Tag Archives: Roland Gutierrez

April 2023 campaign finance reports – Congress

Posted on April 29, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

And so we begin another Congressional campaign fundraising cycle. For obvious reasons, the opening list of who’s raising what for which office is a lot smaller than it’s been recently, though I do expect this list to grow a bit … Continue reading →

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Sen. Gutierrez talks about 2024

Posted on April 28, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

He’s officially still thinking about it and will announce after the session. I’d say it’s a strong bet he’s already decided to run. State Senator Roland Gutierrez said Wednesday he’s going to wait before deciding on running for U.S. Senate. … Continue reading →

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On the (likely) future Biden/Trump matchup

Posted on April 27, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

It’s way too early to pay any attention to state polling, but there are a few general principles to discuss here. President Joe Biden announced his reelection bid on Tuesday, setting up a potential rematch with former President Donald Trump … Continue reading →

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Sen. Gutierrez appears to be getting set to challenge Ted Cruz

Posted on April 20, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Very interesting. State Sen. Roland Gutierrez, a San Antonio Democrat who has become a fierce champion of the families impacted by the Uvalde school shooting, is likely to run against Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz in 2024, The Texas Tribune … Continue reading →

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A brief but dismal legislative update

Posted on April 6, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Just a few recent news stories, to give you an idea of what’s happening in the Legislative session, and why I have been avoiding it. Item 1: Republican Texas senators on Monday reversed themselves and voted against allowing transgender kids currently being treated with puberty … Continue reading →

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Senate re-passes its redistricting map

Posted on April 5, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Mostly political theater, as there’s little reason to believe they actually need to cover their butts at this point. A year and half after it was first approved, the Texas Senate on Monday voted to rubber-stamp a map setting the … Continue reading →

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Yes, it’s another Senate 2024 post

Posted on April 3, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Sorry, I’m legally obligated to blog about these, I don’t make the rules. Texas Democrats acknowledge that a steep climb awaits whoever challenges Cruz in 2024. But though they have limited options, they believe at least one potential candidate could … Continue reading →

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Three stories on Uvalde and gun control

Posted on February 19, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

First, a story about locks and why an obsession with locking school doors is not really going to improve safety. In the aftermath of school shootings like the one in Uvalde, what can get overlooked is basic: Schools need doors … Continue reading →

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Still more Uvalde bills from Sen. Gutierrez

Posted on February 10, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

At least one of these might have a chance to pass. State Sen. Roland Gutierrez wants the Texas Department of Public Safety to create robust mass shooting response training for all public safety entities after the chaotic response to the … Continue reading →

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Is it finally the time for Julian Castro?

Posted on February 4, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

This story is mostly about Ted Cruz and whether he might run for President again in 2024; the tone of the story is that he probably won’t. No one cares about that, but because it is a story about 2024 … Continue reading →

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Sen. Gutierrez files more Uvalde bills

Posted on January 29, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Wish I could say any of these had a chance, but the work he’s doing is still vital and necessary regardless. State Sen. Roland Gutierrez, who represents Uvalde, said Tuesday that he is leading legislation to make it easier for … Continue reading →

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Pushing the panic button

Posted on January 23, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

This feels like security theater to me, but it’s what passes for progress these days. All school districts in Montgomery County will soon be using panic alert technology during emergencies, including an active shooter situation, a security measure Texas education … Continue reading →

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It’s re-redistricting time

Posted on January 13, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

More amusing than alarming, with a bit of annoying as well. The Texas Senate voted unanimously on Wednesday to again take up the decennial process of redrawing the boundaries of the state’s political districts a year and a half after … Continue reading →

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Will we finally close the “dead suspect” loophole?

Posted on December 28, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

The short answer is no we won’t, but it will be worth the effort anyway. In November, state Representative Joe Moody, an El Paso Democrat who served on a committee that investigated the Uvalde killings, filed House Bill 30, a … Continue reading →

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Sen. Gutierrez begins his mission to be a pest about Uvalde

Posted on November 16, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

One of the things I’ll be watching this session. State Sen. Roland Gutierrez of San Antonio has pre-filed three bills ahead of Texas’ next legislative session that would reform state gun laws and set up a state fund to compensate … Continue reading →

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Sen. Gutierrez vows to be a pest about Uvalde and gun control in the next session

Posted on November 11, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

I’m rooting for him. As he watched a couple load ice chests into their car at a gas station, something didn’t sit right with Roland Gutierrez. The pair were likely on their way to the lake to enjoy the late … Continue reading →

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We have different definitions of “failure”

Posted on October 29, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

And by “we”, I mean DPS head Steve McCraw and everybody else. Weeks after Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw said he would resign if his troopers had “any culpability” in the botched police response to the Uvalde … Continue reading →

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Abbott weasels on raising the minimum age to buy an assault weapon

Posted on September 2, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Typical. Gov. Greg Abbott said Wednesday that it would be unconstitutional to increase the minimum age to buy assault-style rifles from 18 to 21 years old — a key proposal Uvalde parents have called for after an 18-year-old gunned down … Continue reading →

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Another lawsuit over Uvalde public information

Posted on September 1, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

This all really is ridiculous. The Texas Tribune, along with a group of other news organizations, filed a lawsuit Monday against the city of Uvalde, the Uvalde County Sheriff’s Office and the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District asking a judge … Continue reading →

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A long look at the lack of accountability in Uvalde

Posted on August 16, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

CNN has a very long piece about how there are many investigations going on about the Uvalde massacre but seemingly little to hold anyone accountable for it. Uvalde residents, especially the parents of Robb Elementary children, are increasingly frustrated with … Continue reading →

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DPS can keep Uvalde info secret for now

Posted on August 11, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Hopefully not for much longer. A state district judge ruled Wednesday that the Department of Public Safety does not have to turn over records related to the Uvalde school shooting sought by state Sen. Roland Gutierrez, who had sued the … Continue reading →

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Uvalde updates

Posted on July 7, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Too much news, so time for a news dump. Uvalde shooting victims aren’t getting compensated from state fund as intended, officials say. State Sen. Roland Gutierrez and Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin said Monday that families of the Uvalde shooting victims … Continue reading →

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The empty “mental health” promise

Posted on June 28, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

What’s going on in Uvalde these days. Days after the May 24 shooting, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott promised an “abundance of mental health services” to help “anyone in the community who needs it … the totality of anyone who lives … Continue reading →

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Uvalde versus DPS

Posted on June 23, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Someone’s not happy. Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin on Tuesday accused state authorities of selectively releasing information about last month’s school shooting to scapegoat local law enforcement and intentionally leaving out details about the state’s response to the massacre. New details … Continue reading →

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What was DPS doing during the Uvalde massacre?

Posted on June 15, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Not much, it would seem. As many as 13 troopers with the Texas Department of Public Safety waited in a hallway at one point during a gunman’s rampage that killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in … Continue reading →

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If committees are all we’re going to get, then let’s get something from the committees

Posted on June 5, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Not too much to ask, I hope. Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan on Friday announced the creation of a legislative committee to investigate the Uvalde shooting. “The fact we still do not have an accurate picture of what exactly happened … Continue reading →

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SCOTx hearing on state redistricting lawsuits

Posted on March 24, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

The state lawsuits over the “county line rule” in Cameron County and the Eckhardt/Gutierrez “decennial redistricting only in a regular session” contention had a hearing before the State Supreme Court over whether these suits can be heard in state district … Continue reading →

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Supreme Court to hear whether state redistricting lawsuit can proceed

Posted on January 24, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the update I’ve been waiting for. Not what I was hoping for, but it is what it is. The state’s bid to toss a legal challenge arguing last year’s GOP-led redistricting effort violated the Texas Constitution is headed to … Continue reading →

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Supreme Court rejects mandamus over Commissioners Court redistricting

Posted on January 12, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

The primary will proceed as scheduled, but the issue could be revisited sometime after the 2022 election. The Texas Supreme Court rejected an effort by Republican commissioners and voters to block Harris County’s recent redistricting plan on Friday, suggesting another … Continue reading →

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The state of the state redistricting lawsuits

Posted on December 26, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

A good update, and a reminder that not all of the action is in federal court. In two cases heard [December 14 and 15], a group of mostly Democratic, Hispanic lawmakers from both chambers challenged the legality of when and … Continue reading →

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Redistricting litigation update

Posted on November 27, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Reform Austin shows that the state’s legal defense strategy against the various redistricting lawsuits is “You can’t sue us!” Because of the clear racial gerrymandering, multiple groups are launching legal challenges under the Voting Rights Act. The state has now … Continue reading →

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A brief update on the Gutierrez/Eckhardt redistricting lawsuit

Posted on October 31, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

First news we’ve had in awhile. Plaintiff: Democratic state Sens. Roland Gutierrez and Sarah Eckhardt What the lawsuit argues: Ahead of lawmakers’ third special session, two Democratic state senators sued to block the Legislature from redistricting in a special session … Continue reading →

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Senate passes Congressional map

Posted on October 9, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Start the litigation countdown. Yes, I know, this still has to pass the House, but still. The Texas Senate approved a map Friday that would largely protect incumbents in Congress while reducing the number of districts in which Black and … Continue reading →

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Get ready for redistricting

Posted on September 18, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

The next special session starts Monday, and we should expect to see proposed redistricting maps. It’s going to be a rough few weeks, in part because the guardrails are gone, which will allow Republicans to run amuck. The 2020 census … Continue reading →

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