Tag Archives: DPS

Judge halts Abbott’s “pull over migrants” executive order

Posted on August 5, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

For now, anyway. A federal judge on Tuesday blocked Gov. Greg Abbott and the state of Texas from ordering state troopers to pull over drivers transporting migrants “who pose a risk of carrying COVID-19.” U.S. District Judge Kathleen Cardone granted … Continue reading →

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Final settlement in Motor Voter 2.0 lawsuit

Posted on August 4, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

From Democracy Docket: Last Friday, individual Texan voters, the Texas Democratic Party, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) settled a five-year long lawsuit with Texas over its noncompliance with the National Voter Registration … Continue reading →

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Justice Department sues over Abbott’s anti-migrant executive order

Posted on July 31, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The Biden administration sued Texas on Friday, asking a federal judge to block Gov. Greg Abbott’s order that state troopers pull over drivers transporting migrants who pose a risk of carrying COVID-19 as a way to prevent the spread … Continue reading →

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Here are your new SB7s

Posted on July 9, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

We start with the House. The Texas House is starting off on a new foot on the contentious elections proposal that blew up the regular legislative session. As a special session reviving the Republican-priority bill got underway Thursday, there were … Continue reading →

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ACLU warns counties to stay away from the Abbott wall

Posted on June 28, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas sent letters today to 34 counties informing top officials that implementing Gov. Greg Abbott’s unlawful plan to engage in immigration enforcement would violate the U.S. Constitution. The letters, sent to … Continue reading →

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Abbott’s border wall

Posted on June 12, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

I have many questions about this, but for this post I will limit myself to three. Gov. Greg Abbott announced Thursday that Texas will build a border wall along the state’s boundary with Mexico — but provided no details on … Continue reading →

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Cybersecurity insurance for TxDOT

Posted on June 1, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Not an optional thing these days. Pending final approval from the legislature, the Texas Department of Transportation plans to spend about $100,000 annually on cybersecurity insurance aimed at repaying the state should it incur expenses related to loss of business … Continue reading →

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The Trib adds on to the updated date rape drug story

Posted on May 27, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

I was a little surprised when there wasn’t a Texas Tribune story about the revelation that the date rape drug allegation levied against a lobbyist turned out to have been fabricated. They’re usually pretty quick on stuff like that, even … Continue reading →

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The Capitol date rape drug allegation was fabricated

Posted on May 26, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Jesus Christ. The news landed at the Texas Capitol last month like a bombshell: State police were investigating claims that a male lobbyist from one of the most influential firms in Austin had used a date rape drug on two … Continue reading →

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No charges files in Capitol date rape drug incident

Posted on April 30, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

A not very satisfying resolution. The Texas Department of Public Safety and Travis County District Attorney’s Office said Thursday “that there is not enough evidence to support” an allegation that a lobbyist used a date rape drug on a Capitol … Continue reading →

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More on the Capitol date rape drug allegation

Posted on April 27, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Good for Speaker Dade Phelan for forthrightly calling this out, but the underlying issue is a matter of culture, it’s been this way for a long, long time, and it’s going to be a slog to change it. Texas House … Continue reading →

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DPS investigating allegation that a lobbyist drugged a female Capitol staffer

Posted on April 26, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

That’s the headline on this story, and it’s disturbing. Texas Department of Public Safety investigators are looking into an allegation from at least one female Capitol staffer who believes a lobbyist used a date-rape drug on her during a meeting … Continue reading →

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State Capitol closed again

Posted on January 17, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

At least through Inauguration Day, which is to say Wednesday. The Texas Department of Public Safety abruptly announced the closure of the state Capitol Friday evening after uncovering new intelligence that intensified security concerns and prompted the agency to ramp … Continue reading →

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A closer look at the Aguirre/Hotze debacle

Posted on December 22, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

This WaPo story was pointed out in the comments here, and it’s worth your time to read. I should note that while the Houston Chronicle has not (at least so far) identified the air conditioning repairman that Aguirre attacked, this … Continue reading →

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More on DPS and data protection

Posted on December 1, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

A followup from the DMN about that data breach involving every drivers license number you’ve ever had. Some other states do not sell [drivers’ license] data, but Texas does. State lawmakers could change the law in their 2021 session. I … Continue reading →

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DPS needs to do better with data protection

Posted on November 23, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Oops. You’ve been hacked. We’ve all been hacked. No one else has said it, but The Watchdog will. This is likely the largest and one of the more significant data breaches ever to hit Texans. About 27.7 million Texas driver’s … Continue reading →

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Hey, look, it’s online voter registration!

Posted on September 27, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

And they said it couldn’t be done. When Jarrod Stringer updated his driver’s license address in 2014, the Texas Department of Public Safety website asked if he wanted to register to vote. He clicked yes and thought he was registered. … Continue reading →

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Plaintiffs prevail again in Motor Voter Lawsuit 2.0

Posted on August 30, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Same result as before, this time without the technicality that got the first try thrown out on appeal. A persistent Texas voter, twice thwarted when he tried registering to vote while renewing his driver’s license online, has for the second … Continue reading →

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Abbott imposes travel restrictions

Posted on April 2, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Where we are now. Gov. Greg Abbott is tightening travel to Texas by ordering some motorists from Louisiana to self-quarantine for two weeks. The new travel restrictions come as Louisiana’s status as a novel coronavirus hotspot grew Sunday to more … Continue reading →

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It’s even harder to prosecute pot cases now

Posted on March 8, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Such a shame. What if lawmakers writing one of the most consequential laws to come out of last year’s legislative session, legalizing hemp in Texas, forgot to include a small, but crucial detail that could get your marijuana possession charges … Continue reading →

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How should we police the police?

Posted on February 16, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

This article raises a number of interesting questions. A quarter of the 60-plus law enforcement agencies operating in Harris County have refused to sign agreements to help local prosecutors track problem cops. Under those agreements, all signed since District Attorney … Continue reading →

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The next round in the Motor Voter 2.0 lawsuit

Posted on January 31, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Score one for the plaintiffs. Finding Texas in violation of federal law, a U.S. judge gave civil rights lawyers a small win Thursday — fueling hopes of a wider victory in a continuing fight over the state’s online voter registration … Continue reading →

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“Motor voter” lawsuit 2.0

Posted on January 17, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Try, try again, this time hopefully addressing the cause of the Fifth Court of Appeals’ rejection of the first lawsuit. The first time former English professor Jarrod Stringer was told he couldn’t vote in a Texas election, he sued. A … Continue reading →

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Another voter registration lawsuit filed

Posted on January 7, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

This time, the point of contention is electronic signatures. In a federal lawsuit filed Monday in San Antonio, the Texas Democratic Party and the campaign arms for Democrats in the U.S. House and Senate allege that Texas is violating the … Continue reading →

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Marijuana arrests stay down

Posted on January 6, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

We really should view this as the new normal, and not a problem to be “fixed”. It’s been more than six months since Texas lawmakers legalized hemp and unintentionally disrupted marijuana prosecution across the state. Since then, the number of … Continue reading →

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Fifth Circuit overturns “motor voter” lawsuit verdict

Posted on November 15, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Bummer. Totally expected and completely on brand for the Fifth Circuit, but a bummer nonetheless. A federal appeals court has overturned a previous ruling that could have opened the door to online voter registration in Texas. In a Wednesday court … Continue reading →

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State Rep. Poncho Nevarez busted for cocaine possession

Posted on November 15, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

It’s been a week, hasn’t it? I have three things to say about this. Authorities issued a warrant Thursday for the arrest of state Rep. Poncho Nevárez, an Eagle Pass Democrat, on felony drug possession charges. A state special investigator … Continue reading →

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Harris County’s gun surrender program

Posted on November 12, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Just common sense. Harris County officials on Tuesday announced four measures aimed at curbing gun violence, which County Judge Lina Hidalgo said are necessary because the state and federal governments have missed opportunities to prevent shootings. Hidalgo secured unanimous approval … Continue reading →

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No charges against Bonnen

Posted on October 25, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

No surprise. Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen will not be criminally prosecuted for the things he said during a secretly recorded June meeting with a hardline conservative activist, the district attorney in his hometown announced Thursday. “As repugnant as Speaker … Continue reading →

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So are there any legal consequences to the Bonnen tape?

Posted on October 17, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Probably not, but maybe a little. Does that help? It was, according to his critics, “hurtful,” “vindictive” and “unbefitting of the high office he holds.” But was House Speaker Dennis Bonnen’s June 12 meeting with conservative activist Michael Quinn Sullivan … Continue reading →

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The Bonnen tape is out

Posted on October 16, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a doozy. During a June conversation at the Texas Capitol, Republican House Speaker Dennis Bonnen urged hardline conservative activist Michael Quinn Sullivan to target members of their own party in the 2020 primaries and suggested he could get Sullivan’s … Continue reading →

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How’s that investigation into the Bonnen-MQS kerfuffle going?

Posted on October 12, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

About how you’d expect. If recent history is any indication, House Speaker Dennis Bonnen has little to fear from a Texas Rangers investigation into allegations he offered a bribe to a conservative activist. Investigators who have delved into accusations of … Continue reading →

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On Abbott, Austin, and homelessness

Posted on October 12, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

What Chris Hooks says. On Wednesday, the governor plunged headfirst into a political controversy that has dominated discussion in the city since June. Back then, the city council partially neutered several ordinances that essentially made being homeless in the city … Continue reading →

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MQS says he will release the Bonnen tape

Posted on October 11, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Well, well, well. Hardline conservative activist Michael Quinn Sullivan said Thursday he will release a secret recording of his controversial meeting with House Speaker Dennis Bonnen and another top GOP member next week. “I have been given the green light … Continue reading →

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