Tag Archives: lawsuit

Motion to block implementation of new map filed

Posted on August 25, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Once again, from the inbox: Today, plaintiffs supported by the National Redistricting Foundation (NRF) filed a preliminary injunction to block the implementation of HB 4, which further gerrymanders the Texas congressional map.  After filing a supplemental complaint in the U.S. … Continue reading →

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New legal challenge filed against redistricting map

Posted on August 24, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Fron the inbox: Today, plaintiffs supported by the National Redistricting Foundation (NRF) initiated a legal challenge against the newly enacted congressional gerrymander in Texas in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, asking the court to strike … Continue reading →

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West Texas A&M drag ban blocked

Posted on August 24, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Good. A federal appeals court Monday blocked West Texas A&M University President Walter Wendler from enforcing a campus drag show ban, ruling that the performances are likely protected under the First Amendment. The 2-1 ruling from the 5th U.S. Circuit … Continue reading →

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Judge blocks Ten Commandments law

Posted on August 22, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Good. A federal judge in San Antonio temporarily halted a Texas law that would require public schools to post the Ten Commandments in every classroom by siding with a group of families who claimed the requirement harmed their children’s religious development. U.S. … Continue reading →

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Beto scores a win against Paxton

Posted on August 21, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Nice. An El Paso judge this week temporarily stopped Attorney General Ken Paxton from prosecuting former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke’s political group, Powered by People, after Paxton moved to block the organization from financially supporting Texas Democrats who left the … Continue reading →

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Motion for expedited review of proposed Congressional map filed

Posted on August 20, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox, on Monday night. Today, the National Redistricting Foundation (NRF) filed a motion in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas to ask the court to quickly set a hearing for a preliminary injunction that will … Continue reading →

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Judge rejects land ownership ban lawsuit for lack of standing

Posted on August 19, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Hmph. Two Chinese citizens who sued Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over a new law banning people from China and three other countries from buying property in the state do not have standing to bring a class-action lawsuit over the … Continue reading →

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First Ten Commandments lawsuit heard

Posted on August 18, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

We are promised a ruling before September 1, the date the law would go into effect. The debate surrounding a state law mandating the display of the Ten Commandments in public schools intensified Friday as attorneys representing 16 Texas families … Continue reading →

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Second lawsuit filed against Tarrant County over its mid-decade redistricting

Posted on August 17, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

This one has an interesting twist. The League of Women Voters of Tarrant County and the League of United Latin American Citizens are suing Tarrant County, the county’s commissioners court and County Judge Tim O’Hare over its mid-decade districting. The … Continue reading →

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First Kerrville flooding lawsuit filed

Posted on August 16, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Sure to be joined by many others. In the weeks since devastating floods hit Central Texas, killing 119 people in Kerr County — including 39 children — much has been made of various investigations, legislative proposals, and potential lawsuits over what went wrong in the early morning hours of … Continue reading →

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The end (of the quorum break) is near

Posted on August 15, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

And getting nearer. The House Democrats who fled Texas to block GOP redistricting appear likely to return in the coming days, according to a press release they issued Thursday. The caucus said its members will return if Republicans follow through … Continue reading →

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From the “Abortions for me but not for thee” department

Posted on August 15, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Wild, wild stuff. Three years after Starr County prosecutors charged 26-year-old Lizelle Gonzalez with murder for inducing her own abortion, District Attorney Gocha Ramirez swore under oath that when his office brought the case in early 2022 he didn’t know about … Continue reading →

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So when might the quorum busters return?

Posted on August 14, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Before I address that question, here’s an important bit of business to resolve. Illinois courts will not force Texas Democrats back to the state, a judge ruled Wednesday, dealing a blow to Attorney General Ken Paxton and House Speaker Dustin … Continue reading →

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What the finally released Uvalde records tell us

Posted on August 14, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

It shouldn’t have taken this long. And there’s still a lot of stuff we haven’t seen because it’s still tied up in the courts. New Uvalde school district records released late Monday provide more details about campus safety concerns raised … Continue reading →

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Everything happens on Tuesday

Posted on August 13, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Hey, remember when I said yesterday that there was still no quorum and not much had happened? That was then, this is now. The Supreme Court will take its sweet time in deciding on those quo warranto filings to expel … Continue reading →

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Lawsuit filed against land ownership ban

Posted on August 12, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Good. A pair of Chinese citizens asked a federal judge to block a new law banning Chinese nationals and people from a select number of other countries from buying or leasing property in Texas. In a lawsuit filed July 3, … Continue reading →

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Tesla and Musk sued over robotaxi issues

Posted on August 10, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. A group of Tesla shareholders sued the company and CEO Elon Musk, alleging they weren’t forthcoming about problems with its robotaxi. The proposed class action lawsuit, filed in a Texas federal court Monday, says Tesla misled investors, failed to … Continue reading →

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Quorum break Day 5 roundup: Help an ideological enemy out?

