Tag Archives: Gene Wu

House passes redistricting bill

Posted on August 21, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I was going to put this as the last item in the earlier post, but I didn’t want to change that post’s title and I also didn’t want to gloss over that this happened. We knew it was going to … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged Congress, Donald Trump, Election 2026, Gene Wu, redistricting, Senate, special session, Texas, The Lege | 4 Comments

And they’re back

Posted on August 19, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Quorum time again. Texas House Democrats announced they would return to Austin Monday, ending a two-week walkout over a GOP mid-decade redistricting plan and paving the way for the map’s passage. “We killed the corrupt special session, withstood unprecedented surveillance … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged California, CD23, Colorado, Congress, DCCC, Donald Trump, Dustin Burrows, Election 2026, flooding, Gene Wu, Greg Abbott, Indiana, Maryland, Nicole Collier, quorum, redistricting, Senate, special session, Texas, The Lege | Comments Off

Special Session 2: [Insert dumb sequel name here]

Posted on August 16, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

As promised/threatened. With the Texas House still frozen by Democrats’ absence from the state, Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday called a second special session to begin less than two hours after the Legislature gaveled out the first overtime round. The … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged Ann Johnson, California, Congress, Donald Trump, Election 2026, flooding, Gene Wu, Greg Abbott, Illinois, New York, quorum, redistricting, Senate, special session, Supreme Court, Texas, The Lege | 1 Comment

The end (of the quorum break) is near

Posted on August 15, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

And getting nearer. The House Democrats who fled Texas to block GOP redistricting appear likely to return in the coming days, according to a press release they issued Thursday. The caucus said its members will return if Republicans follow through … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged California, Congress, Donald Trump, Election 2026, Gavin Newsom, Gene Wu, Greg Abbott, Illinois, Ken Paxton, lawsuit, quorum, redistricting, Senate, special session, Supreme Court, Texas, The Lege | Comments Off

So when might the quorum busters return?

Posted on August 14, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Before I address that question, here’s an important bit of business to resolve. Illinois courts will not force Texas Democrats back to the state, a judge ruled Wednesday, dealing a blow to Attorney General Ken Paxton and House Speaker Dustin … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged California, Congress, Donald Trump, DPS, Dustin Burrows, Election 2026, Gene Wu, Greg Abbott, Illinois, Ken Paxton, lawsuit, New York, quorum, redistricting, Senate, special session, Supreme Court, Texas, The Lege | 3 Comments

Quorum break Day 5 roundup: Help an ideological enemy out?

Posted on August 9, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Hilarious. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and House Speaker Dustin Burrows are asking an Illinois court to enforce arrest warrants against Democratic lawmakers who have left the state to delay passage of a GOP-backed congressional map. Burrows issued civil arrest … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged Ana-Maria Ramos, Beto O'Rourke, Chris Turner, Christina Morales, Congress, Constitution, Donald Trump, Dustin Burrows, El Paso, Election 2026, FBI, Gene Wu, Gina Hinojosa, Greg Abbott, Illinois, James Talarico, JB Pritzker, Jessica Gonzalez, John Bucy, Josey Garcia, Kathy Hochul, Ken Paxton, lawsuit, Lulu Flores, Mihaela Plesa, New York, Powered by People, quorum, redistricting, Ron Reynolds, special session, Suleman Lalani, Supreme Court, Tarrant County, Texas, The Lege, Vikki Goodwin | 3 Comments

Quorum break Day 4 roundup: So what is the FBI doing?

