Category Archives: Scandalized!

Willis recuses himself from Paxton probe

Posted on April 22, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Good call. Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis has asked a judge to relieve him from further involvement in investigations of his friend, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Late Monday, Willis said that earlier in the day, he filed a … Continue reading →

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Collin County grand jury interested in Paxton case

Posted on April 10, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Very interesting. A Collin County grand jury has asked the Travis County District Attorney’s office for its investigative file on Ken Paxton, indicating the panel wants to look into the attorney general’s admitted violations of state securities law. “Collin County … Continue reading →

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Perry appeals to appeals court again

Posted on April 10, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

It had been a few weeks since his lawyers filed any paperwork, so I guess they were getting twitchy. As the race for president shapes up, former Gov. Rick Perry is imploring a state appeals court to take quick action … Continue reading →

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TPJ refiles complaint against Paxton

Posted on April 8, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see if they have any better luck this time. Texans for Public Justice on Monday re-filed its criminal complaint against Attorney General Ken Paxton with local prosecutors in Dallas and Collin Counties, arguing the latter should recuse himself because … Continue reading →

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TPJ still wants Paxton investigated

Posted on April 4, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

At the very least, they don’t want the matter dropped due to blithe indifference. The head of a public watchdog group said he again will urge law enforcement to launch a probe into Attorney General Ken Paxton’s admitted violation of … Continue reading →

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Perry goes to appeals court with latest motion to dismiss

Posted on February 27, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Leave no stone unturned, and no hour unbilled. Rick Perry’s lawyers have asked a state appeals court to dismiss the indictment against the former governor, saying he lawfully used his power to veto funds to the Travis County district attorney’s … Continue reading →

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Perry’s lawyers try, try again

Posted on February 24, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The circle of life keeps on keeping on. Lawyers for Rick Perry asked the court on Monday to again end the prosecution of the former governor, saying the indictment is faulty and the actions he took in issuing a veto … Continue reading →

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Farenthold replies to the lawsuit against his office

Posted on February 16, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Here we go. U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold, R-Corpus Christi, has formally denied a former employee’s claims that he sexually harassed and discriminated against her. Instead, he fired the staffer for “poor performance and failure to report to work,” his legal … Continue reading →

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McCrum refiles charges against Perry

Posted on February 15, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Here we go again. Former Gov. Rick Perry tried to force out a local district attorney because he wanted to stymie the work of a unit she oversees that investigates public corruption involving state officials, a special prosecutor alleged Friday. … Continue reading →

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No grand juror information for Perry

Posted on February 9, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Sorry, Rick. A state judge Friday denied former Gov. Rick Perry’s push for a list of people whose grand-jury testimony led to his indictment on abuse-of-power charges. Judge Bert Richardson said the prosecution is not required to produce those names, … Continue reading →

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New frontiers in residency requirements

Posted on February 4, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Michael Quinn Sullivan lives exactly where he says he lives, no more and no less. Empower Texans President Michael Quinn Sullivan and the Texas Ethics Commission are scheduled to tangle in state district court in Denton County for the first … Continue reading →

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Perry re-files motions to quash indictments

Posted on January 31, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

As expected. Following the cues provided in a judge’s ruling this week, lawyers for Rick Perry filed a request on Friday to get an indictment against the former governor dismissed. The new request noted “serious, well-founded concerns” that Judge Bert … Continue reading →

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Paxton evades prosecution

Posted on January 30, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

In Travis County, anyway. New Attorney General Ken Paxton, who in 2014 was found to have violated the Texas Securities Act, will not be prosecuted by the state’s office that investigates public corruption, officials said Thursday. Paxton, a former state … Continue reading →

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Perry still under indictment

Posted on January 28, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Oops. A judge on Tuesday rejected former Gov. Rick Perry’s attempt to throw out a two-count indictment against him, saying it’s too early in the case to challenge the constitutionality of the charges. Perry’s attorneys immediately filed notice that they … Continue reading →

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The Farenthold files

Posted on January 26, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The Farenthold lawsuit continues to have promise as the underrated scandal of the year. In his first interview since the suit was filed in December, [Rep. Blake] Farenthold said he was shocked by the allegations made by Lauren Greene, the … Continue reading →

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Expect to hear more about Perry vetos and no-bid contracts

Posted on January 19, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Bring it on. Democratic lawmakers and government watchdog groups on Saturday called for the reopening of an investigation into no-bid state contracts that ended in 2013 after Gov. Rick Perry vetoed funding for the team conducting it. The critics decried … Continue reading →

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The veto that keeps on giving

Posted on January 18, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

I haven’t closely followed the burgeoning scandal at the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, which involves no-bid contracts, up front tuition reimbursements for top level staffers, and rampant cronyism. It’s already cost three people their jobs and will likely … Continue reading →

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Lawsuit filed against the office of Rep. Blake Farenthold

