Search Results for: tim cole

Tim Cole officially pardoned

Posted on March 2, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

This is a small bit of good to come out of a great injustice. The [Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles] sent a letter to Tim Cole’s attorney at the Innocence Project of Texas on Friday saying that it had … Continue reading →

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Tim Cole advisory panel begins its work

Posted on October 13, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The Tim Cole Advisory Panel on Wrongful Convictions, which was created to much fanfare by the Lege this spring, begins its mission this week in the shadow of the Cameron Todd Willingham uproar. Cole was wrongfully convicted in 1986 and … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Adding Tim Cole amendment to the call

Posted on July 1, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

As you saw from the Senate’s pre-filed bills, there are a number of items being pushed by legislators that aren’t a part of the call for the special session. If one believes Governor Perry, it’s unlikely that anything else will … Continue reading →

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Two for Timothy Cole

Posted on May 18, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

On Friday, the House concurred with Senate amendments to HB1736, the Timothy Cole Act that increases compensation to those that have been wrongly convicted. I had said on Monday that it had passed both chambers at that time, but I … Continue reading →

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Nate Paul to finally serve that jail time for contempt

Posted on March 16, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Sometimes you forget how slowly the wheels of justice can turn. And sometimes you’re reminded. A real estate investor accused of bribing the Texas attorney general is facing jail time after the Texas Supreme Court denied his appeal of an … Continue reading →

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Judicial Q&A: Nicole Perdue

Posted on February 9, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

(Note: As I have done in past elections, I am running a series of Q&As for judicial candidates in contested Democratic primaries. This is intended to help introduce the candidates and their experiences to those who plan to vote in … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Harris County provider of mental health services victimized by ransomware

Posted on November 10, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Too close for comfort. Harris County officials had few details to add Thursday morning about the investigation into a recent ransomware attack on the county’s provider for mental health services, saying cybersecurity experts had recommended they not share information. “As … Continue reading →

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Rep. Garnet Coleman to retire

Posted on November 19, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Very sad to see him go, he was one of the best. State Rep. Garnet Coleman, a Houston Democrat who has served 30 years in the Texas House, said Thursday he will not seek another term to the lower chamber. … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Day 7 quorum busting post: Don’t mess with Rep. Garnet Coleman

Posted on July 20, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Respect, always. For a week now, state Rep. Garnet Coleman has been hiding out in Texas, wondering if police are going to track him down. While dozens of other Texas House Democrats fled to Washington, D.C. to block a Republican … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | 1 Comment

Time to investigate

Posted on August 8, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

So, hey, that conversation we now know Dennis Bonnen had with MQS? The subject of that conversation, which involved a quid-pro-quo access-for-political-activity proposal, may be a violation of house rules. So, the relevant committee will have a look-see to check … Continue reading →

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Cleo and Nicole

Posted on March 3, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

You should read this Texas Monthly feature story on Cleopatra de Leon and Nicole Dimetman, two of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit to overturn Texas’ ban on same sex marriage. But it is children— their children—that prompted Cleo and Nicole … Continue reading →

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From the Bad Editorial Timing department

Posted on January 13, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

From the Houston Chronicle Saturday edition: State Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston, called Harris Health’s impending budget shortfall “one more casualty of Texas not participating in the Medicaid expansion. “We could at least stop the bleeding if we had the additional … Continue reading →

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I’m glad someone is optimistic about the possibility of Medicaid expansion in Texas

Posted on December 4, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Because I sure can’t say that I’m optimistic about it happening. State Senator Rodney Ellis, Democrat of Houston, said fiscal conservatives have an incentive to reach an agreement “because the alternative is going to cost us much more economically and … Continue reading →

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It’s time to go on the offensive for women’s health

Posted on March 7, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I believe that just as Democrats must make the 2012 elections in Texas about public education, they must also make them about health care, in particular access to health care for women. There’s some polling data to suggest this will … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2012 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Sometimes, a little spite goes only a little way

Posted on July 9, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve decided I’m more amused by this story than anything else. Last year, six tea party members in the Houston area promised to make Austin City Council members pay for rebuking Arizona’s new immigration enforcement law, and they used extensive … Continue reading →

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Time to start analyzing the new districts

Posted on May 2, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

You will no doubt be excited to hear that I now have electoral data for the new State House districts as they currently stand. My thanks to Joe Madden of the Legislative Study Group for getting all that to me. … Continue reading →

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The Trib interviews Garnet Coleman

Posted on February 23, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The Trib has a too-brief conversation with State Rep. Garnet Coleman on health care and Medicaid. This is the crucial bit: TT: What do you want out of this meeting with [the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services]? Coleman: Two … Continue reading →

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The redistricting battle is fought one State House seat at a time

Posted on March 18, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) is the State House version of the DCCC. With 2011 being a redistricting year, the DLCC takes a more prominent role in the November elections than it would in other years, and with the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Coleman sets Perry straight

Posted on January 12, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Thank God for Garnet Coleman. Sometimes, these things just need to be said. Click here to see what Rep. Coleman was responding to.

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

Ellis asks for AG opinion on Cole pardon

Posted on July 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

You remember Timothy Cole, the wrongly-convicted man who died in prison ten years ago and has since been exonerated in a court of inquiry. The Lege passed a bill named for him to increase compensation to those who have been … Continue reading →

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Vasquez responds to Coleman and Hernandez

Posted on April 15, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I received the following statement from the office of Harris County Tax Assessor Leo Vasquez, which was sent to KHOU and Fox 26 in response to the charges made by State Reps. Garnet Coleman and Ana Hernandez about the voter … Continue reading →

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Vasquez responds to Coleman and Hernandez

Posted on April 15, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I received the following statement from the office of Harris County Tax Assessor Leo Vasquez, which was sent to KHOU and Fox 26 in response to the charges made by State Reps. Garnet Coleman and Ana Hernandez about the voter … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Comments Off on Vasquez responds to Coleman and Hernandez

Coleman pushing for CHIP restoration

Posted on March 20, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Way back in those crazy, innocent days right after Joe Straus was elected Speaker, some of us had the silly idea that this might portend better legislation making it through the House. You know, serious policy stuff that actually benefits … Continue reading →

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All DNA, all the time

Posted on February 18, 2009 by Greg Wythe

How often should we collect DNA from someone who’s been arrested? Some people think the answer should be a lot more often than we do now. Texas is one of several states that draw DNA samples from anyone convicted of … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment, That's our Lege | 1 Comment

All DNA, all the time

Posted on February 18, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

How often should we collect DNA from someone who’s been arrested? Some people think the answer should be a lot more often than we do now. Texas is one of several states that draw DNA samples from anyone convicted of … Continue reading →

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Two weeks out, time for the sleazy attack mailers

Posted on October 21, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Ah, there’s nothing like the last two weeks of a campaign to bring out the truly special campaign tactics. Here’s Harvey Kronberg catching one such example near here. In a year potentially sitting on the powder keg of racial politics, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | 3 Comments

Coleman’s conviction upheld

Posted on February 11, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Tom Coleman, the undercover cop whose testimony led to the unjust convictions of dozens of citizens of Tulia, Texas, lost his last appeal. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ruled Tom Coleman’s aggravated perjury conviction in 2005 should stand. In … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Time for another S-CHIP veto override effort

Posted on January 23, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Another attempt to override President Bush’s veto of expanding S-CHIP is on the agenda for today. The struggling economy gives Democratic lawmakers another weapon in their effort to expand a popular children’s health insurance program. In the end, however, they … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | 1 Comment

Candidate interview: State Rep. Garnet Coleman

Posted on January 16, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Note: This entry is part of a series of recorded interviews with non-judicial candidates in contested Democratic primaries. I am also doing written Q&As with judicial candidates. There’s a lot I could say about State Rep. Garnet Coleman, who is … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Coleman to Abbott: File suit over CHIP

Posted on October 13, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

State Rep. Garnet Coleman sends a letter to Attorney General Greg Abbott: I am writing you today to ask you to file or join a lawsuit against the United States Department of Health and Human Services to block a recent … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Time for the real sausagemaking to begin

Posted on April 17, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Of all the things the Lege does, none is quite as awe-inspiring and stomach-churning as the joint committee to reconcile the House and Senate budgets. Basically, everything that’s happened so far – in particular, all of the victories by the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on Time for the real sausagemaking to begin

Halftime at the special session

Posted on May 1, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

We’re at a bit of an intermission in the special session (just past it now, actually), what with the House waiting on the Senate and the Senate getting started on its business. That makes this a good time to review … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | 1 Comment

Interview with Garnet Coleman

Posted on February 20, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

State Rep. Garnet Coleman is the one member of the House Democratic leadership to face a reelection battle this year, as two challengers entered the Democratic primary for HD147 at the last minute. Coleman is one of the true good … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2006 | 5 Comments

Looks like probation for Coleman

Posted on January 15, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t think this is sufficient. Tom Coleman was acquitted of testifying falsely in a 2003 hearing that as a sheriff’s deputy he never stole gas from county pumps, but he was found guilty of saying that he didn’t learn … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 1 Comment