Insults and gossip: What was said in the taping.

AUSTIN — Insults. Political attacks. Gossip. A surreptitiously recorded audio released Tuesday reveals Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen’s unvarnished words as he tried to cut a deal with a GOP activist in June.

On Trump: “With all due respect to Trump —who I love, by the way — he’s killing us in urbansuburban districts. I mean, (Republican State Rep.) Angie Chen Button, by polling, she’s even, she’s down 15 points.”

On Republicans he wants to protect: “Can we kind of not waste our resources, yours and mine and everyone else’s, fighting over members that aren’t really a huge problem? You might not find they’ll be your favorites, but they’re not particularly a problem, and even help us out.”

On Republicans he wants to attack: “The Speaker of the House shouldn’t tell you some folks to go pop, but he has some folks, if you want to go pop, they’re going to have to find their own money. I may give them a pittance here or there but I ain’t going to do what (former House Speaker) Joe Straus did.”

On Houston Democrat Jon Rosenthal: “I mean, Jon Rosenthal makes my skin crawl … (Bonnen Chief of Staff ) Gavin Massingill said it well, begging this is all confidential. After we meet with him the first time he leaves us, I said, ‘What did you think of him?’ And he goes, ‘Well, his wife’s going to be really pissed when she learns he’s gay.’ I said, ‘Yep.’”

On other Democrats: “My point is we’ve got (Carrollton Democratic Rep.) Michelle Beckley, who’s vile, OK? Which is good for us because we ought to be able to take their heads off.”

Offering the activist press credentials to access the floor of the Texas House: “I need you firing harder that way than these ways. Does that make sense? And let me tell you what I’ll do for you — real quick, you need to hear what I want to do for you … If we can make this work, I’ll put your guys on the floor next session.”

On legislation that would have barred Texas cities and counties from lobbying with taxpayer money: “In this office and in the conference room on that end, any mayor, county judge that was dumb ass enough to come meet with me, I told them with great clarity: My goal is for this to be the worst session in the history of the Legislature for cities and counties.”

Blaming former speaker Joe Straus for not passing property tax reform in 2017: “I thought about quitting last session because I didn’t know how we could get it done. I was pretty demoralized over that, because it’s kind of hard, when you’re busting your ass and you realize it’s the speaker who’s screwing you.”

Responding to a quip from the activist about his bald pate: “You know what? I’m not joking about this. My hair would kinda go all over the place, so I was very at peace.”

Parting shot: “And don’t forget something else: If a Democrat member does make a public statement against a Republican, I’m all in against them.”