Tag Archives: Justice Department

A trio of trial updates

Posted on May 22, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Planned Parenthood versus Texas: A ruling affecting health care, including contraception, for some 130,000 low-income Texas women probably won’t come until late this year as Planned Parenthood and the state of Texas plan for mid-October oral arguments in their legal … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on A trio of trial updates

Voter ID trial likely to be delayed

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

And if it is, it’s all the fault of the State of Texas. In another blow to advocates of Texas’ voter ID law, a federal district court ruled today that the law will likely not be in place by the … Continue reading →

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

Delay in voter ID trial requested

Posted on April 26, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

From Michael Li: Intervenors in the Texas voter ID case asked the court today to delay the scheduled July 9 start of trial in the case, citing discovery delays by the State of Texas.  The intervenors said the delays had … Continue reading →

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

So long, Santorum

Posted on April 11, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

That sound you hear is Texas Republicans crying in their beer. Rick Santorum’s withdrawal today from the 2012 presidential contest makes Texas Republicans, once again, all but irrelevant in their party’s nomination process. The drawn-out nature of the race had … Continue reading →

Posted in The making of the President | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Who testifies about voter ID?

Posted on April 8, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

That was the question before the federal court on Tuesday. U.S. Justice Department lawyers told a federal three-judge panel Tuesday that Texas legislators should not be shielded from testifying in a voter ID case. But lawyers for state Attorney General … Continue reading →

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

Voter ID lawsuit action this week

Posted on April 2, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Tomorrow, the DC Court will hear “oral argument on the State of Texas’ request to block the depositions of 12 Republican legislators who were involved with the voter ID bill, including State Sen. Dan Patrick and state representatives Debbie Riddle … Continue reading →

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

Examining the voter ID lie

Posted on March 27, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve complained quite a bit at how the media in Texas lazily reports the voter ID issue as a simple “he said/she said” dispute when a cursory examination of the facts shows how ridiculous the pro-voter ID case is, so … Continue reading →

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

Why no ID?

Posted on March 19, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Grits asks an interesting question. Why do so many adult Texans lack ID? In part because 2 million drivers have had their drivers licenses revoked because of nonpayment of the Driver Responsibility Surcharge, which readers will recall is a stiff … Continue reading →

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

Texas goes long on voter ID

Posted on March 16, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

From Michael Li: The State of Texas is seeking permission from the three-judge panel in the voter ID case to file an amended complaint that would directly challenge the constitutionality of section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. The amended … Continue reading →

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

More on the feds’ rejection of the Texas voter ID law

Posted on March 13, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the Trib story. The U.S. Department of Justice has rejected Texas’ application for preclearance of its voter ID law, saying the state did not prove that the bill would not have a discriminatory effect on minority voters. “The department’s … Continue reading →

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

DOJ refuses to preclear Texas voter ID law

Posted on March 12, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Good news. I’m not in a position to do any analysis of this now – I’ll have something for tomorrow morning – but for now I wanted to note this development. The state will proceed with its lawsuit, so we … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on DOJ refuses to preclear Texas voter ID law

DOJ denies Galveston County redistricting

Posted on March 10, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Just a reminder that there’s more to redistricting than the state level. The U.S. Department of Justice late Monday rejected Galveston County’s proposed redistricting maps for county commissioner precincts, justices of the peace and constables. The rejection could put at … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2012 | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on DOJ denies Galveston County redistricting

News flash: The voter ID law will do exactly what it was intended to do

Posted on March 9, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

And that is to make it harder to vote. Mostly for the poor, the elderly, college students, and minorities. This is a feature, not a bug. The state’s contested voter ID law could provoke widespread complications in the upcoming presidential … Continue reading →

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

May 29 election date and re-filing period officially set

Posted on March 1, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the court order, and here’s the revised election calendar. The main things you need to know are that candidates who had filed for office in the prior period are automatically in unless they withdraw. The new filing period runs … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2012 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on May 29 election date and re-filing period officially set

Weekend redistricting update

Posted on February 19, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

One more plaintiff has signed on to the Abbott map deal. The Mexican American Legislative Caucus is now joining the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund in saying that the state-backed Congressional District 35, a proposed new district that … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2012 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Weekend redistricting update

State agrees to leave SD10 unchanged

Posted on February 15, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

This is big. Negotiators in San Antonio — trying to find common ground on state legislative and congressional districts so a primary date in Texas that can stick may finally be set — agreed to leave unchanged state Senate District … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2012 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The plaintiffs’ proposal for the Lege

Posted on February 15, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I know it will break your heart to hear that Harris County GOP Chair Jared Woodfill is a little peeved at Greg Abbott and Steve Munisteri because he thinks the Abbott map makes Harris County too Democratic. What got Woodfill … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2012 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Interim map hearing tomorrow

