Tag Archives: Congress

It’s still Gene Green’s world

Posted on December 8, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this story about Rep. Gene Green. The affable, low-key former printer’s apprentice is a legend across his gritty, blue-collar domain along the 54-mile Houston Ship Channel, where he represents the most heavily Hispanic … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

And then there were three Democrats running for the Senate

Posted on December 2, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This one has run for something before and spent a bunch of money doing it, though he was not very successful at it. Democratic dental center mogul David Alameel has confirmed he will run for the seat held by Texas’ … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on And then there were three Democrats running for the Senate

Fjetland files for Senate

Posted on November 26, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Texas Democrats will have a contested primary for the right to run against Sen. John Cornyn next year. Michael Fjetland, a previous GOP House candidate, has filed as a Democrat to run for the Senate seat held by Texas Sen. … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Son Of Ortiz/Farenthold?

Posted on November 26, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe. A grudge match could be brewing in South Texas. On Tuesday, the Democrats’ top congressional strategist hinted that he’s been trying to recruit someone to challenge two-term Rep. Blake Farenthold, a tea party Republican from Corpus Christi. Turns out, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Son Of Ortiz/Farenthold?

Tactics are nice, but turnout is key

Posted on November 17, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The main thing I learned in this story about Wendy Davis’ national connections is that at least one person in the state gets what she will really need to win. “I’m going back home to Texas and walking door to … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Steve Brown confirms he’s in for RRC

Posted on November 9, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

It’s official. Late Thursday, Steve Brown, the former chairman of the Fort Bend County Democrats, announced his candidacy to join the three-member Railroad Commission, the powerful agency that regulates the oil and gas industry, pipelines and natural gas utilities. He … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Steve Brown confirms he’s in for RRC

Another way the Affordable Care Act will benefit Texans

Posted on October 26, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Thousands of people in the high-risk pool will get better coverage at lower prices, thanks to Obamacare. At year’s end, Texas will shut down its high-risk insurance pool for some of the state’s sickest residents, pushing participants to find private … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Steve Stockman does something I support

Posted on October 25, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I know, I’m as shocked as you are. Texas Rep. Steve Stockman, R-Friendswood, has recently backed a bill to require federal officials to comply with state marijuana laws, which was introduced in April and has since garnered support from Congressmen … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Steve Stockman does something I support

Redistricting trial set for July

Posted on October 23, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The San Antonio federal court has set a date in July of 2014 to resolve the litigation relating to the 2011 and 2013 redistrictings. A federal three-judge panel in San Antonio on Friday issued a schedule for the case, mostly granting state … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Redistricting trial set for July

Endorsement watch: Pennington

Posted on October 10, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron endorses CM Oliver Pennington for a third term. For the past four years, District G has been ably represented by attorney Oliver Pennington. We recommend a vote for Pennington to continue his service at city hall. Pennington, a … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Endorsement watch: Pennington

Why the Affordable Care Act will make a real difference to many people

Posted on October 3, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This is what it’s all about. The following was written by a good friend of mine, who has been eagerly awaiting October 1 and the opening of the insurance exchanges. I asked him to write about his experience with getting … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Court rules DOJ can intervene in 2011 redistricting case

Posted on October 1, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Texas Redistricting: The San Antonio court entered an order [Tuesday] allowing the Justice Department into the Texas redistricting case as an intervenor. In somewhat of a surprise, however, the decision was 2-1, with Circuit Judge Jerry Smith dissenting. The court … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Court rules DOJ can intervene in 2011 redistricting case

The tab for the redistricting fight

Posted on September 24, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The bill is coming due. Civil rights groups are now contending that since the 2011 maps were never used and ultimately were altered by a court that they are entitled to be reimbursed for money spent fighting [Attorney General Greg] … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The tab for the redistricting fight

DeLay gets off

Posted on September 20, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Bummer. Former U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay’s political money laundering conviction was overturned by the state’s 3rd Court of Appeals on Thursday. “Based on the totality of the evidence, we conclude that the evidence presented does not support a conclusion that … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The obstacles to enrollment

Posted on September 11, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Affordable Care Act could have a big effect in Houston if the people who would benefit by it can be informed about it and assisted as needed. Houston, with an estimated 800,000 uninsured residents, ranks among the nation’s largest … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on The obstacles to enrollment

More views of Abbott’s Section 3 brief

Posted on August 18, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Texas Redistricting: Claim: It’s Just Partisan Politics Attorney General Abbott’s second claim is in many ways even more fundamental because it gets to the heart of what the Voting Rights Act is supposed to do. That claim asserts that: [R]edistricting … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on More views of Abbott’s Section 3 brief

Metro gets more money

Posted on August 16, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Good news. Congress has appropriated $189 million for two of our light-rail lines – the North/Red Line extension and the Southeast/Purple Line. Each line will receive $94.5 million. The funds are part of the $900 million Full Funding Grant Agreements signed by … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Texas really needs Obamacare

Posted on August 7, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

We’ve always known that Texas would be a huge beneficiary of the Affordable Care Act because of our huge volume of uninsured people, but this quantifies it in a way that really brings it home. Texas is home to more … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

SJL for DHS?

