CAPITOL LETTERS

Comedy Central's late-night "conservative" lampoon artist Stephen Colbert will host special guest and First Lady Hopeful Michelle Obama tomorrow night on his show, The Colbert Report.

This is a smart move, people.

If you wanna seal up the Witty Vote, late-night's the way to go. I've heard she has a good sense of humor, but this will be the first time she gets to show potentian voters her ability to Be Funny past everyone's bed time.

It takes a certain something.

In the past few months, Hillary Clinton mocked her own laugh on SNL, Barack Obama promised David Letterman that he'd name Mitt Romney the Secretary of Lookin Good, and Mike Huckabee told Stephen Colbert he'd need every superdelegate he could get - before "realizing" (jokingly, of course) that only Dems have super delegates. D'oh!

Pricelesss moments, all of them. I never miss this stuff, and you shouldn't either. But if you do, no worries - we'll post the segment right here on Trailblazers, because the folks at Comedy Central so totally love us.

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Rep. Lon Burnam, R-Fort Worth, just tried to bring up his resolution commending former parliamentarians Denise Davis and Chris Griesel as having "stood firm" against "dictatorial pressure."

Mr. Burnam says the speaker's office keeps mysteriously losing his resolutions, which have included calls for impeachment of President Bush and a request for permission to sue the Denton State School.

"I wonder why I have such a high loss rate in your office," he says.

Speaker Tom Craddick replies: "I'm not advised."

For these two, it's a fairly good-natured exchange. Mr. Burnam says please, stop all the "filling time" and let him bring it up.

Mr. Craddick: "You can do that at the appropriate time ... when we get past these (TXU bill) points of order."

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 10:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

For what it's worth, here are the names of the Legislative Council attorneys who went to work this past weekend for the Craddick parliamentarian team: Mark Brown, Gary Kansteimer, Jeff Archer.

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 7:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBacks (0)

Lon Burnam has introduced the potentially combustible House Resolution 2963. It commends Denise Davis and Chris Griesel, the former House parliamentarian and her assistant who resigned Friday night, reportedly after Speaker Tom Craddick rejected their legal opinion that he'd have to allow the House a vote on whether to remove him from the chair.

"Denise Davis and Chris Griesel stood up to autocratic control of a democratic institution by resigning their posts," the resolution says.

Rep. David Leibowitz, D-San Antonio, just demanded to know the names of the three Legislative Council attorneys now working for Craddick rules mavens Terry Keel and Ron Wilson.

"Everybody wants to know who they are," Mr. Leibowitz said.

"And what they look like," yelled Rep. Roberto Alonzo, D-Dallas, from his seat.

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 7:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The House just opened Day 140 -- the session's last -- with a prayer by Dallas GOP Rep. Tony Goolsby.

"God, we ask that you watch over your flock and ... deliver them safely from the clutches of conflict," he said.

No, that wasn't a reference to internecine strife in the House but a Memorial Day prayer for the troops.

Mr. Goolsby did beseech the Almighty, though, for patience with a certain group of lawmakers.

"God, this is our prayer," he said. "Hang in there with us. We need you more now than ever. Amen."

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 2:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The governor has finally weighed in, kind of, on the steel cage deathmatch that is the Texas House. Rick Perry, a former House member himself, has understandably been reluctant to take political sides over the fate of Tom Craddick.

After all, if he chooses the wrong (i.e., losing) side, he's got to try to get his agenda past a House speaker with an ax to grind. In fact, Mr. Perry's spokesman, Robert Black, took pains to tell Austin bureau chief Christy Hoppe yesterday that the guv has no dog in this fight.

But the walkout last night imperiled legislation the governor cares deeply about, including the massive water bill so important to North Texas. So he's telling them, in so many words: Get your act together. The full statement after the jump:

Continue reading "The reluctant Mr. Perry" »

Posted by Ryan J. Rusak at 1:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Rep. Robert Talton says he wanted to make the point that we're a nation of laws and rules, then withdraws his point of order that might have forced a special session.

House Speaker Tom Craddick's allies applaud.

"Thank you, Mr. Talton," says Rep. Warren Chisum, R-Pampa, the House's chief budget writer. "That was the gentlemanly thing to do."

