Monthly Archives: February 2019

Cornyn’s 2020 strategy

Posted on February 8, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. As the Texas GOP Party chairman from 2010 to 2015, Steve Munisteri warned that Republicans could no longer take the Lone Star State for granted and that the party needed to reach … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Another AstroWorld auction

Posted on February 8, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Warm up your credit cards. If your wallet is as deep as your love for Houston’s AstroWorld, you’re in luck. An online auction is selling off a little more than 300 items from the theme park that closed its gates … Continue reading →

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Trying again for bail reform at the Lege

Posted on February 7, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

A very worthwhile pursuit. State Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, and state Rep. Andrew Murr, R-Junction, announced Monday at the Capitol that they have again filed legislation that would implement a risk-assessment tool for judges to use when making bail decisions, … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Architect hired for Ismaili Center construction on Robinson Warehouse site

Posted on February 7, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

This is the most exciting bit of local news I’ve seen in years. The worldwide Ismaili Muslim community announced Wednesday it is moving forward with plans to make Houston the site of its first U.S. cultural center and to create … Continue reading →

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SOS Whitley still has to be confirmed by the Senate

Posted on February 7, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

His committee hearing is today. Secretary of State David Whitley, who sent a flawed data analysis to every elections official in Texas warning that nearly 100,000 non-U.S. citizens may have illegally registered to vote, is due Thursday to meet with … Continue reading →

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

Texas blog roundup for the week of February 4

Posted on February 7, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance would like to announce that it is not forming an exploratory committee to run for President, but it is bringing you this week’s roundup.

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged , | 1 Comment

The state of the state 2019

Posted on February 6, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Sometimes it’s what you don’t say that gets noticed. Gov. Greg Abbott, in his biennial State of the State address Tuesday, stayed on message about schools and taxes, continuing state leaders’ so far unified focus on bread-and-butter policy reforms in … Continue reading →

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Paxton asks for summary judgement to end DACA

Posted on February 6, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Not much coverage of this, and I’m not sure what that means. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Monday asked a federal judge to strike down Obama-era deportation protections for immigrants whose parents brought them to the United States illegally … Continue reading →

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

Measles comes back to Houston

Posted on February 6, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

We all vaccinated our kids, right? Five cases of measles have been confirmed in the greater Houston area, a regional cluster that makes Texas the eleventh state this year to report the highly contagious disease until recently thought virtually eliminated … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Three times a lawsuit

Posted on February 5, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Hat trick! A group of civil and voting rights organizations is suing the state’s chief election officers and local election officials in five counties, claiming Texas’ voter citizenship review efforts are unconstitutional because they intentionally target naturalized citizens and voters … Continue reading →

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

Paxton wants power to pursue political prosecutions

Posted on February 5, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

That’s the only rational interpretation of this. As he begins his second term, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is looking to expand the prosecutorial power of his office, asking the Legislature for more resources and expanded jurisdiction to go after … Continue reading →

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

New Braunfels hits pause on scooters

Posted on February 5, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Swimming against the tide here. New Braunfels police on Wednesday issued a 90-day ban on commercial electric scooters in the city and will cite anyone caught using one with a Class C misdemeanor, city officials announced. The temporary order was … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Second lawsuit filed over bogus SOS advisory

Posted on February 4, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Keep ’em coming. A group of Latino voters is suing top state officials who they allege unlawfully conspired to violate their constitutional rights by singling them out for investigation and removal from the voter rolls because they are foreign-born. Filed … Continue reading →

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

Bail reform settlement looks to be a go

Posted on February 4, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Excellent news. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Lee H. Rosenthal on Friday offered initial support for new bail rules proposed by Harris County, signaling the three-year lawsuit challenging the county’s cash bond system soon may reach its conclusion. The settlement … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 40 Comments

Orlando Sanchez files $1 million lawsuit against water-pourer

Posted on February 4, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Oh, good grief. The former Harris County treasurer has sued a man for $1 million after water was poured on his head during a news conference about HISD in December. Orlando Sanchez, who lost his re-election campaign in November, filed … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for February 3

Posted on February 3, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

I’m so glad my kids are too old for the “Baby Shark” era. Possibly better ways to do overtime in the NFL. Flying cars still aren’t a thing, but jetpacks are on their way. “It’s Now Clear None of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | 4 Comments

SOS advisory lawsuit update

Posted on February 3, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Add another plaintiff, litigate till done. A naturalized citizen — who immigrated to Texas from the United Kingdom and is a registered voter — is joining a Latino civil rights group in suing top Texas officials after her voter registration … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters, Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

There sure was a lot of money spent on Congressional races in Texas

Posted on February 3, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

If we’re lucky, it will be the start of a trend. Never has Texas seen as much money spent on Congressional campaigns as it did in 2018. New campaign finance data shows that the state didn’t just beat its old … Continue reading →

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“Credible” abuse claims against clergy

Posted on February 3, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

I’m just going to leave this here. Every Roman Catholic Diocese in Texas released a list Thursday of “credible abuse” claims against clergy going back decades, a move that comes as dioceses across the nation have released or prepared to … Continue reading →

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Always beware revenue caps

Posted on February 2, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

They’re always a bad idea. Flanked by the state’s top legislative leaders, Gov. Greg Abbott announced Thursday that both chambers of the Texas Legislature will push to curb property tax growth by limiting how much money local governments collect without … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

SOS walks its advisory back even more

Posted on February 2, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Just rescind the whole damn list and let’s pretend this never happened. A week after it flagged tens of thousands of voters for citizenship checks, the Texas secretary of state’s office is now advising counties on how to check their … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

The down side of scooters

Posted on February 2, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Watch out for that tree. And that pedestrian, and that street light, and that strange bump in the sidewalk, and that abandoned scooter someone just left lying there… In September 2017, Tarak Trivedi, an emergency room doctor, and Catherine Lerer, … Continue reading →

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Eh, what’s a few thousand mis-identified non-citizens among friends?

Posted on February 1, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

No biggie. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott downplayed concerns Thursday about the voter citizenship review initiated last week by his secretary of state, even though it has since become clear that the state’s list of flagged voters swept up thousands of … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Of course some anti-abortion bill will pass this session

Posted on February 1, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Passing bills restricting abortion is one of the reasons the modern Republican Party exists, so of course some bill (or bills) which do that in some fashion will be passed in this legislative session. It’s as safe a bet as … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Joint processing center opens

Posted on February 1, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

This was a long time coming, but it should be worth the wait. More than a decade after city voters approved a bond measure to fund it, Houston and Harris County opened a joint inmate processing center Thursday that officials … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment