The Midday Brief: Nov. 17, 2010

Your afternoon reading:

• "Prosecutors in Tom DeLay's money laundering trial rested their case against the former U.S. House majority leader on Wednesday, as DeLay's team insisted that the state hasn't proven he engaged in criminal activity." — Prosecution rests in DeLay case, The Associated Press

• "Rep. Joe Barton got a big boost this morning in his quest to take hold of the gavel and lead the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee next year, when eight of the panel's Republicans endorsed him for the job." — Barton's energy committee colleagues fuel his bid for chairman, Texas on the Potomac

• "The Daily Caller‘s Steven Nelson reports that U.S. Rep. Ron Paul (R-Clute) will not be joining the new House Tea Party Caucus because he thinks the tea party should remain a grassroots movement." — Report: Ron Paul not joining House Tea Party Caucus, The Texas Independent

• "You might call it the Federal Stimulus' Million Dollar Jobs Club, except that in several instances you have millions of dollars, but no jobs." — Million-dollar jobs on the taxpayers' dime: Federal stimulus funds 38,000 jobs in Texas, but some cost more than $1 million apiece, Texas Watchdog

New in The Texas Tribune:

• "Former Arkansas Gov. and current Fox News host Mike Huckabee waded into the speaker's race today. His pick: state Rep. Ken Paxton, R-McKinney." — Mike Huckabee Endorses Ken Paxton for Speaker