Cook ignores Open Meetings Act
Representative Byron Cook has a history of treating Texas open government laws as an optional annoyance. He was at it again this morning at his State Affairs Committee hearing. In 2012 Cook was caught...
View ArticleObamaCare propaganda in the DMN
The Dallas Morning News carried ObamaCare propaganda from the Urban Institute to the delight of Texas Medical Association and the Texas Hospital Association. The media messenger for the two unions is...
View ArticleFreedomworks endorses Turner, Statesman shills for Straus
Yesterday national conservative group FreedomWorks endorsed Rep. Scott Turner for Speaker over incumbent Joe Straus. Tim Eaton writing for the Austin American-Statesman took the opportunity to...
View ArticleBurka tips Patrick to challenge Abbott in ‘18
Paul Burka thinks that Dan Patrick will challenge Greg Abbott for Governor in 2018, and that Abbott’s ongoing aggressive money raising is about a war chest for Dan Patrick. If Burka is right this...
View ArticleUpdated: Legislators continuing abuse
In a show of defiance against the citizens of Texas, two lawmakers have issued a letter hinting that abusive influence by legislators at the University of Texas will continue. This latest aggression...
View ArticleTribune donor disclosure inconsistencies
The Texas Tribune’s inconsistent practices around disclosing donors who benefit from stories they write is becoming more noticeable. Yesterday a disclosure inconsistency landed on the Austin political...
View ArticleTMA becoming liberal-only special interest
The Texas Medical Association is poised to accelerate its reputational decline today by endorsing a Democrat in a Senate election in Tarrant County. This according to Capitol Inside. TMA’s political...
View ArticleKrause law suit dismissed, encouraged
Judge David Evans of the 48th District Court in Tarrant County dismissed a law suit seeking to stop an unconstitutional rule recently passed by the Texas Racing Commission. The unconstitutional TRC...
View ArticleStraus dodges important royalties question
At the Tribfest over the weekend Joe Straus was asked if he stands to get royalties from “historical racing machines” (slot machines) if they begin operating at Texas racetracks. His answer, “My family...
View ArticleLessons from Washington media
The national media are finally remembering why helping politicians shut out media is a bad idea even when you like their politics. In a USA Today article published last week Rem Rieder took the...
View ArticlePatrick has them worried
The Tribfest provided evidence the GOP establishment is very worried about Lt. Gov. Nominee Dan Patrick. While Patrick stands with the GOP platform against subsidizing college tuition for illegal...
View ArticlePojman loses big in Senate District 28
In a performance that beat expectations, Charles Perry won the election for Robert Duncan’s old Senate seat. Texas Right to Life, the premier pro-life group in Texas, endorsed Charles Perry, along...
View ArticleDavis/Trib: peas in a pod
Last week the The Texas Tribune held its annual state subsidized festival and it featured a decidedly left of center cast of characters. Lawmakers featured on Tribfest panels scored an average 54% on...
View ArticleTMA’s influence waning
The Texas Medical Association has come under heavy scrutiny for its recent endorsement of a Democrat in a North Texas senate seat. Last week the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS)...
View ArticleLegislative hostage-taking
During the 2013 legislative session, pro-life bill and other GOP platform items were held hostage to a single special interest issue: water. This session the House is set to deploy the same play. The...
View ArticleCombs sets up new PAC
Outgoing Comptroller Susan Combs has set up a PAC called Texans for Positive Economic Policy (TPEP). Comb’s fundraising vehicle, The Friends of Susan Combs PAC, put just over $300K into the...
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