Another Craddick ally speculates that the dissidents got to Mr. Talton and persuaded him that a vote to appeal the chair's ruling would be a poor test vote: There are members who'd vote to oust Mr. Craddick who don't want to vote against the budget.

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 8:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Rep. Robert Talton, R-Pasadena, just raised a point of order against the budget.

"I’d like to raise a point of order," he said, "on the grounds that the conference committee report changes general law."

No word yet on details.

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 7:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"You know, a lot was made that there was no one from Dallas on the conference," Rep. Lois Kolkhorst just told me, referring to the House-Senate conference committee that worked out final details of the proposed two-year budget.

"But I gotta tell you, I think we were very fair to Dallas."

Ms. Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, said Dallas got $21 million of the roughly $180 million of "special items" in the higher education budget. She said UT Southwestern Medical Center also got $8 million of state money for graduate medical education. "That's up there with Baylor in Houston," she said.

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 5:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Here's Craddick spokeswoman Alexis DeLee's statement, responding to the Pitts-Talton-Delwin Jones presser alleging big time pork in the two-year budget, and last minute budget shenanigans by the speaker to save his political skin:

"The budget is a strong one -- supported by members on both sides of the aisle. The process that has taken place to put it together is the same as every session in the past. It reflects the various needs of the state."

In addition, Team Craddick arranged for Rep. Lois Kolkhorst, the House's negotiator on the higher education budget, to respond to the dissidents' pork allegations -- one of which was that the speaker loves Dallas' UT Southwestern Medical Center, so much that he inserted two "special items" to give it $19 million.

Continue reading "Team Craddick defends budget in war of words" »

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 4:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Former House Appropriations Committee Chairman Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, and two GOP colleagues, Lubbock's Delwin Jones and Pasadena's Robert Talton, just held a presser to denounce the $152.5 billion budget that is before lawmakers today -- and Republican Speaker Tom Craddick's use of it for his own political ends.

The three dissidents assailed $100 million of late additions to the budget, college "special items" that they said Mr. Craddick used to shore up support so he could face down efforts to remove him. Mr. Pitts also outlined tens of millions of pork projects inserted for the Midland-Odessa, Permian Basin area, which Mr. Craddick represents.

"We can and must do better," Mr. Pitts said. "This budget is bloated and fiscally irresponsible."

While Mr. Pitts said he thinks fiscally conservative Republicans should oppose the budget and force a special session on the subject, he dodged a question about whether anti-Craddick forces have the votes to blow up the budget.

Craddick spokeswoman Alexis DeLee said she would respond -- but is too busy right now listening to dissidents' attempt to get Mr. Craddick on record for every aspect of the vast power he's been claiming since Friday afternoon.

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 2:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

And while it's unquestionably more docile, the Senate, too, contains some fascinatng personalities. If you're interested in the Lege, you won't want to miss Terry Stutz's interesting profile of two freshmen making a mark in this session, Dan Patrick and Kirk Watson.

Posted by Ryan J. Rusak at 1:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Rep. Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth, a Craddick opponent, just had this raw exchange with the speaker about events earlier this evening.

Geren: "And you just recessed ... and walked off the floor of the House?"

Craddick: "It's the speaker's prerogative to do that, unless there's objection, Mr. Geren."

Geren: "There was objection, Mr. Speaker. There was objection all over the floor of the House. We know that you don't have a hearing problem that's that bad!"

And on it went, descending to hard slams against Mr. Craddick's new team of parliamentarians, Terry Keel and Ron Wilson.

Mr. Craddick sought to shut down the inquisition. "Some members would like to go on with the state's business," he said.

As anti-Craddick members peppered him with queries, the speaker's loyalists have started shouting, "Work! Work!"

Meanwhile, state GOP Chairwoman Tina Benkiser issued an appeal for House dissidents to "save politics for the election cycle.” She said Democrats "and even a few confused Republicans" have obstructed progress, "putting their political ambitions ahead of the work which they were sent to Austin to accomplish. This must cease."

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 11:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, said he is “pretty much a solid ‘no’” on the budget if, as expected, it reaches the Senate floor tomorrow.

Mr. Patrick said he would reconsider his opposition if assured that Mr. Perry would empanel a commission to carefully review state spending while the Legislature is not in session.

The radio talk show host and anti-tax crusader says he thinks at least 5 percent of the budget is wasteful spending.

Mr. Patrick was asked if he would filibuster the budget, which probably would force the governor to call lawmakers back to Austin this summer. He replied, “You never know.”

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 7:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Yes, those were House Speaker Tom Craddick's words.

And yes, they were about House Civil Practices Committee Chairman Byron Cook, R-Corsicana.

But no, the speaker wasn't applauding Mr. Cook's speech last night excoriating Mr. Craddick for "abuse of power" and asking him to resign. In a surreal moment, the speaker simply ignored Mr. Cook's scalding words and called up the next bill.

The quote is from a Craddick press release issued nearly 3 hours earlier, praising Mr. Cook for his help in passing a bill to stop what the speaker said are "frivolous lawsuits" against Texas' port-dredging companies. The bill, now headed to Gov. Rick Perry's desk, is one of this session's big priorities for the tort-reform group, Texans for Lawsuit Reform.

Craddick spokesman Chris Cutrone said the verbal bouquet for Mr. Cook was completely unrelated to the speaker's effort to survive a possible revolt this session.

"We thought it was a great bill for Texas' ports," Mr. Cutrone said.

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 11:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Talk about your tight spots. Rep. Ryan Guillen, D-Rio Grande City, was torn between House loyalty and partisan allegiance yesterday. Very reluctantly, and even painfully, he sided with his chamber.

The scene: House Appropriations room, Capitol extension, 2:18 p.m.

The action: As the budget conference committee convenes to ratify decisions on health and welfare programs, all five Senate negotiators are present. But two from the House are missing -- Democrat Sylvester Turner and Republican Lois Kolkhorst.

Unexpectedly, Warren Chisum, the House's chief negotiator, brings up a politically supercharged matter left over from the otherwise-finished judiciary section of the budget: Whether to give Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle's Public Integrity Unit 6.5 percent more than the $6.8 million, two-year "baseline" budget it was given by the Legislative Budget Board back in January. Uh oh. It's crunch time.

Continue reading "Tales of the budget conference: Guillen's dilemma" »

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 9:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (0)

It was former coaches day on the House floor today.
The House just honored Jody Conradt -- the much-loved UT Women's Basketball coach who recently retired after 31 years with the team.
Then they lauded her long-time rival, former Texas Tech Womens' Basketball coach Marsha Sharp. Sharp retired a couple of seasons back.
In Conradt's remarks, she compared the end of the legislative session to the end of the basketball season (if ONLY it was that dramatic).
"I know it must be much like the end of a basketball season right now," she said. "We appreciate what you do, and I certainly appreciate the recognition that you've given me this morning."
Sharp called it a "terrific honor" to represent "the great university in Lubbock."
"Together we have built something very speical there that i'm very proud of."
Luckily, they were honored separately. Not sure if these on-the-court foes have set aside their differences in retirement.

Posted by Emily Ramshaw at 10:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Welcome to the Texas Senate, Karen!

This is Bob Garrett, filling in for Terry Stutz as the Senate does its darnedest to detract attention from the Team Craddick meltdown at the Capitol's West End.

It seems somebody in Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst's office did a no-no today. The Dewmeister just popped out of the Betty King Room, where Democrats have been huddled since noon. He looked like a man who had just made an apology. He told reporters that his staff some 2 hours ago shouldn't have issued a provocative letter under his name that called Democratic tactics "an outrage against all Americans."

Said Mr. Dewhurst: "I didn't say that at all. ... [A] statement went out that I had not approved and we’re going to correct that."

The background: At 12:32 p.m., the Dewhurst press shop issued a letter on yesterday's blockade by Senate Democrats of the voter ID bill.

"I think this is an outrage against all Americans," Mr. Dewhurst's letter says.

Responded Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas: "I’m just as American as he is."

The now-inoperative Dewhurst letter says the Democrats apparently don't believe in "one person, one vote." It rebukes Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, saying he "gamed the voting process" on Tuesday by first walking out, hoping to stall, then rushing back to the Senate floor and pitching a fit when his vote wasn't counted.

The letter adds some torque as it sinks the blade: Mr. Whitmire, it says, "cursed and tried to make himself a victim."

But, whoops, retract that, Mr. Dewhurst now advises us.

