Monthly Archives: May 2017

Budget deal reached

Posted on May 22, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The one bill that must get passed is on its way. After months of private squabbling and public threats of a legislative overtime session, the Texas House and Senate finally compromised to unveil a joint budget late Saturday. Lawmakers, scrounging … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Budget deal reached

Rep. Al Green gets death threats

Posted on May 22, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

sad, but hardly surprising. During a town hall meeting Saturday, Congressman Al Green played recordings of threatening voicemail messages left for him after he demanded the impeachment of President Donald Trump on the House floor earlier this week. “You’ll be … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , | 14 Comments

Judge Jordan deserves to have his position in the bail lawsuit represented

Posted on May 22, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I have problems with this. The only Harris County judge to fight the county’s defense of its controversial bail system has been notified he will not get his own lawyer to appeal the high-profile federal lawsuit that has divided county … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Judge Jordan deserves to have his position in the bail lawsuit represented

Ogg joins with other DAs in criticizing new Justice Department sentencing guidelines

Posted on May 22, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

As well she should. Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg on Friday joined 30 other sitting and former district attorneys in a letter protesting U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ recent push for harsher sentences in America’s federal courts. “This is … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Weekend link dump for May 21

Posted on May 21, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Meet Zuul crurivastator, the first dinosaur to be named after a “Ghostbusters” character. Why don’t women’s basketball fans follow their favorite players from college to the pros? “How Unprecedented Is James Comey’s Firing?” “The possibility that a lawyer’s small compromise … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | Comments Off on Weekend link dump for May 21

Texting while driving ban passes the Senate

Posted on May 21, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see if this one gets signed into law. Legislation that would create a statewide texting-while-driving ban overcame a last-ditch attempt in the Senate on Friday to gut the bill. The bill’s author, state Rep. Tom Craddick, R-Midland, said he … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Texting while driving ban passes the Senate

Sandra Bland Act passes

Posted on May 21, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The Texas House initially approved the Sandra Bland Act on Friday with a unanimous vote. The body now has to vote on the mental health bill one more time before it reaches Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk. (Update, May 20: … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Sandra Bland Act passes

Special prosecutors named in Temple case

Posted on May 21, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see how they proceed. The Texas Attorney General’s Office has been tapped to prosecute the murder case against former Alief Coach David Temple in the 1999 death of his pregnant wife. State District Judge Kelli Johnson appointed Lisa Tanner … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Special prosecutors named in Temple case

Warning labels, schmarning labels

Posted on May 21, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Sid Miller, ladies and gentlemen, addressing the concerns of rancher Bruce Hunnicutt about the use of poison to try to control the feral hog population. Hunnicutt, 58, operates a hog hunting business on 30,000 acres — he owns 600 and … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

It’s HB2 all over again

Posted on May 20, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Here we go again. GOP House lawmakers took a sweeping approach to anti-abortion legislation on Friday, preliminarily passing a measure that would ban the most common form of a second-trimester procedure and change how health care providers dispose of fetal … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on It’s HB2 all over again

Bill King wants you to lower his property taxes

Posted on May 20, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

That’s not what he says in this op-ed, but it is the effect of what he’s arguing for, even if he’s not honest enough to come out and say it. Let’s start with the basic point that despite King’s disingenuous … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Appeals court chooses not to decide in Paxton prosecutor pay case

Posted on May 20, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This is oddly fitting. The 5th Court of Appeals on Wednesday said they won’t make a decision on whether the three prosecutors’ fees are legal until the county votes to pay their last bill, which topped $205,000. The prosecutors’ pay … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Culberson’s stock purchase

Posted on May 20, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. In a heated confirmation hearing for then-Georgia U.S. Rep. Tom Price for Secretary of Health and Human Services, Democrats raised pointed questions about the congressman’s trading in stocks of companies regulated by the House committees he serves on. One … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Culberson’s stock purchase

Friday random ten: Fluxblog 1981

Posted on May 19, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Fluxblog 80’s set #2: 1. Stand And Deliver – Adam and the Ants 2. Rise Above – Black Flag 3. What A Day That Was – David Byrne 4. (We Don’t Need This) Fascist Groove Thing – Heaven 17 5. … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Senate passes ban on straight-ticket voting

Posted on May 19, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It’s happening. The Texas Senate gave initial approval Wednesday to legislation that would eliminate straight-ticket voting in all elections. By a vote of 20-10, senators passed House Bill 25 over objections from Democrats who warned of unintended consequences — including … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Appeals court hears Paxton prosecutors pay arguments

Posted on May 19, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Meanwhile, back in Dallas, the 5th Court of Appeals had a hearing on the never-ending lawsuit by a Collin County crony to cut off payments to the Ken Paxton special prosecutors. On its face, the lawsuit filed by Jeffory Blackard, … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

