Tag Archives: Travis County

And another voter purge lawsuit filed

Posted on April 24, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

As I said before, it’s hard to keep track of them all. Voting rights group Common Cause and four voters sued the Justice Department on Tuesday to block it from compiling a national voter database that the watchdog warns allows … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on And another voter purge lawsuit filed

Court blocks changes to Historically Underutilized Business Program

Posted on April 14, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Good. A Travis County district court judge granted a request for a temporary injunction to block the latest rule changes to the state’s Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) program. The injunction reverts HUB program back to its original regulations, but the … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Court blocks changes to Historically Underutilized Business Program

Harris County files amicus brief in lawsuit over the Historically Underutilized Business Program

Posted on April 5, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Harris County filed an amicus brief supporting plaintiffs in Ipsum General Contractors, LLC, et al. v. Kelly Hancock, et al., urging the court to restore the State of Texas’s Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Program and halt recent … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Harris County files amicus brief in lawsuit over the Historically Underutilized Business Program

Another voter purge lawsuit filed

Posted on March 30, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Hard to keep track of them all. The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and other sued Thursday to stop a purge of Texas’ voter rolls that the Latino civil rights group and its allies say is discriminatory toward … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Another voter purge lawsuit filed

A followup on turnout and early voting preference

Posted on March 9, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Just a couple of followup items for things we discussed during early voting, now that we have more complete data. The first was about how much of the vote would be cast early, and whether Republicans were waiting until Election … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2026 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on A followup on turnout and early voting preference

Lawsuit filed over Comptroller’s anti-minority business program shenanigans

Posted on March 7, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Four business owners and a trade association sued the state of Texas on Monday, seeking to reverse acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock’s emergency rules altering a state program intended to give additional exposure to economically disadvantaged groups in government contracting. … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Lawsuit filed over Comptroller’s anti-minority business program shenanigans

Fifth Circuit allows drag ban enforcement

Posted on March 6, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

It’s what they do. Texas can enforce a 2023 law that restricts some public drag shows, a federal appeals court reaffirmed in a new ruling on Wednesday. Senate Bill 12 prohibits drag performers from dancing suggestively or wearing certain prosthetics on … Continue reading →

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

A statewide comparison

Posted on March 2, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

I mentioned this yesterday, so here it is. I decided to look at the most recent early voting turnout numbers I could find for the counties, and then compare them to the final turnout numbers from the 2022 election. I’ll … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2026 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

An erratic look at Day One turnout in a few counties

Posted on February 19, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

I’d love to give you a full-ish look at Day One primary turnout around the state, but that data is harder to find than you might think. The current SOS interface for this is clunky and incomplete. You can be … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2026 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on An erratic look at Day One turnout in a few counties

Appeals court upholds restraining order on prosecutor reporting requirements

Posted on January 1, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: The newly created 15th Court of Appeals has upheld a temporary injunction blocking Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s attempt to force local district attorneys to give him sweeping access to their prosecutorial data, marking the second time … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Appeals court upholds restraining order on prosecutor reporting requirements

Of course that DPRIT lawsuit filed by crackpots was done incorrectly

Posted on December 7, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

It’s more fun this way. If an Austin court hearing this week is an early indication of how a lawsuit blocking Texas’ $3 billion dementia research fund will fare, state leaders who championed it and the voters who overwhelmingly approved it by more … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2025, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Of course that DPRIT lawsuit filed by crackpots was done incorrectly

The SOS still can’t figure out citizenship

Posted on December 4, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Same song, different verse. County election officials investigating the eligibility of 2,724 Texas voters flagged as potential noncitizens have so far found that hundreds of the voters registered through the state Department of Public Safety, which requires proof of citizenship … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The SOS still can’t figure out citizenship

Another lawsuit filed against a constitutional amendment election

Posted on November 23, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Dan Patrick is mad about it. The state’s new $3 billion dementia research fund has been blocked temporarily by a trio of voters who claim voting machines used in this month’s election are faulty. The plaintiffs — Shannon Huggins, Lars … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2025, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Another lawsuit filed against a constitutional amendment election

Fifth Circuit allows drag ban enforcement

Posted on November 9, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I’m not quite sure how to interpret this. Texas can enforce a 2023 law that restricts some public drag shows, a federal appeals court ruled Thursday. Senate Bill 12 prohibits drag performers from dancing suggestively or wearing certain prosthetics on public … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Fifth Circuit allows drag ban enforcement

A different approach to Austin-San Antonio commuter rail

Posted on October 26, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Very interesting. Deeply flawed, as far as I can tell, but interesting. Travis County leaders are exploring new ways to connect Austin to San Antonio. On Tuesday morning, county commissioners approved a $124,953 study from HNTB, an engineering company, to … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on A different approach to Austin-San Antonio commuter rail

Harris County sues over Solar For All funds

Posted on October 15, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee filed a lawsuit Monday contesting the Trump administration’s cancellation of more than $400 million in solar energy grants earmarked for Texas-based organizations. The federal funding, part of a $7 billion Biden-era program known as Solar for All, was meant … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Harris County sues over Solar For All funds

More kids are not getting vaccinated

Posted on September 20, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

This is so bad. For more than a half-century, vaccines have had remarkable success eradicating the most lethal and devastating childhood infectious diseases, saving millions of lives and ushering in a relative golden era of global public health. But now, … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Appeals court sides with Catholic Charities against Paxton

Posted on August 7, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Good. A Texas appeals court this week denied Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office’s request to question a nun who leads Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley, one of the state’s largest migrant aid organizations. In a 2-1 ruling issued … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Appeals court sides with Catholic Charities against Paxton

There’s a map

Posted on July 20, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

The special session gavels in tomorrow and there’s a new proposed Congressional map, but before we get to that let’s look at the lay of the land going into the session. On Monday, state lawmakers held a call with U.S. … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2026 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Paxton drops his latest whistleblower appeal

Posted on July 6, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see if this time it sticks. Texas will pay $6.6 million to four former top deputies to Attorney General Ken Paxton who say they were fired after reporting their boss to the FBI. This years-long legal saga reached its … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Paxton drops his latest whistleblower appeal

Counties get temporary restraining order on prosecutor reporting requirements

Posted on June 18, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Good, but we’ll see how long it lasts. A Travis County Judge temporarily blocked the enforcement of a new rule requiring prosecutors in counties with 400,000 or more residents to turn over data on active and closed criminal cases to … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Counties get temporary restraining order on prosecutor reporting requirements

Five DAs sue Paxton over new reporting requirements

Posted on May 19, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I wish them good luck. Five Texas district attorneys are suing Attorney General Ken Paxton in two separate lawsuits filed Friday over new rules that would give the state’s top law enforcer meticulous access to their office’s records. The two … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Five DAs sue Paxton over new reporting requirements

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 , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Nate Paul avoids prison

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

Get rid of the delinquent tax collectors

Posted on March 15, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I’m glad Harris County is out of this business. Texas has the seventh-highest property taxes in the nation, according to the Tax Foundation, an unwelcome distinction state officials have for years tried to shed as they have repeatedly promised to … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Get rid of the delinquent tax collectors

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

Solar For All grants caught in a trap

Posted on February 18, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

They can’t get out, at least not at this time. More than $400 million in federal funding for Texas-based organizations to implement clean energy programs remains frozen, jeopardizing efforts to expand access to rooftop solar panels and battery storage systems in … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Solar For All grants caught in a trap

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

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

My quadrennial warning to be careful with charts and percentages

Posted on November 25, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

From City of Yes: The sun came up Wednesday morning, but for many, no doubt, our proverbial American “shining city on a hill” had lost some of its luster. While the presidential election results have disappointed many city dwellers, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Paxton won’t be deposed by the whistleblowers

Posted on November 23, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Alas. Attorney General Ken Paxton will not have to sit for a deposition in a longstanding lawsuit filed by four former senior aides who said he improperly fired them after they reported him to the FBI, the Texas Supreme Court … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Paxton won’t be deposed by the whistleblowers

Nate Paul serves his contempt sentence

Posted on November 18, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Noted for the record, and for a couple of newsy bits at the end. Austin real estate investor Nate Paul reported to Travis County jail on Thursday night for a 10-day sentence for contempt of court, avoiding a possible media … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Nate Paul serves his contempt sentence

Paxton lawsuit against Travis County over voter registration returned to state court

Posted on October 15, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Is this even still germane? A federal court on Thursday returned a lawsuit to state court that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton had filed against Travis County over an effort to register voters before the November election. The federal court … Continue reading →

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

Fifth Circuit hears drag ban appeal

Posted on October 12, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Hope for the best as always. A Fifth Circuit panel grappled with questions of free speech and expression on Wednesday as it deliberated whether to uphold a lower court’s ruling that a Texas law dealing with sexually explicit performances and … Continue reading →

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