The Senate's fine and will shortly show us its internal dynamic is comity, he predicted. "I’m proud of the Senate. We all, all 32 of us are close friends. And you’ll see that today."

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 2:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Here’s something you don’t hear every day -- Sen. Craig Estes citing a 17th century philosopher on the question of the afterlife. “How do you explain Pascal’s Wager?” Estes asked famed author and contrarian Christopher Hitchens. The author fired back at the Republican from Wichita Falls: “Religious hucksterism, the cheapest, vulgarist, nastiest kind possible to imagine!”

The event was a debate on religion and politics Monday night at the LBJ Library between Hitchens, a self-professed anti-theist, and UT professor Marvin Olasky, a devout Christian. Hitchens was in Austin to promote his new book, “God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything.”
Estes took the mike during the question and answer session. The senator is no stranger to the sacred and the profane. He went to Oral Roberts and Harvard Business School and he shares the Senate floor every day with John Whitmire and Dan Patrick (insert your own joke here).

Pascal’s Wager basically goes like this: If you believe in God and are wrong, you lose nothing. But if you disbelieve in God and are wrong, you lose everything. So why not believe?

Hitchens’ definition was more, ah, secular: “Whatcha got to lose? I’ve got a good offer for ya. Come to my used car lot. Come on baby, just lie a little and you never know.” Hitchens shook his head. “Don’t talk to me like that and don’t call it piety when you do!”

Actually, Hitchens and Estes seemed to hit it off just fine. They chatted amiably afterwards and shared an elevator down to the reception. Now if only Patrick and Whitmire could get along as well.

Posted by Wayne Slater at 7:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Of the Senate. Wearing an undeniably pink blazer. Getting honored for casting a bright spotlight on Texas Tech in Lubbock, where he is the head men's bball coach. He's talking not about basketball, but about education:
"I would hope that you’ll do all you can in whatever ways you’re capable of doing to see that young Texans grow into extremely well educated bigger Texans, so they can carry on what Texas has contributed to America."
Before today, I had just one Bobby Knight experience, and it was back when he coached at Indiana. I was in the stands at an embarrassingly bad Northwestern basketball game -- we were getting creamed by Indiana -- and all the Northwestern fans were screaming "Hoos-ier Daddy" at Coach Knight to see if they could rile him up. From what I know, he doesn't need much prodding.
Seems like every senator in this place is glad-handing him. From what else I know, they shouldn't get too close.

Posted by Emily Ramshaw at 1:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (0)

House members may bark and bay like hounds spontaneously. But senators do their doggie comedy acts strictly according to a script.

To wit: No fewer than four -- count them -- senators delivered what came off as very un-spontaneous "laugh lines" as the Senate this afternoon amended and returned to the House a bill by Rep. Dan Branch, R-Dallas.

His bill would require the Governor's Division of Emergency Management to work with local governments on plans to evacuate household pets during a disaster.

Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa, D-McAllen, said studies show many people are reluctant to leave their homes during hurricanes or other disasters because they "have no plan, no way to get their pets out." So much for the serious side of the bill.

"Very stinky," quipped Sen. Kim Brimer, R-Fort Worth, who was in the chair.

I'll spare you details of the "gag" amendment by Sen. Eddie Lucio, D-Brownsville, which calls for "priority efforts and assistance" for "appropriately documented Mexican Chihuahua breed canines."

What North Texans need to know is that according to Mr. Hinojosa, the Branch household lost a beloved dog of 14 years named Simba. Just as Mr. Hinojosa proposed to name the bill "Simba's Law," right on cue came Mr. Brimer's amendment to the amendment. It added to the section designating the act as Simba's Law a paragraph purportedly containing the names of 31 dogs that belong to senators.

For a list of those lucky four-legged creatures, click here:

Continue reading "Canine capers continue" »

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 1:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

As many as 221 pink Cadillacs could intensify competition for parking spaces near the Capitol on Monday.

Beauty consultants, sales directors and national sales directors for Dallas-based Mary Kay Cosmetics are being urged to flock to Austin from all over Texas to witness history: The Legislature's first-ever declaration of a "Mary Kay Day."

And according to company spokeswoman Crystal Valletta, 221 of the more than 1,000-person strong sales force in Texas now have keys to the coveted pink Cadillac.

