE FM’s Bob Cole, Speaker Bonnen takes aim at Mayor Steve Adler’s misguided attempt to deflect attention away from his foolish choice to defund police by taking a slap at the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic which has saved countless lives while “flattening the curve” of hospitalizations.
Governor Abbott’s Leadership
Speaker Bonnen begins his conversation with KOKE FM’s Bob Cole by thanking Gov. Abbott for leading the charge to support law enforcement and advocate for safer communities across Texas.
Stop Digging
In his conversation with KLBJ AM’s Todd & Don, Speaker Bonnen took Austin’s Mayor Adler to task for his insistence on breaking “the law of holes” (ie. when you’re in a hole, the first thing you do is stop digging) and called on him to tell Austinites the truth.
How Annexation Works
Speaker Bonnen explained the mechanism of annexation and how previously annexed areas should have the right to withdraw from cities who are actively defunding law enforcement to the detriment of public safety.
Adler’s Hypocrisy (The Tale of SB2)
A veteran of more than two decades in the TX House and former chair of Ways & Means, Bonnen is no stranger to Adler’s subterfuges, resisting increased accountability to taxpayers by dishonestly crying wolf on public safety impacts.
An Impossible Standard
In this segment, Bonnen provides context for the absurd attitudes adopted by city leaders in places like Austin, Dallas and beyond, in which peace officers as a profession are being judged and attacked for the actions of a few outliers.
KLBJ AM News Teaser
Take a listen to this teaser segment played before the Speaker’s interview and you’ll get a nice summary of the frustrations everyday citizens are feeling in response to the increasingly wayward ideas of Mayor Adler and the City Council.
Zero Confidence
Speaker Bonnen points out the impact of Austin city government’s decision to not only defund their police, but also abandon their responsibility to support them, leaving their peace officers terrified to uphold the law because the smallest error can result in termination, arrest or worst.
Cadet Class Cuts May Blow Up Police Pensions
In this segment, after sharing an anecdote of two Austin police officers who were misled into arguing against SB2, Speaker Bonnen blows the whistle on the impact of cutting cadet classes, namely the way they’ll blow a hole in the healthy replenishment of police officer pensions.
Economic Impact Of Defunding Police
Speaker Bonnen explained to Todd & Don that a critical impact of defunding police will show up in the form of companies who will no longer consider relocating to Austin because they’ve decided to actively harm public safety.
Adler’s Rank Hypocrisy
In this heated segment of his conversation with KLBJ AM’s Todd & Don, Speaker Bonnen calls Mayor Adler out for his hypocrisy, in which he claims he’s not defunding police, even as his budget ax is swinging and slashing millions.
Protecting The Most Vulnerable
Pushing aside the rhetoric of protesters, activists, city leaders and talking heads, Speaker Bonnen brings the conversation home to the impact of defunding police on the most vulnerable populations in America’s inner cities.
Adler’s SB2 Deceptions
Recalling Mayor Adler’s fight to prevent the passage of legislation intended to improve taxpayer transparency into city budgeting and taxation, Speaker Bonnen makes clear that using the threat of law enforcement cuts as a poker chip is a threat to public safety and downright dishonest.
A Call For Honest Conversation
In his final thought, Speaker Bonnen called for honest, fair dialogue that starts with an acknowledgement of the fear pervading the Black community and proceeds through a rational conversation about justice reform to bring about a more equitable society.
Don’t forget Austin’s Homeless Crisis
As the interview with KLBJ AM’s Todd & Don ends, Speaker Bonnen reminds listeners that the growing culture of lawlessness in Austin includes a growing homeless population and their impact on once-safe neighborhoods.
Whole Todd & Don Interview
Described by one listener as “Bonnen hitting fence-clearing home runs with every observation,” this clip of the Speaker’s entire conversation on KLBJ AM with Austin broadcasting stalwarts, Todd & Don, neatly summarizes the objections sensible Austinites have to the mayor’s campaign of deception and defunding.
Whole Cole Interview on KOKE FM
Perfect for your drive home or next treadmill session, this 20-plus minute conversation with Texas broadcasting legend, Bob Cole, sheds light on the anger and frustration the people of Austin are experiencing in response to the misguided defunding efforts underway by Mayor Adler and the City Council.
Tell The Truth
Turning their attention to the national conversation about incidents of officer-involved shootings, Speaker Bonnen called upon all sides, media included, to tell the whole truth about episodes, rather than selective tales that support a narrative tailored to cause further division and violence.
Remember The First Victims
As his conversation with Bob Cole wound down, Speaker Bonnen spoke passionately for the victims of the perpetrators engaged by police, reminding all involved that future abuse victims might not call for help knowing their assailant might be deified by activists and biased media.