State seeks Medicaid money it gave up over Planned Parenthood ban

Posted on May 19, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Ugh. Four years after Texas gave up millions of dollars in federal Medicaid funds so it could ban Planned Parenthood from participating in a family planning program for low-income women, the state is asking the Trump administration for the money … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on State seeks Medicaid money it gave up over Planned Parenthood ban

More “sanctuary cities” plaintiffs gearing up

Posted on May 19, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Local governments are not going down without a fight. On Tuesday, which organizers said was the beginning of a “summer of resistance,” Austin City Council member Delia Garza said the city will move this week to take formal action to … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on More “sanctuary cities” plaintiffs gearing up

Patrick takes some hostages

Posted on May 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This is what passes for leadership in our state. With deadlines looming, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on Wednesday threatened to push for a special session of the Legislature to pass a bill to regulate bathroom use for transgender Texans and … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Senate passes statewide rideshare bill

Posted on May 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a done deal. After a debate among lawmakers over the best way to regulate services like Uber and Lyft, the Texas Senate on Wednesday backed a proposal that would override local regulations concerning ride-hailing companies. House Bill 100 would … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Rep. Al Green calls for impeachment

Posted on May 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

He will have company. Amid multiple Trump-related scandals rocking the Capitol, U.S. Rep. Al Green, D-Houston, called for the impeachment of President Donald Trump from the House chamber on Wednesday morning. “I rise today, Mr. Speaker, to call for the … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Texas blog roundup for the week of May 15

Posted on May 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance doesn’t take loyalty pledges as it brings you this week’s roundup.

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged , | Comments Off on Texas blog roundup for the week of May 15

Cornyn withdraws from consideration to succeed Comey

Posted on May 17, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It was fun while it lasted. John Cornyn withdrew from consideration to be the next FBI director on Tuesday, saying the “best way I can serve is continuing to fight for a conservative agenda in the U.S. Senate.” “Now more … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Appeals court to determine if Paxton gets a new judge

Posted on May 17, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Hold everything. A state appeals court has intervened in the securities fraud case against Attorney General Ken Paxton, putting it on hold as his lawyers try to get a new judge. Hours after Paxton’s team requested that the Dallas-based 5th … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Appeals court to determine if Paxton gets a new judge

Try to wrap your mind around what I-45 will look like post-construction

Posted on May 17, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Swamplot is here to help. HAVING TROUBLE SIFTING through some of the massive freeway jumbles in the latest plans for that major I-45 reroute between Downtown and the Beltway? This new video (making the rounds this month as TxDOT hosts a set of public meetings … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Sen. Carlos Uresti indicted on federal fraud charges

Posted on May 17, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Very bad. State Sen. Carlos Uresti, accused of misleading a former client who invested in a company in which Uresti has a financial stake, was indicted by a federal grand jury on 11 charges over his involvement in the alleged … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The state’s voter ID failure is much bigger than you think

Posted on May 16, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

You really have to read this. The confusion started in the first hour of the first day of early voting in San Antonio last October. Signs in polling places about the state’s controversial voter ID law contained outdated rules. Poll … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Lawsuit filed against Houston panhandling ordinance

Posted on May 16, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: The ACLU of Texas announced today that it had filed a lawsuit on behalf of three homeless Houstonian plaintiffs adversely affected by the City of Houston’s camping and panhandling ordinances. Taken together, these ordinances illegally deprive homeless … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

More “sanctuary cities” litigation in the works

Posted on May 16, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Coming soon. Civil rights groups vigorously opposed to Texas’s new anti-“sanctuary cities” law – which would allow the jailing of sheriffs and police chiefs if they refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities – expect to file within the next … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Cornyn’s colleagues cool to him as FBI Director

Posted on May 16, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Boy, with friends like these… There is a growing obstacle standing in the way of Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, becoming the next director of the FBI — his own Republican colleagues. Led by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, a chorus … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

So who might run for Cornyn’s Senate seat?

Posted on May 15, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The short answer is “pretty much anyone”, but there are several names that are on top of everyone’s list of imagined candidates. At least three members of the U.S. House are mulling a run for a possible U.S. Senate vacancy, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

A bipartisan bill to address actual vote fraud

Posted on May 15, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Miracles do happen. Here’s something folks rarely see in Austin, or other statehouses, in these politically prickly times: a bipartisan effort to crack down on voter fraud. In the waning days of the 85th Texas Legislative Session, a group of … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on A bipartisan bill to address actual vote fraud

Metro begins regional transportation planning

Posted on May 15, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Metro wants your input. We want to hear your ideas for a regional transit plan for the future. METRO, led by its Board of Directors and chair Carrin Patman, is developing a new plan for transit services. It will build … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Metro begins regional transportation planning

Kinder Houston Area Survey 2017

Posted on May 15, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the press release. The majority of area residents don’t just feel okay about living in Houston – they would choose to stay in the Bayou City even if given a choice to move, according to the 2017 Kinder Houston … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Kinder Houston Area Survey 2017