Tag Archives: Senate

Paxton again ordered to sit for whistleblower deposition

Keep on losing, Kenny. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton could have to answer questions under oath in a lawsuit that prompted his impeachment last year. In a one-sentence order issued Friday evening, Texas’s Third Court of Appeals denied Paxton’s challenge … Continue reading

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

Interview with Karthik Soora

All right, it’s January 2024 and that means it’s primary season. Which in turn means it’s interview season, and I’ve got a lot of those to bring you. You may be aware that my Senate district SD15 is now vacant … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Justice Department sues over SB4

As they had threatened to do. The U.S. Department of Justice sued Texas on Wednesday over a new state law that allows Texas police to arrest migrants suspected of crossing the Texas-Mexico border illegally. “Texas cannot disregard the United States … Continue reading

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

Paxton still desperately trying to avoid being deposed

And still failing. The Texas Third Court of Appeals denied Attorney General Ken Paxton’s request for an emergency stay of impending depositions in the whistleblower lawsuit that sparked his impeachment this year, according to a Wednesday court filing. The whistleblower … Continue reading

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

Whitmire officially resigns from the Senate

Let the election-palooza to replace him begin! Mayor-elect John Whitmire has submitted his resignation from the Texas Senate days before he will take over the state’s largest city. Whitmire, the Senate’s longest tenured member, served for 50 years under seven … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Whitmire officially resigns from the Senate

A brief update on the Democratic Senate primary

Just a couple of thoughts. If money is any indication, the crowded contest to challenge U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz next year is Democrat Colin Allred’s to lose. The congressman from Dallas has set campaign fundraising records and outpaced his closest … Continue reading

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

Paxton and aides ordered to sit for depositions on whistleblower trial

Good. A Travis County district judge has ordered Attorney General Ken Paxton and three top aides to sit for depositions in the 3-year-old whistleblower lawsuit against him. At a hearing Wednesday in Austin, Judge Jan Soifer granted the whistleblowers’ motion … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Paxton and aides ordered to sit for depositions on whistleblower trial

ACLU and immigrants rights groups sue over our latest legislative atrocity

Here we go. Immigrant rights organizations have sued Texas after Gov. Greg Abbott approved one of the strictest state immigration enforcement laws, which authorizes police to arrest immigrants suspected of crossing the border illegally. In their lawsuit, the American Civil … Continue reading

Posted in La Migra, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on ACLU and immigrants rights groups sue over our latest legislative atrocity

More filing deadline news and notes

I’m going to use the Erik Manning Spreadsheet, the Patrick Svitek spreadsheet, and the Secretary of State webpage to put together some notes and observations about the 2024 filing deadline and primary lineups. Note that some of this may still … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

SJL files for re-election

We have our answer. U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee will run for reelection in Texas’ 18th Congressional District, shaking up a Democratic primary that’s been in limbo since her resounding defeat in the race for Houston mayor on Saturday. Harris … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Get ready for the SD15 special election

It’s closer than you think. The candidates looking to replace Mayor-elect John Whitmire in the Texas Senate may have to win as many as five elections next year before they ever get to vote on a piece of legislation. Whitmire, … Continue reading

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

Apparently there’s a lawsuit challenging the 2023 constitutional amendment elections

I feel like I’m running out of synonyms for “deranged” and “absurd”. Lawsuits based on false claims about voting equipment could delay millions of dollars in cost of living increases for retired teachers expected to arrive in January. The lawsuits … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2023, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Candidate filing update

There’s still more than two weeks to go until the filing deadline for the 2024 primaries, so there are still a lot of people who haven’t filed or haven’t made their surprise announcement that they’re not filing yet. So if … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Paxton whistleblowers demand depositions

As always, I am rooting for them. Lawyers for the Ken Paxton whistleblowers are moving forward with their lawsuit in Travis County after another judge cleared the way, asking the Austin-based court to force the attorney general and his top … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Paxton whistleblowers demand depositions

Rep. Pat Fallon has a whirlwind 48 hours

First there was this on Monday, which was a little weird and meant at the time that three Republicans from Texas were leaving Congress after this term. U.S. Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Sherman, is quitting Congress and running for his old … Continue reading

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

Paxton whistleblower lawsuit unpaused again

Good. A Burnet County district judge ruled Tuesday that the Ken Paxton whistleblowers’ case can proceed in Travis County, while Paxton’s recently launched legal challenge to the revived lawsuit remains pending. The ruling by Judge Evan Stubbs could allow the … Continue reading

