Dewhurst backs off threats to 'take action' against media members

Lt. Governor David Dewhurst meets with leaders on the podium as the Senate considers passage of the abortion bill passed earlier in the House in Austin on June 24, 2013. Lt. Governor David Dewhurst meets with leaders on the podium as the Senate considers passage of the abortion bill passed earlier in the House in Austin on June 24, 2013. Photo: For The San Antonio Express-News Photo: For The San Antonio Express-News Image 1 of / 60 Caption Close Dewhurst backs off threats to 'take action' against media members 1 / 60 Back to Gallery

LT. Gov. David Dewhurst has quickly backed off threats against media members who he claimed may have stirred up demonstrators during the abortion filibuster Tuesday.

Dewhurst told a conservative commentator Friday that he was determined to make sure "mob" politics doesn't keep Texas from passing tighter restrictions on abortion. He said he planned to review tapes from the debate to see if media members were attempting to "incite a riot."

"If I find, as I've been told, examples of the media waving and trying to inflame the crowd, incite them in the direction of a riot, I'm going to take action against them. That is wrong," Dewhurst told Ed Morrissey of hotair.com. "If I find examples of that, proof certain on our video, I'm going to address this firmly."

Dewhurst told the host that state rules allow for people who aren't respective of the legislative process to be imprisoned for up to 48 hours.

Spokesman Travis Considine said Saturday that "Upon further review of the tapes, (Dewhurst) was thankful to learn that members of the media had behaved in a manner consistent with the decorum of the Senate chamber."

He couldn't identify the source of the accusation that members of the media had incited the crowd.

He also said Dewhurst had never threatened to arrest media, but said he would take appropriate action if he found members of the media acted inappropriately. Members of the press receive credentials to gain access to the floor that can be revoked for violations of Senate rules.

A second 30-day special session is set to begin July 1.

Staff writer Patricia Kilday Hart contributed to this report.