The Midday Brief: Sept. 14, 2010

Your afternoon reading:

• "Democrat Bill White today refused to give in to Gov. Rick Perry's demand that White release tax returns as a condition for debate." — White refuses to meet Perry's debate condition, Texas Politics

• "Rick Perry's state fundraising chairman, oil and gas man James H. Lee, is one of the hosts of a 'wild game' fundraising dinner where a few, select men can pay $15,000 each to eat pheasant and wild sausage and have meaningful conversation with the governor." — Perry plans male-oriented fundraiser, Trail Blazers

• "Members of the Texas Republican delegation, led by Rep. Michael Burgess of Lewisville, introduced legislation today that would repeal an amendment in last month's education jobs bill that set requirements specific to Texas for the funding." — Texas Republicans seek repeal of Doggett education amendment, Trail Blazers

• "Democrat Bill White says one reason Texas faces a possible $21 billion budget deficit is because Rick Perry hasn't run Texas like a business. White says he's run businesses and Perry hasn't. "He's a career politician," White said today, noting Perry's been in elected office for 25 years. Said White: 'He's a career politician ... When Rick Perry was running for office, I was building an energy business. When he was running for office another time, I was chief operating officer of a cabinet department.'" — Bill White: Rick Perry's no friend of small business, Trail Blazers

New in The Texas Tribune:

• "A federal magistrate says the medical malpractice caps Texas lawmakers instituted in 2003 should withstand a constitutional challenge." — Magistrate Says Tort Reform Not Unconstitional

• "For the first time in the school’s history, the freshman class at the University of Texas has more minority students than white students." — UT Enrolls First Majority-Minority Class