Tag Archives: Jared Woodfill

First HERO repeal petition hearing today

Have I mentioned that this is a really busy month for big ticket courtroom action? Conservative opponents suing the city over its equal rights ordinance are pushing, along with several City Council members, for the upcoming case to go before … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on First HERO repeal petition hearing today

Woodfill gets another injunction

WTF? A state district judge on Wednesday ordered the city of Houston to stop offering health and life insurance benefits to the same-sex spouses of married employees, but city attorneys say they plan an immediate appeal that, once filed, could … Continue reading

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

Jared Woodfill sues again

Dude is obsessed. Former Harris County GOP Chair Jared Woodfill isn’t giving up on his fight to block the city of Houston from providing benefits to the same-sex spouses of employees. After Mayor Annise Parker extended benefits to same-sex spouses … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Jared Woodfill sues again

City files amended petitions

From the inbox: As follow up to a promise made earlier in the week, the City of Houston has revised its subpoenas in the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO) repeal petition case. The disputed request has been narrowed to focus … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on City files amended petitions

Steven Hotze in his own words

Media Matters sat in on a conference call of professional haters, and, well, see for yourself. Fox News hero and prominent Texas conservative Dr. Steven Hotze warned supporters during a conference call that gay activists want to overturn laws prohibiting … Continue reading

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Steven Hotze in his own words

Lawsuit over same sex benefits for city employees moved back to state court

The passage of the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance and the efforts to put a repeal referendum on the ballot have been one of the big local stories this year, but you may recall that before we were all talking about … Continue reading

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

HERO repealers try their luck with the Supreme Court

Because sure, why not? Opponents of Houston’s equal rights ordinance have asked the Texas Supreme Court to force the city secretary to certify the signatures on a petition they submitted seeking to trigger a repeal referendum on the law. Houston’s … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on HERO repealers try their luck with the Supreme Court

HERO repeal hopefuls try another venue

Whatever. Conservative opponents of Houston’s equal rights ordinance have asked an appeals court to force the city secretary to certify the signatures on their petitions to force a repeal referendum on the November ballot. Equal rights ordinance critics filed a … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

HERO repeal lawsuit moves back to state court

Are we dizzy yet? Conservative activists seeking to repeal the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance trumpeted a small victory Thursday when a court hearing resulted in the ordinance being suspended pending an Aug. 15 hearing. Mayor Annise Parker, anticipating a lawsuit, … Continue reading

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

HERO repeal lawsuit moved to federal court

And the bad guys are very unhappy about it. Conservative activists seeking to repeal Houston’s equal rights ordinance accused the city of stalling the issue Wednesday after city lawyers moved the opponents’ lawsuit over rejected ballot petitions from state to … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on HERO repeal lawsuit moved to federal court

Petition deadline coming

Scott Braddock takes a look at the petition effort to repeal the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance, which must turn in its homework this week. Opponents led by longtime – and now former because he was recently ousted – Harris County … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Petition deadline coming

Who stands with Jared?

I noted yesterday that soon-to-be-former Harris County GOP Chair Jared Woodfill is busy trying to gather petition signatures to repeal the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance. Here’s the beginning of his pitch: I want to thank all of you who stood … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Who stands with Jared?

Yes, Greg Abbott opposes the HERO

He just doesn’t want to be forced to admit it. When the Houston City Council passed its nondiscrimination ordinance including gay and transgender protections, top Democratic statewide candidates such as Sen. Wendy Davis were quick to celebrate. “All people should … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

How can we miss you if you won’t go away?

Denise Pratt is a gift that keeps on giving. Denise Pratt may not be gone just yet. Two days after announcing her immediate resignation as presiding judge of the 311th family District Court – and the suspension of her re-election … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

A new day for the Harris County GOP?

Lisa Falkenberg postmortems the changing of the guard at the Harris County GOP. Now that [Paul] Simpson defeated [Jared] Woodfill in the Republican primary election earlier this week, [Rep. Sarah] Davis is hoping her past experience with him is prologue. … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Primary results: Harris County

The big news here is that there were no surprises on the Democratic side, in particular no unpleasant surprises. By far the best news was that Kim Ogg easily bested Lloyd Oliver in the primary for DA, with over 70% … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Harris County GOP to yell at cloud on Monday

Lone Star Q: Calling gay people “sodomites” and U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia a “would-be dictator,” the Harris County Republican Party announced it will host a news conference Monday morning in response to Garcia’s ruling Wednesday striking down Texas’ bans … Continue reading

