Tag Archives: Justice Department

Court rules several Congressional districts were illegally drawn

Posted on March 12, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Bam! Some of Texas’ 36 congressional districts violate either the U.S. Constitution or the federal Voting Rights Act, a panel of federal judges ruled Friday. In a long-delayed ruling, the judges ruled 2-1 that the Texas Legislature must redraw the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018, Legal matters | Tagged Blake Farenthold, C26, CD23, CD27, CD35, Congress, Eddie Rodriguez, Election 2018, Justice Department, lawsuit, Lloyd Doggett, Lone Star Project, LULAC, MALC, Marc Veasey, Michael Burgess, NAACP, redistricting, special election, Texas, Voting Rights Act, Will Hurd | 4 Comments

Once more with feeling on voter ID

Posted on March 2, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Slate’s Mark Joseph Stern says that Tuesday’s arguments about whether Texas’ voter ID law was enacted with discriminatory intent or not went well for the plaintiffs, and not for the state or its new buddies in the Justice Department. Tuesday’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Attorney General, Joan Huffman, Justice Department, lawsuit, Senate, Texas, The Lege, voter ID, Voting Rights Act | 1 Comment

Justice Department wants out of voter ID case

Posted on February 28, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

As expected. The U.S. Department of Justice confirmed Monday it plans to ditch its longstanding position that Texas lawmakers purposefully discriminated against minority voters by passing the nation’s strictest voter identification law in 2011. The move comes one day before … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Barack Obama, Donald Trump, Jeff Sessions, Joan Huffman, Justice Department, lawsuit, Texas, The Lege, voter ID, Voting Rights Act | 1 Comment

Voter ID 2.0

Posted on February 23, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Well, this is interesting. Top Texas Republicans unveiled legislation Tuesday that would overhaul the state’s voter identification rules, an effort to comply with court rulings that have found that the current law discriminates against minority groups. Filed by Sen. Joan … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged Attorney General, Dan Patrick, Eddie Rodriguez, Greg Abbott, Joan Huffman, Justice Department, Ken Paxton, lawsuit, MALC, Senate, Texas, The Lege, voter ID, Voting Rights Act | Comments Off

Trump Justice Department to drop appeals in transgender bathroom directive case

Posted on February 13, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

From ThinkProgress: The Trump administration has elected not to contest a Texas federal judge’s injunction barring the federal government from implementing Obama administration guidelines that protect transgender kids in schools. Oral arguments for the Obama Justice Department’s appeal of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Barack Obama, Donald Trump, Jeff Sessions, Justice Department, lawsuit, schools, Texas, transgender rights, US Department of Education | Comments Off

Interview with Jose Garza

Posted on January 30, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

So it’s been a busy couple of weeks for the voter ID litigation. There was the motion by the Justice Department to delay the hearing on whether the law was passed with discriminatory intent, which everyone expects is a prelude … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, interviews, Jose Garza, Justice Department, lawsuit, MALC, SCOTUS, Texas, voter ID, Voting Rights Act | Comments Off

So what will the Justice Department do with voter ID now?

Posted on January 29, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

We don’t know yet. Hours after President Donald Trump was inaugurated, the Department of Justice filed to postpone a hearing on the Texas Voter ID law. The request was granted. The DOJ had previously argued that the law intentionally discriminated … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Brennan Center, Chad Dunn, Donald Trump, Election 2016, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, Jeff Sessions, Justice Department, lawsuit, SCOTUS, Texas, voter ID | Comments Off

SCOTUS will not review voter ID ruling

Posted on January 24, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

For now. The Supreme Court issued orders from its January 19 conference this morning. After granting review in two cases from that conference last week, the justices did not add any new cases to their merits docket today. But there … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Election 2016, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, Justice Department, lawsuit, SCOTUS, Texas, voter ID, Voting Rights Act | Comments Off

Voter ID hearing postponed

Posted on January 22, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I fear this is a portent of things to come. Within hours of Donald Trump being sworn in as president Friday, a Corpus Christi federal court postponed a scheduled hearing in the Texas Voter ID case until next month at … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Barack Obama, Donald Trump, Election 2016, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, Jeff Sessions, Justice Department, lawsuit, NAACP, North Carolina, SCOTUS, Texas, voter ID, Voting Rights Act | 1 Comment

Pasadena will appeal redistricting ruling

Posted on January 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Not a surprise. An attorney representing the city of Pasadena said Tuesday the city will appeal a ruling that found Pasadena deliberately violated the voting rights of its Hispanic population, a move that could have immediate consequences for the city’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged City Council, Election 2017, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, filing deadline, Johnny Isbell, Justice Department, lawsuit, MALDEF, Ornaldo Ybarra, Pasadena, redistricting, single member districts, Texas, Voting Rights Act | Comments Off

Final ruling in Pasadena redistricting lawsuit

Posted on January 17, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It’s official – back to the original map. With candidate registration set to begin Tuesday, a federal judge Monday prohibited the city of Pasadena from using an unconstitutional redistricting scheme in the upcoming May elections, stating that the scheme violated … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017, Legal matters | Tagged City Council, Election 2017, filing deadline, Johnny Isbell, Justice Department, lawsuit, MALDEF, Mayor, Pasadena, redistricting, single member districts, Texas, Voting Rights Act | 2 Comments

Feds officially file appeal in transgender bathroom directive lawsuit

Posted on January 12, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This may be the last stop. With two weeks left, the Obama administration has asked a federal appeals court to throw out a lower court’s decision that suspended policies designed to protect transgender people’s access to restrooms — a sign … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Attorney General, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, Election 2016, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, Jeff Sessions, Justice Department, Ken Paxton, Lambda Legal, lawsuit, President, schools, Texas, transgender rights, US Department of Education | Comments Off

Judge rules for Pasadena plaintiffs

Posted on January 8, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. A federal judge in Houston dealt a major blow Friday to the city of Pasadena in a closely watched voting rights case, ruling that officials deliberately diluted the clout of Hispanic voters by revising the system for electing City … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged City Council, Election 2017, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, Johnny Isbell, Justice Department, MALDEF, Pasadena, redistricting, single member districts, Texas, Voting Rights Act | 1 Comment

Motion filed to compel redistricting ruling

Posted on January 4, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

From the Lone Star Project: The major plaintiffs challenging the Texas congressional and State House boundaries filed a joint motion earlier today to compel the three-judge federal district court in San Antonio to finally issue a decision on their claims … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Congress, Election 2016, Election 2018, Justice Department, lawsuit, LULAC, Marc Veasey, NAACP, redistricting, Texas, The Lege, Voting Rights Act | 1 Comment

So what happens to all those Texas lawsuits against the feds?

Posted on December 31, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

It depends, but basically it’s up to the new Solicitor General, since he is the one defending the federal government’s actions. Since Paxton assumed office as AG in January 2015, Texas has sued the federal government more than a dozen … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Attorney General, Barack Obama, Bob Jones University, Donald Trump, Election 2016, Justice Department, Ken Paxton, lawsuit, President, Ronald Reagan, SCOTUS, Solicitor General, Texas | 3 Comments

Two more lawsuit updates

Posted on November 28, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

The ban on the transgender bathroom rule remains in place pending appeals. Continued lack of access in public schools to bathrooms matching transgender persons’ gender identity won’t cause them irreparable harm, a Texas federal judge has ruled. U.S. District Reed … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Barack Obama, Donald Trump, Election 2016, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, immigration, Justice Department, lawsuit, President, SCOTUS, Texas, Title IX, transgender rights, US Department of Education | 1 Comment

So now what for voter ID?

Posted on November 20, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

It’s hard to say how much prospects have changed now that Donald Trump gets to appoint the ninth Supreme Court justice, but it’s fair to say that thing haven’t improved for the plaintiffs. Five years ago, Texas passed one of … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Dan Patrick, Donald Trump, Election 2016, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, Justice Department, lawsuit, NAACP, President, SCOTUS, Texas, The Lege, voter ID, Voting Rights Act | 10 Comments

Election Day observers coming from Justice Department over ADA complaints

Posted on October 30, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

That’s a complicated headline for this story. Six teams of Justice Department officials will be dispatched to observe Election Day voting at 75 polling locations in Harris County as part of an investigation into allegations that the county failed to … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016, Legal matters | Tagged Americans with Disabilities Act, Election 2016, Harris County, Harris County Clerk, Justice Department, lawsuit, Stan Stanart | 5 Comments

SCOTUS rejects reconsideration of immigration ruling

Posted on October 4, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Alas. The U.S. Supreme Court has declined the Obama administration’s request to reconsider a controversial immigration program that would have let millions of undocumented immigrants stay in the country legally. The program, Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra, Legal matters | Tagged Barack Obama, DREAM Act, Election 2016, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, immigration, Justice Department, lawsuit, SCOTUS, Texas | 3 Comments

State accused of misleading on voter ID education outreach

Posted on September 8, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

I know, I’m as shocked as you are. The federal government is accusing Texas of circulating “inaccurate or misleading information” to poll workers and would-be voters about relaxed identification requirements for the November elections. “Limited funds are being spent on … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Attorney General, Election 2016, Harris County Clerk, Justice Department, lawsuit, Marc Veasey, Secretary of State, Stan Stanart, Texas, voter ID, Voting Rights Act | 2 Comments

Bail practices lawsuit update

Posted on August 21, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

There was a hearing in court this week, and the judge was skeptical. U.S. District Judge Lee Rosenthal declined Thursday to rule on whether Harris County should be dismissed from a lawsuit intended to force officials to reform a tough … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment, Legal matters | Tagged bail, Equal Justice Under Law, Harris County, Harris County Sheriff, jails, Justice Department, lawsuit, Texas | 4 Comments

No ruling yet in potty lawsuit

Posted on August 13, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

We should get one soon, at least as far as the request for an injunction goes. U.S. District Court Judge Reed O’Connor did not issue a ruling from the bench after an almost two-hour long hearing during which state attorneys … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Attorney General, Justice Department, Ken Paxton, lawsuit, schools, Texas, Title IX, transgender rights, US Department of Education | Comments Off

