Monthly Archives: May 2017

Weekend link dump for May 14

Posted on May 14, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Naming and billboard-shaming the Congressfolk who sold off your Internet privacy. I’m probably “Structure Neutral, Ingredient Purist” on the Sandwich Alignment Chart, but I’m still thinking about it. We’re in no danger of running out of Game of Thrones content … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | 3 Comments

Two more campaigns launched in CD07

Posted on May 14, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Two from the inbox. First, from Tuesday: Laura Moser, writer and founder of the resistance tool Daily Action, formally launched her congressional campaign for District 7 at a happy hour on Monday in Houston, Texas. “It’s time to send someone to … Continue reading →

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Harris County bail order halted

Posted on May 14, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Very late in the day on Friday. A federal appeals court granted Harris County a last-minute reprieve Friday in a contentious civil rights lawsuit, calling a temporary halt to a judge’s order that would have altered the way cash bail … Continue reading →

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SB4 is what you get when you vote for Greg Abbott

Posted on May 14, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This is me, shaking my head. Duque, who is Latina and Catholic, represents two constituencies Abbott courted during his campaign. The same constituencies strongly opposed the sanctuary cities ban, which Abbott made an emergency item in January and championed throughout … Continue reading →

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Dowd declines to run for Senate

Posted on May 14, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Not a surprise. Matthew Dowd, a political commentator and former strategist for George W. Bush, announced Wednesday that he will not challenge U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, in 2018. Dowd had been considering an independent run against Cruz, who is … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: Rock This Town

Posted on May 13, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

A big hit from the Stray Cats: Am I the only one who thinks that the “real square cat” who “looks so 1974” kinds sorta resembles Weird Al Yankovic with a short haircut? It’s the mustache and the smirk, I … Continue reading →

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Cornyn on shortlist to replace Comey

Posted on May 13, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn is on the short list to succeed James Comey as FBI director, according to a White House official. Cornyn is one of about 11 contenders for the post, according to Fox News. He has strong … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Rideshare bill advances in Senate

Posted on May 13, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It was almost different and then it wasn’t, but it still could be. Paid ride companies such as Uber and Lyft are one step closer to the statewide oversight they crave, after a state Senate committee approved a revised plan … Continue reading →

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Sandra Bland bill clears the Senate

Posted on May 13, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Good news. The Texas Senate on Thursday unanimously approved a bill aimed at protecting people with mental illnesses who are arrested and may harm themselves in jail. The legislation — Senate Bill 1849 — was filed after a high-profile incident … Continue reading →

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Friday random ten: Fluxblog 1980

Posted on May 12, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It’s all about 1980 this week: 1. The Tilt – 7th Wonder 2. Everybody Wants Some! – Van Halen 3. I Got You – Split Enz 4. My Sick Mind – The Roches 5. Another Brick In The Wall Part … Continue reading →

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Interview with Anna Eastman

Posted on May 12, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Anna Eastman has served two terms as HISD Trustee in District I, which is where I live. She has been a leading advocate for having strong accountability measures in place for schools, she was a frequent critic of former Superintendent … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , | 18 Comments

Bill to ban straight-ticket voting advances in the Senate

Posted on May 12, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This could happen. A Texas Senate panel approved legislation Thursday that would end straight-ticket voting in all elections. The Senate Committee on Business & Commerce voted 7-0 to send House Bill 25 for potential consideration by the full chamber. Two members, … Continue reading →

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Paxton tries again – and fails – to get a new judge

Posted on May 12, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Never give up, never surrender, I guess. Attorney General Ken Paxton’s criminal defense lawyers filed a motion Wednesday arguing the judge assigned to oversee his securities fraud trial is ineligible to oversee the case because his appointment was temporary. Legal … Continue reading →

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Senate rejects House changes to Houston pension reform bill

Posted on May 12, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Conference committee, here we come. The Texas Senate on Wednesday refused to concur with House-passed amendments to a reform bill designed to resolve financial problems for Houston’s pension system. Sen. Joan Huffman, a Houston Republican who is the author of … Continue reading →

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Mayor Turner’s second budget

Posted on May 11, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It’s about what you’d expect. With pension reform in sight, Mayor Sylvester Turner on Tuesday proposed a combination of departmental cuts, one-time fixes, deferred payments and a dip into city reserves to close next year’s $123 million budget gap. Turner … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

Bill to allow discrimination in adoptions and foster care passes the House

Posted on May 11, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Shameful. Under House Bill 3859, which advanced on a 94-51 vote, providers would be protected from legal retaliation if they assert their “sincerely held religious beliefs” while caring for abused and neglected children. The measure would allow them to place … Continue reading →

