Tag Archives: Congress

Next phases of redistricting lawsuit scheduled

Posted on July 11, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Part One takes place next week. The trial over 2011 House district boundaries begins July 14 in U.S. District Court, where a hearing Tuesday shed light on how the case could unfold. The proceeding are expected to last at least … Continue reading →

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The real reason we need border security

Posted on July 9, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

To protect us from these guys. Several anti-government groups – many of which participated in the standoff at Cliven Bundy’s Nevada ranch – are recruiting armed volunteers to travel to the Texas-Mexico border as a citizen militia to participate in … Continue reading →

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What do the Mayors want?

Posted on July 1, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Action on climate change. The U.S. Conference of Mayors, a bipartisan group that represents the leaders of 1,400 cities, each of which is home to at least 30,000 people, has called on the Obama administration and Congress to “enact an … Continue reading →

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Of course some people will split their votes

Posted on June 16, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

It’s just a matter of how many of them do so, and if the races in question are close enough for it to matter. Democrats are hoping the Republicans will eventually make some of the mistakes Democrats themselves made back … Continue reading →

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Steve Stockman ethics update

Posted on June 14, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

He still doesn’t have any, but I’m talking about the investigation into his highly questionable campaign finance activity. The House Ethics Committee extended its probe into U.S. Rep. Steve Stockman on Wednesday, releasing a report detailing allegations that he tried … Continue reading →

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Culberson versus Poe on University line funding

Posted on June 11, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Unfortunately, Culberson has won again. In a repeat of last year, Rep. John Culberson, R-Houston, and Rep. Ted Poe, R-Humble, took their dispute over the Metropolitan Transit Agency’s University Line to the floor of the House on Monday. Culberson, as … Continue reading →

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Culberson’s attempt to kill the Universities Line about to come up for a vote

Posted on June 7, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

From Houston Tomorrow: US Representative John Culberson has pushed an amendment through to the floor of the US House of Representatives to specifically deny Houston federal funding for rail transit in two corridors, according to the text of the bill … Continue reading →

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The Latino Victory Project

Posted on June 4, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I like the sound of this. Building on record-breaking fundraising numbers, an expanded donor base and a historically high number of Latino voters in the 2012 presidential election, a progressive Latino group is set to officially begin efforts to expand … Continue reading →

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Where are all the ladies?

Posted on May 30, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Christy Hoppe of the DMN notices something missing on the Republican side of the 2014 ballot. The Texas Republican Party has a girl problem. A glance down the list of GOP nominees set after Tuesday’s runoffs makes it look as … Continue reading →

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Primary runoff results

Posted on May 28, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

So long, Dave. Riding a wave of conservative sentiment that Texas Republicans were not being led with a hard enough edge, state Sen. Dan Patrick crushed Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst in Tuesday’s Republican primary runoff election for lieutenant governor, ending … Continue reading →

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We could have better transportation infrastructure if we wanted it

Posted on May 20, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

House Speaker Joe Straus embraces the end-the-diversions approach to transportation funding. Texas’ booming economy and massive transportation needs are inching the state toward simplifying highway spending, officials say. The latest move to end so-called diversions from the State Highway Fund … Continue reading →

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Steve Stockman’s ongoing FEC issues

Posted on May 18, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

“Steve Stockman” and “ethical issues” go together like peanut butter and jelly. For a congressman who has overseen four campaign committees in two decades, Rep. Steve Stockman is having a hard time dissolving his troubled congressional campaign. Now a lame … Continue reading →

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FEC approves Bitcoin for campaign contributions

Posted on May 14, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

It’s the right call. The Federal Election Commission on Thursday voted to allow political committees to accept Bitcoin donations and outlined the ways that the virtual currency can be used by federally regulated campaigns. Responding to a request from a … Continue reading →

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The small number of competitive legislative races in November

Posted on May 6, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The Trib discusses the lack of legislative action in November. In the House, nine Republican and two Democratic races are still undecided. An early list of competitive November races — this is in a House with 150 seats — comes … Continue reading →

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Legalize moonshining

Posted on May 4, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

You can brew your own beer at home, and you can ferment your own wine at home, but if you try to distill your own spirits at home, you’re asking for trouble from the rev’nooers. The movement to legalize marijuana … Continue reading →

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FEC ponders Bitcoin donations

Posted on April 28, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

For those of you that might want to make political contributions via Bitcoin. The Federal Election Commission appears poised to rule on whether and how campaigns and PACs can accept bitcoins as political contributions. The news comes as Attorney General … Continue reading →

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Stockman being investigated for ethics issues

Posted on April 28, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Raise your hand if you’re the least bit surprised by this. The House ethics committee is inquiring into the campaign finances of Rep. Steve Stockman, the Clear Lake Republican who has been questioned repeatedly over the last year about misreported … Continue reading →

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The farm team

Posted on April 8, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Roll Call takes a look at the Texas Democrats of the future. Democrats rarely fielded competitive Senate candidates over the past two decades — the party’s three best performers in that time span received 44 percent, 43 percent and 43 … Continue reading →

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National ag groups not happy with Republicans

Posted on April 6, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

It’s all about immigration reform. Craig Regelbrugge, who co-chairs the Agriculture Coalition for Immigration Reform, says a large majority of his group’s members — which include large and small farming enterprises and growers all around the country — are Republican, … Continue reading →

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How can we miss you if you won’t go away?

Posted on April 3, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Denise Pratt is a gift that keeps on giving. Denise Pratt may not be gone just yet. Two days after announcing her immediate resignation as presiding judge of the 311th family District Court – and the suspension of her re-election … Continue reading →

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Primary results: Legislature and Congress

Posted on March 5, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The big news on the Democratic side is the close loss by longtime Rep. Lon Burnam in HD90, who fell by 111 votes to Ramon Romero Jr. I know basically nothing about Rep.-elect Romero, but I do know that Rep. … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: The Chron still loves Orlando

Posted on March 4, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

They don’t love him enough to endorse him during or before early voting, but they do still love him. [Republican] primary voters should give [County Treasurer Orlando] Sanchez a place on the November ballot. Sanchez, 62, is a former three-term … Continue reading →

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Who will be the next Steve Stockman?

Posted on March 2, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

No one can truly replace Steve Stockman, one of the most gifted performance artists that the Congress has ever seen, but many are trying to win his now-vacated seat. In some ways no one can replace Steve Stockman, who chose … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Hey, there’s still a little bit of early voting left

Posted on February 27, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

From the “You just can’t rush these things” department, the Chron endorses James Cargas in the Democratic primary rematch in CD07. Whomever wins in the Democratic primary for U.S. House 7th District will face an uphill battle in a Republican-friendly … Continue reading →

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Pity the poor Hispanic Republicans

Posted on February 9, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I’d say I feel sorry for them, but I don’t. Every few years, I like to check in with Massey Villarreal to see if he’s still a Republican. He still was on Thursday. But it’s getting harder all the time. … Continue reading →

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Culberson says he’s killed the University Line

Posted on January 30, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

And maybe he has, though it wasn’t going anywhere at this time anyway. Residents and business owners along Richmond Avenue are breathing a sigh of relief — at least for now — as U.S. Rep. John Culberson has had his … Continue reading →

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Cutting one’s nose to spite one’s face isn’t a matter of principle

Posted on January 26, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

It’s just stupid and self-destructive. Lots of conservative lawmakers hate Obamacare. Rep. Louie Gohmert is putting his money where his mouth is. The Tyler Republican gave up his health insurance for 2014, asserting that the president’s signature health care law, … Continue reading →

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VRA 2.0

Posted on January 17, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Texas Redistricting: [Thursday] morning, Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI), Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), and Congressman John Conyers (D-MI) introduced proposed amendments to the Voting Rights Act that would rework the section 5 coverage formula invalidated by the Supreme Court in Shelby … Continue reading →

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Who are these people on our ballot?

Posted on January 5, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The filing deadline is long past, and campaigning for the primary and general election is well underway. Democrats in Harris County have a fairly full complement of legislative candidates this fall, some of whom are better known than others. I … Continue reading →

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What can we do to get the Universities Line going?

Posted on December 23, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This story is about the opening of the North Line, but it’s also about where Metro goes from here. The opening of the lines won’t spell the end of the construction. To complete the final mile of the East Line, … Continue reading →

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The 12-candidate pileup in CD36

Posted on December 20, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Steve Stockman’s last-minute switch to the Senate race left a void in CD36 on the Republican side that is being filled by a dozen Stockman wannabes. The Republican primary ballot for the race to succeed U.S. Rep. Steve Stockman was … Continue reading →

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More primary thoughts

Posted on December 11, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I wonder if Big John Cornyn will come to rue this interview. BDS: At the kickoff for your reelection campaign in November, Governor Perry said that you are “the epitome of what I look for in a U.S. senator.” He … Continue reading →

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Final filings: We have a statewide Democrat

Posted on December 10, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Boy, I didn’t see this coming. Longtime Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Lawrence “Larry” Meyers announced Monday that he is leaving the Republican Party to run as a Democrat for the Texas Supreme Court. Meyers, of Fort Worth, filed … Continue reading →

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Filing deadline today

Posted on December 9, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Before I get into the details of who has or hasn’t filed for what, I have a bone to pick with this AP story. Perhaps what the candidate filings reveal most is the relative strength and depth of the political … Continue reading →

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