"We've wanted all 221 of those to come," she said. "We're hoping for a big showing."

Ms. Valletta said that because of security considerations, only 2 of the pink Caddies will be permitted to enter the Capitol grounds. They'll be used in a photo shoot with House Speaker Tom Craddick, R-Midland, at the north entrance.

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 10:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Gov. Perry was on the House floor Wednesday, and one of the reps he talked to was none other than Senfronia Thompson. Let your creativity flow in the comments...

Posted by Ryan J. Rusak at 4:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

Will Harrell, the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union's Texas branch, is leaving the organization to become the new ombudsman of the Texas Youth Commission, agency officials have just announced.
Mr. Harrell, a big-time juvenile justice advocate, played a key role in crafting the TYC reform legislation that's passed both chambers. In his new job, he'll serve as the agency's chief youth advocate -- a position that hasn't existed until now.
“Will Harrell reached out to help me the first day I took over the reins of the Youth Commission,” Conservator Jay Kimbrough said in a statement. “He has continually demonstrated his compassion for the kids in TYC. We share a commitment to protect kids and reform this agency. "

** Update **
Harrell just called his new job "the greatest honor of my professional career." And he said it's "poetic" that a juvenile justice advocate and chief of the Texas ACLU is being appointed by Kimbrough -- a "Republican, veteran, cowboy."
Harrell called it the perfect match. They're both uninterested in political rancor.

Posted by Emily Ramshaw at 2:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Rep. Jim Jackson, R-Carrollton, who on Tuesday was pilloried by a GOP colleague during House debate of a bill to fix the new business tax, received an apology Wednesday.

Rep. Pat Haggerty, R-El Paso, told the entire chamber that he regrets "getting personal" in debate of Mr. Jackson's amendment that would stop Sprint from collecting a 1 percent surcharge and describing that on bills as the new Texas tax.

Mr. Haggerty had said Mr. Jackson, a long-time Dallas County commissioner, had been "sucking off the public teat for 30 years." The next day, Mr. Haggerty attributed his anger to suggestions that telecom companies are "bad people" for trying to pass along the tax's cost. "The bad people in this debate were us," he said.

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 8:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Bruce Tomaso, reporter/editor extraordinaire in our metro dept., just had an unusual encounter with a statewide elected official. He reports:

Continue reading "Wonder if 'One Tough Grandma' opened the mail" »

Posted by Ryan J. Rusak at 12:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Given former Speaker Laney's return, can't resist letting you legeheads take a swing at this one. You write, we'll post. Remember, keep it clean(ish):

Posted by Ryan J. Rusak at 5:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

An update on this session's booze wars:

The package stores have fended off a campaign contribution-fueled push by Texas' two big liquor wholesalers to break up the monopoly that package stores enjoy in selling liquor to bars and restaurants. The package stores' big defender? Rep. Ismael "Kino" Flores, D-Palmview. He runs the House's liquor legislation committee. And he has refused to hear the wholesalers' bill.

Now go to archived video of last night's hearing of Mr. Flores' committee.

Charles Sims, a San Marcos liquor retailer who is secretary-treasurer of the Texas Package Stores Association, irritated Mr. Flores by speaking against a bill to let school districts expand to 1000 feet, from 300 feet, the minimum required distance between any new booze purveyor and one of their campuses.

The bill is by Rep. Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth, the committee's vice chairman.

(Four minutes, 53 seconds into the meeting:)

Mr. Flores: Don't they know that we were with 'em this whole session? Now they're against us!

Mr. Geren: Uh, huh.

Continue reading "Ingrates and other irritations: A Kino Flores moment" »

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 1:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Sen. Kip Averitt, R-McGregor, fends off press inquiries about who will be the Senate's five negotiators with the House on the budget by reworking a line from the classic Humphrey Bogart film, "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre."

In the movie, a Mexican bandit leader named Gold Hat tries to convince Bogart's character, Fred C. Dobbs, that Gold Hat and his buddies are the Federales.

Dobbs: "If you're the police, where are your badges?"

Gold Hat: "Badges!? We ain't got no badges. We don't need no badges! I don't have to show you any stinking badges!!"

Now back to the Capitol extension yesterday ...

