Tag Archives: Jose Menendez

Now we’re concerned about crypto mining?

Posted on July 16, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

So, are we like gonna roll up the red carpet we laid out for these guys a couple of years ago? Texas is now home to 10 of 34 large Bitcoin mines. During cold spells or heat waves, Texans are … Continue reading →

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Paxton attorneys seek to bar three Democratic Senators from the impeachment trial

Posted on July 22, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Why stop at three? Why not try to bar them all? Lawyers for suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton are pushing to disqualify three Democratic state senators as jurors in his upcoming impeachment trial. Paxton’s lawyers filed a motion Friday that … Continue reading →

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Quinn Ewers

Posted on December 9, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

This story caught my eye. They got played by an 18-year-old. Depending on your sports acumen, hearing the name Quinn Ewers either makes your ears perk up or leads you to ask, “Who?” The former Ohio State quarterback’s name is … Continue reading →

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Senate approves its map

Posted on October 6, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

They wasted no time, which is another way of saying that they didn’t bother giving anyone else much time to provide input or feedback. The Texas Senate has approved a new political map for its own members that would entrench … Continue reading →

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The Texas Dem legislators and the push for federal voting rights legislation

Posted on June 19, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

We know this happened. Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday pointed to Texas Republicans’ push for sweeping new voting restrictions as a key illustration of the need to restore federal oversight of elections. While meeting at the White House with … Continue reading →

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There’s lots of room to improve sexual harassment training at the Lege

Posted on May 16, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

They’re starting from a really low point. You could miss both questions about sexual harassment and still pass the preventative training required every two years for Texas House staffers. The online training, a roughly 15-minute lecture on sexual harassment sandwiched … Continue reading →

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Yes, lobbyists need sexual harassment awareness training, too

Posted on April 29, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Closing an obvious loophole. In the aftermath of the story that rocked the Capitol this weekend of a lobbyist using a date rape drug on a legislative staffer, the Legislature is starting to take action. Sen. José Menéndez (D-San Antonio) … Continue reading →

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Time for our biennial hope for better pot laws

Posted on January 12, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Don’t get your hopes too high. (Sorry, not sorry.) Five years after Texas legalized medical marijuana for people with debilitating illnesses, advocates and industry experts say the state’s strict rules, red tape and burdensome barriers to entry have left the … Continue reading →

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One simple thing the Republicans could do to maybe get David Whitley confirmed

Posted on May 25, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

This is a long story about how Democratic Senators are being very careful to either be in attendance at all times or get a commitment that there won’t be a vote on Secretary of State David Whitley in the event … Continue reading →

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Daylight Saving Time lives

Posted on May 22, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Oh, thank goodness. A House-approved plan to stop Texans from having to change clocks twice a year and let them pick either daylight saving or standard time year-round is dead. On Monday, author Rep. Lyle Larson said he was “very … Continue reading →

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On special election runoff turnout and HD125

Posted on February 19, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

I figured a story like this was inevitable after Round One of the HD125 special election, in which Republican Fred Rangel got 38% of the vote and four Democrats combined to take the rest, with three of them being close … Continue reading →

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No cannabis for you

Posted on December 15, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Good luck getting your hands on medical marijuana in Texas. It’s been about a year since the first legally grown marijuana plants were harvested in Texas for their medicinal oils. But since then, fewer than 600 patients have seen any … Continue reading →

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The updated scenarios for a SD06 special election

Posted on October 8, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

It’s complicated. The resolution to the special election stalemate between state Sen. Sylvia Garcia and Gov. Greg Abbott likely will come after the November general election and could yield a special election after the Legislature convenes in January. The likely … Continue reading →

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The potential Sylvia effect

Posted on November 16, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, Rep. Gene Green is retiring, and as we also know, Sen. Sylvia Garcia is one of the contenders to succeed him. As noted before, this is a free shot for Garcia, as she would not otherwise be … Continue reading →

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Poker clubs

Posted on October 29, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I wish them luck. Michael Eakman, a poker aficionado from a very young age, has hosted poker tournaments from around the country, but Texas gambling laws have long shut him out of his own state and his hometown of Houston. … Continue reading →

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House takes a different direction on trees

Posted on July 29, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Better than the Senate version, for sure. The Texas House added a potential wrinkle to Gov. Greg Abbott’s special session agenda on Thursday, giving early approval to a bill that would allow property owners to plant new trees to offset … Continue reading →

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Harris County Attorney files amicus brief in SB4 lawsuit

Posted on July 20, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Last week, Harris County Commissioners Court opted not to join a lawsuit challenging the state’s controversial “sanctuary cities” law as unconstitutional. Harris County Attorney Vince Ryan, however, has filed a brief asking a federal court to halt its implementation … Continue reading →

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“Sanctuary cities” bill gets final passage

Posted on May 5, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It’s done. The Texas Senate on Wednesday voted 20-11 to accept the House’s version of Senate bill 4, legislation that would ban “sanctuary” jurisdictions in Texas and allow police to inquire about the immigration status of people they lawfully detain. … Continue reading →

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“Sanctuary cities” bill passes in Senate

Posted on February 9, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

As expected. The Texas Senate late Tuesday gave preliminary approval to a controversial immigration measure to ban “sanctuary” jurisdictions in the state. Senate Bill 4, filed by state Sen. Charles Perry, would punish local and state government entities and college … Continue reading →

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More on the cost of a bathroom bill

Posted on December 7, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Whatever one thinks of the Texas Association of Business, you have to hand it to them for their lobbying focus on the great potty issue. With the legislative session just weeks ahead, the Texas business community is digging in its … Continue reading →

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Publisher of crappy Mexican American Studies textbook defends said textbook

Posted on September 14, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

It’s not that crappy, she swears. The publisher of a proposed Mexican-American studies textbook that scholars, elected officials and Hispanic activists have decried as racist and inaccurate is defending the high school text ahead of a public hearing on the … Continue reading →

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2016 primaries: State races

Posted on March 2, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s start with the Democratic race for Railroad Commissioner, and a few words from Forrest Wilder: The Gene Kelly Effect: Texas Democrats are almost perennially embarrassed by what you might call the Gene Kelly Effect — the depressing tendency of … Continue reading →

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Primary Day is today

Posted on March 1, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: “Visit www.HarrisVotes.com to ensure you go to the correct voting location and to find your personal sample ballot for the Tuesday, March 1, Republican Party and Democratic Party Primary Elections,” said Harris County Clerk Stan Stanart, encouraging … Continue reading →

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Overview of two Bexar County legislative primaries

Posted on February 11, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

The turnover of Bexar County’s Democratic legislative caucus continues apace. With the departures in 2015 of Mike Villarreal and Jose Menendez (succeeded by Diego Bernal and Ina Minjarez, respectively) and the departures this year by Joe Farias, Trey Martinez-Fischer, and … Continue reading →

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One more time for TMF-Menendez

Posted on December 14, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

It’s on, again. Fifteen-year state Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer announced Sunday he’ll run for Texas Senate District 26 next year against incumbent José Menéndez. The March 1 Democratic primary race will pit the same contenders who battled for the seat … Continue reading →

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Will there be TMF-Menendez round 2?

Posted on July 20, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe. Who knows? Last February, Jose Menendez beat Trey Martinez Fischer to serve the remainder of Leticia Van De Putte’s term when she decided to run for mayor. Campaign finance reports filed Wednesday may point to a rematch this fall. … Continue reading →

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Senate passes a voucher bill

Posted on April 22, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Hopefully, this will die in the House. Some low-income families unhappy with their public schools would get help paying private school tuition under a plan that won tentative approval in the Texas Senate Monday. Senate Bill 4, which would use … Continue reading →

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HD124 runoff date set

Posted on April 11, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Don’t blink or you’ll miss it. The runoff in the special election in Texas House District 124 will be April 21 under a proclamation issued Thursday by Gov. Greg Abbott. Pitted in the race to fill the unexpired term of … Continue reading →

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HD124 special election overview

Posted on March 21, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Early voting for the special election to fill Sen. Jose Menendez’s now-vacant HD124 seat begins Monday. The Rivard Report provides a brief profile of three of the candidates in that race. Delicia Herrera, 41, who served on council from 2007 … Continue reading →

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Bill filing deadline has passed

Posted on March 15, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Believe it or not, we are almost halfway through the legislative session, and we have now passed the point where new bills can be filed. Racing to beat a deadline for filing bills, state lawmakers on Friday submitted hundreds of … Continue reading →

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Four file for HD124

Posted on March 11, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Really, truly, hopefully the last special legislative election this year. This session, anyway. Four Democrats officially are in the running for Texas House District 124, the Bexar County seat that opened up with José Menéndez’s promotion last month to the … Continue reading →

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Menendez sworn in

Posted on March 6, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

We’re back at full strength in the Senate. José Menéndez became San Antonio’s newest state senator in a ceremony Monday that featured the Alamo City Democrat taking the oath of office and urging his new colleagues in the upper chamber … Continue reading →

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More thoughts on the special election results

Posted on March 1, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

There has been very little news about the four legislative special elections that were decided last week, other than the brief hubbub over what the result in SD26 meant. Among other things, I’ve been looking for any kind of reporting … Continue reading →

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Views differ on SD26

Posted on February 19, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

From Campos. Before the State Senate District 26 Special started, Rep. José Menéndez and fellow Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer were both good elected officials and good Democrats. This morning they are still good elected officials and good Democrats. Somebody had … Continue reading →

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