Tag Archives: Ken Paxton

Terry Virts

Posted on April 28, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

We may have an astronaut candidate for Senate. In the latest sign that Democrats are turning a new leaf after their dismal 2024 defeat, astronaut and political neophyte Terry Virts is planning to launch a run for the US Senate … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2026 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

San Marcos and Austin marijuana ordinances struck down

Posted on April 28, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Strike one. A state appeals court has shot down a voter-approved ordinance that decriminalized marijuana in San Marcos. The Fifteenth Court of Appeals last week overturned a ruling that denied a temporary injunction to block the law’s enforcement in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Just another reminder that abortion bans kill women

Posted on April 24, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

In case you needed it. Pregnant people living in states with abortion bans are almost twice as likely to die during pregnancy or soon after giving birth, a report released Wednesday found. The risk is greatest for Black women in … Continue reading →

Posted in National news, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Nate Paul avoids prison

Posted on April 21, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

The whimpering end of this saga, barring anything extraordinary in the future. An Austin real estate developer who was central to Attorney General Ken Paxton’s impeachment case was sentenced on Wednesday to supervised release and a $1 million fine for … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

More from Maria Rojas’ attorney

Posted on April 11, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Good stuff from the Press. During a March 27 hearing, Waller County District Judge Gary Chaney granted an injunction declaring that a network of three Houston-area clinics must remain temporarily closed. Marc Hearron, senior counsel for the Center for Reproductive … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Paxton officially running against Cornyn

Posted on April 10, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

The campaign no one asked for. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Tuesday he will challenge U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in next year’s midterm elections, setting up a barnburner clash of two Republican titans that is poised to reverberate across … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2026 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Paxton sues San Antonio over abortion funding

Posted on April 8, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

First, this happened. In an election-year reversal, San Antonio city leaders voted 6-5 Thursday to fast-track distribution of $100,000 to organizations that provide reproductive services, including emergency contraception and transportation for out-of-state abortion care. Just months ago, city staff shut down a … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Paxton whistleblowers get what they asked for

Posted on April 7, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Good for them, and good in general. A Travis County district court judge on Friday awarded $6.6 million to four former senior aides to Attorney General Ken Paxton who said they were improperly fired after reporting Paxton to the FBI. … Continue reading →

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

Yeah, the Paxton federal prosecution was officially dropped

Posted on April 4, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Please take several deep breaths before and as you read this. The Justice Department quietly decided in the final weeks of the Biden administration not to prosecute Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, effectively ending the corruption investigation that cast a long … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment, Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Yeah, the Paxton federal prosecution was officially dropped

Allred considering 2026 Senate run

Posted on March 31, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Fine by me. On a night when he urged a group of erstwhile Republicans to stay in the fight, former U.S. Rep. Colin Allred said he’s “seriously considering” a 2026 Senate campaign against incumbent John Cornyn, or the winner of … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2026 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Maria Rojas’ attorneys get a chance to speak

Posted on March 29, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

And surprise surprise, they say the charges against their client are long on bluster and short on facts. When the Texas Attorney General’s office announced its first arrest under Texas’ abortion laws, the court filings and press statements painted a … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Maria Rojas’ attorneys get a chance to speak

New York county clerk refuses to file judgment against Dr. Carpenter

Posted on March 28, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Here we go. A county clerk in New York refused Thursday to file a more than $100,000 judgment from Texas against a doctor accused of prescribing abortion pills to a woman near Dallas, setting up a potential challenge to laws … Continue reading →

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

Beware the trojan “abortion exceptions” bill

Posted on March 27, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Jessica Valenti warns us. Texas Republicans are poised to pull a fast one: They’ve convinced Democrats and doctors to support a bill they claim will protect life-saving abortion care and ‘clarify’ the state’s ban. But the rapidly advancing “Life of … Continue reading →

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

Yet another part of the omnibus vote suppression law struck down

Posted on March 23, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

It’s taken awhile, but I can’t argue with the outcome. A federal judge in San Antonio has ruled that the state of Texas’ ID requirements for mail ballot applications are unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez on Thursday found that … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Yet another part of the omnibus vote suppression law struck down

Order issued to temporarily close Maria Rojas’ clinics

Posted on March 21, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

This was expected. A Texas court has temporarily shut down a group of Houston-area clinics run by a midwife accused of performing illegal abortions and practicing medicine without a license. Waller County Judge Gary W. Chaney on Tuesday signed an … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Order issued to temporarily close Maria Rojas’ clinics

More on Paxton’s abortion arrests

Posted on March 19, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

From Mother Jones. In what appears to be the first arrests of healthcare providers for allegedly violating a post-Roe v. Wade state abortion ban, Maria Margarita Rojas, a midwife working in the region around Houston, and her employee, medical assistant … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Waller County midwife arrested on abortion charges

Posted on March 18, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Yikes. A Houston-area midwife has been arrested on allegations she performed illegal abortions, the first criminal charges brought under the state’s near-total abortion ban, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Monday. Maria Margarita Rojas, 48, was charged with the illegal … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Waller County midwife arrested on abortion charges

Paxton opines against birth certificate and drivers license changes

Posted on March 16, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

This fuckin’ guy… State agencies should not honor court orders to change the sex on someone’s driver’s license or birth certificate, according to an opinion filed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Friday. He also said state agencies should retroactively … Continue reading →

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

Roberson files another appeal

Posted on February 24, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I wish him luck. Texas death row inmate Robert Roberson filed a new appeal with the state’s highest criminal court on Wednesday in his first attempt to overturn his death sentence since an unprecedented intervention by a state legislative committee … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Roberson files another appeal

Paxton whistleblowers ask for $6.7 million in damages

Posted on February 22, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I wish them luck. Senior officials who were fired after reporting Attorney General Ken Paxton to law enforcement for alleged criminal conduct in 2020 asked a Travis County judge Thursday to award them $6.7 million in damages. Paxton’s office has … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Paxton whistleblowers ask for $6.7 million in damages

Dr. Carpenter ordered to stop sending abortion pills to Texas

Posted on February 15, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

And we’re off. A Collin County judge has ordered a New York doctor to stop prescribing abortion-inducing medication to Texas residents and ordered her to pay a $100,000 fine. Thursday’s ruling is the opening salvo in what’s expected to be … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Dr. Carpenter ordered to stop sending abortion pills to Texas

Appeals Court hears Catholic Charities case

Posted on February 14, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Hoping for a good outcome. A Texas appeals court panel on Wednesday appeared skeptical of the procedure used by Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office as it sought to question under oath the leader of one of the state’s largest migrant … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Appeals Court hears Catholic Charities case

One of the judges Ken Paxton helped elect wants to reform judicial campaign finances

Posted on February 11, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

And I support him! Honestly, I’m as surprised as you are. David Schenk, the new presiding judge on Texas’ Court of Criminal Appeals, is on a mission to make sweeping changes to the rules governing judicial elections in the Lone … Continue reading →

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

Paxton appeals SCOPE Act rulings

Posted on February 11, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

As expected. An Austin-based federal judge ruled Friday that some aspects of a Texas law limiting minors’ access to digital platforms likely violate the First Amendment, a decision Attorney General Ken Paxton immediately appealed. Northern District of Texas Judge Robert … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Paxton appeals SCOPE Act rulings

More on the legal attacks against Dr. Carpenter of New York

Posted on February 10, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Slate legal expert Mary Ziegler weighs in on Louisiana’s attempt to prosecute New York doctor Margaret Carpenter for sending abortion pills to a woman in that state. Dr. Carpenter has also been sued by Ken Paxton for the same thing … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on More on the legal attacks against Dr. Carpenter of New York

More blocks on the SCOPE Act

Posted on February 9, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Some late Friday news. A federal district court on Friday has issued more temporary blocks on provisions of a Texas law designed to restrict what kinds of materials and advertisements minors can see on social media and age verification requirements. … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on More blocks on the SCOPE Act

Louisiana indicts NY doctor for providing mifepristone

Posted on February 2, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

And the stakes get raised again. A New York doctor was criminally indicted Friday for allegedly prescribing abortion pills to a girl in Louisiana in what appears to be the first time an abortion provider has been prosecuted since Roe … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Louisiana indicts NY doctor for providing mifepristone

State Bar to drop its lawsuit against Paxton

Posted on January 24, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Welp. The State Bar of Texas on Wednesday moved to drop its lawsuit against Attorney General Ken Paxton for his attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, extending a cascade of legal and political wins for the … Continue reading →

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

Of course the Paxton investigation is dead

Posted on January 20, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I strongly disagree with the use of the word “could” in this story. When President Donald Trump appeared in a New York courtroom last spring to face a slew of criminal charges, he was joined by a rotating cadre of … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment, Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Of course the Paxton investigation is dead

What happens now with Colony Ridge?

Posted on January 20, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Probably nothing good, but how much of that remains to be seen. A newly elected state representative this week suggested Colony Ridge, a 33,000 acre majority-Latino residential development in Liberty County, will be a focus of immigration enforcement for President-Elect Donald Trump’s administration. … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 22 Comments

Paxton asks SCOTx to get him off the State Bar hook

Posted on January 17, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

As the sun rises in the east. Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office wants the Texas Supreme Court to throw out a State Bar ethics complaint against him — two weeks after the court dismissed a similar complaint against his assistant attorney general. … Continue reading →

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

Nate Paul takes a plea

Posted on January 16, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Another anticlimactic end to an ongoing saga. Nate Paul, a prominent Austin real estate developer and head of World Class Holdings, has pleaded guilty to a single count of making false statements to a lending institution. The plea, entered Wednesday, … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment, Legal matters, Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

El Paso doctor responds to Paxton’s gender affirming care lawsuit

Posted on January 15, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Of interest. Dr. Hector Granados felt puzzled when he first heard of the allegations. The El Paso pediatrician had just finished his hospital rounds early in the morning last fall when he received a call from a friend. The friend … Continue reading →

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

SCOTx hears Paxton’s appeal of the Annunciation House case

Posted on January 14, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

A big one. The Texas Attorney General’s Office told sometimes skeptical Texas Supreme Court justices Monday that El Paso’s Annunciation House migrant shelters are harboring undocumented immigrants and can’t use Catholic religious beliefs as a legal justification for its actions. … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on SCOTx hears Paxton’s appeal of the Annunciation House case