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

Next steps in the Texas same sex marriage lawsuit

In case you were wondering, Attorney General and candidate for Governor Greg Abbott will appeal Wednesday’s historic ruling striking down Texas’ constitutional amendment barring same sex marriage. The state of Texas has officially given notice that it is appealing a … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

First day of early voting

Here are the Day One primary early voting totals, which was reasonably heavy and which went according to prediction, with most of the votes on the Republican side. The Chron preview story lays it out. Early voting for the March … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on First day of early voting

Chron overview of Harris County GOP Chair race

This race has provided quite a bit of entertainment for us armchair types. The race to head the Harris County Republican Party is about as far down the ballot as you can get. As such, it typically generates neither news … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Endorsement watch: EQTx for Davis

Sarah Davis, that is. A gay rights group Tuesday backed its first Texas Republican in a primary election, for better or worse. State Rep. Sarah Davis, R-West University Place, will find out in March if the endorsement, from Equality Texas, … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Abbott inserts himself in Houston same sex benefits lawsuit

Not a surprise. Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott has filed briefs arguing that a state court should be given an opportunity to declare Houston’s new policy of granting benefits to some same-sex partners of employees unlawful under Texas’ marriage laws. … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Abbott inserts himself in Houston same sex benefits lawsuit

City benefits for same sex spouses back on

For now, at least. A federal judge ruled Thursday that same-sex couples legally married in other states can keep health and life insurance benefits that were extended to spouses of city of Houston employees in November. […] [Noel] Freeman’s husband’s … Continue reading

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on City benefits for same sex spouses back on

City moves anti-same sex spouse benefits lawsuit to federal court

Interesting. Mayor Annise Parker and the city of Houston have moved a lawsuit challenging same-sex benefits out of Republican Judge Lisa Millard’s court after she allegedly halted the benefits without giving the city proper notice. City Attorney David Feldman filed … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

More on the local GOP’s lawsuit against same sex spouse insurance benefits

Family Court? What’s up with that? City Attorney Dave Feldman said Wednesday that the city of Houston and Mayor Annise Parker were not given notice before a family district court judge halted a recent policy change extending health and life … Continue reading

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

Harris County GOP sues over same sex spouse benefits for city employees

When Mayor Parker announced that legally married same sex spouses would be eligible to be added to city employees’ health insurance plans, I was certain that there would be legal action taken against that decision. The Harris County GOP has … Continue reading

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

Judge Pratt update

The most embattled Family Court judge in Harris County is still on the ballot, in case you were wondering. Embattled state District Court Judge Denise Pratt, accused of falsifying court records to cover up tardy rulings, intends to remain on … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Moving the focus back to un-crowding the jails

This is a positive development. Newly appointed Harris County District Attorney Devon Anderson on Wednesday pledged to curb the increasing number of low-level felons being sentenced to serve misdemeanor time in the county jail rather than going to prison, known … Continue reading

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Moving the focus back to un-crowding the jails

Everybody loves early voting now

From the County Clerk’s office: The Chief Election Officer of the County, Stan Stanart, announced [Monday night] that Harris County voters set a new record for voting during the first day of Early Voting in person. 47,093 persons voted on … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2012 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Stimulate the economy with marriage equality

​If New York can do it… New York City made quite a bit of money on gay marriage — 200,000 bucks, in fact. Cash flow into the city’s marriage bureau shot up since August, when same-sex nups got enacted, according … Continue reading

Posted in Society and cultcha | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Stimulate the economy with marriage equality

Harris County GOP to harass Mayor Parker about gay marriage

Bring it. The Harris County Republican Party is calling on its members to tell the mayor to back off on same-sex marriage. In an email blast sent out Monday, Chairman Jared Woodfill asks recipients to call or email the mayor … Continue reading

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

The plaintiffs’ proposal for the Lege

I know it will break your heart to hear that Harris County GOP Chair Jared Woodfill is a little peeved at Greg Abbott and Steve Munisteri because he thinks the Abbott map makes Harris County too Democratic. What got Woodfill … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2012 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Council redistricting will be messier than it needs to be

Houston City Council is set to start their discussion about redistricting, but some people want them to stop. Councilman Mike Sullivan views expansion as a function of mayor-council politics, and he opposes it. Houston’s residents, Sullivan said in an impromptu … Continue reading

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Paper ballots: Views differ

One reason why Harris County will make paper ballots available to anyone who wants them this year is because Beverly Kaufman is afraid we won’t get enough replacement voting machines in time for the election. In a letter to county … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments