The Midday Brief: Dec. 14, 2010

Your afternoon reading:

• "If Aaron Peña stays in the Democratic Party, his recent flirtation with Republicans will follow him; if he bolts, he will face an intense challenge in the 2012 election — if he tries to get elected as a Republican — even if Republicans try to carve out as friendly a district as they can during the upcoming redistricting battle." — The problem facing Rep. Aaron Peña, Texas Politics

• "Republicans in the Texas House will have carte blanche to do pretty much whatever they want." — GOP nearing supermajority in Texas House, The Dallas Morning News

• "The Observer reviewed the commission documents used in preparing the report and found a clear pattern: The Texas Railroad Commission has repeatedly, over the past decade, found ways to boost the bottom line of gas companies to the detriment of Texans' pocketbooks." — Overrated, Texas Observer

• "Galveston has joined key state agencies in pleading with the court to reconsider a ruling that favors private property rights over public access to Texas shores." — Galveston, state officials ask Supreme Court to reconsider beach ruling, Austin American-Statesman

New in The Texas Tribune:

• "Members of the Texas Railroad Commission have become increasingly reliant on large campaign donations in the last decade, especially from industries they regulate, according to a new report to be issued today by Public Citizen's Texas office." — Group Examines Fundraising by Railroad Commission