Reporter: "What's the latest on the budget conference committee?"

Averitt: "Conference committee!? We don't need no stinking conference committee!! Take it or leave it!"

That was pretty clever, given the sensitivity of the subject.

Continue reading "Bogart flicks live on ..." »

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 3:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

One of our DMN brothers, editorial writer Bill McKenzie, has an interesting take on the Patrick-Whitmire showdown.

Posted by Ryan J. Rusak at 10:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

So while the House is locked down on electricity rates, the Senate is long gone, having passed the budget. There were the usual squabbles over CHIP and tax cuts, but nothing like the throwdown between Sens. Whitmire and Patrick. Our man Bob Garrett witnessed it all. For a sneak peak at his story on the Houstonians imbroglio, read on the jump:

Continue reading "Budget warriors" »

Posted by Ryan J. Rusak at 8:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Senators just welcomed their Houston Democratic colleague, Mario Gallegos, to the floor for the first time since January.

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and senators applauded and bestowed hugs on Mr. Gallegos, who is recuperating from a liver transplant.

He returned to Austin today to vote on the budget.

“My constituents expect me to represent them, and despite doctors' orders to the contrary, I cannot in good conscience be away from the Senate floor on the day that I’m expected to vote on the state budget,” Mr. Gallegos said in a written statement.

Continue reading "Gallegos returns" »

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 10:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

About 100 community activists held a fire breathing rally inside the Capitol today, calling on the Legislature -- and specifically, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst -- to roll back restrictions imposed on the Children's Health Insurance Program four years ago.

Three men of the cloth -- and some of the placards folks in the crowd were holding --rebuked Mr. Dewhurst for opposing a House-passed plan that would again let families renew coverage annually instead of every six months.

"We don't have patience with a lieutenant governor who doesn't understand the problems and the difficulties that affect the working families of Texas," said Father Kevin Collins of Houston, one of the clergymen active in Industrial Areas Foundation groups such as Dallas Area Interfaith.

Continue reading "Dewhurst to CHIP 'zealots': Get continuous" »

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 11:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

On Jan. 24, I left a House Democratic press conference and scooted over to the Senate to ask Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst for a response to two Houston reps' insinuation that he is a hypocrite for proclaiming a "Children First" agenda while opposing annual renewals for families in the Children's Health Insurance Program.

"I don't think most people in Texas have a lot of sympathy for someone that can't fill out a two-page application every six months," Mr. Dewhurst said, defending a semiannual renewal rule that lawmakers imposed on CHIP families in 2003.

I suspected that wasn't the last time we'd hear that quote -- either from Mr. Dewhurst or CHIP advocates.

Today, Democratic activist Matt Angle, once an aide to former Congressman Martin Frost, released documents showing that a Dewhurst business lost its license on Dec. 6 for failing to file a report due at the Secretary of State's office every four years.

"Deadbeat Dewhurst failed to file basic business forms," screamed a headline on the Lone Star Project web site.

Continue reading "'Deadbeat' Dewhurst?" »

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 5:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The House had a love-fest as it tentatively passed a bill to partially restore the Children's Health Insurance Program to its pre-2003 contours. The vote was 126-16.

Rep. Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston, who during debate preceding a key test vote razzed a Republican amendment author mercilessly, went to the back mike to praise Speaker Tom Craddick and the bill's co-authors, Democrat Sylvester Turner and Republican John Davis, both of Houston.

Ms. Thompson's bouquet was so unusual that defeated speaker's candidate Jim Pitts immediately requested that her comments be reprinted in the House Journal.

Casting an "aye" vote was the bill's harshest critic from the left, Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston. He said it's progress, and he's a progressive.

"Attaboy, add a kid," he quipped.

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 6:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

U.S. District Judge William Wayne Justice has signaled to lawyers in a long-running, class-action lawsuit over children's Medicaid that he wants the case settled soon, two Republican House members said today.

"The judge wants it done now," said House Appropriations Committee Chairman Warren Chisum, R-Pampa. He said he understands Judge Justice wants the case to cap his long career as a jurist.

Rep. John Davis, R-Houston, quoted a lawyer for state Health and Human Services Commissioner Albert Hawkins as saying Judge Justice "wanted it resolved" while lawmakers are still in session. A hearing in the case is scheduled to begin on Monday.