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

Filing season for 2024 begins today

Happy First Day of Candidate Filing to all who celebrate. The Democratic and Republican slates will begin to take shape this weekend once candidates start filing their paperwork to run. Several Harris County officials plan to file for re-election, such … Continue reading

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

Paxton whistleblower lawsuit paused again

WTF??? The whistleblower lawsuit against Attorney General Ken Paxton has once again been put on pause, this time by a judge who had not been previously involved in the case. The Texas Supreme Court agreed to jumpstart the case in … Continue reading

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

The looming Kerr County election disaster

I have five things to say about this. Responsibility for running elections in Kerr County has shifted among three different people in the past two months. The first two officials bailed on the job after a months-long effort by one … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2024, The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Rep. Jarvis Johnson to run for SD15

The field grows. Rep. Jarvis Johnson, D-Houston, announced Tuesday he will run for Texas Senate to fill the seat currently held by mayoral candidate John Whitmire. “I know the issues affecting our communities. We’ve been neglected by the state. They’ve … Continue reading

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

Endorsement watch: Chron goes for Whitmire

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

Posted in Election 2023 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

October 2023 campaign finance reports – Senate

As was the case with the July reports, we have a lot more candidates now than we had three months ago, or six months ago in April. In fact, we now have so many people running for Senate, and filing … Continue reading

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

Lee and Garcia push the city to Do Something about Whitmire’s campaign finances

We’ll see what happens. Two rival candidates have asked the city of Houston to block state Sen. John Whitmire from using $2.7 million in proceeds from stock sales to underwrite his campaign for mayor. Already dominating in the fundraising race, … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2023 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Lee and Garcia push the city to Do Something about Whitmire’s campaign finances

Todd Litton announces for SD15

From the inbox: I hope this message finds you and yours well. After some inspiring conversations in and across our community, and a lot of consideration with Jennifer and our family, I am thrilled to share with you that I … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Todd Litton announces for SD15

It’s special session time again

Break’s over, y’all. Back on your heads. Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday released his agenda for the third legislative special session of the year, asking lawmakers to pass “school choice” and further crack down on illegal immigration. The special session … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on It’s special session time again

More Paxton evidence released

A little late, but here it is. Documents released Tuesday by the House impeachment managers reveal closer ties between the contractor who renovated Attorney General Ken Paxton’s home and Nate Paul, the financially troubled Austin real estate investor who was … Continue reading

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

And now we have a hue and cry about Whitmire’s campaign treasury

I’m surprised it took this long, to be honest. U.S. Rep Sheila Jackson Lee and former Metro Chair Gilbert Garcia have requested the city attorney to investigate alleged campaign contribution limit violations by State Sen. John Whitmire, hinting at a … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2023 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

SCOTx rules whistleblowers’ lawsuit can proceed

Good. The Texas Supreme Court has sided with former top deputies of Attorney General Ken Paxton and cleared the way for their whistleblower lawsuit to move forward. The all-Republican Supreme Court on Friday rejected Paxton’s request to dismiss the lawsuit … Continue reading

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

Drag ban officially ruled unconstitutional

Good. Texas cannot enforce a new law that restricts some public drag shows, a federal judge said Tuesday in declaring the legislation unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge David Hittner found Senate Bill 12 “impermissibly infringes on the First Amendment and chills … Continue reading

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

The whistleblowers say they aren’t going away

Glad to hear it. In a Monday filing to the Texas Supreme Court, the whistleblowers [Blake Brickman, David Maxwell, Mark Penley and Ryan Vassar] argued that Paxton has failed to uphold key parts of the settlement agreement, including the $3.3 … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters, Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

City runoff election will be December 9

Slightly reducing the overall intrigue factor of the season. The runoffs for Houston’s City Hall elections will be held Dec. 9, the secretary of state’s office confirmed on Tuesday. Houston voters will head to the polls Nov. 7 to elect … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2023 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on City runoff election will be December 9

Stay petty, Dan

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

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

Paxton acquitted on all counts

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

Posted in Scandalized!, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Impeachment trial update: The Senate’s long weekend

Closing arguments have been made. The prosecution and defense made their closing arguments Friday morning in the impeachment trial of Attorney General Ken Paxton, telling wildly contrasting tales of the eight days of witness testimony. The House impeachment managers insisted … Continue reading

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments