Monthly Archives: July 2017

July 2017 campaign finance reports – City of Houston

Posted on July 31, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s continue our survey of campaign finance reports with reports from the city of Houston. Name Raised Spent Loans On Hand ================================================ Turner 520,430 138,068 0 1,643,519 Stardig 59,470 36,402 0 102,289 Davis 5,500 13,231 0 147,050 Cohen 5,000 8,382 … Continue reading →

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Pushing the NFL Draft angle

Posted on July 31, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Every angle is going to be needed, and this is one that ought to speak to some folks. The Cowboys’ efforts to land the NFL draft and how it could be derailed by the legislative push for a bathroom bill … Continue reading →

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The Observer talks to Kim Ogg

Posted on July 31, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

A good read: You decriminalized the possession of small amounts of marijuana. Jeff Sessions has signaled that he seeks to ramp up the war on drugs. What power does the federal government hold over your policy decisions? I enjoy total … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for July 30

Posted on July 30, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

“There’s no public indication yet what Trump Jr., Kushner, and Manafort specifically hoped to receive from the Russians. But if they were aware of (and believed) these conspiracy-theory reports regarding the Russians and Clinton’s emails—real-life fake news that had been … Continue reading →

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The bathroom bill would affect disabled people, too

Posted on July 30, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Yet another problem caused by this harmful “solution”. As lawmakers this summer debate yet another controversial measure regulating bathroom use based on biological sex, disabled Texans say they — like many transgender men and women — believe the Legislature is … Continue reading →

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More on Jeffrey Payne

Posted on July 30, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The Trib talks to the first declared Democratic candidate for Governor. The Tribune spoke to Payne about his ideas for the state and how he plans on building momentum ahead of the election to mobilize Texans. The following is an … Continue reading →

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From the “we don’t want those people coming here” files

Posted on July 30, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Stay classy, Spring. The headline wasn’t subtle: “Stop Metro from coming to Spring.” The article,published July 15 on the website Spring Happenings, warned that bus service would “give criminals an easy way in and out” of the north Harris County … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Saturday video break: September

Posted on July 29, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The only thing that can rival the 80s for video awesomeness is the 70s, and when you think of the 70s, you should think of Earth, Wind & Fire: The glitter, the dashikis, the groovy video effects – it’s all … Continue reading →

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House takes a different direction on trees

Posted on July 29, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Better than the Senate version, for sure. The Texas House added a potential wrinkle to Gov. Greg Abbott’s special session agenda on Thursday, giving early approval to a bill that would allow property owners to plant new trees to offset … Continue reading →

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Public Works Director Sreerama is out

Posted on July 29, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox, a Friday afternoon special: Statement by Mayor Sylvester Turner on city Public Works and Engineering director “Karun Sreerama has accomplished much in Houston as a businessman and involved citizen. I am sure he will continue to be … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics, Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

New county risk assessment system coming

Posted on July 29, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

We’ve been waiting. Harris County officials on Tuesday touted their revamped strategy for deciding whether tens-of-thousands of individuals should be jailed before their criminal trials, a process that critics and a federal judge say disproportionately affects the poor who are … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 32 Comments

Friday random ten – Another one

Posted on July 28, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Hey, it’s another list! 1. Another Brick In The Wall Part 2 – Pink Floyd 2. Another Christmas Song – Stephen Colbert 3. Another Day – Sting 4. Another Day In Paradise – Phil Collins 5. Another Man’s Cause – … Continue reading →

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Stanart pushes back on election security claims

Posted on July 28, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Our County Clerk is not happy with recent stories about the potential for vulnerability in our election systems. Despite reports from federal intelligence agencies and media outlets of Russia’s widespread targeting of state and local elections around the country and … Continue reading →

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The bathroom bill in the House

Posted on July 28, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Mostly good news here. Dangerous. Discriminatory. Chilling. Hurtful. Those are words used by House State Affairs Chairman Byron Cook to describe bathroom legislation headed to his committee in the Texas House in the coming days. The Republican from Corsicana said … Continue reading →

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Paxton’s trial date set

Posted on July 28, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Mark your calendars. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton will face trial in December for the first of three criminal charges, a Houston judge ruled Thursday. Jury selection will begin Dec. 1 and testimony will start on Dec. 11 for the … Continue reading →

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Abbott versus the cities

Posted on July 27, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The continuing story. If Gov. Greg Abbott has disdain for how local Texas officials govern their cities, it didn’t show in a Wednesday sit-down with three mayors who were among 18 who jointly requested a meeting to discuss legislation that … Continue reading →

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House committee hears largely pointless property tax bills