Posted on August 8, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Nobody knows. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn announced that the FBI has granted his request to investigate and locate the Texas Democratic lawmakers who left the state in an attempt to stop the passage of new GOP-favored congressional maps. A spokesperson … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged California, Congress, Constitution, Donald Trump, Election 2026, FBI, Gene Wu, Greg Abbott, Illinois, Indiana, JD Vance, John Cornyn, Ken Paxton, lawsuit, New York, quorum, redistricting, special session, Supreme Court, Texas, The Lege | Comments Off

Quorum break Day 3 roundup: Of course there’s a bomb threat

Posted on August 7, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I suppose something like this was inevitable. Texas House Democrats in Illinois to block GOP redistricting were evacuated from their hotel Wednesday morning due to a bomb threat, lawmakers and local police said. A press conference scheduled for 12:30 p.m. … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged Ann Johnson, Beto O'Rourke, California, Congress, Donald Trump, Election 2026, Erin Zwiener, FBI, fundraising, Gene Wu, Greg Abbott, Illinois, Indiana, John Bucy, John Cornyn, Ken Paxton, lawsuit, Linda Garcia, New York, quorum, redistricting, special session, Supreme Court, Texas, The Lege | 3 Comments

Quorum break Day 2 roundup: Paxton hauls out a big threat

Posted on August 6, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

He seems destined to fail, but we’re going to go through the motions anyway, I guess. Attorney General Ken Paxton will ask for a court ruling declaring vacant the seats of any lawmakers who are not back to work by … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged Beto O'Rourke, California, Congress, Donald Trump, Election 2026, fundraising, Gene Wu, Greg Abbott, Illinois, Ken Paxton, lawsuit, New York, quorum, redistricting, special session, Supreme Court, Texas, The Lege | Comments Off

State House Dems break quorum

Posted on August 4, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

It’s on. Texas Democratic lawmakers fled the state Sunday in a bid to block passage of a new congressional map designed to give the GOP five additional seats in the U.S. House next year, raising the stakes in what’s poised … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged Congress, Election 2026, Gene Wu, Illinois, quorum, redistricting, special session, Texas, The Lege | 8 Comments

Redistricting hearings

Posted on July 24, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Attend or watch if you can. The state House has scheduled redistricting hearings in Austin, Houston and Arlington, signaling a fast start to the Republican-backed effort to redraw the boundary lines for Texas congressional districts in the special legislative session that started Monday. … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged Congress, Donald Trump, Election 2026, Gene Wu, Greg Abbott, Phil King, quorum, redistricting, Senate, special session, Texas, The Lege | 1 Comment

Abbott adds redistricting and wingnut priorities to special session agenda

Posted on July 10, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

And also some flooding stuff, which was clearly top of mind for him. Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday unveiled a jam-packed agenda for the upcoming special legislative session, calling on lawmakers to redraw Texas’ congressional maps and address several unfinished … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged abortion, California, Constitution, Court of Criminal Appeals, flooding, Gavin Newsom, Gene Wu, Guadalupe River, Ken Paxton, Kerr County, lobbyists, mifepristone, redistricting, special session, Texas, The Lege | 3 Comments

THC retailers upset by THC ban

Posted on May 26, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

What are y’all going to do about it? Sydney Torabi, co-founder of Austin-based Restart CBD, could only watch in disbelief late Wednesday night as the Texas House delivered a key vote to push through a ban on all products containing … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged Dan Patrick, Election 2026, Gene Wu, hemp, Lite Gov, marijuana, Senate, Texas, Texas Hemp Business Council, THC, The Lege, Tom Oliverson, Vikki Goodwin | Comments Off

Lege goes for full THC ban

Posted on May 23, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Welp. The Texas House late Wednesday gave initial approval to a bill that would ban all products containing tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, likely spelling the end for the state’s short-lived hemp industry. Under the legislation, which is nearing the governor’s desk … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged Dan Patrick, Election 2026, Gene Wu, hemp, Lite Gov, marijuana, Senate, Texas, Texas Hemp Business Council, THC, The Lege, Tom Oliverson, Vikki Goodwin | 3 Comments

January 2025 campaign finance reports: State officeholders

Posted on February 24, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

PREVIOUSLY: Harris County offices City of Houston Senate and Congress I wasn’t going to do a state office roundup – there are no Democratic state officeholders, the races of interest won’t have candidates for several months, etc – but I … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024, Election 2026 | Tagged Alma Allen, Ana Hernandez, Ann Johnson, Armando Walle, Borris Miles, campaign finance reports, Carol Alvarado, Charlene Ward Johnson, Christina Morales, Democratic primary, Election 2024, Election 2026, fundraising, Gene Wu, Harold Dutton, HD131, HD134, HD135, HD137, HD138, HD139, HD140, HD141, HD142, HD143, HD144, HD145, HD146, HD147, HD148, HD149, HD26, HD27, HD76, Hubert Vo, Jolanda Jones, Jon Rosenthal, Lauren Ashley Simmons, Mary Ann Perez, Molly Cook, Penny Shaw, Ron Reynolds, SD06, SD13, SD15, Senate, Senfronia Thompson, Suleman Lalani, Texas, The Lege | Comments Off

The current state of voter purging

Posted on August 30, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll start here, and there’s a lot to unpack. Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday announced that the state has removed over 1 million names from the Texas voter rolls, mainly people who moved out of state or died but including … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged ACLU of Texas, Bexar County, Campaign Legal Center, David Whitley, Donald Trump, DPS, drivers licenses, Election 2024, Gene Wu, Greg Abbott, Harris County, immigration, Jane Nelson, Ken Paxton, lawsuit, LULAC, MALDEF, National Voter Registration Act, SCOTUS, Secretary of State, Texas, Texas Civil Rights Project, voter registration, voter suppression | 6 Comments

Miles whines about criticism

Posted on August 26, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Oh good Lord. State-appointed Houston Independent School District Superintendent Mike Miles responded to recent criticism from several Democratic state lawmakers by sending a letter telling them to “lead, follow, or get out of the way.” The letter calls for lawmakers … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged Ana Hernandez, Carol Alvarado, charter schools, Christina Morales, Colorado, Gene Wu, HISD, Houston, Hubert Vo, Jarvis Johnson, Jolanda Jones, Jon Rosenthal, Mike Miles, Molly Cook, STAAR, standardized testing, Texas, Third Future Schools | Comments Off

Asking the fox to audit the henhouse

Posted on August 22, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I’m not sure if that’s the best metaphor, but it’s what I came up with when I read this. Houston Democrats asked Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Monday to investigate a charter school network founded by Houston ISD Superintendent Mike … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged Ana Hernandez, Attorney General, Carol Alvarado, charter schools, Christina Morales, Colorado, Gene Wu, HISD, Houston, Hubert Vo, Jarvis Johnson, Jolanda Jones, Jon Rosenthal, Ken Paxton, Mike Miles, Molly Cook, Texas, Third Future Schools | 1 Comment

More on the improper use of funds allegations against Mike Miles

Posted on May 16, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Other outlets are on this now. A state lawmaker and Houston teachers are calling for Houston Independent School District Superintendent Mike Miles to be investigated after a Spectrum News report revealed that millions in Texas public school tax dollars may … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged Ana Hernandez, budget, charter schools, Christina Morales, Colorado, deficit, Gene Wu, HFT, HISD, Houston, Jackie Anderson, Jarvis Johnson, Mike Miles, Mike Morath, Molly Cook, New Education System, Paul Colbert, Penny Shaw, schools, Texas, Texas Education Agency, The Lege, Third Future Schools | 4 Comments

Several Dem legislators want to investigate HISD

Posted on April 9, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see if this goes anywhere. Several Houston-area Democratic legislators are calling for a formal hearing to address “potential violations of state law” in Houston ISD in the aftermath of the Texas Education Agency stripping elected leaders from the school … Continue reading →

Posted in School days, That's our Lege | Tagged Ann Johnson, Board of Managers, Christina Morales, Gene Wu, HISD, Houston, Hubert Vo, Jarvis Johnson, Jon Rosenthal, Mary Ann Perez, Mike Miles, Mike Morath, New Education System, Penny Shaw, schools, Shawn Thierry, Texas, Texas Education Agency, The Lege | Comments Off

Gulfton BRT route approved

Posted on August 28, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Moving forward. Long-sought improvements to transit service in Gulfton – arguably among the Houston region’s most transit-starved areas – have an official line on the map, though rapid service remains years away. Metropolitan Transit Authority officials on Thursday approved the … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged BRT, Gene Wu, Gulfton, Houston, Inner Katy line, Metro, Sanjay Ramabhadran, trees, University line, Uptown line, Westpark | Comments Off

Commissioners Court plans to put a bond issue on the ballot

Posted on August 5, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

First one in seven years. Harris County voters will have more on their November ballot, after a divided commissioners court Tuesday took the first step toward a $1.2 billion bond package for police, parks, drainage and roads. Common with many … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged Adrian Garcia, binds, bond referendum, Commissioners Court, Election 2018, Election 2022, Gene Wu, Harris County, Jack Cagle, Lina Hidalgo, Rodney Ellis, Tom Ramsey | 5 Comments

A roundup of border and lawsuit stories

Posted on April 30, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Too much news, not enough time… New federal lawsuit seeks to halt Texas’ border trespassing arrests, give more than $5 million to illegally detained migrants. In a new challenge to Gov. Greg Abbott’s controversial border security crackdown, a lawsuit filed … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra, Legal matters, National news | Tagged Alejandro Mayorkas, asylum, border, budget, Central America, DPS, Gene Wu, Greg Abbott, Homeland Security, immigration, Ken Paxton, Kinney County, lawsuit, Louisiana, Mexico, SCOTUS, TDCJ, Texas, Texas National Guard | 1 Comment

More on the constitutional amendments

Posted on April 28, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox, from State Rep. Gene Wu: Please share with your neighbors, family, tenants, parishioners, and community partners. Governor Greg Abbott issued a proclamation setting Saturday, May 7, 2022 as the special election day for two proposed constitutional amendments in Texas. … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged constitutional amendments, Election 2022, Gene Wu, homestead exemption, League of Women Voters, property taxes, special election, Texas, The Lege | 2 Comments

The only constant is change

Posted on February 28, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

This DMN story is about the wave of changes to the various legislative caucuses in North Dallas, but if you pull the lens back just a little, you can see how universal it is. Proponents of term limits complain that … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged Al Green, Alma Allen, Ana Hernandez, Armando Walle, Collin County, Commissioners Court, Congress, Dallas County, Denton County, Election 2012, Election 2022, Gene Wu, Harold Dutton, Harris County, Hubert Vo, Jane Nelson, Joan Huffman, John Whitmire, Kel Seliger, Larry Taylor, Lawrence Allen, Mary Ann Perez, Mike McCaul, redistricting, SBOE, Senate, Senfronia Thompson, Sheila Jackson Lee, Tarrant County, Texas, The Lege | Comments Off

Vote No and take the dough

Posted on January 27, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

It’s as Republican as insurrection and hydroxychloroquine. Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas, last year left little doubt why she was voting against a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure measure, calling it nothing more than a “socialist plan full of crushing taxes and … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged absentee ballots, Army Corps of Engineers, budget, Chris Hollins, Congress, Dan Crenshaw, Election 2020, Election 2022, Gene Wu, Harris County, Kay Granger, stimulus, Texas, The Lege, voter suppression | 20 Comments

Who’s worried about electricity in Texas?

Posted on January 23, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

The guy who writes The Watchdog for the DMN, for one. The people with real power in this state, not so much. I was lonely. For more than a decade, it was as if I were the only North Texas … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged Arthur D'Andrea, blackouts, DeAnn Walker, deregulation, Election 2022, electricity, ERCOT, Freeze 2021, Gene Wu, Governor, Greg Abbott, Public Utility Commission, Railroad Commission, Sylvester Turner, Texas, The Lege | Comments Off

Alvarado’s filibuster ends

Posted on August 13, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

It was a strong effort, and she deserves credit for it. After 15 hours of speaking nearly nonstop against the GOP’s priority elections bill, State Sen. Carol Alvarado, a Houston Democrat, concluded her filibuster on Thursday morning. “Voter suppression anywhere … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters, That's our Lege | Tagged Carol Alvarado, Dade Phelan, DPS, filibuster, Gene Wu, lawsuit, quorum, Senate, special session, Supreme Court, Texas, The Lege, voter suppression | 4 Comments

