Tag Archives: Donald Trump

Another look at the Aguirre/Hotze debacle

Posted on December 29, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Man, do I ever want this to be the end of Steven Hotze as a political force. A well-funded far-right group—that made inroads with Stop The Steal organizations, paid a former police captain more than $200,000 to hunt ballots, and became entangled in a … Continue reading →

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The “prison gerrymandering” lawsuit

Posted on December 23, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Of the many lawsuits filed so far over Texas redistricting, this is the one I know the least about. Nearly a quarter of a million people were incarcerated in Texas when the Census was taken last year. When lawmakers redrew … Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: The new SBOE map

Posted on December 22, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Previously: New State House map, New Congressional map I probably care more about the SBOE than most normal people do. It’s not that powerful an entity, there are only 15 seats on it, and their elections go largely under the … Continue reading →

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Come watch Ken Paxton light your tax dollars on fire

Posted on December 20, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

I mean, Theranos would have delivered a greater return on investment than this. Texas Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton has been one of former President Donald Trump’s most reliable allies in spreading the myth of widespread voter fraud, particularly in … Continue reading →

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Fraudit update

Posted on December 14, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Yes, it’s still a thing. Texas Secretary of State John Scott announced late Friday that his office has presented an “exhaustive” document request to Dallas, Tarrant, Collin and Harris counties as part of an audit of 2020′s election. Scott’s office … Continue reading →

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Two Georgia election workers sue over post-election harassment

Posted on December 12, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

I am so rooting for them. In the aftermath of the 2020 election, the Gateway Pundit—one of the country’s leading sources of pro-Trump misinformation—helped instigate a vicious harassment campaign against two Black Georgia election workers, according to a new lawsuit. As Republicans desperately … Continue reading →

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

Vaccine mandate for health care workers blocked

Posted on December 2, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

I’d say this is getting ridiculous, but we’re well past that point. A federal judge on Monday blocked President Joe Biden’s administration from enforcing a coronavirus vaccine mandate on thousands of health care workers in 10 states that had brought … Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: The new Congressional map

Posted on November 23, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Previously: New State House map We will now take a look at how the districts of interest in the new Congressional map have changed over the past decade. Same basic idea, looking at the closer districts from 2020 to see … Continue reading →

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Fraudit funding

Posted on November 22, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

It’s bullshit all the way down. GOP leaders on Friday approved shifting $4 million in emergency funds for the Texas secretary of state’s office to create an “Election Audit Division” at the agency, which will spearhead county election audits as … Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: The new State House map

Posted on November 8, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Like it or not, we have new State House districts. We may as well acquaint ourselves with them. The coverage we’ve had so far has focused on the 2020 election numbers to say whether a district will be red or … Continue reading →

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An estimate of the Census undercount

Posted on November 6, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

It could have been worse. According to new analysis of the 2020 Census, Texas had the highest undercount of any US state in raw numbers. It’s estimated some 377,000 in the state weren’t included in the count. Nationally, the 2020 … Continue reading →

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Trump Train lawsuit update

Posted on November 2, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

San Marcos Police Department, wyd? As supporters of then-President Donald Trump surrounded and harassed a Joe Biden campaign bus on a Central Texas highway last year, San Marcos police officials and 911 dispatchers fielded multiple requests for assistance from Democratic … Continue reading →

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There is no reason to trust John Scott

Posted on October 30, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

He deserves zero benefit of the doubt. Texas’ new secretary of state says he wants to “restore confidence” in the state’s elections, despite a background that includes helping former President Donald Trump challenge the 2020 presidential election results in Pennsylvania. … Continue reading →

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CM Travis resigns to run for HD133

Posted on October 28, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Did not see that coming. City Councilmember Greg Travis on Wednesday announced he is running for a seat in the Texas House of Representatives, effectively resigning his District G post at City Hall. Travis told supporters at a River Oaks … Continue reading →

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Rep. Vicente Gonzalez to switch to CD34

Posted on October 28, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

And in doing so, he’s probably going to make it harder to hold onto CD15, the swingiest district in the state (as far as we can tell from 2020 data). U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-McAllen, announced Tuesday he is running … Continue reading →

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Abbott picks Trumpy Secretary of State

Posted on October 22, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Red alert, this is not good. Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday appointed John Scott — a Fort Worth attorney who briefly represented former President Donald Trump in a lawsuit challenging the 2020 election results in Pennsylvania — as Texas’ new … Continue reading →

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House approves its map

Posted on October 14, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

We’re getting close to the finish line. The Texas House on Wednesday approved proposed political boundaries for the lower chamber’s 150 districts that aim to fortify Republicans’ strength in the state House for the next decade. House Bill 1, authored … Continue reading →

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Abbott goes max anti-vaxx

Posted on October 13, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

He really wants us dead. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday issued another executive order cracking down on COVID-19 vaccine mandates — this time banning any entity in Texas, including private businesses, from requiring vaccinations for employees or customers. Abbott … Continue reading →

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The Senate returns to its usual crap

Posted on October 6, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

What an absolute disaster our state’s upper chamber is. The Texas Senate began work Monday on two Republican voting bills that have uncertain futures — one raising criminal penalties for illegal voting and another that got a recent boost from … Continue reading →

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More redistricting stuff

Posted on October 2, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Just a roundup of some redistricting stories. We’ll start with the DMN. The new map, part of a process of redrawing legislative boundaries every 10 years, makes significant changes in North Texas, where Democrats likely will gain a seat held … Continue reading →

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The proposed State House map is out

Posted on October 1, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

The last of the bunch. Texas House members on Thursday released the first proposal for a new map redrawing the chamber’s 150-member districts. The initial draft would both increase Republicans’ strength across the state and the number of districts in … Continue reading →

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Beto and McConaughey

Posted on October 1, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Our guy has a few thoughts about that other guy. Beto O’Rourke says he is still “very seriously” thinking about running for governor — and that he is not surprised Matthew McConaughey, another potential candidate, is polling so well against … Continue reading →

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Quinnipiac: Everyone is under water

Posted on September 30, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Not a great poll for anyone. As Governor Greg Abbott faces reelection in 2022, a slight majority of voters say 51 – 42 percent that he does not deserve to be reelected, according to a Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pea-ack) University poll of … Continue reading →

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A little sandbagging from the SOS on the fraudit

Posted on September 30, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Who’s running this show? In the five days since the Texas secretary of state’s office announced it is auditing the 2020 general election in four counties, local officials indicated they were in the dark about what the reviews would entail. … Continue reading →

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More on the fraudit

Posted on September 29, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

My God, Greg Abbott is a wimp. Donald Trump’s letter to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott demanding he pursue an “audit” of the 2020 election set off a “mad dash” in the governor’s office as aides sought to figure out just … Continue reading →

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First proposed Congressional map is out

Posted on September 28, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a thing. Texas lawmakers on Monday released their first draft of a new congressional map for the next decade that includes two new districts in Austin and Houston — metropolitan areas with diverse populations tht fueled much of the … Continue reading →

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Abbott and Patrick whine about State Bar complaint against Paxton

Posted on September 27, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Poor, poor babies. The state’s top officials came to the defense of embattled Attorney General Ken Paxton, saying a state bar investigation into his professional conduct is “politically motivated” and raises questions about the state’s separation of powers. On Friday, … Continue reading →

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So we have a fraudit

Posted on September 25, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

What a load of crap. The Texas secretary of state’s office announced late Thursday that it has begun a “full forensic audit” of the 2020 general election in four Texas counties: Collin, Dallas, Harris and Tarrant. But the statement from … Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: Congress, part 2

Posted on September 21, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Introduction Congressional districts State Rep districts Commissioners Court/JP precincts Comparing 2012 and 2016 Statewide judicial Other jurisdictions Appellate courts, Part 1 Appellate courts, Part 2 Judicial averages Other cities District Attorney County Attorney Sheriff Tax Assessor County Clerk HCDE Fort … Continue reading →

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First new SBOE map proposed

Posted on September 21, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

That’s two down, two to go. The Texas Senate on Monday released its first draft of a new map for the State Board of Education, which attempts to reinforce the GOP majority within the 15-member, Republican-dominated entity that determines what … Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: Congress, part 1

Posted on September 14, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Introduction Congressional districts State Rep districts Commissioners Court/JP precincts Comparing 2012 and 2016 Statewide judicial Other jurisdictions Appellate courts, Part 1 Appellate courts, Part 2 Judicial averages Other cities District Attorney County Attorney Sheriff Tax Assessor County Clerk HCDE Fort … Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: SBOE

Posted on September 7, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Introduction Congressional districts State Rep districts Commissioners Court/JP precincts Comparing 2012 and 2016 Statewide judicial Other jurisdictions Appellate courts, Part 1 Appellate courts, Part 2 Judicial averages Other cities District Attorney County Attorney Sheriff Tax Assessor County Clerk HCDE Fort … Continue reading →

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January 6 committee seeks answers from Paxton

Posted on August 28, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Play hardball and do not let him get away with anything. The U.S. House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol has requested communications between Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Trump White House officials in the … Continue reading →

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The real reason (that we already know) why Greg Abbott hates mask mandates

Posted on August 27, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

He’s pandering to the base. I mean, duh! When Texas had its first big surge of COVID hospitalizations, Gov. Greg Abbott responded by shutting down bars and mandating masks. As the second surge hit, Abbott put in place an automatic … Continue reading →

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