Monthly Archives: March 2022

What’s on the ballot for the May statewide special election

Posted on March 31, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Yes, you will have a reason to vote this May. It’s a statewide special constitutional amendment election, thanks to the most recent special session. Here’s what’s on tap. Voters will head to the polls starting April 25 to decide whether … Continue reading →

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Guess who’s paying for Ken Paxton’s defense against those state bar complaints?

Posted on March 31, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

You are, of course. What did you expect? Texas taxpayers are on the hook for $45,000 so far in legal defense for Attorney General Ken Paxton as he attempts to ward off multiple complaints to the State Bar over his … Continue reading →

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Council adopts vape extension to smoking ban

Posted on March 31, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The city outlawed vaping in public spaces Wednesday, amending Houston’s smoking ordinance to include electronic cigarettes. City Council voted 16-0 to approve the amendment, proposed last year by the Houston Health Department in response to growing scientific consensus on … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of March 28

Posted on March 31, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance stands with the people of Ukraine as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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More eating outdoors downtown

Posted on March 31, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

This is a good idea, and I’m glad it’s being continued. DINING IN DOWNTOWN HOUSTON CAN be a hassle, what with the limited parking and COVD-19 restrictions affecting seating space at so many eateries. Fortunately, the city of Houston is … Continue reading →

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Of course Ted Cruz supported sedition

Posted on March 30, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

None of this is surprising. And I’m certain there will be more, that this is just the tip of the iceberg. Sen. Ted Cruz was dining near the Capitol on the evening of Dec. 8, 2020, when he received an … Continue reading →

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Abortion funds accuse Briscoe Cain of defamation

Posted on March 30, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

This ought to be fun. Earlier this month, Republican Texas House lawmaker Briscoe Cain sent Texas abortion funds cease-and-desist letters, threatening the funds, their donors and volunteers with criminal prosecution unless they stopped helping fund abortions in Texas. Now, the … Continue reading →

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

City Council to consider adding vapes to smoking ordinance

Posted on March 30, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Sounds reasonable. I’ll be interested to hear what the opponents have to say. City Council on Wednesday will consider a proposal to bar the use of e-cigarettes and any kind of vaping in public spaces under Houston’s smoking ordinance. The … Continue reading →

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Studying COVID in cats and dogs

Posted on March 30, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Seems like a reasonable thing to look at. Brushing a dog’s teeth is hard enough. The dog looks at you plaintively, eyes wide with betrayal, as you insert the toothbrush and perform a quick pantomime of a tooth cleaning in … Continue reading →

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January 2022 campaign finance reports: HISD

Posted on March 29, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Previously: City of Houston HISD campaign finance reports are almost always less sexy than city of Houston reports, but we just had some expensive races last year, so let’s see where all the current Trustees are with their finances. Elizabeth … Continue reading →

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Judge rules against Prairie View students in 2018 voting rights case

Posted on March 29, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

There was a lot of legal activity last week, so it took me a minute to get to this story. A federal judge ruled Thursday that Waller County did not discriminate against student voters at Prairie View A&M University during … Continue reading →

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Paxton “investigating” pharmaceuticals over puberty blockers

Posted on March 29, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Also from last week, I don’t know if this is something to worry about or just blowing smoke. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is investigating two pharmaceutical companies — Endo Pharmaceuticals and AbbVie Inc. — for allegedly advertising puberty blockers … Continue reading →

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Judicial Q&A: Beverly Armstrong

Posted on March 28, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

(Note: As I have done in past elections, I am running a series of Q&As for judicial candidates in contested Democratic primaries. This was intended to help introduce the candidates and their experiences to those who plan to vote in … Continue reading →

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SCOTUS unanimously rejects Dave Wilson

Posted on March 28, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Poor baby. The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday ruled against former Houston Community College trustee Dave Wilson, finding that he didn’t have an actionable First Amendment claim after suing his colleagues for verbally censuring him in 2018. In a 9-0 … Continue reading →

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City Council redistricting is on the dock

Posted on March 28, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s a schedule of events related to redistricting for Houston City Council. Some of this has already happened. Last week, unless it got tagged in which case it will come up again at the next Council meeting, Council should have … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for March 27

Posted on March 27, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

This oral history of Galaxy Quest is from 2014, but it’s also the best thing I read this week, so here you go. “Dowsing for the dead is not exactly endorsed by scientists or forensic experts. But it is a … Continue reading →

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Rep. Filemon Vela to step down

Posted on March 27, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Another special election, though this one is already a little chaotic. U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela confirmed Thursday he will resign from Congress in the coming weeks, a decision that comes after he announced last year he would retire from the … Continue reading →

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Divorce granted in common-law same-sex marriage case

Posted on March 27, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Good result. On March 24, a San Antonio jury returned a verdict in favor of Christopher Hoffman, a gay man who sought to prove a common law marriage existed since 1996 with his former partner, Moises Ortiz. The decision clears … Continue reading →