Continue reading "Children's Medicaid lawsuit: scurry, scurry" »

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 10:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Stop the presses! The House just sided with House Speaker Tom Craddick of Midland and kept in the budget a rider that would allow state universities such as UT-Permian Basin in Odessa to tap motor fuels tax money for campus parking lots and roads.

Rep. Pete Gallego, D-Alpine, proposed to kill rider language allowing $10 million from the Highway Fund to be used to build "access roads and parking lots for new facilities on public state university campuses." Members tabled Mr. Gallego's amendment by a mostly party-line vote of 96-50.

On Wednesday, Mr. Gallego said Mr. Craddick had asked budget writers for the language so the folks back home can get road and parking improvements for UT-Permian Basin's new performing arts center.

Late Thursday, Craddick spokeswoman Alexis DeLee confirmed, "He discussed funding for UTPB and other state universities that had an issue with road access."

Continue reading "Don't mess with Midland -- or Odessa" »

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 11:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

House Speaker Tom Craddick just mowed down 17 proposed amendments to the budget bill with a ruling that incensed Democrats -- and a maverick Republican.

Mr. Craddick said 3 violated a calendar rule by trying to divert money from the State Highway Fund and 14 did so by seeking to siphon funds from the Enterprise Fund, Gov. Rick Perry's deal-closing fund on economic development projects. The logic? The speaker said the amendments messed with constitutionally dedicated revenues, a no-no. Irate Democrats questioned why amendment drafters at the Legislative Budget Board and Legislative Council didn't tell them the funds were off limits.

"I just want to know who is responsible," said Rep. Craig Eiland, D-Galveston.

Mr. Craddick responded, "You're responsible, Mr. Eiland."

Things grew more tense when the speaker rejected Democrats' pleas that they be allowed to fix their amendments.

Rep. Tommy Merritt, R-Longview, seized the chance to settle an old score with Milton Rister, the head of the Legislative Council.

Continue reading "The Old Craddick?" »

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 12:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

The Kinkster outlines his future -- and an interesting scenario for his opponent last year, Gov. Rick Perry -- in this video interview with the DMN.

Posted by Ryan J. Rusak at 6:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Gov. Rick Perry popped into the House this afternoon. The impromptu visit lasted about 15 minutes. The guv spent most of his "floor time" sitting in a window sill with Rep. David Swinford, R-Dumas. Both wore cowboy boots.

Mr. Perry said later that he and Mr. Swinford talked about border security. Mr. Swinford has filed a bill granting the governor's wish for $100 million that he could distribute to border law enforcement agencies.

Mr. Swinford said bills and budget items were secondary to some down-home visiting by a couple of West Texas guys.

"We talked about how there's been rain in places," he said. "Crops are looking good. The bull's in the pasture. And some of the fields are greening up. Important stuff that West Texans talk about."

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 4:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Even though our lawmakers almost came to blows, at least they're not arguing over a former Mouseketeer.

Posted by Ryan J. Rusak at 1:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

House Speaker Pro Tem Sylvester Turner, a Craddick ally, didn't vote when the budget passed in the Appropriations Committee this morning. The Houston Democrat explained -- oh, did he explain -- why: He suspects he's being "suckered" to move the budget along but will see his priorities gutted by the Senate.

"I don't want to be hoodwinked," Mr. Turner said in an at times passionate, sometimes funny exchange with Appropriations Committee Chairman Warren Chisum, R-Pampa.

"Don't wave a carrot and keep moving the carrot away, and I keep chasing the carrot," said Mr. Turner, who fears the Senate will strip out money to help poor families pay electric bills and to provide health coverage for more poor children. "I'm not falling for that."

Rep. Ruth Jones McClendon, D-San Antonio, then tried to ask a question of Mr. Turner. But he either didn't hear her, or pretended not to. He hunched over to whisper to a seat mate, Rep. Norma Chavez, D-El Paso.

"Mr. Speaker Pro Tem!" said Ms. McClendon, asking a question about Mr. Turner's bill to expand the Children's Health Insurance Program. "Mr. Speaker Pro Tem!"

No answer.

"He's chasing carrots over here," Mr. Chisum said, to much laughter from committee members and the audience.

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 1:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)