Posted on July 27, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Something will probably come out of this, but it’s hard to understand why. A Texas House committee on Tuesday spent more than seven hours plowing through more than 30 bills that aim to tackle rising property tax bills — months … Continue reading →

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The process for I-45

Posted on July 27, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This time it’s different, more or less. The region’s largest looming highway project – a massive rebuild of Interstate 45 from the Sam Houston Tollway to downtown Houston – has a lot of people looking into the rear-view mirror, pressing … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of July 24

Posted on July 27, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance is dancing like nobody’s watching them delete their old tweets as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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There will be no city elections this November

Posted on July 26, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the early version of the story. I’ll add a link to the full story in the morning. The Texas Supreme Court on Monday denied plantiffs’ attempts to expedite their case challenging the [2015 term limits referendum] ballot language that … Continue reading →

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Law enforcement against the bathroom bill

Posted on July 26, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Add another group to an ever-expanding list. Police chiefs from three of the five biggest cities in the state gathered at the Texas Capitol on Tuesday to spurn proponents’ claims that such legislation is needed to protect privacy, arguing that … Continue reading →

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The “death by a thousand cuts” strategy

Posted on July 26, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

How To Kill A Health Insurance Market, Non-Legislative Division: The move by the White House to quietly end the contracts of two companies key to assisting people enrolling for insurance under the Affordable Care Act caught Houston health advocates off … Continue reading →

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Collins responds to Farenthold

Posted on July 26, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Please keep this up forever. On Monday, Rep. Blake Farenthold (R-TX) offered a novel — and sexist — explanation and solution for the Republican health care bill’s struggles: He blamed “some female senators from the Northeast” for holding up the … Continue reading →

Posted in General snarkiness | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Senate has mostly completed the Abbott special session agenda

Posted on July 25, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I’m just going to hit the highlights here because this stuff is happening quickly and often late in the day, but most of the Abbott 20-point special session agenda has been turned into bills that have as of this morning … Continue reading →

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Lawsuit filed over giving voter data to bogus Trump commission

Posted on July 25, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I missed this last week. The League of Women Voters of Texas and the Texas NAACP said Thursday they have sued Texas Secretary of State Rolando Pablos over plans to release voter information to President Donald Trump’s election commission. Texas … Continue reading →

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You’re never so weak as when you try to act tough

Posted on July 25, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Blake Farenthold, ladies and gentlemen: A Texas GOP congressman says if the three female Republican senators who oppose a bill repealing Obamacare were men from South Texas, he might challenge them to a duel. “The fact that the Senate does … Continue reading →

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July 2017 campaign finance reports – Congress

Posted on July 24, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It’s July, and that means it’s campaign finance report season. Everyone has reports due at the end of June, so at every level of government there are reports to look at. I’ll be working my way through them, starting today … Continue reading →

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ACLU seeks information about state’s compliance with Trump election commission

Posted on July 24, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Today the ACLU of Texas filed an open records request with the Texas Secretary of State seeking documentation related to the State’s compliance with the federal Election Integrity Commission, which had asked states to submit voters’ full … Continue reading →

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One side benefit of the continued Republican repeal follies

Posted on July 24, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It depresses the base. Texas-based Republican political consultant Brendan Steinhauser’s early read of the fallout was that the party has reasons to be worried about next year’s midterm elections. “I think that you will see that if this fails, Republicans … Continue reading →

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The bathroom bill is a threat to Quidditch

Posted on July 24, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

How much more do you need to know? It’s not quite time to get out the broomsticks in Round Rock. A national quidditch tournament headed to town next year has been put on hold while legislators consider the bathroom bill … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for July 23

Posted on July 23, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Same sex marriage is likely to be safe from future SCOTUS rulings even if Justice Kennedy retires in the next couple of years. I’d rather not test that hypothesis, though. Those hot girls on Twitter who want to follow you? … Continue reading →

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Was the Harris County election system hacked?

Posted on July 23, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Wouldn’t you like to know? Despite widespread alarm over the breadth of Russian cyber attacks on state and local election systems last year, including revelations of Dallas County being targeted, Harris County officials are refusing to say whether hackers similarly … Continue reading →

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Cruz gets a primary challenger

Posted on July 23, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Meet Stefano de Stefano. With no heavy hitters in the Texas Republican hierarchy emerging to challenge U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz for the party’s nomination in 2018, a Houston energy attorney is stepping forward. Stefano de Stefano, who bills himself as … Continue reading →

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Will we have enough candidates for the opportunities?

Posted on July 23, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

There’s always something to worry about. With the Texas case moving forward, the boundaries of the congressional districts remain in question with the 2018 elections less than 18 months away. The Lone Star State’s primary filing deadline is in six … Continue reading →

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