Author Archives: Charles Kuffner

Houston leads the way in resettling Afghan refugees

Posted on October 25, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Nicely done. The sudden crush of thousands of Afghans who arrived in Houston last fall forced local refugee resettlement agencies to drastically expand services in a matter of weeks. Houston’s role as the top destination for evacuated Afghans stressed these agencies, which had diminished in … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: The bonds

Posted on October 25, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron endorses a Yes vote for the Harris County bond propositions. The Castlewood subdivision in northeast Harris County was one of many neighborhoods blighted by Hurricane Harvey’s torrential rains. One too many floods inundated the shallow drainage ditches and … Continue reading →

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Early voting starts today for the November 2022 election

Posted on October 24, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

If you feel like this election has been going on since approximately the Clinton administration, I feel you. We are officially in the home stretch now, as early voting begins today. All the information you need for Harris County is … Continue reading →

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Charges dropped against Hervis Rogers

Posted on October 24, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Good, but this whole thing was an enraging travesty and in no way makes things right. Voter fraud charges against Hervis Rogers, who garnered widespread attention for waiting hours in line to vote at a Houston polling location during the … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Briones, Garcia, Garza

Posted on October 24, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron attempts to make some amends for their tortured endorsement of Judge Lina Hidalgo’s opponent by endorsing Lesley Briones for Commissioners Court in Precinct 4 over the incumbent Commissioner Jack Cagle. What do we want out of county government? … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for October 23

Posted on October 23, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Disbar them all. “I believe the House Jan. 6 committee’s legacy will depend on how its in-depth rendering of the events surrounding the 2020 election and the ensuing insurrection is presented, repeated and understood by successive generations of Americans.” “The … Continue reading →

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Of course voters of color has more mail ballots rejected

Posted on October 23, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Water is wet, the sun rises in the east, voter suppression laws disproportionately affect voters of color. Alice Yi of Austin is frustrated when she thinks about the March primary election, when her 92-year-old father tried to vote by mail, … Continue reading →

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Reading and writing and DNA kits…

Posted on October 23, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

I dunno, man. I just don’t know. Texas public school systems are set to distribute DNA and fingerprint identification kits for K-8 students to parents who wish to participate. The state Legislature passed a law in spring 2021 requiring the … Continue reading →

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If we can’t get high speed rail in Texas…

Posted on October 23, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

… At least we can maybe get some more Amtrak service. San Antonio residents finally may get new rail service connecting them to Dallas, Houston and Austin, according to a Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) filing. In an Oct. 5 … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Another smattering

Posted on October 23, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron endorses Cam Campbell in HD132. Texas House District 132, stretching from just south of Interstate 10 in eastern Katy to U.S. 290 in Cypress, features a handful of high school football powerhouses. Voters there fittingly get to choose … Continue reading →

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UT/Texas Politics Project: Abbott 54, Beto 43

Posted on October 22, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Not great. With in-person early voting set to begin in Texas on October 24, the latest University of Texas/Texas Politics Project poll finds Gov. Greg Abbott leading Democratic challenger Beto O’Rourke in the gubernatorial race, 54%-43%, among Texans likely to … Continue reading →

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Harris County asks for federal vote monitors

Posted on October 22, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

I agree with this. Houston and Harris County officials are asking the U.S. Department of Justice’s civil rights division to send monitors to assist in the upcoming November election in response to a letter the county received from the Texas … Continue reading →

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Two DeSantis updates

Posted on October 22, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

From the Express News: Top aides to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis were directly involved in arranging chartered flights that took 48 South Americans from San Antonio to Martha’s Vineyard last month, records show. Texts from Larry Keefe, DeSantis’ public safety … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Dudding and Warford

Posted on October 22, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron endorses Janet Dudding for Comptroller. In 2005, Janet Dudding found herself mucking out her home in Bay St. Louis-Waveland, Mississippi, after Hurricane Katrina sent a 32-foot storm surge across the town. “The first time I cried was when … Continue reading →

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State and county election result relationships, part 3: Other county races

Posted on October 21, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Part One Part Two Last time we looked at judicial races, which for all of the complaints about not knowing the candidates and just going by partisan labels have produced a consistent range of outcomes over the years. Some people … Continue reading →

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SOS inserts itself

Posted on October 21, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

It’s the damn fraudit again. The Texas secretary of state’s office on Tuesday warned Harris County officials it still is missing information about the chain of custody for certain election materials in its ongoing audit of the 2020 election. In … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Four from the appellate courts

Posted on October 21, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron knocks out its appellate court endorsements in one piece. 1st Court of Appeals, Chief Justice: Julie Countiss The current chief justice of the 1st Court of Appeals, who is stepping down, is Sherry Radack, a Republican who has … Continue reading →

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State and county election result relationships, part 2: Judicial races

Posted on October 20, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

In Part One of this series, we looked at the relationship between statewide results and Harris County results for statewide candidates. In the last three elections, statewide Democratic candidates have done on average more than nine points better in Harris … Continue reading →

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Judicial Q&A: Judge Josh Hill

Posted on October 20, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

(Note: As I have done in past elections, I am running a series of Q&As for Democratic judicial candidates. This is intended to help introduce the candidates and their experiences to my readers. This year it’s mostly incumbents running for … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: It’s Beto, and very much not Abbott

Posted on October 20, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron endorses Beto O’Rourke for Governor by taking Greg Abbott to the woodshed. Not many years ago, a newly elected Texas governor told cheering supporters, “You voted for hope over fear, for unity over division, for the majesty of … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of October 17

Posted on October 20, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance has three cheers for a jury in Connecticut along with its weekly roundup.

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Interview with Commissioner Adrian Garcia

Posted on October 19, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

I’m going to guess you’re probably familiar with Adrian Garcia, who is serving his first term as Harris County Commissioner in Precinct 2. He served three terms as Houston City Council member in District H, with his first election in … Continue reading →

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Judicial Q&A: Judge Beau Miller

Posted on October 19, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

(Note: As I have done in past elections, I am running a series of Q&As for Democratic judicial candidates. This is intended to help introduce the candidates and their experiences to my readers. This year it’s mostly incumbents running for … Continue reading →

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State Bar complaint against Ted Cruz was dismissed

Posted on October 19, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

This story ran a few days ago. A lawyer group that brought ethics complaints against Trump attorneys is trying to make it tougher for lawyers to use the legal system to overturn elections. The group, called the 65 Project, aims … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: A smattering

Posted on October 19, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron endorses Stephanie Morales, the Democratic challenger in HD138. Stephanie Morales began her interview with the editorial board with a story about children who wind up in the care of Child Protective Services, fleeing harsh conditions at home only … Continue reading →

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State and county election result relationships, part 1: How Harris compares

Posted on October 18, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the relationship between how statewide Democratic candidates do in Harris County versus how they do overall, and what that might tell us about the state of play in Harris County. Since I started … Continue reading →

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Judicial Q&A: Pamela Medina

Posted on October 18, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

(Note: As I have done in past elections, I am running a series of Q&As for Democratic judicial candidates. This is intended to help introduce the candidates and their experiences to my readers. This year it’s mostly incumbents running for … Continue reading →

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Republican Commissioners skip the meeting they called

Posted on October 18, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

On brand. So very on brand. The two Republican members of Harris County Commissioners Court have announced they will skip a special meeting Monday to discuss a compromise tax rate proposal by Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia, reversing the position they took … Continue reading →

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There’s a wave of hoax school shooting reports around the country

Posted on October 18, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Weird and scary. When Emmi Conley first heard in September about a rash of hoax calls reporting active shooters in schools, she dismissed it. Conley, an extremism researcher who studies groups and people behind public displays of violence, said she … Continue reading →

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Interview with Rochelle Garza

Posted on October 17, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

You are probably well acquainted with the current Attorney General of Texas. My goal here is to help acquaint you with the person who should be the next Attorney General of Texas, Rochelle Garza. A Brownsville native and fifth-generation Texan, … Continue reading →

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Judicial Q&A: Judge Alex Salgado

Posted on October 17, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

(Note: As I have done in past elections, I am running a series of Q&As for Democratic judicial candidates. This is intended to help introduce the candidates and their experiences to my readers. This year it’s mostly incumbents running for … Continue reading →

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Today is a court day for Steven Hotze

Posted on October 17, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

As you may recall, local wingnut crackpot Steven Hotze was sued last May by air conditioner repairman David Lopez after a couple of Hotze goons led by former HPD Captain Mark Aguirre assaulted him on the road in an unhinged … Continue reading →

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Is this just the calm before the next COVID wave?

Posted on October 17, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Things look good now, at least in the Houston area, but COVID never sleeps. As the U.S. heads into a third pandemic winter, the first hints are emerging that another possible surge of COVID-19 infections could be on its way. … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for October 16

Posted on October 16, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Don’t let the bastards get you down, Kate Starbird. Hang in there and I hope there’s an effective way to fight back as well. “As voters cast ballots in the 2022 midterms, they face significant changes in the voting rights … Continue reading →

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