#TXLEGE: Did Geren just BLUNDER us into ANOTHER Redistricting Lawsuit?!?

"Wine is a mocker,
Strong drink is a brawler,
And whoever is led astray by it is not wise."
Proverbs 20:1

H.B. 4181 was an anti-open government bill that passed this session.  It carves the legislature out of the Texas Public Information Act.  Sounds bad enough on its own...right?!?

But wait, there's more!!!

From Lauren McGaughy:

AUSTIN — Texas has passed a new law that lets lawmakers conceal their emails and other communications from public scrutiny, as they prepare to redraw the state’s voting maps.

....

In a statement to The News, [Bill Author Charlie] Geren said the new law codifies existing practice and protects lawmakers from overreach and outside pressure.

“Legislative privilege ‘serves important public purposes’ and ensures that members and their staffs are protected from substantial intrusions by the executive and judicial branch seeking to second guess the Legislature’s motives,” Geren said, citing a recent Texas Supreme Court case.

He then specifically mentioned the last round of redistricting in 2011. After a legal challenge, state lawmakers and legislative employees were ordered to release damning emails that helped advocates prove the state’s voting maps were racially gerrymandered.

Geren’s Fort Worth district was adjacent to one that the courts eventually ordered to be redrawn.

“They reached this conclusion in part because they said the privileges were not explicitly and completely spelled out in the Legislative Council statute,” Geren said, referring to the Legislature’s nonpartisan research agency. “House Bill 4181 codifies the common law of legislative privilege, developed from the Speech and Debate Clause of the Texas Constitution, as traditionally understood by the Legislature and the Texas courts.”

Wow.

We're not sure what's worse: That Geren perceives the issue this way...or that he said so out loud to the Dallas Morning News.

Rather than addressing the incompetence that produced the last round of lawsuits, Charlie Geren's genius idea is to deny citizens access to information.

Speaking of geniuses, it doesn't take one to see how this plays out: Having been given another chance to sue their way into a favorable redistricting map...that's exactly what the Democrats will do.

If the file that lawsuit in front of the wrong judge...who knows?!?

Bottom Line: Texas is going to rue this bill for the next decade.

#TXLEGE: Apparently, the State of Texas has NO STANDARDS FOR SWAT TEAMS

Note: This photo came from the Odessa PD's website;
that frickin' Odesssa has a 30 man SWAT team perfectly illustrates the problem

"Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God."
Matthew 5:9

[Note on Bible verse: Jesus says peacemakers...not wreckless, macho, jackwagons.]

From TPPF:

SWAT teams are sometimes a necessity, and because of the nature of the incidents they are properly used for, team formation, training, and use should be required to meet a minimum standard throughout Texas.

Key Points:

• SWAT is a necessity for the highest risk, mostly pre-planned incidents where patrol officers are not equipped to respond. 

• The lack of state standards for training and capabilities should be addressed.

• If parameters can be established for police officers who perform policing functions that can vary drastically in different parts of the state, then basic definitions, requirements, and parameters can also be established for SWAT teams whose specialty is far more focused and narrow than the broader policing effort. 

• Best practices have been established by the National Tactical Officers Association and should be used to guide the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement in establishing state-level minimum standards.

From a fiscal perspective, imagine how much all this costs.

You can find a link to download a PDF of the full report here.

Bottom Line: We don't discuss criminal justice issues often, but this is madness....

#TXLEGE: SCOTUS ruling means only be 5 or 6 redistricting lawsuits after 2020 (not 15 or 20)

"Do not remove the ancient landmark
Which your fathers have set."
Proverbs 22:28

Reasonably decent news:

The Supreme Court’s conservatives decided Thursday that federal courts do not have a role to play in deciding whether partisan gerrymandering goes too far.

The 5-to-4 decision was written by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., who was joined by the court’s other conservatives.

“We conclude that partisan gerrymandering claims present political questions beyond the reach of the federal courts,” Roberts wrote. “Federal judges have no license to reallocate political power between the two major political parties, with no plausible grant of authority in the Constitution, and no legal standards to limit and direct their decisions.”

All things considered, this is probably a good thing.

Obviously, the Democrats will file their usual lawsuits claiming the map is "racist."  But, had SCOTUS ruled differently, Democrats would have had grounds to sue in every close district.  That would have been a nightmare from which we would have never emerged.

Bottom Line: The status quo might not be great, but it's a heckuva lot better than would could have happened today.

#TXLEGE: Straus Launches New Crony Capitalist Endeavor

"As a dog returns to his own vomit,
So a fool repeats his folly."
Proverbs 26:11

From the inbox:

I want to let you know about a new political committee I am launching: Texas Forever Forward.

This committee will enable me to continue advocating a thoughtful, responsible approach to governing, as well as priorities that will create a better future for our state.

Texas Forever Forward will be guided by the following principles:

• Public education is our greatest economic development tool, and it’s critical to make meaningful, sustainable investments in Texas students.
• A diverse, outstanding system of higher education offers every Texan a path to a brighter future and fuels economic growth across the state.
• In order to remain a pro-business state that attracts economic activity and talented workers, Texas should embrace diversity and promote inclusive, non-discriminatory policies and laws.
• Strategic investments in our infrastructure – in a modern transportation system and a reliable water supply – provide the foundation that a fast-growing state requires.
• Effective treatment of behavioral health challenges will vastly improve millions of Texans’ quality of life.
• Government should be transparent and accountable in its stewardship of taxpayer dollars.
• Greater participation in our democracy will strengthen our discourse and lead to better policy outcomes.

