Tag Archives: The Lege

John Scott keeps wanting to have it both ways

Posted on November 3, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

You’re kind of close to getting it, John. You do need to do better, though. Speaking in July to a group of concerned conservative voters in Dallas, Texas Secretary of State John Scott declared that Texas elections were the nation’s … Continue reading →

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How long has it been since the Fifth Circuit upheld a voter suppression law?

Posted on October 29, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

However long it’s been, they’re back at it. A federal appeals court on Wednesday revived a 2021 Texas law that set new residency requirements for voter registration, including one that civil rights groups alleged essentially blocked college students from signing … Continue reading →

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It’s really tough on LGBTQ students right now

Posted on October 29, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Not a surprise, unfortunately. Schools remain a hostile place for LGBTQ students, according to a new report from the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network, which found a decline in access to resources, books and supportive clubs for those students. … Continue reading →

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Ramsey and Cagle finish sabotaging the budget

Posted on October 26, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

They got what they wanted. Harris County’s prolonged political battle over the budget came to an end today. For over a month, the two GOP members of Commissioners Court have broken quorum, skipping meetings to prevent Democrats from passing their … 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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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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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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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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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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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 may be a county budget deal available

Posted on October 16, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t trust anything Commissioners Cagle and Ramsey say, but we’ll see. The two Republican members of Harris County Commissioners Court said Friday they would attend a special meeting Monday to discuss a compromise tax rate proposal by Precinct 2 … Continue reading →

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So many abortion clinics have closed

Posted on October 15, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Most of them are in Texas. More than half of the 23 abortion clinics in Texas have closed since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June, according to a new report. Twelve clinics have shuttered their operations … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Yeah, I’m still mad

Posted on October 14, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s that Chuck Crews endorsement I thought we were going to get on Wednesday instead of that giant turd the Chron gifted us with. State Rep. Briscoe Cain’s three terms in the Texas House could charitably be described as harmful … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Travesty

Posted on October 13, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

I have to link to this atrocious Chron endorsement of Republican Alexandra Mealer, but I refuse to quote from it. Instead, I’m going to crib from the daily Texas AFL-CIO email newsletter, which had its own thoughts on the matter: … Continue reading →

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Just keep staying away, Commissioners

Posted on October 12, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

At this point the pattern is clear. They’re just going to keep staying away, at least until after the election. At which point one can hope that one of them will have a more permanent vacation from these duties. For … Continue reading →

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School enrollment in Texas declined in 2020-2021

Posted on October 12, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Blame it on COVID. Tens of thousands more students either dropped out or otherwise left Texas public schools during the 2020-21 school year, compared to previous years, according to the most recently available records from the Texas Education Agency. The number of students … Continue reading →

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I think you know the root cause of the problem, John

Posted on October 11, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

I was fascinated by this Texas Monthly feature on Secretary of State John Scott, who is being pushed to reckon with the insane and dangerous levels of election denial and anti-democratic activism. I’m pretty sure he gets it, he just … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Of course it’s Collier

Posted on October 10, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron writes one of the longest and most effusive endorsements I’ve ever seen for Democratic Lt. Governor candidate Mike Collier. Mike Collier won’t just promise to lower your property tax bill, he’ll tell you how he’s going to do … Continue reading →

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SCOTx to rule on the HISD takeover lawsuit

Posted on October 8, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

This feels like something from another era. The Texas Supreme Court on Thursday heard arguments on a yearslong case over whether the Texas Education Agency has the authority to remove all of the Houston school district’s board members and temporarily … Continue reading →

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Evade this, Kenny

Posted on October 6, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Paxton gets ordered to testify, along with an old-fashioned bench slapping. A federal judge has ordered Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to testify in an abortion rights lawsuit. U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman had previously quashed the subpoena, which Paxton … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: You have to want it first

Posted on October 6, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron endorses Duncan Klussman in CD38, partly by default. When we gave Wesley Hunt our endorsement in the Republican primary, he made it clear he’d rather go without it. Now, in the general election, we are more than happy to oblige him. Democratic challenger Duncan … Continue reading →

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Fifth Circuit does its thing with appeal of voter purge case

Posted on October 2, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Get out the rubber stamp. A federal appeals court has ruled that Texas does not need to release details about a list of 11,737 registered voters whom the state has identified as potential noncitizens. The U.S. Court of Appeals for … Continue reading →

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Texas to appeal that ridiculous ruling that forbade banning handgun sales to those under 21

Posted on October 1, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Now we’ll see if their heart is in it. Texas is gearing up to fight a judge’s ruling that the state can’t ban adults under 21 from carrying handguns, a move that’s drawing anger from some gun rights groups. … Continue reading →

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In case you needed a clear example of the moral depravity of the “right to life” movement

Posted on October 1, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

So a couple of days ago State Sen. Robert Nichols, who has a consistent anti-abortion voting record, said at the Texas Tribune Festival that he would be willing to add a rape exception to Texas’ extremely strict forced birth laws. … Continue reading →

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Too many bicyclists die on the roads around here

Posted on October 1, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

We should be more upset about this. More than 100 bicyclists have died on Harris County roads over the past five years, according to data from the Texas Department of Transportation. A Chronicle analysis of TxDOT roadway crash data found … Continue reading →

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CCA tells Paxton again that he’s not the supreme prosecutor

Posted on September 30, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Good, but this isn’t over. It just means that the fight will have shifted. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s last-ditch attempt to regain the power of his office to unilaterally prosecute election cases was rejected by the state’s highest criminal … Continue reading →

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The hearing that Paxton was trying to flee from

Posted on September 29, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

It’s about whether the First Amendment rights of abortion funds have been abridged by threats of prosecution from people like Ken Paxton. You know, no big deal. Leaders of Texas’ most prominent abortion funds on Tuesday implored a federal judge … Continue reading →

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Republican Commissioners abscond again

Posted on September 29, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Cowards. Republicans Tom Ramsey of Precinct 3 and Jack Cagle of Precinct 4 skipped Tuesday’s Commissioners Court meeting as part of an ongoing battle of political wills that could extend until the deadline for approving a tax rate passes at … Continue reading →

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The limitations of Plan B

Posted on September 27, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

A helpful and timely explainer from the Associated Press. WHAT ARE EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTIVES? Emergency contraceptives are used to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex or if a method of birth control fails. Two types of medications, sometimes referred to as “morning … Continue reading →

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There are many variables affecting what might happen with abortion law in Texas

Posted on September 26, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Another way to put this: What can Beto do as Governor with a Republican legislature to make abortion laws less bad in Texas? Toward the end of a virtual campaign event last month, one of Beto O’Rourke’s supporters asked how … Continue reading →

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Interview with Cam Campbell

Posted on September 23, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

I have spoken to many candidates for office over the years, from all walks of life. I don’t believe I had spoken to one who is called “Coach” before, but that ends today with Cameron “Coach Cam” Campbell, the Democratic … Continue reading →

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The Biden student loan forgiveness plan will help a lot of Texans

Posted on September 23, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Hope they’re all voters, because it’s very clear who is on their side and who is against them. More Texans would benefit from President Joe Biden’s plan to forgive student loan debt than residents of nearly any other state — … Continue reading →

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