February 13, 2007

After more than a week of attempting to schedule a meeting with Texas Transportation Commission Chairman Ric Williamson, Senator John Carona, Chairman of the Senate Transportation and Homeland Security Committee made a surprise visit to a House Transportation Committee hearing where Chairman Williamson was testifying.

As is standard protocol the Chairman of the House Committee, Mike Krusee, invited the Chairman of the Senate Committee to join other House Committee members. In doing so Chairman Carona was offered by Chairman Krusee the opportunity to question the witness, Chairman Williamson. Chairman Carona used that opportunity to push Williamson for a meeting to discuss important state transportation matters. At first it appeared that Williamson agreed and the Senator was going to withdraw from the panel. Then Williamson spoke to clarify that he didn't mean he would meet this week only that he would visit about having a meeting. When Senator Carona pressed again Williamson would answer no more than "I'll call you. I'll Call you." When the tone from Williamson turned sharp with an emphatic, "I'll call you" Senator Carona unloaded on the Commission Chair. In the end Senator Carona asked if the Chairman was refusing to meet and the non-committal answer was "Frankly Senator I'm speechless."

Later in the day it was reported that Williamson had agreed to meet with Carona at 3:30pm on the afternoon of Wednesday, February 14.

This exchange occurred sixteen days before a Senate Transportation and Homeland Security Committee Public Hearing called by the Committee's Chairman Senator Carona to discuss toll roads, public-private partnerships, and the Trans Texas Corridor.