Brian McCall, a key member of House Speaker Joe Straus’ leadership team, won’t seek reelection next year
Texas Legislature
Behind Closed Doors
Should the Texas Forensic Science Commission meet in private? The new chairman, John Bradley, says there’s a good argument for it.
Party Hoppers
“Itโd be like someone standing at the Alamo going, โIโm not gonna survive this thing,โ and all of a sudden he jumps up and starts speaking Spanish!” says Rep. Mark Homer, D-Paris. Maybe so, but switching parties usually works out.
Robert’s Rules
State schools chief Robert Scott recently failed to get the Legislature to increase the cap on charter schools โ then found a legal way to do it anyway, much to the dismay of state Democrats and teachers unions.
2010: Hopson’s BFF
Republican Brian Walker, who lost a close race to Democrat Chuck Hopson in 2008, endorsed Hopson’s reelection bid next year โ now that Hopson has switched to the GOP.
Forensic Science Chairmen Face Off
John Bradley, the Williamson County District Attorney and the newly-appointed chairman of the Texas Forensic Science Commission, spent his morning answering a steady stream of questions from Texas lawmakers. At issue, if and when his panel will re-open the investigation into whether faulty science led to the arson conviction of Cameron Todd Willingham, who was executed by the state in 2004.
TribBlog: Bradley Makes His Case
Williamson County District Attorney John Bradley expected some verbal jousting today at the Senate Criminal Justice Committee about his plans for the Texas Forensic Science Commission. He was right.
TribBlog: Anchia for President? How about Castro?
A California newspaper’s speculation on who will be the country’s first Hispanic president lists Texas’ own Rep. Rafael Anchia and San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro as fan favorites.
T-Squared: Twit and Wisdom
We’ve set up our first Twitter list, aggregating the feeds of 58 tweeting Texas elected officials
TribBlog: Sunset’s Up
House Speaker Joe Straus’ picks for the legislative committee that says whether the state should kill or keep state agencies: Reps. Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, Rafael Anchia, D-Dallas, and Byron Cook, R-Corsicana. San Antonio attorney Lamont Jefferson, who’s with the Haynes and Boone law firm, will serve as the House’s public member.

