Tag Archives: ethics

The Blake Farenthold Memorial Sexual Harassment Bill

Posted on December 16, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

That’s what this should be called. Less than a year after Corpus Christi Republican Blake Farenthold left Congress behind with an $84,000 settlement for sexual harassment, the House and Senate have agreed to make lawmakers pay their own misconduct judgments. … Continue reading →

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Use that mandate in Harris County

Posted on December 4, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Jay Aiyer pens an agenda for Harris County and its Democratic government. First and foremost, flood mitigation has to be at the top of any list. Harris County has taken good initial steps to improve flood control infrastructure, and the … Continue reading →

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Police raid Jared Woodfill’s office

Posted on November 13, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Oh, my. Authorities on Monday raided the law office of former Harris County Republican Party chairman Jared Woodfill. Investigators with the Harris County District Attorney’s office wheeled carts of documents from Woodfill’s office at 3 Riverway at least an hour … Continue reading →

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Blake Farenthold is still a toad

Posted on August 21, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

In case you were wondering. A former Texas congressman had tried steering a federal contract to the owner of a business who gave him a $160,000-a-year job after the congressman resigned amid sexual harassment allegations, according to a newspaper investigation … Continue reading →

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No set-aside for Stockman

Posted on June 17, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Sorry, Stevie. A Texas federal judge has declined to set aside a jury’s conviction of former U.S. Rep. Stephen Stockman, R-Texas, who was found guilty in April of funneling what were solicited as charitable contributions into accounts that funded political … Continue reading →

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Stockman remains in custody

Posted on June 2, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

So sorry. A federal judge ruled for the second time that former U.S. Congressman Steve Stockman is a flight risk and ordered him to remain in federal custody while he awaits sentencing in an elaborate $1.25 million fraud scheme. Chief … Continue reading →

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Stockman asks for his verdict to be set aside

Posted on May 31, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Never know till you ask, right? Attorneys representing former U.S. Rep. Stephen Stockman, R-Texas, who was found guilty in April of funneling what were solicited as charitable contributions into accounts that instead funded political campaigns and personal expenses, have asked … Continue reading →

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Blake Farenthold is a gift that keeps on giving

Posted on May 25, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Oh, Blake. Nearly a month after abruptly resigning from Congress in the wake of revelations over lewd and verbally abusive behavior, former Corpus Christi Rep. Blake Farenthold had been angling for several days to get a lobbying job at a port … Continue reading →

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Farenthold finds a trough

Posted on May 16, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

It’s the circle of life. Former Republican U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold has accepted a lucrative position lobbying for a port in his ex-Texas district — mere weeks after resigning in disgrace amid fallout from using public funds to settle a … Continue reading →

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Farenthold tells Abbott to go pound sand

Posted on May 6, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Well, what did you expect? Blake Farenthold — a disgraced former Texas congressman who resigned last month — will not fund the special election to replace himself, he told Gov. Greg Abbott in a letter Wednesday, the Houston Chronicle reported. Abbott … Continue reading →

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Abbott wants to send Farenthold a bill for the CD27 special election

Posted on April 26, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Good luck with that. Gov. Greg Abbott is demanding that former U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold “cover all costs” of the special election to fill his seat using the $84,000 the Corpus Christi Republican used to settle a sexual harassment claim … Continue reading →

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Someone needs to sue Blake Farenthold

Posted on April 18, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

That’s my response to this. Four months after U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold promised to repay an $84,000 sexual harassment settlement funded by taxpayers — and 11 days after the Republican resigned his Corpus Christi seat — he has yet to … Continue reading →

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Stockman convicted

Posted on April 13, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Turn out the lights, the party’s over. Former U.S. Congressman Steve Stockman — a political maverick once viewed as a champion of right-wing causes — was taken into federal custody Thursday after a jury convicted him of masterminding a wide-ranging … Continue reading →

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Stockman trial: Off to the jury

Posted on April 10, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Please return a verdict. The defense team for former U.S. Congressman Steve Stockman told jurors Monday the ex- GOP lawmaker did not plot a massive fraud scheme, but said the government should have targeted two wealthy conservative donors for making … Continue reading →

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Farenthold resigns

Posted on April 7, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

So long, Ducky. U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold, R-Corpus Christi, resigned on Friday. The decision marks the capstone of a tumultuous few months for the four-term congressman, who has been dogged by sexual harassment allegations and an ongoing ethics investigation. “While … Continue reading →

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Stockman trial update: Defense rests

Posted on April 7, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

And we’re done. The defense rested its case Thursday in ex-GOP congressman Steve Stockman’s federal campaign fraud trial, after calling only two witnesses who together testified for less than an hour. The former Republican lawmaker from Clear Lake told the … Continue reading →

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Stockman trial update: The prosecution abides

Posted on April 5, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

From Monday: The second of two key government witnesses took the stand late Monday in Houston in the federal fraud trial of former U.S. Congressman Steve Stockman, telling jurors his main duty on the ex-lawmaker’s staff was to “just do … Continue reading →

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Stockman trial update: Tanning salons and dolphin boat rides

Posted on April 1, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

I love this trial so much. It’s the gift that keeps on giving, about the grifter we all deserve. Former U.S. Congressman Steve Stockman spent $450,000 in charitable funds from an East Coast philanthropist on personal expenses including dolphin boat … Continue reading →

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JP Hilary Green resigns

Posted on March 31, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Wise decision. The Harris County justice of the peace accused of paying prostitutes for sex, abusing drugs while on the bench and sexting a bailiff officially resigned this week – although her attorney says it has nothing to do with … Continue reading →

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The prosecution keeps piling on Steve Stockman

Posted on March 29, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

From Monday: A fundraising director who quit and returned most of his salary after four days as an employee of ex-U.S. Congressman Steve Stockman characterized the work environment as “horrific” for Washington, D.C., interns, according to his testimony in the … Continue reading →

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The Stockman trial gets weird

Posted on March 24, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

I mean, with Steve Stockman you have to expect some weird crap, but I didn’t see this coming. The American Phoenix Foundation — a now-defunct conservative activist groupknown for attempting undercover stings of lawmakers and lobbyists — planted an intern in … Continue reading →

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Stockman trial update

Posted on March 23, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

From Tuesday: “This case is the story of how the defendant over the course of four years exploited the trust and charity of others to pull off a massive scam,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Heberle, of the Justice Department’s public … Continue reading →

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Steve Stockman’s trial has begun

Posted on March 20, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Hope you have your popcorn ready. A year after he was charged with running a wide-ranging scheme to divert charitable donations to pay for campaign and personal expenses, former U.S. Rep. Steve Stockman is scheduled to begin a month-long trial … Continue reading →

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Stockman’s trial set to start

Posted on March 11, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Get ready. Former U.S. Congressman Steve Stockman stood before a federal judge in a mostly empty Houston courtroom Friday and confirmed he wants a jury to decide if he diverted nearly $1.25 million in charitable donations intended for conservative organizations. … Continue reading →

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Paxton and Paxton, Inc

Posted on February 8, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

How exactly is this not a conflict of interest? Attorney General Ken Paxton’s political campaign guaranteed a $2 million loan to help his wife fuel her bid for a state Senate seat in North Texas. The Bank of the Ozarks … Continue reading →

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The price of disrespect

Posted on January 14, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Greg Abbott makes another endorsement. Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday endorsed the Republican challenger to Galveston state Rep. Wayne Faircloth, a move that is expected to deepen simmering divisions within the state Republican party. In a new video, Abbott called … Continue reading →

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Stockman aide takes a plea

Posted on October 15, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The walls are closing in. A longtime confidant and aide to former U.S. Rep. Steve Stockman pleaded guilty to Wednesday to fraud charges in a corruption scheme that also targeted the former congressman. The alleged scheme involved diverting hundreds of … Continue reading →

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Ethics, schmethics

Posted on August 6, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This little exchange says so much about our weak and insecure Governor. The fireworks began with a press conference called by GOP Rep. Sarah Davis, chair of the House Committee on General Investigating and Ethics. Davis, flanked by both Democratic … Continue reading →

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Judicial Conduct commission suspends JP Hilary Green

Posted on July 10, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Bam! The Texas Supreme Court on Friday issued an order to suspend Harris County Justice of the Peace Hilary Green from office immediately based on allegations that Green illegally abused prescription drugs, sent sexually explicit texts to a bailiff while on … Continue reading →

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We should all have friends like these

Posted on July 6, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It’s like they say: Friends help you move. Real friends help you move dead bodies. Really real friends help pay for your criminal defense. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, nearly two years into his fight against state securities fraud charges, … Continue reading →

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Former Stockman aide returns to US

Posted on June 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The gang’s all here. Federal agents quietly arrested Jason Posey, a former congressional aide who’d been wanted for two months on charges that he helped ex-U.S. Rep. Steve Stockman carry out a criminal conspiracy to bilk millionaire donors, violate elections … Continue reading →

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Culberson’s stock purchase

Posted on May 20, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. In a heated confirmation hearing for then-Georgia U.S. Rep. Tom Price for Secretary of Health and Human Services, Democrats raised pointed questions about the congressman’s trading in stocks of companies regulated by the House committees he serves on. One … Continue reading →

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Judicial Conduct commission seeks suspension of JP Hilary Green

Posted on May 6, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Holy moley. In an explosive and rare move, Texas judicial authorities on Wednesday asked the Texas Supreme Court to suspend a Harris County justice of the peace accused of paying prostitutes for sex, misusing illegal drugs and ruling unethically in … Continue reading →

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Stockman trial delayed

Posted on April 28, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Alas. Former U.S. Rep. Steve Stockman’s trial on federal corruption charges has been pushed back to next year. The trial, originally scheduled to begin June 5, will now kick off on Jan. 29, 2018, according to an order issued Wednesday … Continue reading →

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