Tag Archives: impeachment

Nate Paul serves his contempt sentence

Posted on November 18, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Noted for the record, and for a couple of newsy bits at the end. Austin real estate investor Nate Paul reported to Travis County jail on Thursday night for a 10-day sentence for contempt of court, avoiding a possible media … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Endorsement watch: Don’t Paxton the CCA

Posted on October 18, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

A good message. Before this year, even reasonably well-informed Texans didn’t know much about the state’s Court of Criminal Appeals. Then Attorney General Ken Paxton took a keen interest in ousting several of the court’s justices. Suddenly, many voters knew … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Endorsement watch: Don’t Paxton the CCA

We could have already had charges against Ken Paxton by now

Posted on September 19, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

This is frustrating, but if we do get there in the end it’ll be all right. Federal prosecutors in Texas had drafted bribery and obstruction charges against state Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) before the US Justice Department took over … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on We could have already had charges against Ken Paxton by now

Smithee makes five

Posted on September 16, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

And the beat goes on. State Rep. John Smithee, R-Amarillo, is the fifth person to enter the race for Texas House speaker. Smithee, a 73-year-old attorney, is a long-serving Republican state representative from Amarillo. He is one of the most … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Four! Four Speaker challengers!

Posted on September 13, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Everyone in the pool! State Rep. James Frank, a Wichita Falls Republican who is one of the Texas House’s leading voices on health and foster care, announced Tuesday he is running for speaker, making him the fourth member to challenge … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

And then there were three Speaker challengers

Posted on September 6, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I know nothing about this guy. Mansfield Republican David Cook said Tuesday he intends to run for Texas House Speaker, becoming the third person to challenge the chamber’s current leader, Beaumont Republican Dade Phelan. Cook, who has served two terms … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

More on Ken Paxton’s ethicslessness

Posted on July 30, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Yes, that’s a word. It’s also a good description of the state of our Attorney General. Three decades following its inception, the [Texas Ethics C]ommission is toothless. Compliance of Texas’ ethics laws is largely voluntary. That’s because the agency relies … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on More on Ken Paxton’s ethicslessness

July 2024 campaign finance reports – State offices

Posted on July 29, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

PREVIOUSLY: Senate and Congress For the first time in awhile that I can remember, there’s not really a state or statewide legislative race generating much interest in Harris County. The candidates and incumbents for the Court of Appeals benches have … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Re-impeachment?

Posted on July 12, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I have a hard time believing this. Attorney General Ken Paxton on Wednesday evening said the Texas House ethics committee, which scheduled a meeting for next week, is planning to recommend impeaching him a second time. “Next week’s House General … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The answer to “who watches the watchers” is “Ken Paxton”

Posted on July 8, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t think even Molly Ivins could have found a way to make this funny. For more than a year, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has owed the state over $11,000 in fines for filing late campaign finance reports. Now, … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The answer to “who watches the watchers” is “Ken Paxton”

We are still being teased with “Feds investigating Paxton” stories

Posted on June 28, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Please let this be true, please let this be true, please let this be true… A federal appeals court last week rejected an unnamed Texas agency’s attempt to withhold records and shield its employees from appearing before a grand jury … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on We are still being teased with “Feds investigating Paxton” stories

Influencers now required to disclose paid political content

Posted on June 23, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Could be stricter, and Lord knows our overall campaign finance system is a mess, but this was a slam dunk. Texas’ top campaign finance watchdog voted Tuesday to require social media figures to disclose when they are paid for … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Influencers now required to disclose paid political content

Once again we ask, what’s up with that FBI investigation of Ken Paxton?

Posted on June 11, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Who knows? Federal agents were still actively investigating Paxton for alleged corruption after he was acquitted of related impeachment charges last year, according to multiple sources who spoke with The Texas Newsroom in recent weeks. Among Paxton’s potential crimes listed … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Once again we ask, what’s up with that FBI investigation of Ken Paxton?

Another Speaker contender

Posted on June 3, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I suspect this list will get longer. Whether they all make it to the actual vote for Speaker is another story. State Rep. Shelby Slawson announced Thursday she is running for Texas House speaker, becoming the second member to challenge … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Another Speaker contender

Influencer disclosures

Posted on April 2, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I approve of this. Texas’ top campaign finance watchdog gave initial approval last week to a proposal that would require social media users to disclose if they are being paid to share or create political advertisements. The Texas Ethics Commission’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

There’s only one way forward after this primary

Posted on March 11, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

The worst people you know had a very good week last week. It’s likely to get better for them after the runoffs. These headlines capture the essence of it: ‘Disastrous’: A shaken Texas House prepares for rightward shift after record … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Ousted Rep. Rogers has some thoughts about why he lost

Posted on March 9, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

He’s on the right track. It’s just a question of whether he takes it to the correct destination. The corruption that exists at the highest level of Texas state government would have made Governor “Pa” Ferguson blush. Governor Greg Abbott … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Three Ken Paxton updates

Posted on March 7, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I missed these in the recent news rush, but spotted them all more or less at once via the Google News app on my phone. Doomscrolling for the win, I guess. Whistleblowers: Texas Supreme Court must reject Ken Paxton’s ‘scheme’ … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Three Ken Paxton updates

Primary 2024 results: Republican headlines

Posted on March 6, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

It’s going to be a late night and I have a couple of long days ahead of me, so I’m going to do some quick summaries based on what I now know, and will come back later to fill the … Continue reading →

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

Getting revenge is the best revenge

Posted on March 4, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I have one thing to say to these Republicans. State Rep. Glenn Rogers is mad as hell, and he’s not being shy about it. “Kiss my ass!” he recently told a statewide Republican official who had endorsed his primary opponent. … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Paxton’s revenge against the CCA

Posted on February 27, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. The three incumbents running for their seats on Texas’ highest criminal courtwere not well known political figures outside of the legal community. That was until they earned the ire of Attorney General … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Let them fight

Posted on February 25, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Let them fight. A $95.3 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan that passed the Senate overnight has sparked a battle between two of Texas’ most prominent Republicans, with Attorney General Ken Paxton calling U.S. Sen. John Cornyn an … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Let them fight

I don’t care about Rep. Jacey Jetton’s primary fight

Posted on February 2, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

There was a time when I’d have cared about this, but that time has passed. In many ways, state Rep. Jacey Jetton could be the poster child for the Texas Republican Party. He is a young, married father of color, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Today’s Ken Paxton whistleblower trial update

Posted on February 1, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

He’s basically a professional defendant now. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton could face a potentially expensive and uncomfortable jury trial to defend himself against former deputies after a Travis County judge declined Wednesday to end the case in the whistleblowers’ … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

SCOTx pauses Paxton deposition

Posted on January 31, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Delay, delay, delay… The Texas Supreme Court has halted depositions that were scheduled to begin Thursday in the whistleblower case against Attorney General Ken Paxton. The all-GOP court issued an order Tuesday staying the depositions and giving the parties until … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Can we have a do-over on that impeachment thing?

Posted on January 27, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

What an interesting question. Republican state Sen. Drew Springer called for Lt. Gov Dan Patrick and the Texas Senate to consider reopening impeachment proceedings against Attorney General Ken Paxton. In a letter to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and the state … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized!, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

No, really, Paxton ordered to sit for deposition

Posted on January 26, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Oh yeah. Attorney General Ken Paxton’s efforts to end a whistleblower lawsuit against him has been dealt another blow after a Travis County judge denied his attempt to end the case without being deposed. The ruling, which Paxton’s office publicized … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Paxton ordered to sit for deposition anyway

Posted on January 21, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Bwa ha ha! A Travis County judge issued an order Friday for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to sit for a deposition on Feb. 1 in the lawsuit brought by four of his former employees. However, some of those plaintiffs … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Paxton will no longer fight the whistleblower lawsuit

Posted on January 19, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Kind of stunning, definitely a stunt, and also his latest and most desperate ploy to avoid being deposed. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Thursday that his agency will stop fighting a whistleblower lawsuit by four former top executives who … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

It’s official, Paxton will get deposed

Posted on January 14, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Excellent. Attorney General Ken Paxton and his top aides will be forced to testify in a lawsuit accusing Paxton of violating the state’s whistleblower protection law after the Texas Supreme Court on Friday denied an emergency motion to block the … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Paxton tries his whistleblower deposition luck with SCOTx

Posted on January 12, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

This should be the end of the line, one way or another. Embattled Attorney General Ken Paxton is asking the Texas Supreme Court to shield him from being deposed in an ongoing whistleblower lawsuit filed by four former agency employees. … Continue reading →

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

Paxton again ordered to sit for whistleblower deposition

Posted on January 9, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Keep on losing, Kenny. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton could have to answer questions under oath in a lawsuit that prompted his impeachment last year. In a one-sentence order issued Friday evening, Texas’s Third Court of Appeals denied Paxton’s challenge … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Paxton still desperately trying to avoid being deposed

Posted on January 1, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

And still failing. The Texas Third Court of Appeals denied Attorney General Ken Paxton’s request for an emergency stay of impending depositions in the whistleblower lawsuit that sparked his impeachment this year, according to a Wednesday court filing. The whistleblower … Continue reading →

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

Paxton and aides ordered to sit for depositions on whistleblower trial

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Good. A Travis County district judge has ordered Attorney General Ken Paxton and three top aides to sit for depositions in the 3-year-old whistleblower lawsuit against him. At a hearing Wednesday in Austin, Judge Jan Soifer granted the whistleblowers’ motion … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Paxton and aides ordered to sit for depositions on whistleblower trial