Tag Archives: Dade Phelan

Rep. Oliverson files for Speaker

Posted on March 22, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Something like this was inevitable. State Rep. Tom Oliverson on Thursday announced a surprise challenge to Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan, condemning his fellow Republican’s “dysfunctional” leadership as he fights for political survival in a May runoff. Oliverson, an anesthesiologist … Continue reading →

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Primary 2024 results: Republican headlines

Posted on March 6, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

It’s going to be a late night and I have a couple of long days ahead of me, so I’m going to do some quick summaries based on what I now know, and will come back later to fill the … Continue reading →

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Getting revenge is the best revenge

Posted on March 4, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I have one thing to say to these Republicans. State Rep. Glenn Rogers is mad as hell, and he’s not being shy about it. “Kiss my ass!” he recently told a statewide Republican official who had endorsed his primary opponent. … Continue reading →

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Let them fight

Posted on February 25, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Let them fight. A $95.3 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan that passed the Senate overnight has sparked a battle between two of Texas’ most prominent Republicans, with Attorney General Ken Paxton calling U.S. Sen. John Cornyn an … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Chron goes for Whitmire

Posted on October 24, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron endorses John Whitmire for Mayor. Close your eyes for a moment and ask yourself: in this city of immigrants who start companies and win World Series, of silvery skyscrapers and moonshot cancer fighters, of astronauts who train for … Continue reading →

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Stay petty, Dan

Posted on September 19, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

We like the divisiveness. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick requested a full financial audit of the impeachment proceedings of Attorney General Ken Paxton on Monday, making good on a vow he delivered after Paxton was acquitted of all impeachment charges in … Continue reading →

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Paxton acquitted on all counts

Posted on September 17, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Welp. The Texas Senate on Saturday acquitted Attorney General Ken Paxton of 16 articles of impeachment alleging corruption and bribery, his most artful escape in a career spent courting controversy and skirting consequences of scandal. No article received more than … Continue reading →

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Weekend Paxton roundup

Posted on September 3, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

There’s still time to decorate your house for Impeachment Trial Day on Tuesday. I’m just saying. Here’s a Who’s Who of the impeachment trial for those of you who would like a scorecard, and here’s Dan Patrick asking his patrons … Continue reading →

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Paxton roundup: What about Dan?

Posted on September 2, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

The Trib ponders how Dan Patrick is holding up under the strain of having to preside over the Ken Paxton impeachment trial. In the Texas Senate, what Dan Patrick wants — Dan Patrick typically gets. Widely regarded as one of … Continue reading →

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Republicans finally agree on a property tax cut

Posted on July 11, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Our moderate-length semi-statewide bit of unpleasantness is coming to an end. Probably. The $18 billion compromise between the Texas House and Senate — which includes more than $5 billion approved for relief in 2021 — would give increased tax relief … Continue reading →

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House General Investigations Committee votes to impeach Paxton

Posted on May 26, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Once again, I say Wow. In an unprecedented move, a Texas House committee voted Thursday to recommend that Attorney General Ken Paxton be impeached and removed from office, citing a yearslong pattern of alleged misconduct and lawbreaking that investigators detailed … Continue reading →

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Paxton calls on Phelan to resign

Posted on May 24, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

The last few days of a legislative session are always the dumbest days of the session. Attorney General Ken Paxton said Tuesday that state House Speaker Dade Phelan should resign, accusing him of presiding over his chamber “in a state … Continue reading →

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No Paxton settlement money in the budget

Posted on May 18, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

The Lege takes a stand. Texas budget negotiators want to ban Attorney General Ken Paxton from using state funds to pay a $3.3 million whistleblower settlement. This week, they adopted a provision that would bar the Office of the Attorney General from using … Continue reading →

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One gambling bill makes it out of the House

Posted on May 13, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

It will enjoy a brief and beautiful life, like the first snowflake falling onto the street, before dying of starvation and neglect in the Senate. In dramatic fashion, the Texas House on Thursday gave final approval to legislation that would … Continue reading →

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You didn’t get your hopes up about that “raise the age” bill, did you?

Posted on May 11, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Psych. The unexpected elation felt this week by gun control advocates and families of Uvalde shooting victims dissolved to despair Tuesday, when a bill that would raise the age to legally purchase semi-automatic rifles lost its newfound momentum and was … Continue reading →

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Slaton expelled

Posted on May 10, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

A fitting end to his disgraceful tenure. The Texas House unanimously voted to expel Bryan Slaton on Tuesday, one day after the Royse City Republican submitted his resignation after an internal investigation determined that he had sex with a 19-year-old … Continue reading →

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House to vote on doomed casino gambling bill

Posted on May 10, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

You do you, but remember that we’re living in Dan Patrick’s world, and he’s not going to let this happen. After weeks of uncertainty, legislation authorizing casino gambling in Texas was cleared to come to a vote of the full … Continue reading →

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Slaton resigns

Posted on May 9, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Good riddance. Rep. Bryan Slaton resigned from the Texas House on Monday after an investigation determined that he had an inappropriate sexual relationship with a 19-year-old woman on his staff, providing her with enough alcohol before their encounter that she felt dizzy and … Continue reading →

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House Investigations committee recommends expelling Rep. Slaton

Posted on May 7, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. A House committee has recommended the expulsion of Republican state Rep. Bryan Slaton after finding that he engaged in inappropriate sexual conduct with a subordinate, then acted to thwart an investigation into the matter. In a speech from the … Continue reading →

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The case of the no-evidence lawsuit

Posted on April 24, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

The lack of evidence in the Harris County election lawsuits is so glaring, I don’t know how we’re talking about anything else. In the weeks following Harris County’s November election, 22 Republican candidates who lost their races filed lawsuits challenging the … Continue reading →

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Least-surprising headline of the week

Posted on April 20, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

From the Chron: “GOP donor tied to Clarence Thomas has given Texas lawmakers $19M”. The Texas billionaire in the middle of the controversy around U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has a long history in Texas politics, donating more than … Continue reading →

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So what will we do to protect our kids from predatory youth pastors?

Posted on April 11, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Like this guy. An internal complaint filed against state Rep. Bryan Slaton, R-Royse City, alleges that he was engaging in a potentially “inappropriate relationship” with an intern. The complaint came after an incident in which Slaton and the staffer allegedly … Continue reading →

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Some turmoil at Rep. Jones’ office

Posted on March 31, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Hoo boy. Three staff members of state Rep. Jolanda Jones have resigned, alleging the Houston Democrat created an “abusive and hostile” work environment. Chief of staff Kory Haywood, legislative director Catherine Mouer and district director Yesenia Wences alleged in a … Continue reading →

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We finally have a reason for the timid police response in Uvalde

Posted on March 21, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

It was because the shooter was using an AR-15, and the cops didn’t want to get slaughtered. Almost a year after Texas’ deadliest school shooting killed 19 children and two teachers, there is still confusion among investigators, law enforcement leaders … Continue reading →

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The Lege still doesn’t want to pay for Paxton’s whistleblower sins

Posted on March 14, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Who can blame them? Now midway through the legislative session, Paxton and state lawmakers are at a standstill, and taxpayers are caught in the middle. Lawmakers have so far declined to include the settlement money in any budget bills, while … Continue reading →

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The whistleblowers’ un-settlement

Posted on March 10, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Plot twist! The whistleblowers who sued Attorney General Ken Paxton say they’re headed back to court unless he agrees that the Legislature must approve their proposed $3.3 million settlement before the current legislative session ends in May. They are the … Continue reading →

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Paxton makes his plea to the Lege

Posted on February 22, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

It’s more accurate to say that one of his assistants pleaded for him while he mostly sat silent, but whatever. Days after the Texas house speaker openly opposed using taxpayer dollars to settle a whistleblower suit against Attorney General Ken … Continue reading →

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Why should Ken Paxton’s whistleblowers suffer for his sins?

Posted on February 21, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

That’s the question their lawyers ask in a DMN op-ed. The whistleblower suit is currently pending at the Texas Supreme Court on appeal of an esoteric argument made by the attorney general. Recently, the Office of the Attorney General and … Continue reading →

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So will the Lege pay off Paxton’s whistleblowers or not?

Posted on February 19, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

It’s maybe a bit more complicated than I thought at first. Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan says he is against using taxpayer money to pay Attorney General Ken Paxton’s $3.3 million settlement agreement in a whistleblower lawsuit filed by four … Continue reading →

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Three stories on Uvalde and gun control

Posted on February 19, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

First, a story about locks and why an obsession with locking school doors is not really going to improve safety. In the aftermath of school shootings like the one in Uvalde, what can get overlooked is basic: Schools need doors … Continue reading →

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Now we have a gambling bill filed by a Republican Senator

Posted on February 7, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe this is the gambling expansion bill that those who want gambling expansion have been waiting for. Advocates for legalizing online sports betting in Texas debuted new bills Monday that take a narrower approach than they did in 2021 — … Continue reading →

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Not quite the same old gambling story

Posted on January 29, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

This Trib story about the state of gambling expansion in the Lege is not the usual formula. It has a lot of the usual elements, but for the first time there’s some hint of maybe something could happen. Maybe. Gambling … Continue reading →

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The next round of voter suppression bills are coming

Posted on January 27, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Brace yourselves. Texas Republicans spent most of the 2021 legislative session focusing on election security — and this year, it’s a top priority for them again. GOP leaders are discussing a range of election security measures, from higher penalties for … Continue reading →

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Uvalde parents will take their fight to the Lege

Posted on January 17, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

They’re not going to get what they want and they know it, but they’re still going to fight. I have so much respect for them. More than seven months after a teenage gunman killed 21 people at Robb Elementary School, … Continue reading →

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