Posted on August 9, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Hilarious. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and House Speaker Dustin Burrows are asking an Illinois court to enforce arrest warrants against Democratic lawmakers who have left the state to delay passage of a GOP-backed congressional map. Burrows issued civil arrest … Continue reading →

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Quorum break Day 4 roundup: So what is the FBI doing?

Posted on August 8, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Nobody knows. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn announced that the FBI has granted his request to investigate and locate the Texas Democratic lawmakers who left the state in an attempt to stop the passage of new GOP-favored congressional maps. A spokesperson … Continue reading →

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Fifth Circuit upholds voter ID for vote by mail

Posted on August 8, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Of course they did. A federal appeals court has upheld Texas’ requirement that potential voters must list their identification information in their application for a mail-in ballot. In Texas, voting by mail is only available for certain groups of people, … Continue reading →

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Quorum break Day 3 roundup: Of course there’s a bomb threat

Posted on August 7, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I suppose something like this was inevitable. Texas House Democrats in Illinois to block GOP redistricting were evacuated from their hotel Wednesday morning due to a bomb threat, lawmakers and local police said. A press conference scheduled for 12:30 p.m. … Continue reading →

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Appeals court sides with Catholic Charities against Paxton

Posted on August 7, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Good. A Texas appeals court this week denied Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office’s request to question a nun who leads Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley, one of the state’s largest migrant aid organizations. In a 2-1 ruling issued … Continue reading →

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Quorum break Day 2 roundup: Paxton hauls out a big threat

Posted on August 6, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

He seems destined to fail, but we’re going to go through the motions anyway, I guess. Attorney General Ken Paxton will ask for a court ruling declaring vacant the seats of any lawmakers who are not back to work by … Continue reading →

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Tarrant County responds to redistricting lawsuit

Posted on August 4, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Noted for the record. Tarrant County filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by citizens claiming the county engaged in racial gerrymandering when they approved a map with new precinct boundaries on June 3. The motion argues the court … Continue reading →

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The last redistricting hearing

Posted on August 3, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

We’re just going through the motions at this point. The Texas redistricting map unveiled this week was drawn for the express purpose of boosting Republican strength in Congress, the House sponsor of the measure said Friday during the first, and … Continue reading →

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Lawsuit filed over latest anti-ESG laws

Posted on August 2, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Of interest. Glass Lewis and ISS, two of the best known proxy advisers, sued Texas on Thursday to block a first-of-its-kind state law limiting their ability to advise shareholders on diversity, environmental and governance practices. In complaints filed in Austin, … Continue reading →

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Friday redistricting roundup

Posted on August 1, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s take a moment and pour one out for the real victims of the proposed Congressional redistricting, Texas’ Republican Congressional incumbents. Democrats aren’t the only ones who won’t be happy with the way Texas Republicans on Wednesday proposed redrawing the … Continue reading →

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HFT sues unsuccessfully HISD over new teacher pay raises

Posted on August 1, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Of interest. A local teachers union is suing Houston ISD’s Superintendent Mike Miles and the Board of Managers after the district decided to distribute new teacher pay raises from the state by performance, not years of experience. The $3.7-billion Teacher … Continue reading →

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And just like that we have a map

Posted on July 31, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

That sure was fast. Good thing all those hearings are over. Texas GOP lawmakers released their first draft of the state’s new congressional map Wednesday, proposing revamped district lines that attempt to flip five Democratic seats in next year’s midterm … Continue reading →

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Paxton harasses NY clerk over Carpenter case

Posted on July 31, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

This is all for show. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton escalated a brewing conflict between Texas and New York’s abortion laws. On Monday, Paxton announced he filed legal action against New York Acting Ulster County Clerk Taylor Bruck for refusing … Continue reading →

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Redistricting roundup

Posted on July 30, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

While we wait for maps, we can ponder whether or not there will be a quorum break. As Republicans in Texas move full steam ahead with a plan to redraw the state’s congressional districts, Democrats are privately mulling their options, … Continue reading →

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So is there a map yet or not?

Posted on July 29, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Hard to believe Republicans are flying blind on this. While the Republican redistricting effort is underway in Texas, the fight is on nationally. So, too, is the wait, as political observers – and anxious politicians – hold on for the … Continue reading →

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The latest lawsuit to go after mifepristone

Posted on July 28, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

These guys will never stop. A Galveston man is suing a California doctor for allegedly providing his girlfriend with abortion-inducing drugs, the latest effort to test Texas’ anti-abortion laws against blue states’ protections for abortion providers. Unlike other ongoing legal … Continue reading →

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Still no maps

Posted on July 27, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

It’s weird. Not unexpected – the Republicans have always loved some secrecy in the redistricting process – but weird. The Texas House’s redistricting committee visited Houston on Saturday to hear out local residents’ concerns on the state Legislature’s plans to … Continue reading →

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