The Texas attorney general’s office is weighing in on the back-and-forth between the Texas Windstorm Insurance Agency and Democratic attorney Steve Mostyn, who has been fighting in the courts to keep Hurricane Ike settlement details private.
Elise Hu
Elise Hu was a political reporter at the Tribune, focusing on multimedia projects, from 2009 to 2011. She previously worked as the state political reporter for Austin's ABC affiliate, KVUE-TV, from 2006 to 2009. She was recognized by the Texas Associated Press Broadcasters three years in a row for her beat reporting on state politics and was named Best TV Reporter Who Can Write by The Austin Chronicle. Before arriving in Austin, she held reporting positions at television stations in Waco; Greenville, S.C.; and Columbia, Mo. She's an evangelist for social media and multimedia journalism — her Political Junkie blog was listed as one of WashingtonPost.com's top Texas political blogs. A native of Plano, she has a degree in broadcast journalism from the University of Missouri.
Posted in
State Government
We Lose?
Citing performance issues and alleging a conflict of interest, critics blasted Friday’s decision by the Texas Lottery Commission to renew a 10-year operations contract worth up to $1 billion with Rhode Island-based GTECH Corporation, the state’s primary lottery vendor since its 1992 inception.
Posted in
Politics
Derision Points
To the list of things that Rick Perry shows contempt for — Barack Obama’s leadership abilities, excessive federal regulation, coyotes that interrupt his morning jog — add this surprising one: George W. Bush’s ideological disposition. The governor seems to go out of his way to criticize his predecessor as insufficiently conservative. Bush, for his part, makes no mention of Perry in his memoir. “There’s certainly no love lost between these two men,” says UT presidential scholar Bruce Buchanan.
Posted in
State Government
Michael Quinn Sullivan Speaks
The conservative leader speaks out on his role in the race for Texas House speaker and why current GOP Speaker Joe Straus has a “high bar” to meet to get re-elected.
Posted in
Economy
The Weekly TribCast: Episode 55
In this week’s TribCast, Evan, Ross, Elise and Ben discuss the latest in the race for House speaker, ongoing budget woes and how governing may prove a lot harder than campaigning come January.
Posted in
State Government
TribBlog: Straus Rebuffs Patrick
State Sen. Dan Patrick issued a release saying he would host a sit-down meeting of the three candidates for speaker in a “neutral” location. But House Speaker Joe Straus’ office says it never agreed to to the meet-up.
Posted in
State Government
TribBlog: Speaker Candidates on Anti-Semitism
Both GOP challengers to House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, are distancing themselves from activist efforts to emphasize the speaker’s Jewish faith.
Posted in
Economy
“Grandiose Cuts” to Higher Education?
The session hasn’t started yet, but the battles have. In a heated exchange over possible cuts to higher education at a post-election debrief, Democratic consultant Matt Angle spars with Gov. Rick Perry’s campaign manager, Rob Johnson.
Posted in
State Government
TribBlog: GOP Chairmen for Straus
On the heels of a defection by state Rep. Tan Parker, R-Denton, House GOP chairmen release a letter supporting the re-election of House Speaker Joe Straus.
Posted in
State Government
The Weekly TribCast: Episode 54
In this week’s TribCast, Evan, Ross, Elise and Ben look ahead to the next legislative session — the bills, the two-thirds rule and division in Republican ranks.