DeLay Defends Larry Craig
August 31, 2007 by Vince Leibowitz · 1 Comment
Via Crooks and Liars, we have some excellent video footage of last night’s Hardball broadcast, where former Texas Congressman Tom DeLay (R-Sugar Land) defends disgraced Senator Larry Craig (R-ID).
Check out the video here.
TASB Alternative Sample Policy On RVAA
August 30, 2007 by Vince Leibowitz · Leave a Comment
Capitol Annex has obtained a copy of the TASB Alternative Sample Policy for Religious Viewpoint Antidiscrimination Act implementation. That, along with a memo from TASB and a copy of the state model policy, are linked below. More commentary this evening.
TASB Alternative Sample Policy
Governor Perry Trying To Get New SOS A Raise, Craddick Trying To Get Perks For Allies
August 30, 2007 by Vince Leibowitz · Leave a Comment
It seems as though his salary of $117,516 per year isn’t enough for Texas Secretary of State Phil Wilson–in spite of the fact that he just took home a cool $80,000 bonus from the state’s TexasOne foundation.
Capitol Annex has learned that the Governor’s Office is trying to get House Speaker Tom Craddick and Lt. Governor David Dewhurst to agree to increase the SOS’s salary from a “Group 4″ to a “Group 5,” which would allow Governor Perry to set a salary for Wilson of as much as $149,052 per year.
Dewhurst and Craddick, of course, are the co-chairs of the Legislative Budget Board which has some sway over spending and appropriations when the Lege isn’t in session.
Along the same vein, it is also rumored that Speaker Craddick is doing what he can to get some appropriations money for a few House members who remained loyal to him throughout the session but, sadly, didn’t get any good payola for their districts in the appropriations bill.
We’ll keep our ears to the ground on this, and see if we hear any more. As always, if you have any more information, send it to us at tips@capitolannex.com.
Special TYC Committee Back In Business
August 30, 2007 by Vince Leibowitz · Leave a Comment
The joint select committee investigating the Texas Youth Commission is back to work now, and, once again, TYC staff are wrangling with members of the Committee. Via the DMN:
And while TYC staffers continuously asserted that inmates are far better off than they were when news of widespread physical and sexual abuse in the juvenile justice system first broke earlier this year, lawmakers at times appeared dubious during the joint hearing of the House/Senate TYC oversight committee.
Welcome KTSA/Chris Deul Listeners!
August 29, 2007 by Vince Leibowitz · Leave a Comment
Welcome to everyone who tuned in after listening to my interview with Chris Deul on San Antonio radio station KTSA. You can find the SA Current piece Chris referenced here. You can find our previous coverage of the Craddick story here, here, here and here, with the story in which we broke the story of the “Keep Your Mouth Shut Memo” here.
The Cornyn story is mentioned here.
Lawsuit Over Pledge Raises Interesting Questions
August 29, 2007 by Vince Leibowitz · Leave a Comment
Via the DMN, there is some interesting debate over the pledge to the Texas flag in an ongoing lawsuit:
Rick Perry, Border Security, And The Vice Presidency
August 29, 2007 by Vince Leibowitz · Leave a Comment
This year, Rick Perry–coasting on that
tsunamitidal wavetiny sprinkle from a hose that was his 39 percent election victory in 2008–has suddenly become “Governor All Over The Idealogical Map.” He’s gone from the right wing (pretty much everything he does) to the left wing (HPV vaccines, anyone?) to the center and back around again half a dozen times.Now, he’s trying to appear as though he’s a moderate through the issue of border security:
Texas, Darfur, and Rush Limbaugh
August 29, 2007 by Vince Leibowitz · Leave a Comment
Given Texas’ active roll in putting pressure on Sudan in order to help stop the genocide in Darfur–led by Democrats, I thought readers might be interested in some recent comments made by Rush Limbaugh, sent our way via the good folks at Media Matters.
Here is what Limbaugh said on a recent show:
Go Hunting With Tom Craddick & David Dewhurst
August 28, 2007 by Vince Leibowitz · Leave a Comment
Thanks to a tipster for this lovely tidbit:
O’Day Won’t Seek Re-Election
August 28, 2007 by Vince Leibowitz · 1 Comment
In the category of political careers you could clock with an egg timer, add State Rep. Mike O’Day (R-Pearland).
O’Day announced today he won’t seek another term in the House. More as it develops.