The Alvarado filibuster

Posted on August 12, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Wear comfortable shoes, Senator. The GOP voting restrictions push that left the Texas House scrambling to round up absent Democrats also shut down work in the Texas Senate on Wednesday evening as state Sen. Carol Alvarado launched into a filibuster … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters, That's our Lege | Tagged Carol Alvarado, Dade Phelan, filibuster, Gene Wu, Greg Abbott, Kim Ogg, lawsuit, quorum, Senate, special session, Texas, The Lege, voter suppression, Wendy Davis | 5 Comments

Meet the new special session

Posted on August 7, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Same as the old special session, at least at first. It appears likely that not enough Democrats will show up for the Texas House to conduct business when a second special legislative session convenes Saturday. Some of the more than … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged Alma Allen, Ana-Maria Ramos, Attorney General, Barbara Gervin-Hawkins, budget, Celia Israel, Chris Turner, Christina Morales, Craig Washington, Dade Phelan, Donna Howard, Eddie Rodriguez, Gene Wu, Gina Hinojosa, Greg Abbott, Jake Ellzey, James White, Jarvis Johnson, Jasmine Crockett, Jon Rosenthal, Ken Paxton, lawsuit, Legislative Budget Board, line item veto, Liz Campos, Mary Ann Perez, Nicole Collier, quorum, Ray Lopez, Ron Reynolds, Senfronia Thompson, Shawn Thierry, special session, Supreme Court, Terry Meza, Texas, The Lege, Trey Martinez-Fischer, veto, Vikki Goodwin, voter suppression, Voting Rights Act | 3 Comments

Better cut your police budget now while you still can

Posted on May 10, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

That’s one possible takeaway from this. The Texas House on Friday passed a bill to financially penalize the state’s largest cities if they cut their police budgets. The measure was sent to the Senate after two days of heated debate … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged Angie, Austin, budget, Craig Goldman, Frisco, Garland, Gene Wu, George Floyd, Grand Prairie, Greg Abbott, Greg Bonnen, Houston, Irving, Jasmine Crockett, McKinney, police, Richard Raymond, Senate, Texas, The Lege, Will Metcalf | 3 Comments

The infrastructure bill and the Ike Dike

Posted on April 5, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

This is encouraging. President Joe Biden’s infrastructure plan sure seems to be considering building the Ike Dike. His $2 trillion plan includes improving and strengthening infrastructure in coastal areas most vulnerable during hurricane season. Biden pitched part of the American … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged Army Corps of Engineers, Congress, Dennis Paul, flooding, Gene Wu, Gulf Coast Protection District, Gulf of Mexico, Hurricane Harvey, hurricanes, Ike Dike, Joe Biden, Land Commissioner, Larry Taylor, property taxes, Senate, Sheila Jackson Lee, stimulus, Sylvester Turner, Texas, The Lege | Comments Off

Dutton files bill to enable HISD takeover

Posted on March 12, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Whatever else you may say, this is true to his beliefs. Texas House Public Education Chairman Harold Dutton Jr. filed a bill Tuesday that, if it passes and withstands any legal challenge, would virtually guarantee the ouster of Houston ISD’s … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged Gene Wu, Harold Dutton, HISD, HISD Board of Trustees, lawsuit, Mike Morath, schools, Supreme Court, Texas, Texas Education Agency, The Lege, Third Court of Appeals | 1 Comment

Getting rid of racist deed restrictions

Posted on February 15, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s get this done. A bill was proposed in the Texas Legislature two years ago that sought to make it easier for homeowners to remove unconstitutional, unenforceable and discriminatory provisions from real property records. State Sen. John Whitmire said he … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged Garden Oaks, Gene Wu, Jarvis Johnson, John Whitmire, racism. deed restrictions, Senate, Texas, The Lege | 12 Comments

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