The Evening Brief: Feb. 8, 2013

Culled

•    Probe launched after Bushes' email hacked (Houston Chronicle): "The U.S. Secret Service is investigating a hacker who gained access to private emails between members of the Bush family and friends, officials confirmed Friday. In Washington, U.S. Secret Service spokesman George Ogilvie told the Houston Chronicle Friday morning that an open ended investigation was under way by the federal agency responsible for protecting former presidents as well as the incumbent."

•    Moody’s warns investors over Texas school finance problems (The Dallas Morning News): "If the state ponies up significantly more money for public schools, it might not be to its credit — at least not its fiscal credit. Moody’s weekly credit newsletter reported to investors that Texas could face some fiscal crimping after a state district court ruled this week that the state is inadequately funding its schools."

•    Marc Veasey invites undocumented immigrant to attend State of the Union Address (The Dallas Morning News): "U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey has invited an undocumented immigrant from Texas to attend President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address on Tuesday."

•    GOP lawmaker ponders radio ad for Texas (Los Angeles Times): "Assemblyman Dan Logue (R-Loma Rica) has long touted the virtues of low-tax, limited-regulation Texas as a model for what California should aspire toward to improve its business climate. He has led fact-finding missions to the Lone Star State, where colleagues join him in seminars with Texas officials and business leaders. … So Logue is turning to stinging sarcasm. He has penned an essay in which he proposes California come up with a radio campaign of its own to counter the one Texas Gov. Rick Perry recently launched here in his bid to lure Golden State businesses east. These ads, Logue says, could run in Texas."

•    The Wise Men: Pete Laney and Bill Ratliff (Texas Monthly): "In the first conversation of a new interview series called 'Out of Office,' the former speaker of the House and the former lieutenant governor discuss their years in the Lege, how the Capitol has changed, and what to expect this session."

•    Suspect in Texas Veteran’s Killing Was Hospitalized: "Eddie Ray Routh, the former Marine corporal accused of killing Chris Kyle, an author and retired Navy SEAL sniper, had been released from a veterans hospital here four days before the shootings over the objections of his parents, Mr. Routh’s court-appointed lawyers said."

New in The Texas Tribune

•    Drama Erupts as Anderson Court of Inquiry Nears Its End: "A day of legal theater in the Ken Anderson court of inquiry ended with a reversal-of-course by John Bradley. The firebrand ex-prosecutor backed away from previous damning statements he made about his former boss."

•    Water-Reuse Projects Move Forward, Despite "Toilet-to-Tap" Concerns: "Several Texas cities have plans to implement potable reuse projects, which put treated wastewater through extra chemical and biological processes before it eventually becomes part of the drinking supply."

•    Analyst: Apprehension Data Doesn't Tell Full Story on Border Security: "Apprehensions on the Texas-Mexico border by federal agents are often cited as proof that border security is either working or not working. The former director of Immigration and Naturalization Services says those statistics have holes but should still be considered in the debate."