I hope you will follow this effort at TexasForeverForward.com and on social media, and I will continue to communicate with you as it takes shape. As always, I also want to hear about the priorities that are of most interest to you and your family. 

Thank you for helping advance a brighter future for Texas. 

Sincerely,

Speaking practically, this shouldn't have much impact.  The pro-status quo crowd already has plenty of PAC's.  One additional PAC won't make much difference either way.

Beyond that, however, it's easy to speculate about motives, but impossible to know anything with certainty.

Several hypothesises are floating:

• Straus wants to cash in on leftover campaign funds.
• Note: Technically, it's illegal for Straus to pay himself directly...but there's nothing to stop him from hiring his wife.

• Gordon Johnson wants to cash in on Straus' leftover campaign funds.

• Murphy-Nasica wants to cash in on Straus' leftover campaign funds.

• Other ex-Straus staffers/campaign consultants want to cash in on Straus' leftover campaign funds.

• Straus wants to run for Governor in '22.

• Straus intends to help friends and allies.

It's impossible to know which of these hypothesises are correct.

Regardless, it doesn't matter.

Whatever Joe Straus' ultimate motivation, the money will support the status quo.

Bottom Line: Regardless of who, specifically, is getting paid...only a fool would think $10 million in leftover campaign funds was going to sit untouched indefinitely.

#TXLEGE, #atxcouncil: Abbott makes EMPTY THREAT re: New Homelessness Ordinance

"A fool vents all his feelings,
But a wise man holds them back."
Proverbs 29:11

We've yet to discuss the city's new homelessness ordinance, but SOMEONE decided he wanted to mouth off about it on Twitter:

If Austin— or any other Texas city—permits camping on city streets it will be yet another local ordinance the State of Texas will override.

At some point cities must start putting public safety & common sense first.

There are far better solutions for the homeless & citizens. https://t.co/xYezoovVCg

— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) June 24, 2019

Is this a joke?!?

We just went through a legislative session.  The state just failed to override the city's (much more dangerous) "sick leave" entitlement.  Yet we're supposed to believe the state is suddenly going to grow a pair.

LOL.

We explained on Twitter:

#TXLEGE: Considering your failure on these so-called "sick leave" ordinances, you might not want to talk shit on this topic @GregAbbott_TX.... https://t.co/1STR7jgs7S

— cahnman (@cahnman) June 24, 2019

Steve Adler and Greg Casar are laughing at Greg Abbott right now.

Bottom Line: Only a fool would trust the Texas Legislature to override the homelessness ordinance any more than they overrode the (far more dangerous) "sick leave" entitlement....

#TXLEGE: System Chews Up and Spits Out Last Honest Man

"If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent perversion of justice and righteousness in a province, do not marvel at the matter; for high official watches over high official, and higher officials are over them."
Ecclesiastes 5:8

Well this sucks:

What a ride we’ve had together!

Friends, I find it very hard to put into words what an incredible honor it has been to represent you as your State Representative for four terms. Your love and support have carried us as we fought for our Christian, conservative values in Austin.

Eight years was enough for George Washington, and it certainly is for me. After much prayerful consideration and reflection, I have determined it is not the Lord’s will for me to seek reelection. Instead, I intend to dedicate more time to my family, my church, and my business.

Honestly, it's not surprising; it's been obvious since (at least) March that Jonathan was burnt out.

Therein lies cruelest joke.  Even if you get someone elected (as hard as that is), even if they manage to withstand the system's bad incentives (both the obvious temptations and the subtler, more insidious, compromises), it's still not enough.  To get elected, fight the system on this level while in office, and keep your seat is prohibitively personally draining.

Bottom Line:   Considering the insane amounts of pressure he's been under for five years, it's amazing Jonathan held on as long as he did.

#TXLEGE, #atxcouncil: SB 2 already producing positive unintended consequences

"Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord,
But a just weight is His delight."
Proverbs 11:1

We'll take this:

The 3.5% election trigger, known as the “rollback rate,” is a significant decrease from the 8% rate Texas cities such as Austin have operated on for years. Between the new cap and another bill that will limit the city’s ability to collect franchise fees on telecommunication companies, Ed Van Eenoo, Austin’s deputy chief financial officer, predicts a general fund budget shortfall of $18.5 million in 2021 and $58.2 million by 2024.

Preparing for budget austerity in the coming years, City Council has started discussing ways to free up tax dollars, and a growing majority support examining the possibility of backing out of the city’s active tax break deals with corporations that cost millions of tax dollars each year in exchange for investments into the local economy.

“We definitely need to look at them to see if there is any cost savings, especially before we consider cutting programs that help our most vulnerable population,” Mayor Pro Tem Delia Garza said. “I think corporate incentives should be the very first thing we look at.”

Garza and Council Members Jimmy Flannigan, Greg Casar, Sabino “Pio” Renteria, Leslie Pool, Kathie Tovo and Alison Alter have all said they support, in some way, taking a look at potentially backing out of the deals.

FANTASTIC, so called "economic development deals raise taxes on average citizens to fund special favors for the politically connected.

Bottom Line: The city should never have entered into these agreements in the first place; if they're a casualty of SB 2, so much the better....