Texas has more unfilled U.S. attorney positions than any other state — and that isn’t going to change soon. Currently, none of the four Texas districts have “presidentially confirmed” federal prosecutors, who are responsible for enforcing federal laws. Last week, John B. Stevens, a state district judge in Beaumont who was Barack Obama’s only nominee in Texas, withdrew his name from consideration, citing the protracted confirmation process. And that means we risk being left out of the administration’s inner circle on criminal and civil justice issues.
Lloyd Doggett
Posted in
Health care
TribBlog: Health Care Passes; Texans Sound Off
House lawmakers passed the Senate version of long-awaited health care reform on Sunday night. And Texas leaders were quick to fire off on it.
Posted inState Government
A “No” On Healthcare
Congress is poised to take a final vote on health care reform as soon as this week. House Democrats are trying to marshal the votes needed to pass a version of the bill approved by the Senate, with a few changes. As Matt Largey reports, Central Texas House Democrats may not be among the “yes” votes.
Posted inState Government
The Brief: March 4, 2010
U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison’s supporters have had over 24 hours to get through the seven stages of the grieving process. But there’s a little known eighth stage: deciding if they can support the man that defeated her.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
Thevenot on the abysmally low community college graduation rate and higher ed’s coming budgetary winter. Ramshaw on Terri Hodge’s guilty plea and hasty exit. Grissom on the Department of Public Safety’s use of dreaded federal stimulus funds to plug a hole in the state’s border security budget. Hu on the first of the intraparty face-offs in our Primary Color series. Ramsey and Stiles on the congressional candidates with the most money on hand. Ramsey on whether Farouk Shami’s accent and name are an obstacle to his election. Aguilar on the fever-tick epidemic overwhelming South Texas. Rapoport on TxDOT’s hard road and the State Board of Education’s lack of finance expertise. Philpott on how Barack Obama’s budget will impact Texas. M. Smith on whether lawyers giving to judges is a good thing. Hamilton on the latest transportation innovations on the drawing board. The best of our best from February 1 to 5, 2010.
Posted in
Congress
The Capital Gang
The six Texas congressional candidates who ended the year with $1 million or more on hand are incumbents. Only two of the candidates with the 20 biggest bank accounts are not.
Posted inState Government
Rep. Lloyd Doggett on SOTU
U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, responds to the State of the Union address.
Posted in
Health care
Barack and a Hard Place
Two very different Texans in the U.S. House of Representatives — Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, and John Carter, R-Round Rock — respond to the president’s State of the Union address.
Posted inState Government
Speak to Me
In his State of the Union message tonight, Barack Obama is expected to touch on dozens of topics, including the subjects of two high-priority and high-drama bills currently before lawmakers: health care and cap and trade. Ben Philpott, who’s covering Texas politics for KUT News and the Tribune, reports on what some interested Texans would like to hear the President say.
Posted in
Health care
The Remedy
Should Congress salvage health care reform? How? Is it possible? Democrats in the Texas delegation sound off.