Posted on December 18, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Um, wow. A woman who worked for U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold filed a federal lawsuit against his congressional office, alleging she experienced gender-based discrimination and that a hostile work environment prompted her termination in July. Former Communications Director Lauren Greene … Continue reading →

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Steve Stockman may leave Congress but his stench will linger

Posted on December 13, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Steve Stockman, ladies and gentlemen. When Rep. Steve Stockman won a long-shot bid in 2012 to return to the House of Representatives, he credited a dream team of tech-savvy volunteers who worked long hours and slept on the floor of … Continue reading →

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On being Ron Reynolds

Posted on November 26, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Just because everyone’s out to get you doesn’t mean your behavior is above reproach. To hear Ron Reynolds tell it, the embattled state representative is just plain misunderstood. Over the past decade, Reynolds has been sanctioned twice by the state … Continue reading →

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Ken Paxton is still an ethical morass

Posted on November 24, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

He’s just now a statewide ethical morass. A state judge will determine whether to revoke the securities license of Frederick Mowery, who was linked to the State Securities Board’s May reprimand of Attorney General-elect Ken Paxton, for allegations that included … Continue reading →

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McCrum avoids contempt charge

Posted on November 19, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Whew. Mike McCrum, the special prosecutor in the criminal case against Gov. Rick Perry, was cleared Monday of an attempt to find him in contempt of court stemming from a separate case. Visiting Judge Dick Alcala declined to find McCrum, … Continue reading →

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Trevino gets probation

Posted on November 19, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Such a shame. Former Harris County Precinct 6 constable Victor Trevino, who pleaded guilty in a public corruption case this month, was sentenced on Monday to 10 years of probation – avoiding incarceration for his criminal activity and capping a … Continue reading →

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While we wait for a ruling in the Rick Perry case

Posted on November 17, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

This story about a group of big-name lawyers filing a brief in support of Rick Perry’s motion to dismiss the charges against him ran a week ago. I put off writing about it because it looked like we might get … Continue reading →

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Reynolds’ convictions overturned

Posted on November 13, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

My head is spinning. State Rep. Ron Reynolds, D-Missouri City, will be back in a Montgomery County courtroom a week before the 2015 legislative session gets underway. The legislator, who just won his third term in office, is facing a … Continue reading →

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Searching for a successor to Victor Trevino

Posted on November 12, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Commissioners Court is on it. Harris County commissioners are preparing to accept the resignation of convicted Constable Victor Trevino and to start looking for his replacement. Trevino, who pleaded guilty last week to a felony charge as a jury was … Continue reading →

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Rep. Reynolds convicted of six misdemeanors

Posted on November 9, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

He actually got off easy since he was facing felony charges. A Montgomery County jury Friday found state Rep. Ron Reynolds guilty of six counts of misdemeanor solicitation of professional employment – a lesser charge than the felony barratry charge … Continue reading →

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Perry’s first day in court

Posted on November 8, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Hopefully not his last, but that’s up to the judge at this time. Gov. Rick Perry appeared in court Thursday to watch his attorneys, armed with plenty of theater, try to convince a judge that the prosecutor pursuing abuse-of-power charges … Continue reading →

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McCrum responds to Perry’s motions

Posted on November 5, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Another story to distract us from the election results. Special prosecutor Michael McCrum filed court papers on Monday, saying the governor, who was indicted for abuse of office, shouldn’t have access to grand jury testimony because he could intimidate witnesses. … Continue reading →

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Trevino takes a plea

Posted on November 4, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Disgraceful. Harris County Precinct 6 constable Victor Trevino pleaded guilty Monday to misapplication of fiduciary property, a day after beginning trial on allegations that he diverted money from his charity for personal use. He faces a maximum sentence of 10 … Continue reading →

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Constable Victor Trevino goes to trial

Posted on November 3, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

In case you want to follow a story that isn’t related to the election. The money was supposed to go to a charity that would pay for neighborhood events, but instead, prosecutors said, the longtime East End law enforcement official … Continue reading →

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Perry has a court date

Posted on October 15, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Happy Halloween, Rick. Visiting Judge Bert Richardson of San Antonio on Monday set the appearance for Oct. 31. Richardson also gave special prosecutor Michael McCrum until Nov. 7 to respond to two motions to quash the case. Richardson had excused … Continue reading →

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Complaint against McCrum dropped

Posted on October 13, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Travis County Attorney David Escamilla said Wednesday he has looked into recent allegations by a Houston attorney against the special prosecutor in the case against Gov. Rick Perry and will not investigate further. Escamilla said he found no evidence … Continue reading →

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Perry’s lawyers are earning their paychecks

Posted on October 6, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

You never know what might stick when you throw everything you’ve got at the wall. Lawyers for Gov. Rick Perry on Friday filed a request to dismiss the indictment against the governor, saying paperwork needed to properly swear in the … Continue reading →

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