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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, A wave of sorrow rippled across the political divide |
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with the untimely death of Democratic strategist and commentator |
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Harold Lee Cook III on November 10, 2022, at the age of 61; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Houston on January 16, 1961, to Martha |
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Rondeaux Cook and Harold L. Cook Jr., "Tres" Cook grew up with a |
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sister, Martha, and graduated from Bellaire High School; he worked |
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on offshore oil rigs and played in piano bars before getting around |
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to finishing his bachelor's degree at the University of Houston in |
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1988; finding his calling in politics, he served as an aide to |
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then-State Representative Debra Danburg and went on to work for two |
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Texas secretaries of state under Governor Ann Richards; he was team |
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leader of web marketing and public relations for the General Land |
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Office and advised scores of aspiring and elected officials, |
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ranging from promising neophytes to stars such as President Bill |
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Clinton and Governor Ann Richards; and |
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WHEREAS, In the late 1990s, Mr. Cook became executive |
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director of the Texas Democratic Party; a man of great warmth and |
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charm, with a wicked sense of humor, he became fast friends with his |
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opposite number in the Republican Party, and he enjoyed sparring |
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with him and many other pals on the other side of the aisle; his |
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daring, finesse, creativity, and people-wrangling skills were on |
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full display during the 2003 quorum break, when 11 Democratic state |
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senators holed up in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in a desperate bid to |
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derail a redistricting bill; with his assistance, they withstood |
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extreme pressure for more than six weeks, bringing a national |
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spotlight to the issue and energizing the party; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Cook brought his acerbic wit and keen insight to |
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the launch of the Spectrum News program Capital Tonight, |
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contributing to its early success; a featured commentator, he |
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seldom missed a show, and after suffering a stroke, he was back on |
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the air in three weeks; his engaging blog and social media posts |
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were must-reads for the political set; over the years, he extended |
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his family with a large collection of friends, including the |
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legendary Molly Ivins; knowing his love of far West Texas, as her |
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days waned, she sold him her beautiful lot in Marathon; he built |
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himself a small casita with a big porch, where he and his exuberant |
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dog, Travis, liked to hold court and watch the sunset; and |
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WHEREAS, Harold Cook approached the rough-and-tumble world |
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of politics with a big heart as well as a shrewd mind, and his loss |
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is keenly felt by all who were privileged to share in the richness |
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of his life; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 88th Texas Legislature |
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hereby pay tribute to the memory of Harold Lee Cook III and extend |
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sincere condolences to the members of his family: to his sister, |
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Martha Payne, and her husband, Tom; to his nephew, Matthew Payne; |
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and to his other relatives and many friends; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas Senate adjourns this |
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day, it do so in memory of Harold Cook. |