Tag Archives: open records

Harris County versus AG over when election records can be withheld

Posted on April 18, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. Harris County is battling Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office over its ability to withhold election records that have been requested under the state’s public information law. In the case, filed last December, the county argues it should be … Continue reading →

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More on the lawsuit against Paxton’s deranged ballot access opinion

Posted on January 25, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

There are actually three counties suing him, not just the one I had originally noted. At least three Texas counties — Tarrant, Williamson, and Harris — have sued Attorney General Ken Paxton and are asking a judge to strike down a legal … Continue reading →

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Paxton sued over his deranged ballot access opinion

Posted on January 15, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The Williamson County attorney’s office has sued Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, claiming a ruling he made that gives the public immediate access to ballots after an election violates state law. County officials, the lawsuit said, can be charged … Continue reading →

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A long look at the lack of accountability in Uvalde

Posted on August 16, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

CNN has a very long piece about how there are many investigations going on about the Uvalde massacre but seemingly little to hold anyone accountable for it. Uvalde residents, especially the parents of Robb Elementary children, are increasingly frustrated with … Continue reading →

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DPS can keep Uvalde info secret for now

Posted on August 11, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Hopefully not for much longer. A state district judge ruled Wednesday that the Department of Public Safety does not have to turn over records related to the Uvalde school shooting sought by state Sen. Roland Gutierrez, who had sued the … Continue reading →

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Paxton escapes open records lawsuit

Posted on July 6, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Sheesh. The Travis County district attorney’s office will not proceed with a lawsuit against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for refusing to release his communications around the time of the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Despite determining that the attorney general … Continue reading →

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Congressional Dems ask Paxton to release Uvalde info

Posted on June 30, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

He won’t, because he sucks, but you gotta ask. Nine Democratic members of the U.S. House from Texas on Tuesday called on Attorney General Ken Paxton to order the release of government records related to the May 24 school shooting … Continue reading →

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Uvalde versus DPS

Posted on June 23, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Someone’s not happy. Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin on Tuesday accused state authorities of selectively releasing information about last month’s school shooting to scapegoat local law enforcement and intentionally leaving out details about the state’s response to the massacre. New details … Continue reading →

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C’mon, we should get to see the city’s after-action report on the freeze

Posted on June 13, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

This is silly. Houston will not release its retrospective report on the 2021 winter freeze, citing a post-9/11 law shielding information that could be exposed by terrorists or criminals. The city drafted a report, called “After-Action Report/Improvement Plans for the 2021 Winter … Continue reading →

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Paxton thumbs his nose at open records demand

Posted on January 22, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Water is wet. The sun rises in the east. Ken Paxton DGAF about government, ethics, accountability or any of that other namby-pamby stuff. Attorney General Ken Paxton said the Travis County district attorney’s determination that Paxton violated open records laws … Continue reading →

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Paxton accused of violating open records law

Posted on January 15, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Put it on his tab. The Travis County district attorney has determined that Attorney General Ken Paxton violated the state’s open records law by not turning over his communications from last January, when he appeared at the pro-Trump rally that … Continue reading →

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What is Ken Paxton hiding?

Posted on March 26, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

I was almost tempted to start this post with the rhetorical “Just when you think Ken Paxton couldn’t sink any lower” gambit, but then I realized I have never thought Ken Paxton couldn’t sink any lower. Even with that, this … Continue reading →

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Quid pro Paxton

Posted on February 12, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

How tawdry. And I can’t wait to hear more. Late last year, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton fired multiple senior aides who accused him of accepting a bribe. A court filing obtained by The Texas Tribune reveals for the first … Continue reading →

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The last whistleblower

Posted on November 27, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Nothing like a fully cleaned house. The Texas attorney general’s office has fired the last remaining whistleblower who alleged Ken Paxton broke the law in doing favors for a political donor — just days after aides had sued the agency … Continue reading →

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Paxton sued by four whistleblowers

Posted on November 14, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Start popping the corn. Despite his role as the state’s top law enforcement officer, Attorney General Ken Paxton “believes he is above the very law” he is supposed to uphold, several whistleblowers say in a new lawsuit seeking damages after … Continue reading →

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January 2019 campaign finance reports: HCC

Posted on February 21, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s our last group of finance reports for people on the ballot in 2019, HCC Trustees. You can find the full list of finance reports here, which includes PACs and past candidates/Trustees. They’re listed alphabetically by first name and the … Continue reading →

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Darian Ward resigns

Posted on January 28, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Adios. Mayor Sylvester Turner’s press secretary resigned Friday afternoon, three weeks after news broke that she had been suspended for routinely conducting personal business on city time and failing to release public records. Ward sent or received roughly 5,000 pages … Continue reading →

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Darian Ward

Posted on January 7, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

I shake my head. Mayor Sylvester Turner on Wednesday staunchly defended his press secretary’s job performance following her recent two-week suspension for conducting personal business on city time and failing to turn over public records requested by a local journalist. … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

ACLU seeks information about state’s compliance with Trump election commission

Posted on July 24, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Today the ACLU of Texas filed an open records request with the Texas Secretary of State seeking documentation related to the State’s compliance with the federal Election Integrity Commission, which had asked states to submit voters’ full … Continue reading →

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How is the state going to do its voter ID education outreach?

Posted on August 28, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

You don’t need to know. Texas will spend $2.5 million to spread the word about changes to the state’s voter ID law before the November election, but will not release details of how that money will be spent. More than … Continue reading →

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On finding the next HPD Chief

Posted on June 2, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t know about this. Mayor Sylvester Turner has chosen to select Houston’s next police chief through a private executive search firm, taking the position that the applications and résumés of job candidates do not have to be made available … Continue reading →

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Irving ISD sues AG’s office over Ahmed Mohamed

Posted on March 7, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Oh, brother. Ahmed Mohamed’s former school district has sued the Texas Attorney General — defying an order to reveal details of a federal investigation related to the Muslim teen’s arrest after bringing a homemade clock to school last year. Dozens of Democratic U.S. … Continue reading →

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High speed rail opponents sue TxDOT and AG’s office

Posted on March 6, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

They seek information that they say they have been denied so far. A group opposed to a private firm’s plans to build a bullet train stretching from Dallas to Houston has filed a lawsuit against the Texas Department of Transportation … Continue reading →

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More questions about body cameras and video accessibility

Posted on February 14, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Still sorting it all out. Months after statewide body camera legislation took effect and the Houston Police Department outlined its policies regarding the devices, local criminal justice watchdogs worry that some video from high-profile incidents may never see the light … Continue reading →

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Paxton prosecutors sue AG office to block records

Posted on January 17, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Hold on to your hats. In an unusual and head-spinning twist, prosecutors in the criminal case against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued the attorney general’s office Thursday to block the release of sensitive case information that could hinder Paxton’s … Continue reading →

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More HERO public information requests

Posted on December 19, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The bullying continues. Does President Barack Obama regularly drop a line to Houston City Council members? Probably not, but we could soon find out, thanks to a public records request that opponents of the city’s equal rights ordinance, known as … Continue reading →

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Council members complain about open records requests

Posted on December 10, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Oh, please. Councilmen Michael Kubosh and Dave Martin on Tuesday blasted a records request from a D.C.-based nonprofit to those council members who voted against the Houston equal rights ordinance, known as HERO, last year. The Campaign for Accountability’s request … Continue reading →

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Uber sues Houston

Posted on May 1, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

It’s all about the secrecy. Uber is once again suing to keep its secrets. The ride-hailing service filed suit in Houston last week to block the release of public records that would reveal how many drivers it has licensed in … Continue reading →

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Abbott does one last solid for Perry

Posted on August 15, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

He lets him keep his little secrets. After critics raised a stink about the tax dollars being spent to provide security for Gov. Rick Perry while he was gearing up to run for president, lawmakers passed a bill in 2011 … Continue reading →

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Sam Houston enters the chemical disclosure fray

Posted on July 16, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Sam Houston, Democratic Nominee for Texas Attorney General, today promised to reverse the current AG’s letter ruling on the release of the locations of dangerous chemicals, putting the safety of our families and children first. “I have … Continue reading →

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Close enough for Greg Abbott

Posted on July 13, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

What more do you need to know? Attorney General Greg Abbott first stirred things up by saying the state would not release information about the locations and amounts of hazardous chemicals held by private companies, reversing nearly three decades of … Continue reading →

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Davis takes her attack on Abbott’s chemical info obstruction on the road

Posted on July 9, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Keeping it going. Democratic Sen. Wendy Davis on Tuesday recalled the deadly explosion just up the road in West as she lambasted her GOP opponent for governor, Attorney General Greg Abbott, over his decision restricting disclosure of information about chemical … Continue reading →

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Why would you want to regulate that?

Posted on July 3, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I mean, what are a few fiery explosions among friends? Members of the state House Homeland Security and Public Safety Committee have been struggling for several months over how to respond to last year’s massive explosion at the West Fertilizer … Continue reading →

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Tracking city performance

Posted on February 15, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Cool. The City of Houston launched a website Monday pulling from a massive database of 311 service requests that allows visitors to create custom graphs counting everything from bad tasting water and missed yard waste pickups to storm sewer odors and traffic signal timing. The site also includes links to the … Continue reading →

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