Posted on February 13, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Big day in San Antonio tomorrow. Groups involved in the state’s redistricting fight were ordered by a San Antonio federal court Friday to continue negotiations through the weekend over interim redistricting maps for the 2012 election. The court order comes … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2012 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The numbers in the “deal”

Posted on February 7, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

As I start to type this I have no idea if the “deal” that was announced earlier today will be in effect or on the trash heap. I think it’s instructive to look at the numbers in the proposed maps … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2012 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

DC court will take its time

Posted on February 3, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

At least a month. A panel of federal judges told parties in a Texas redistricting case Wednesday not to expect a ruling within 30 days, throwing the date of the state’s political primaries further in doubt. A ruling by the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2012 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Redistricting settlement deal looking unlikely

Posted on February 1, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Late last week we heard about the possibility of a settlement agreement in the San Antonio redistricting case that would allow for the creation of interim maps in time to keep the April 3 primary date. The court gave this … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2012 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

More on disciplining deputies

Posted on January 31, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s another long Chron story about disciplinary statistics for Harris County Sheriff’s deputies. Reading through it, I felt like there was some context missing. A Houston Chronicle review of disciplinary records indicates that from 2008 through 2010, more than 200 … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on More on disciplining deputies

Meet the voter ID three judge panel

Posted on January 31, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

As you know, the state of Texas has filed a lawsuit in the DC District Federal Court – the same court that is hearing the preclearance lawsuit – to get the odious voter ID law precleared. Michael Li introduces us … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Meet the voter ID three judge panel

Update on the redistricting settlement possibility

Posted on January 28, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Late Friday we heard about the possibility of a settlement agreement in the redistricting lawsuit in San Antonio, with the idea of coming up with an interim map in time to keep the primaries on April 6. Here’s an update … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2012 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Could there be a settlement in the redistricting lawsuit?

Posted on January 27, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe. A leading player in the state’s redistricting turmoil said this morning he’s hopeful that both sides are closing in on a settlement that will salvage Texas’ April 3 primary. Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott has been meeting with representatives … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2012 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Alford strikes again

Posted on January 26, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. A key witness before a federal three-judge panel considering the Texas redistricting challenge appeared to make a major concession Wednesday to the case made last week by state Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth. The state’s expert witness, John Alford … Continue reading →

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

Texas files suit to preclear voter ID

Posted on January 24, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

They’re a mighty busy bunch at the OAG these days. The Texas attorney general’s office today filed suit against U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and the Department of Justice to have the state’s controversial voter ID law implemented without further … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

SCOTUS issues ruling on redistricting

Posted on January 20, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

As you’ve undoubtedly heard by now, the Supreme Court has officially thrown out the interim maps that were drawn by the San Antonio court, in a unanimous decision handed down this morning. What does this mean? I’m going to start … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

DC preclearance trial, Day One

Posted on January 18, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

While we wait for the Supreme Court to give us some indication of what happens next with our elections – they did not issue an opinion this week – the preclearance trial at the DC federal court got underway. State … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on DC preclearance trial, Day One

SOS sends voter registration info to DOJ

Posted on January 14, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Took them long enough, not that I’m complaining. Two weeks after Texas’ voter ID law was scheduled to go into effect, the measure is back in the U.S. Department of Justice’s hands. The Texas secretary of state’s office on Thursday … Continue reading →

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

Sylvia Garcia’s impressions of the SCOTUS oral arguments on redistricting

Posted on January 12, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Former County Commissioner Sylvia Garcia was in Washington, DC to attend the Supreme Court hearing on the Texas redistricting case. I asked her before she left if she would be interested in writing about her impressions of the case for … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Sylvia Garcia’s impressions of the SCOTUS oral arguments on redistricting

Fewer inmate deaths

Posted on January 11, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

More good news for the Sheriff’s office. The number of inmates who have died while in Harris County detention has plummeted during the last three years, a decline that Sheriff Adrian Garcia described as “deeply satisfying” but could not explain. … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Fewer inmate deaths

Reports from SCOTUS redistricting arguments

Posted on January 9, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

There’s almost too much information to parse on the legal arguments made before the Supreme Court over the Texas redistricting maps. Let’s start with The Hill: The Supreme Court justices grappled to find a way to resolve a messy Texas … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2012 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

SCOTUS hears redistricting arguments today

Posted on January 9, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Today is a big effin’ deal at the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court will attempt on Monday to untangle the political mess in Texas created by a voting rights controversy. The case could have important political consequences, and highlights a … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on SCOTUS hears redistricting arguments today