Hu compares and contrasts the official schedules of four big-state governors (including Rick Perry) and picks the 21 Texas House races to watch, Ramshaw on a 19-year-old with an IQ of 47 sentenced to 100 years in prison, Stiles on Perry’s regent-donors, Galbraith on a plan to curb the independence of the state’s electricity grid, Thevenot on the turf war over mental health, Grissom on whether the Texas Youth Commission should be abolished, Aguilar on a crucial immigration-related case pending before the U.S. Supreme Court, Ramsey’s interview with GOP provocateur Debra Medina and M. Smith on how changes to campaign finance law will affect judicial elections in Texas: The best of our best from August 23 to 27, 2010.
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
Posted inState Government
Ads Infinitum: Chet Edwards’ “Back”
A new ad from Waco’s Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards went up on television today.
Posted inState Government
The Brief: Aug. 27, 2010
Perry or no Perry, the show — Texas news outlets have decided — must go on.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Pat Lykos: The TT Interview
The first female district attorney of Harris County on the massive scope of her job, softening her office’s tough-on-crime reputation, the link between mental health care and criminal justice, why she set up a Post-Conviction Review Section and what she’s learned from innocence cases so far.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
You Be the Judge
Do two recent U.S. Supreme Court opinions have the far-reaching effects on Texas judicial elections that some in our legal community fear? Or do the state’s current campaign finance laws adequately address the issues presented by both cases?
Posted in
State Government
21 House Races to Watch
Only 10 days out from Labor Day — the unofficial start of the campaign season — we bring you a scouting report on the 21 Texas House races to watch. We based our picks on dozens of interviews with politicos and our own analysis of district voting patterns, campaign coffers, the relative strength of the candidates and issues that could turn each contest. Most of the vulnerable incumbents are Democrats, which is no surprise in a Republican year. But a few veteran R’s are at risk, thanks to alleged ethical lapses that could swing voters against the national mood.
Posted inState Government
TribBlog: RPT Questions Dunnam’s Residency [Updated]
At a press conference in Waco this afternoon, Republican Party of Texas Chairman Steve Munisteri laid out a case alleging that Democratic state Rep. Jim Dunnam does not live in Waco’s House District 57, which he currently represents.
Posted in
Energy
TribBlog: Bashing Coal Ash
A new report by three environmental groups documents dangerous levels of toxic contaminants from coal ash in Texas and elsewhere — and little regulation.
