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Amarillo State Senator Stripped Of Committee Assignment After "Lewd" Comment

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(Photo source: Bob Daemmrich/ The Texas Tribune)

By Mitch Borden

Republican State Senator Kel Seliger has been removed from his post as chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture after he made a “lewd” comment about a staffer for Lt. Governor Dan Patrick. The announcement is the latest in a feud between the two politicians

Speaking on the Lubbock-based radio show  "Other Side of Texas” Seliger spoke about his disappointment with his recent assignment to chair the agriculture committee. Seliger also called comments made about his new position by Sherry Sylvester, an aide to the Lt. Governor, “snide.”

He said, “I have a recommendation for Ms. Sylvester and her lips and my backend.”

Patrick gave Seliger 48 hours to apologize, which Patrick’s office said he refused to do.

The clash between the two began last week when Patrick removed Seliger from his longtime post on the Senate Higher Education committee.

In a statement on Tuesday, Seliger said he was disappointed to learn he would no longer chair the Senate Agriculture Commission but would continue to represent West Texas and the Panhandle.

Mitch Borden is Permian Basin Reporter & Producer at Marfa Public Radio.