Tag Archives: Travis County

Texas Supreme Court to hear gay divorce case

Posted on August 27, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

That sound you hear is a big can of worms being opened. The Texas Supreme Court announced Friday that it will determine whether same-sex couples, legally married in other states, can be granted a divorce in Texas. The cases, involving … Continue reading →

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Special prosecutor appointed in Perry/Lehmberg veto threat case

Posted on August 23, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Meet Mike McCrum. District Judge Robert Richardson named Mike McCrum to look into a complaint filed by Texans for Public Justice against the governor. The watchdog group alleges that Perry abused his power by threatening to cut funding to the … Continue reading →

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Special prosecutor to be appointed in Perry/Lehmberg veto case

Posted on August 17, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Moving forward. A San Antonio senior state district judge confirmed Thursday that he will name a special prosecutor to investigate possible charges of coercion and abuse of official capacity against Gov. Rick Perry. Judge Robert “Bert” Richardson said he expected … Continue reading →

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Travis County to fund Public Integrity Unit

Posted on August 13, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Not optimal, but better than the alternative of shutting it down till 2015. The Travis County Commissioners Court agreed [last] Tuesday to restore some money to the Travis County district attorney’s Public Integrity Unit after Gov. Rick Perry in June … Continue reading →

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Judge assigned in complaint about Perry veto of Public Integrity Unit

Posted on July 22, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Moving along slowly. A San Antonio judge on Tuesday was assigned to hear a complaint that alleges Gov. Rick Perry committed coercion, bribery and official oppression by vetoing funding for the Travis County District Attorney’s Public Integrity Unit. Senior Judge … Continue reading →

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Special election set in HD50

Posted on July 15, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Mark Strama announced his resignation from the Lege in February to go and run Google Fiber in Austin. Last week, Rick Perry set November 5 as the special election date to replace him. The race to serve out the remainder … Continue reading →

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Turner seeks a way to get around Public Integrity Unit de-funding

Posted on June 18, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Rep. Sylvester Turner takes aim at one of Perry’s vetoes. Rep. Sylvester Turner, D-Houston, said he would propose a House Concurrent Resolution advocating restoration of funding for the Public Integrity Unit of the Travis County district attorney’s office, which was … Continue reading →

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Perry goes on a veto spree

Posted on June 16, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the full list. Among the victims are the omnibus ethics bill HB217, thus giving Allen Blakemore his fondest wish; two bills aimed at reducing the number of standardized tests some students must take, one of which will make William … Continue reading →

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TPJ alleges Perry broke the law when he threatened to veto Public Integrity funds

Posted on June 15, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Well, now isn’t this a nice little can of worms. In a complaint sent to prosecutors today, Texans for Public Justice alleges that Governor Rick Perry potentially committed several criminal offenses related to his recent threat to use his discretionary … Continue reading →

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Perry will veto Integrity Unit funds unless Lehmberg resigns

Posted on June 12, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This could be checkmate for Rosemary Lehmberg. Gov. Rick Perry will veto financing for the public integrity unit — the state’s ethics enforcement division — unless embattled Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg resigns, an official close to the governor … Continue reading →

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Another petition filed against Lehmberg

Posted on June 3, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The filer is a former colleague as well as a former opponent of Travis County DA Rosemary Lehmberg. Rick Reed, who ran against Lehmberg in 2008 and is now a defense attorney in Austin, filed the petition with the district … Continue reading →

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Lehmberg out of jail

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Her incarceration may be over, but Rosemary Lehmberg’s problems are far from it. Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg was released from jail early Thursday after serving half of a 45-day jail sentence for pleading guilty to driving while intoxicated. … Continue reading →

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What to do with a problem like Rosemary?

Posted on May 7, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Austin Chronicle has a great overview of the Rosemary Lehmberg situation. All speculation aside, Lehmberg has vowed that she will not resign. In a letter to Travis County residents (apparently dictated to friends from jail and posted to her … Continue reading →

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Cities generally ignore Abbott’s domestic partnership opinion

Posted on May 7, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Good for them. Attorney General Greg Abbott’s opinion [last] week, while not binding, is the latest of several challenges to same-sex benefits across the country that so far have had mixed results in the courts and prompted changes after officials … Continue reading →

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Not just Austin, dammit

Posted on April 29, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

What Flavia Isabel says: The single purpose of this post is to eradicate the phrase “Oh yeah, Austin is a blue dot in a sea of red” from the vocabulary of anybody who cares about turning Texas blue. I am … Continue reading →

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Weekend legislative threefer

Posted on April 27, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

That sound you heard on Friday was Rick Perry stamping his feet if he doesn’t get his way. Gov. Rick Perry is warning state legislators that it could be a long, hot summer in Austin if they don’t pass his … Continue reading →

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Who resigns after a DUI arrest?