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Mike Floyd gets his due

Posted on May 11, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The newest star of Texas politics gets a nice profile in the Chron. [Mike] Floyd’s stunning victory made national headlines. While school boards have had student representatives for decades, Floyd is the youngest person in recent memory elected to a … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Texas blog roundup for the week of May 8

Posted on May 11, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance thinks lacking human decency should be considered a pre-existing condition as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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Harris County will continue to fight bail lawsuit

Posted on May 10, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Harris County has appealed a federal civil rights lawsuit that challenged the county’s bail system, despite rising legal costs that have neared $3 million. After a heated discussion and a closed-door meeting Tuesday, Harris County Commissioners … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

First anti-“sanctuary cities” lawsuit filed

Posted on May 10, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

That was quick. Senate Bill 4 has drawn its first lawsuit. The League of United Latin American Citizens, Maverick County and the city of El Cenizo sued the state of Texas on Monday, claiming that SB 4 has failed to … Continue reading →

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Special prosecutor to be appointed in David Temple case

Posted on May 10, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Seems like the right call. Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg is asking for a special prosecutor to handle the murder case against former Alief Coach David Temple, adding new scrutiny to a decades-old case that continues to stir controversy. … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Weird taproom bill passes the House

Posted on May 10, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t understand this at all. The Texas House on Saturday voted overwhelming to place new constraints on craft breweries that grow beyond a set size or become acquired by a larger beer company. Supporters of House Bill 3287 also … Continue reading →

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House passes pension reform bill

Posted on May 9, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

One step closer, though there are still issues to be worked out. The Texas House gave early approval Monday to a bill that would reform Houston’s three problematic pension funds, which have caused financial woes and spurred political battles for … Continue reading →

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More on the HISD recapture re-referendum

Posted on May 9, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the full Chron story about Saturday’s re-vote on recapture. About 84 percent of constituents voted “for” HISD’s Proposition 1, giving the school district the green light to send $77.5 million to the Texas Education Agency rather than let the … Continue reading →

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Paxton gets ahead of the “sanctuary cities” lawsuit rush

Posted on May 9, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

That’s one way to do it, I suppose. Attorney General Ken Paxton is looking to get ahead of an anticipated barrage of legal challenges to Texas’ ban on “sanctuary cities,” which takes effect Sept. 1. Shortly after Gov. Greg Abbott … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

House bathroom bill will not get a committee vote

Posted on May 9, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Good news. A proposal to gut cities and school districts’ trans-inclusive bathroom policies did not advance in the House ahead of a crucial deadline, nixing the measure’s chances of getting a vote by the full chamber. But that doesn’t mean … Continue reading →

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

Bathroom bills and business interests

Posted on May 8, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Texas Monthly’s Dave Mann reviews the Republican schism over the bathroom bill and comes to the same conclusion as I have. At the moment, the Legislature—and the Republican party, for that matter—has settled into an uneasy stalemate between Patrick’s right-leaning … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

“What are we fighting for?”

Posted on May 8, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

That’s the key question for the county in the bail lawsuit. As legal costs mount, surpassing $200,000 per month, pressure is building for Harris County officials to settle a lawsuit over the county’s cash bail system that a federal judge … Continue reading →

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When will the lawsuits against the “sanctuary cities” bill begin to be filed?

Posted on May 8, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Soon. The question isn’t whether or not the Texas attorney general’s office will be hauled to court over a Texas Senate bill to ban “sanctuary” policies in Texas — but, more likely, when they’ll be asked to defend Senate bill … Continue reading →

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Bill to eliminate straight-ticket voting passes the House

Posted on May 8, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Here we go again. The Texas House late Friday night gave preliminary approval to a bill that would eliminate “one-punch” voting, forcing voters to make an individual decision on every ballot item, starting with the 2020 election. House Bill 25, … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Weekend link dump for May 7

Posted on May 7, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Six questions on Ivanka Trump’s new investment fund. “Former national security adviser Michael Flynn was warned by the Defense Intelligence Agency in 2014 against accepting foreign payments as he entered retirement, according to new documents obtained by the House oversight … Continue reading →

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May 6 election results

Posted on May 7, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

First and foremost, the HISD recapture re-referendum passed by a wide margin. The Yes vote was at 85% in early and absentee voting, and it will finish with about 84%; I started writing this at 10 PM, when 437 of … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Where do we stand with the anti-Texas Central bills?

Posted on May 7, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

They’re in the House, and we’ll see what happens from there. The four bills before the House Transportation Committee represented some of opponents’ latest efforts to stop the project in its track. But project supporters and Texas Central Partners executives … Continue reading →

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LGBT anti-discrimination bills voted out of House committee

Posted on May 7, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

One bit of good news this week. In an unprecedented vote, a House committee on Wednesday approved two bills to prohibit housing and employment discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. Dallas Republican Rep. Jason Villalba split with his … Continue reading →

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