Tag Archives: Attorney General

Separating the Sheriff and the jail

Posted on May 12, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

As Commissioners Court prepares to name a replacement Sheriff, they have some bigger plans to discuss as well. A revolutionary idea is being pitched that would reshape the law enforcement agency by removing the troubled jail from the sheriff’s responsibilities. … Continue reading →

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Three bad bills

Posted on May 2, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Bad bill #1: State Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, has been trying for months to pass legislation that would make it tougher for local entities to bring in more tax revenue by taking advantage of rising property values. On Thursday, he … Continue reading →

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Uber sues Houston

Posted on May 1, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

It’s all about the secrecy. Uber is once again suing to keep its secrets. The ride-hailing service filed suit in Houston last week to block the release of public records that would reveal how many drivers it has licensed in … Continue reading →

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House approves bill to move Public Integrity Unit

Posted on April 21, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Like it or not, looks like this is going to get done. The Texas House gave initial approval Monday to a stripped-down bill that would remove public corruption cases from Travis County’s Public Integrity Unit. Final House approval is expected … Continue reading →

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Bill to kneecap Public Integrity Unit gets unstuck

Posted on April 9, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

And away it goes. Senate Bill 10, filed by Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, passed on second reading along party lines. The integrity unit is currently a state-funded division of the Travis County DA’s office that investigates public corruption, insurance fraud … Continue reading →

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TPJ refiles complaint against Paxton

Posted on April 8, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see if they have any better luck this time. Texans for Public Justice on Monday re-filed its criminal complaint against Attorney General Ken Paxton with local prosecutors in Dallas and Collin Counties, arguing the latter should recuse himself because … Continue reading →

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TPJ still wants Paxton investigated

Posted on April 4, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

At the very least, they don’t want the matter dropped due to blithe indifference. The head of a public watchdog group said he again will urge law enforcement to launch a probe into Attorney General Ken Paxton’s admitted violation of … Continue reading →

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Bill to kneecap Public Integrity Unit stuck in the Senate

Posted on April 3, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

For now, at least. A Republican bill to transfer the Public Integrity Unit out of Travis County has snagged in the Senate, where the legislation does not have enough support to force a floor vote — at least for now. … Continue reading →

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Paxton files his first lawsuit against the feds

Posted on March 19, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Won’t be his last, I’m sure, but as the first it sure seems like a rearguard action. The state of Texas is suing the Obama administration for giving medical leave benefits to certain same-sex couples, according to an announcement Wednesday … Continue reading →

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Bill to neuter Public Integrity Unit advances

Posted on March 17, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Still a bad idea. A measure that would take the state’s public corruption-fighting unit out of the hands of the Travis County district attorney’s office and place it in the Texas attorney general’s office was approved Monday by the Senate … Continue reading →

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Republicans try again to kill Public Integrity Unit

Posted on March 10, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

They might have the votes this time, though as with some other highly publicized “replacement” efforts, their substitute idea lacks a few key elements to make it successful. Under Senate Bill 10 by Sen. Joan Huffman, the attorney general’s office … Continue reading →

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Complaint filed against judge who allowed same sex marriage

Posted on February 26, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Whatever. The judge that allowed Texas’ first gay marriage to go forward is the target of a judicial conduct complaint, the latest volley in the state’s attempts to call the historic union into question. “This judge deliberately violated statutory law … Continue reading →

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The backlash has begun

Posted on February 23, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Item one. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Friday asked the state Supreme Court to void a marriage license issued to two Austin women who became the first same-sex couple to legally wed in the state. Sarah Goodfriend and Suzanne … Continue reading →

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First same-sex marriage in Texas happens

Posted on February 20, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

It may be the only one for awhile, but it will definitely not be the only one. Despite Texas’ longstanding ban on same-sex marriages, two Austin women made history on Thursday when they became the first gay couple to legally … Continue reading →

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Another judge finds Texas’ ban on same sex marriage to be unconstitutional

Posted on February 19, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

This ruling is a bit more narrow, however. A Travis County judge ruled Tuesday that the Texas ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional, but there was no rush to the altar after county officials — scrambling to assess the impact … Continue reading →

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Paxton evades prosecution

Posted on January 30, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

In Travis County, anyway. New Attorney General Ken Paxton, who in 2014 was found to have violated the Texas Securities Act, will not be prosecuted by the state’s office that investigates public corruption, officials said Thursday. Paxton, a former state … Continue reading →

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First hearing in Abbott’s immigration lawsuit

Posted on January 18, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

No clue what will happen with this. Saying South Texas is where the “rubber meets the road” on immigration issues, a federal judge used a folksy reference Thursday to note his court is the right place to decide whether to … Continue reading →

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The Fifth Circuit finally hears the same sex marriage appeal

Posted on January 10, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

I am very cautiously optimistic. Signaling significant doubt about the constitutionality of Texas’ ban on same-sex marriages, two federal appeals judges on Friday questioned a state attorney’s argument that marriage is a “subsidy” that the state has the right to … Continue reading →

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The Fifth Circuit hears the HB2 arguments

Posted on January 8, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe it’s not a slam dunk for HB2, though I refuse to get my hopes up. In a long line of tough questioning Wednesday over a new Texas abortion law, federal appeals judges here questioned whether part of a provision … Continue reading →

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How much do payday lenders suck?

Posted on December 24, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

This much. Pursuing, or even threatening, criminal charges against payday and title borrowers is strictly prohibited by Texas law, with very few exceptions. The Texas Constitution unequivocally states, “No person shall ever be imprisoned for debt.” But new research released … Continue reading →

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Plastic bag makers fight back

Posted on December 20, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I expect they will be busy during the legislative session working to block municipal laws that tax, limit, or ban single-use plastic bags. For years, Superbag in northwest Houston quietly manufactured the sacks that grocers and retail chains hand out … Continue reading →

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Abbott and the Latino vote

Posted on December 8, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The Trib drops a number on us. Along with his 20-point margin of victory, Gov.-elect Greg Abbott accomplished something on Election Day that many naysayers doubted the Republican could: He took 44 percent of the Hispanic vote. For Texas conservatives, … Continue reading →

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Ken Paxton is still an ethical morass

Posted on November 24, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

He’s just now a statewide ethical morass. A state judge will determine whether to revoke the securities license of Frederick Mowery, who was linked to the State Securities Board’s May reprimand of Attorney General-elect Ken Paxton, for allegations that included … Continue reading →

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Yet another lawsuit against Texas’ ban on same sex marriage

Posted on November 20, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

And then there were ten. Texas now has at least 10 pending lawsuits challenging the state’s bans on same-sex marriage — believed to be the most of any state. An Austin lesbian widow is the latest to challenge the marriage … Continue reading →

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UT/Trib poll says Texans would be fine with same sex marriage

Posted on November 3, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

A result of interest from the most recent UT/Trib poll: Registered Texas voters narrowly oppose same-sex marriage, but a large majority is open to allowing either marriage or civil unions to gays and lesbians, according to the latest University of … Continue reading →

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Abbott’s actions in the Hecht ethics case belie his “just doing my job” evasion

Posted on October 24, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

More accurately, it’s his lack of action that speaks clearly about his priorities and discretion. Attorney General Greg Abbott, accused of favoritism in his handling of an ethics case involving a Texas Supreme Court justice, says it’s not his duty … Continue reading →

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Interview index

Posted on October 23, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

For your convenience, here is a list of all my interviews and judicial Q&As for the November election. This includes ones I did for the primary and runoff. Interviews US Senate – David Alameel Attorney General – Sam Houston Comptroller … Continue reading →

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On Greg Abbott and who gets to get married

Posted on October 23, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

As you may have heard, Peggy Fikac got to ask Greg Abbott the obvious question about how exactly the state’s law against same-sex marriage, which Abbott is diligently defending in court, differs from the old laws that once banned interracial … Continue reading →

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Chron overview of the AG race

Posted on October 17, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Couple of interesting tidbits in here. A tea party darling with a dozen years in the state Legislature, Sen. Ken Paxton has avoided the media since admitting to a third-degree felony violation of state securities law in late April. Spokesman … Continue reading →

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TPJ files suit against Abbott over Hecht ethics case

Posted on October 17, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Here we go again. An Austin legal watchdog group filed suit Wednesday to force action on a $29,000 ethics fine, levied against Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan Hecht in 2008, that has languished on appeal for 5½ years. The … Continue reading →

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Abbott’s appellate response brief is the same old junk

Posted on October 14, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Pathetic. Attorney General Greg Abbott says Texas’ same-sex marriage ban should remain in place because legalizing it would do little or nothing to encourage heterosexual couples to get married and have children. Writing in a brief filed to the 5th … Continue reading →

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Voter ID plaintiffs ask for no stay

Posted on October 13, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

They’ve filed their response to the Fifth Circuit. Attorneys challenging Texas’ voter ID law — which was struck down by a federal judge on Thursday — asked a federal appeals court on Sunday not to allow the state to enforce … Continue reading →

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More on the voter ID ruling

Posted on October 12, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

As always with big court cases, the first question is who benefits politically from the decision? With a federal judge having declared Texas’ voter ID unconstitutional, Democrats and political experts on Friday predicted the surprise decision potentially could help Wendy … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Sweep for Sam Houston

Posted on October 12, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The Houston Chronicle endorses Sam Houston, completing a sweep of the big papers for the Democratic candidate for Attorney General. Democratic candidate Sam Houston is the best choice on the ballot. A graduate of Baylor Law School and candidate for … Continue reading →

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