Posted on April 23, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Statesman asks the question and gets some answers. In 2006, District Attorney Tim Cole had a decision to make. The then-chief prosecutor for Montague, Clay and Archer counties had been arrested for drunken driving after a day of July … Continue reading →

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Lehmberg pleads guilty, gets 45 days

Posted on April 20, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Off she goes. District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg has pleaded guilty to drunken driving, was sentenced to 45 days in jail and immediately taken into custody. Lehmberg’s blood alcohol level registered at 0.23 when she was arrested April 13, her attorney … Continue reading →

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Should Travis County DA Lehmberg resign?

Posted on April 18, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Perspectives on that are colored by politics right now. While Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg sought to put her weekend drunken driving arrest behind her, debate over her political future reached the State Capitol on Monday, where lawmakers weighed … Continue reading →

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Travis DA Rosemary Lehmberg arrested for DUI

Posted on April 14, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Oops. Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg, arrested and charged with drunken driving overnight, plans to remain in office and will not resign, according to a spokeswoman. According to county records, Lehmberg, 63, was arrested by Travis County deputies in … Continue reading →

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On managing health care costs

Posted on March 24, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Fascinating story in the Statesman on one approach they are taking to manage health care costs in Travis County. A new world of health care is unfolding for some chronically ill Austin-area residents like [Marshall] Kettelhut, who was a cook … Continue reading →

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More counties for Medicaid expansion

Posted on March 8, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

All of these are from last week. Bexar County: On a bipartisan vote, Bexar County commissioners Tuesday urged Texas lawmakers to expand the state’s Medicaid program and take advantage of federal matching funds under the Affordable Care Act. “From 2014 … Continue reading →

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As if you needed another reason to support Medicaid expansion

Posted on February 22, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Even more data on why Medicaid expansion makes sense from Texas Impact. The study, by former Texas deputy comptroller Billy Hamilton, says Texas shouldn’t pass up the chance to insure up to 2 million of its more than 6 million … Continue reading →

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No injunction in state lawsuit for Planned Parenthood

Posted on January 12, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Bummer. Travis County District Judge Stephen Yelenosky on Friday refused to grant Planned Parenthood’s request for a temporary injunction to be included in the Texas Women’s Health Program. “Probable injury is not really sufficient,” said Yelenosky, who ruled in favor … Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: Third parties revisited

Posted on January 3, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Politico has a question. Is Austin’s Travis County the nation’s Libertarian Party stronghold? The co-founders of a Libertarian political action committee based there make that case, arguing that the Texas locale is the “most Libertarian large county in America.” Wes … Continue reading →

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Dewhurst campaign aide accused of stealing contributions

Posted on December 29, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Oops. Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst’s campaign manager is under criminal scrutiny, suspected of stealing at least $600,000 — and possibly more than $1 million — from the Republican’s political accounts over the past several years. Kenneth “Buddy” Barfield, a longtime … Continue reading →

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What will Doggett do?

Posted on December 12, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Does Rep. Lloyd Doggett want his old district back or not? The congressional and legislative districts used in this year’s elections were temporary maps drawn by panel of federal judges in San Antonio. The maps were designed to be used … Continue reading →

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Time for the biennial attempt to de-fang the Travis County DA

Posted on November 30, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Same story, next chapter. The Texas Ethics Commission, long criticized for its lax enforcement of public officials, is considering a plan to take over all ethics enforcement from the Travis County district attorney’s office, which has a long history of … Continue reading →

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Another reason why math is your friend

Posted on October 15, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

The Statesman asks the question whether the newly-drawn HD48 in Travis County might be easier for a Republican challenger to win, then never gets around to providing the simplest answer to that question. Starting in April and carrying on through … Continue reading →

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How about those new Latino Congressional districts?

Posted on June 6, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

In the end, not so much. Originally hailed by Latino leaders as a way to boost opportunities for their community, the newly redrawn Texas congressional map has led to a pair of white Democrats claiming the nominations in districts that … Continue reading →

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Can ban lawsuit moves back to Comal County

Posted on June 4, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

From last week: Travis County District Judge Scott Jenkins removed two state agencies from a lawsuit filed against New Braunfels by a coalition of businesses over the law banning disposable containers on the rivers — popular tubing routes. Jenkins dismissed … Continue reading →

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Races I’ll be watching for tonight

Posted on May 29, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

As noted this morning, I will be participating in a live chat tonight beginning at 7 PM at the Chron election blog. I hope you’ll come by and ask some questions about what happened today. There are many races to … Continue reading →

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Vote centers in Travis County

Posted on May 29, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

This will be interesting to observe. Come Nov. 6, Travis County residents can vote at any polling place in the presidential election, county commissioners decided Tuesday. County Clerk Dana DeBeauvoir recommended the switch to the “vote center” system, which allows … Continue reading →

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Express-News overview of Romo versus Doggett

Posted on May 14, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Some interesting tidbits in here. Despite the minority makeup of a newly drawn congressional district, a San Antonio Latina candidate faces a steep uphill climb against a white Austin liberal with a long tenure in the nation’s capital. Sylvia Romo, … Continue reading →

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