Daily Archives: June 22, 2009

SCOTUS upholds Voting Rights Act

Posted on June 22, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

For now, anyway. The Supreme Court ruled narrowly today in a challenge to the landmark Voting Rights Act, siding with a small Texas governing authority but sidestepping the larger constitutional issue. The court, with only one justice in dissent, avoided … Continue reading →

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

Bacarisse, too

Posted on June 22, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Rick Casey jumps on the Ed Johnson bandwagon, and he starts off with the information that former District Clerk Charles Bacarisse was doing the same kind of moonlighting as Johnson was. Bacarisse hired out as a $4,500-a-month consultant to a … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Once more with the vetoes

Posted on June 22, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Governor Perry explains why he vetoed legislation to improve ethics in Harris County. “I was never for that bill. Now, there may have been some people on my staff who were of a different mind,” Perry said, responding to a … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Ryan versus the polluters

Posted on June 22, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

This is the sort of thing that happens when you elect Democrats. Here’s something relatively new: A Harris County polluter is going to jail. Vince Ryan, the new Harris County Attorney, has decided to make pollution a priority, and he … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Is there a problem with the stimulus funds?

Posted on June 22, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I hope not. The debate over whether Texas lawmakers can use federal stimulus money to boost education spending, including funding a raise for teachers, is heating up. The Obama administration warned states Thursday it may withhold millions of dollars if … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment