The Evening Brief: Jan. 25, 2013
Your evening reading: Republicans challenge group hoping to turn Texas blue; White House to begin immigration push next week; conservative groups come out against school security bill Full Story
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![Gov. Rick Perry with wife Anita at a Williamson County Republican dinner in Round Rock, his first public appearance since leaving the presidential race.]()
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Abbott Announces "Choose Life" Advisory Committee
Attorney General Greg Abbott announced on Friday the creation of the Choose Life Advisory Committee, a group that will make recommendations for spending money generated by "Choose Life" license plates. Full Story
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Campus Carry Legislation Filed in House
Freshman state Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, R-Southlake, has filed a bill that would allow concealed handgun license holders to carry weapons on college campuses. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Arson Reviewers Expect Small Number of Problem Cases
The Innocence Project of Texas told the state Forensic Science Commission on Friday that its investigation of old arson convictions for possible wrongful convictions has raised serious concerns in only a handful of cases. Full Story
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Bills Would Protect Gays From Employment Discrimination
Senate and House companion bills filed this session could add "sexual orientation" and "gender identity and expression" to the list of unlawful discriminatory practices in the Texas Labor Code. Full Story
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Video: Smith County GOP Leader Says "Enough"
Ashton Oravetz, the former Smith County Republican Party chairman, describes the state and national Republican Party leaders of today as "dysfunctional, unethical, crony capitalists." Full Story
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Race for SD-6 Seat Heads Toward Final Stretch
Slightly more than 8,200 voters cast their ballots during the early voting period in the special election to replace the late state Sen. Mario Gallegos. Election day is Saturday in the race, which is likely to head to a runoff. Full Story
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![State Rep. Carol Alvarado (left), D-Houston, and Former Harris County Commissioner Sylvia Garcia are among the eight candidates vying to replace the late Sen. Mario Gallegos.]()
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TribLive: A Conversation with David Dewhurst
Full video of my January 24 TribLive conversation with Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst. Full Story
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Lobbyists Who Dine From Both Sides of Plate
Lobbyists are competitive creatures, and don't like it when somebody gets an advantage — like political consultants who lobby during the political off-season. But they haven't found a way to regulate the practice. Full Story
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Credit: Tamir Kalifa / Todd Wiseman -
Despite Counsel, Amputee Hindered by Tort Laws
Connie Spears, a double amputee, says Texas' tort reform laws obstructed her ability to find a malpractice lawyer and forced a judge to order her to pay thousands of dollars to cover some defendants’ legal bills. Full Story
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![Connie Spears had both legs amputated above her knee as a result of a misdiagnosis in the emergency room.]()
Credit: Tamir Kalifa -
At Railroad Commission, a Push to Modernize
The Texas Railroad Commission regulates one of the most advanced industries in the world — oil and gas drilling. Yet the commission’s software systems, many of its rules and even its name are from another era. But change is coming. Full Story
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![Local pumper Bobby Thomason works on cleaning up an old well that was recently worked over to start producing again on a lease in Caldwell County near Luling, January 22, 2012.]()
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National Group Aims to Turn Texas Blue
Texas Democrats have been fighting an uphill battle against Republicans for almost two decades, but a new Washington-based group wants to invest tens of millions of dollars to turn Texas blue. Full Story
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Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman -
The Brief: Jan. 25, 2013
A new group may provide Texas Democrats with an answer to their long-ignored prayers for a political comeback. Full Story
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![Democratic supporters at the Driskill Hotel in Austin erupt in celebration as CNN projects President Obama's re-election victory on Nov. 6, 2012.]()
Credit: Tamir Kalifa
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