Harris County sued over disabled voting access

Posted on August 5, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

This ought to be interesting. Harris County, which includes Houston, has violated the Americans with Disabilities Act because many of its polling places are inaccessible to voters with disabilities, a new lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice alleges. … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Americans with Disabilities Act, Election 2016, Harris County, Harris County Clerk, Justice Department, lawsuit, Stan Stanart | 17 Comments

Friday was a very good day for voting rights

Posted on August 1, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

In North Carolina: The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit’s opinion in North Carolina State Conference of the NAACP v. McCrory is nothing short of a beat down. The court does not simply tear apart major provisions … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters, National news | Tagged early voting, Election 2016, Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, Justice Department, Kansas, lawsuit, North Carolina, racism, SCOTUS, Texas, voter ID, Voting Rights Act, Wisconsin | Comments Off

Paxton keeps finding new ways to be in trouble

Posted on July 30, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

The man has a talent. Ethics experts on Wednesday were torn over whether Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s decision to accept $100,000 for his legal defense from a donor whose company was under investigation by his office violates the letter … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged Attorney General, ethics, fundraising, James Webb, Justice Department, Ken Paxton, Preferred Imaging, Texas, TPJ | Comments Off

Can we try this again with nine Justices, please?

Posted on July 19, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Can’t hurt to ask. The Obama administration on Monday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to reconsider the legality of the president’s controversial immigration enforcement plan, which stalled last month when the high court deadlocked on an appeal. The program, known … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra, Legal matters | Tagged Barack Obama, DREAM Act, Election 2016, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, immigration, Justice Department, lawsuit, SCOTUS, Texas | Comments Off

More opposition to North Carolina’s HB2

Posted on July 12, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

The Justice Department seeks to halt implementation of North Carolina’s viciously anti-LGBT law. The billowing legal fight over North Carolina’s House Bill 2 continued to grow this week with the U.S. Department of Justice asking a federal judge to suspend … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Election 2016, Election 2018, gay rights, Governor, Julian Castro, Justice Department, lawsuit, Mississippi, North Carolina, Texas, The Lege, transgender rights | 1 Comment

Paxton petitions for national injunction against transgender bathroom directive

Posted on July 7, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

This guy, I swear. Plunging further into the politics of public school bathrooms, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Wednesday expanded his federal lawsuit against an Obama Administration directive instructing schools not to discriminate against transgender students, saying he wants … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Barack Obama, Equality Texas, Harrold ISD, Justice Department, Ken Paxton, lawsuit, schools, Texas, transgender rights, US Department of Education | 1 Comment

Hanen stays his sanctions

Posted on June 8, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The Texas-based judge that last year put a hold on President Obama’s executive order on immigration decided on Tuesday to also suspend a controversial punishment he had recently issued to the administration’s attorneys. U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen asserted in … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra, Legal matters | Tagged ACLU of Texas, DREAM Act, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, Greg Abbott, immigration, Justice Department, Ken Paxton, lawsuit, National Immigration Law Center, Texas | Comments Off

Justice Department appeals Hanen sanctions to Fifth Circuit

Posted on June 7, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Missed this over the weekend. Escalating its constitutional battle with a federal judge over the ethics of government lawyers in the major test case on presidential power over immigration, the Justice Department late Friday night asked a federal appeals court … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra, Legal matters | Tagged DREAM Act, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, immigration, Justice Department, lawsuit, Texas | Comments Off

Groups ask Fifth Circuit to block Judge Hanen order

Posted on June 5, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. A coalition of civil and immigrant rights groups on Friday asked an appeals court to stop a federal judge’s order that requires the Obama administration to turn over the confidential information of thousands of undocumented immigrants. The filing in … Continue reading →

Justice Department asks Judge Hanen to reconsider his last order

Posted on June 1, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Can’t hurt to ask, I guess. The Obama administration has asked a Brownsville-based judge to rethink an order that requires the federal government to turn over the private information of thousands of undocumented immigrants. The May 19 order from U.S. … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra, Legal matters | Tagged DREAM Act, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, immigration, Justice Department, lawsuit, SCOTUS, Texas | Comments Off

Paxton sues over Obama directive on transgender bathroom access

Posted on May 26, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

A more transparent publicity stunt you would be hard-pressed to find. Texas, joined by 10 other states, filed a lawsuit Wednesday to stop a federal directive instructing school districts to let transgender students use the bathroom that corresponds with their … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged David Thweatt, gay marriage, Harrold ISD, Justice Department, Ken Paxton, lawsuit, schools, Texas, transgender rights, US Department of Education | 2 Comments

Judge Hanen’s bizarre order

Posted on May 23, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

WTF? A federal judge with a history of anti-immigrant sentiment ordered the federal government to turn over the names, addresses and “all available contact information” of over 100,000 immigrants living within the United States. He does so in a strange … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra, Legal matters | Tagged DREAM Act, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, immigration, Justice Department, lawsuit, SCOTUS, Texas | 3 Comments

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