Posted on July 31, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

That sound you heard Monday was a bunch of heads exploding. Conservative bloggers went wild Monday when they got wind of the Congressional Black Caucus’ suggestion that President Obama pick Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Houston for the post of … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on SJL for DHS?

More leftover campaign cash

Posted on July 28, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron writes about a subject I’ve covered before. Former Rep. Shelley Sekula-Gibbs of Houston used leftover campaign funds to buy a life membership in the National Rifle Association. Former Rep. Martin Frost of Dallas paid a $6,000 Federal Election … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on More leftover campaign cash

Redistricting plaintiffs go for Section 3

Posted on July 15, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a brand new world out there. Minority-rights groups are charting “new territory” in the fight against Texas’ redistricting plan, using a provision of the Voting Rights Act that cites discriminatory intent as part of an effort to maintain federal … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Redistricting tango continues in San Antonio

Posted on July 2, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

More to the point, the redistricting litigation continues, at least for the time being. A panel of federal judges denied the state’s request to dismiss the case, though they left open the possibility that they could do that later. And … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

The 2011 maps are officially dead

Posted on June 28, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Rick Perry has signed the redistricting bills, thus making the 2012 interim maps the official state-sanctioned maps and thus dropping any further pursuit of the maps drawn by the 2011 Lege. On Wednesday, Gov. Rick Perry signed all three redistricting … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Last redistricting bill passes Senate, House debates abortion bills

Posted on June 24, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

It was destiny. The Texas Senate on Sunday wrapped up final redistricting loose ends by concurring with changes made by the House to political boundaries for the lower chamber. In an 18-11 vote, the Senate signed off on a series … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

House passes redistricting and abortion bills

Posted on June 22, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Texas Redistricting: The House has passed SB 3, the redistricting bill for the state house map, on third and final reading. There was one last floor amendment today offered by State Rep. Toni Rose (D-Dallas), which moved Rose’s mother and … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

House passes redistricting bills

Posted on June 21, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

They accepted a couple of amendments but otherwise the process wasn’t much different from the Senate or the House committee. A daylong debate on redistricting maps in the Texas House drew frustration from Democrats and growing concern from Republicans on … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Maybe they shouldn’t have listened to Abbott

Posted on June 20, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

If you’re a Republican involved in redistricting and you’ve begun to wonder why you ever took AG Greg Abbott’s legal advice on redistricting, I can’t blame you. All spring, Attorney General Greg Abbott had argued to Perry, Lt. Gov. David … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Monday House action

Posted on June 18, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The main action on Monday in the House was the House Redistricting Committee hearing. Where there’s a redistricting hearing, there’s Greg with a liveblogging session. Pay close attention to the stuff Greg writes about the questions that the Dems, in … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Senate approves redistricting bills

Posted on June 15, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

As pro forma as they wanna be. The Texas Senate voted to ratify court-drawn political maps that were used for legislative and congressional races in 2012. The bills now head to the House. In party-line votes, Senators voted 16-11 to … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Senate committee passed redistricting bills

Posted on June 13, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

As is, no amendments. After a two-hour hearing this morning, the Senate redistricting committee voted out bills that would make the three interim legislative and congressional maps permanent. The votes on the bills were all on party lines 8-6. Greg … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Senate committee passed redistricting bills

Redistricting deal in the works?

Posted on June 12, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Color me skeptical of this. The contours of an agreement might have emerged Monday as a special committee of the Texas House debated maps of congressional and legislative districts. A Republican lawmaker and an attorney for the Mexican American Legislative … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Weekend redistricting update

Posted on June 10, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I couldn’t find any news coverage from Saturday’s Senate Redistricting Committee hearing at UH, so you should read Greg’s liveblog of the event to find out what happened. The roadshow is in San Antonio today, and there will be two … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Weekend redistricting update

Feisty redistricting hearing in Dallas

Posted on June 8, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

There really aren’t any other kind of redistricting hearings, when you get right down to it. Most of the testimony centered on whether to approve interim political maps used in the 2012 elections, or toss those lines out in favor … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Redistricting hearings schedule

Posted on June 5, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Attend one if you can. Senate and House committees tapped to work on redistricting during the special session Tuesday released times, locations and dates for field hearings around the state. The Senate will hold two field hearings, one in Corpus … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments