Tag Archives: Debbie Riddle

Endorsement watch: Bess and Benton

Posted on February 11, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron finally addresses one of the higher-profile local primaries, and endorses Danielle Bess in HD147. Democrats have to make a choice about how they want to put up a fight in the Texas Legislature. In 2020, the party mounted … Continue reading →

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Making divorce harder

Posted on December 29, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

I have no idea why anyone would want to do this, but here we are. Conservative Republican Rep. Matt Krause, R-Fort Worth, said he wants to strengthen families and reinforce the sanctity of marriage by eliminating no-fault divorces, which now … Continue reading →

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Chron overview of HD150

Posted on October 21, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

This could be interesting. The business card for Michael Shawn Kelly, a landscape architect who wants to represent the deep-red suburbs of far north Harris County in the Texas House, touts his conservative values and quotes the late Republican politician … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: More State Reps

Posted on October 15, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Part 2: State Representative, District 135: Jesse A. Ybanez Consider this an endorsement against Gary Elkins. The Republican incumbent has been in office for 22 years, and his greatest claim to fame is a consistent self-serving advocacy for payday lenders … Continue reading →

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2016 primaries: State races

Posted on March 2, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s start with the Democratic race for Railroad Commissioner, and a few words from Forrest Wilder: The Gene Kelly Effect: Texas Democrats are almost perennially embarrassed by what you might call the Gene Kelly Effect — the depressing tendency of … Continue reading →

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Transgender activists rally at the Capitol

Posted on May 2, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

They’re working for understanding and playing defense. Elder was one of two dozen transgender Texans and their advocates who rallied outside the Texas Capitol early Monday, just three days after gold medal decathlon winner Bruce Jenner declared, “I am a … Continue reading →

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Back to the bathroom wars

Posted on April 6, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Here we go again. The day Caomhán Ó Raghallaigh began living as a man in June 2012 — “the day I became myself,” he calls it — was a moment of immense personal liberation. It was also a political opportunity … Continue reading →

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The backlash has begun

Posted on February 23, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Item one. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Friday asked the state Supreme Court to void a marriage license issued to two Austin women who became the first same-sex couple to legally wed in the state. Sarah Goodfriend and Suzanne … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: State Reps and Sam Houston

Posted on October 11, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron made its State House endorsements in two parts. The highlight from Part One was a couple of key races. District 23: Susan Criss In one of the few competitive contests, Democrat Susan Criss and Republican Wayne Faircloth are … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Kim Ogg for DA

Posted on February 15, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The Chronicle gives a ringing endorsement to Kim Ogg in the Democratic primary for District Attorney. Ogg has experience as a board-certified felony prosecutor, but she also has the broad view that comes from serving as director of Houston’s first … Continue reading →

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Statement from Jim Henley

Posted on April 29, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

On Sunday afternoon, I received the following statement from Jim Henley, who submitted his resignation as HCDE Trustee earlier this year: I submitted my resignation as Trustee of The Harris County Department of Education in January of 2013. The Texas … Continue reading →

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Riddle wants to abolish the HCDE

Posted on February 18, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

From Big Jolly: State Rep. Debbie Riddle (R-150) filed HB945 [last] week. If enacted, it would abolish the Harris County Department of Education, transferring control of the assets to the Harris County Commissioners Court, and giving the commissioners one year … Continue reading →

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On encouraging jury service

Posted on February 7, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

District Clerk Chris Daniel notes that many people do not get paid when they take off work to serve on jury duty, and that therefore they generally choose to ignore their summonses. During the upcoming session, the state Legislature can … Continue reading →

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The dog that hasn’t barked yet

Posted on January 6, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The most dispensible member of the Harris County legislative caucus hasn’t done what she normally does yet. Camping out in the Texas Capitol to ensure a prime designation for your legislation on illegal immigration? That’s so 2011. State Rep. Debbie … Continue reading →

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Interview with Brad Neal

Posted on September 24, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Also up in the northern parts of Harris County is HD150, home of the notorious Rep. Debbie Riddle, for whom I trust no introduction is necessary, though this is a good start if you need it. Opposing The Riddler for … Continue reading →

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What radicals?

Posted on March 23, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I was reading this Patricia Kilday Hart column about how nobody outside Texas paid attention to the sonogram bill until the Virginia brouhaha and the Doonesbury series, which is a good albeit frustrating read, when I came across this bit … Continue reading →

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Chron profile of Rep. Hernandez Luna

Posted on June 1, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Good story. State Rep. Ana Hernandez Luna stood before the House on the afternoon of May 9, hours after lawmakers passed the controversial “sanctuary city” bill, and started reading from a prepared statement, her eyes downcast. “I know House Bill … Continue reading →

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Hopefully, the “sanctuary cities” bill will be the end of the anti-immigrant crap

Posted on May 13, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The Statesman offers a little hope. The controversial “sanctuary cities” bill received final passage in the Texas House on Tuesday and was on its way to the Senate, but most other immigration measures introduced in the House this session appear … Continue reading →

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Republican legislators to support Republican legislation

Posted on March 21, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

That’s the takeaway from this story. The Hispanic Republican Conference has thrown its weight behind the controversial voter ID legislation slated to hit the House floor next week. In a statement released today, the caucus said the issue is essential … Continue reading →

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The cost to cities of being anti-immigrant

Posted on January 29, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The Center for American Progress has a new report out called The High Price of Local Immigration Enforcement that tracks how much various anti-immigrant ordinances in cities like Hazelton, PA, and Farmers Branch have cost them. Most of those costs … Continue reading →

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If you thought voter ID was bad…

Posted on January 27, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Wait till you see what comes next. State Rep. Leo Berman, R-Tyler, has made national headlines for his “birther” bill that would require a candidate for president or vice president of the U.S. to show proof of natural-born citizenship to … Continue reading →

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You must obey these laws, but not those laws

Posted on January 26, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s a Chronicle story profiling EPA regional administrator Al Armendariz: That the EPA is picking on Texas, a favorite refrain of the politicians, is an “unfortunate characterization” because the agency works with the state on many issues, ranging from oil … Continue reading →

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Sheriffs not sold on Arizona immigration bill

Posted on January 8, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Texas’ sheriffs are not very enthusiastic about being charged with enforcing federal immigration laws. Texas has 254 sheriffs, and while opinions vary about whether illegal immigration should be their problem, some Republicans are pushing measures that won’t give them a … Continue reading →

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Killing the DREAM in Texas

Posted on December 29, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Something else to look forward to. State Rep. Tim Kleinschmidt (R-Lexington) has filed legislation that would abolish Texas law granting in-state tuition to certain undocumented college students. The 2001 law, written by then-state Rep. Rick Noriega (D-Houston), was a precursor to … Continue reading →

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How anti-immigrant is this session going to be?

Posted on November 15, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

It will likely be very strongly anti-immigrant. It’s really just a question of how far the Republicans pushing this will go. The Democrats can’t stop them – I’m not expecting the Senate’s two thirds rule to be much of an … Continue reading →

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The anti-immigrant hysteria has officially begun

Posted on November 10, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Didn’t take long. State Rep. Debbie Riddle camped out and endured “creepy” noises inside the cold, empty Capitol to be first in line Monday morning to file legislation targeting illegal immigration and ballot security. The Tomball Republican said she remained … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: State House

Posted on October 25, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I think this list of State House recommendations wraps up the endorsements for the Chron. Off the top of my head, I can’t think of any other races left for them to do. Anyway, in twelve contests they went with … Continue reading →

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Interview with Brad Neal

Posted on September 10, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

For my last legislative race interview, I visited with Brad Neal, who is challenging Rep. Debbie Riddle in HD150. Yes, that Debbie Riddle. Neal is a mechanical engineer and a veteran of the Army National Guard and the Marine Corps … Continue reading →

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“Laugh at me, will they? Well, they laughed at Bozo the Clown, too!”

Posted on August 13, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I still can’t believe that this whole “terrorist babies” thing wasn’t originally a story in The Onion. All I can say is that Debbie Riddle and Louie Gohmert, bless their hearts, are doing their very best to make The Onion’s … Continue reading →

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FBI smacks down Riddle and Gohmert

Posted on August 12, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The whole “terrorist babies” delusion is so mind-bendingly stupid that it doesn’t even belong on late night public access TV, but such is the nature of our discourse that it was featured on Anderson Cooper 360 Tuesday. Thankfully, Cooper took … Continue reading →

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More proof of my theory

Posted on August 11, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

That would be my theory that fifty or sixty years ago, a number of terror cells infiltrated the US and impregnated a bunch of women with babies who were groomed from birth to become utter morons who would destroy the … Continue reading →

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The immigration wedge issue for the GOP

Posted on August 2, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this story. Evangelical ministers in Texas and across the nation are splitting off from the hard right, declaring immigration reform is needed that includes a path to citizenship without first deporting millions of … Continue reading →

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Briefly noted

Posted on May 18, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Some interesting things from today that I wanted to note… There are plenty of people who want to be on the Appropriations Committee, so putting some who doesn’t want to be there, like State Rep. Joe Driver of Dallas, doesn’t … Continue reading →

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Will Texas make like Arizona?

Posted on April 29, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

If there’s been one small positive thing about the ridiculous Arizona anti-immigrant law, it’s been to remind the rest of the country that states besides Texas do crazy, inexplicable things as well. And I do believe that there’s a reason … Continue reading →

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