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Yeah, ivermectin is useless against COVID

Posted on March 27, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Hardly a surprise. Antiparasitic drug Ivermectin became a partisan battleground during the Covid-19 pandemic, as anti-vaccine influencers and Republican politicians hawked it as a miracle cure, to the widespread skepticism of infectious disease experts. A peer-reviewed study recently presented by Dr. Edward Mills, a professor … Continue reading →

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First “Trump Train” lawsuit to proceed

Posted on March 26, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Good news. Today, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas ruled in favor of plaintiffs in Cervini v. Cisneros, the “Texas Trump Train” lawsuit filed against individuals in a convoy of Trump supporters who conspired to mount … Continue reading →

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Metro approves I-10 Inner Katy BRT route

Posted on March 26, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Big step forward. Metro officials Thursday settled on the route for a busway along Interstate 10 that they predict will improve transit for urban and suburban travelers, whether they hop on board or not. The elevated busway planned along the … Continue reading →

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Justice Department sues over Galveston County Commissioners Court map

Posted on March 26, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Good, but remember how the federal courts are these days before getting too optimistic. The Department of Justice on Thursday sued Galveston County over its new redistricting map, accusing Republican county officials of violating the Voting Rights Act last year … Continue reading →

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Oklahoma preps to ban abortion

Posted on March 26, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

This was just a matter of time. Oklahoma’s state House on Tuesday voted 78-19 to pass a near complete ban on abortions, legislation that far surpasses Texas’ six-week ban. The bill is now headed to the Senate and, if passed, … Continue reading →

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Paxton appeals to SCOTx to re-allow investigations of trans kids’ families

Posted on March 25, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Of course he did. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has asked the state Supreme Court to intervene to allow child abuse investigations into parents of transgender children. His request comes just days after a Texas appeals court reinstated a temporary injunction blocking the … Continue reading →

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More on the abortion funds’ lawsuits

Posted on March 25, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Good overview in the WaPo. The Texas law has so far withstood multiple court challenges by employing a highly controversial legal strategy: empowering private citizens to sue anyone who helps facilitate an abortion after the legal limit. Abortion rights advocates … Continue reading →

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Fifth Circuit asks SCOTx for help on some SB1 issues

Posted on March 25, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

The Twitter summary: . Here are the questions the 5th Circuit asked the Texas Supremes to answer: https://ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions/unpub/22/22-50110.0.pdf — Chuck Lindell (@chucklindell) 2:45 PM – 23 March 2022 To recap the history here, back in September a group of plaintiffs … Continue reading →

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Houston to get federal freeze recovery funds

Posted on March 25, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Houston is slated to get about $30 million in disaster recovery money to help address lasting needs from the February 2021 winter storm — the largest such grant in Texas, federal officials announced Tuesday. Marcia L. Fudge, secretary of … Continue reading →

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Amanda Edwards to run for Mayor

Posted on March 24, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

The field is now at three. Amanda Edwards, a former at-large member of Houston City Council and candidate for U.S. Senate, announced Wednesday she is running for mayor of Houston in 2023. Edwards’ return to politics comes two years after … Continue reading →

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SCOTx hearing on state redistricting lawsuits

Posted on March 24, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

The state lawsuits over the “county line rule” in Cameron County and the Eckhardt/Gutierrez “decennial redistricting only in a regular session” contention had a hearing before the State Supreme Court over whether these suits can be heard in state district … Continue reading →

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Bexar County looks for ways to reduce future mail ballot rejections

Posted on March 24, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Good luck. I hope if they learn anything useful they share it with the rest of us. Bexar County Commissioners on Tuesday directed local officials to come up with a plan to reduce the number of rejected mail-in ballots in … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of March 21

Posted on March 24, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance stands with the people of Ukraine as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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Iconic Heights church for sale

Posted on March 24, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Some neighborhood news that has us all a little worried. Heights Christian Church, a community gathering place for more than a century, is selling its historic property and merging with another congregation. Rev. Amber Mattingly, the pastor at the church … Continue reading →

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Yes, the statewide injunction against investigations into the families of trans kids is in effect

Posted on March 23, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Good. A Texas appeals court on Monday reinstated a temporary injunction blocking Texas from investigating parents for child abuse if they allow their transgender children to receive gender-affirming care. The Texas 3rd Court of Appeals issued the order as part of a lawsuit brought … Continue reading →

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

Beto responds to oligarch’s lawsuit

Posted on March 23, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Game on. Democrat Beto O’Rourke is blasting a pipeline company executive and top donor to Greg Abbott’s re-election campaign for filing a defamation lawsuit against him as he tries to unseat the two-term Republican governor. O’Rourke’s attorney filed a legal … Continue reading →

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