Seriously, Offline gets in the way of Online at times, and when the plumber called to say he was free to make repairs sooner than I had anticipated, I dropped everything except the laptop and made time for him. Update: A few things once again interfered with extending this post earlier. More and latest finally appears below.
Life comes at ya fast, and who would understand that better than the newly unemployed Arthur D'Andrea.
Chair of Texas Public Utility Commission resigns two weeks after he was appointed --> https://t.co/xjcqnUgX4q pic.twitter.com/tqJKcfB9lD
— NBC DFW (@NBCDFW) March 17, 2021
He was Greg Abbott's last remaining commissioner. Now he (we) has none. You may ask yourself: "How did
In a private call last week, a top Texas regulator pledged to protect the billions of dollars made by Wall Street during the February blackouts. @lsteffy reports: https://t.co/gq8WX9ZQc1
— Texas Monthly (@TexasMonthly) March 16, 2021
Ah yes, the invisible hand of the free market. The hand that Dan Patrick has decided he would like to cut off at the wrist.
Reflecting on yesterday's swift actions by the Texas Senate: This could be the most significant thing @DanPatrick said about electricity repricing. Fewer things are more reckless than passing legislation when you can't articulate who it hurts and who it helps #TxLege https://t.co/TlcI3RAKez
— Scott Braddock (@scottbraddock) March 16, 2021
House Speaker Dade Phelan doesn't care for this much guv'ment meddlin', and declared so instantly after Patrick rammed his 'fix' through the Senate.
The House's resistance to #SB2142 becomes even clearer, as the speaker says:
— Patrick Svitek (@PatrickSvitek) March 16, 2021
“Repricing based on disagreement with PUC and ERCOT’s management decisions is an extraordinary government intervention into the free market" #txlege
https://t.co/Lavj5mgAhZ
Shortly after that, Phelan said his chamber would ignore the Senate's bill. Little Dan's reaction was predictable. But he also upped the ante, demanding Abbott pressure Phelan to take up his legislation (technically, it's not dead until Saturday).
More Patrick: "Mr. Governor, the Texas Senate has spoken, and you still have not weighed in. And we believe you still have time to correct it." #txlege https://t.co/w9zFIERv6R
— Cassi Pollock (@cassi_pollock) March 16, 2021
Update: Things were somewhat calmer in Austin today at the Big 3's breakfast.
.@rossramsey: "One way to check the political mood when the Texas Legislature is meeting is to watch the state's top three leaders — and how their Wednesday breakfasts are going." #TXlege https://t.co/0CoEftHGqm
— Texas Tribune (@TexasTribune) March 17, 2021
But not so much at Abbott's next stop in Dallas.
.@GovAbbott slams @POTUS over minors at the border: Biden administration 'made it clear' that unaccompanied children 'will be allowed' in https://t.co/yUd3jkz9XP #TXLege #BorderCrisis
— Forever in debt to your priceless advice. (@PDiddie) March 17, 2021
Governor Hell on Wheels. No exaggeration.
I'm leaving up these hot takes from the close Lege watchers about #SB2142.
Wow. With the state's utility regulator now w/o any appointees, Abbott will be forced into confirmation battle in Dan Patrick's Senate—something he clearly wanted to avoid. https://t.co/90DY7nGaoz
— Justin Miller (@by_jmiller) March 17, 2021
Remember: PUC chairman Arthur D'Andrea said, more or less, that he took his orders from the governor's office. If that's true, then his views and his policies as described in that call are also Abbott's.
— Forrest Wilder (@Forrest4Trees) March 17, 2021
This #TexasBlackout will go down as one of the biggest government boondoggles ever. Our whole power infrastructure was an accident waiting to happen and it did. That it happened in the energy capital of the US is just the cherry on the 💩 https://t.co/kXJb5LYZ7K
— Jay Root (@byjayroot) March 16, 2021
Why would Little Gov @DanPatrick run against Gov @GregAbbott_TX when Patrick can just run Texas now? #txlege
— Scott Braddock (@scottbraddock) March 17, 2021
This post's most significant updates concern HPD honcho Art Acevedo heading east for Miami's top job, and several developments around that, including the surprise from Mimi Swartz at the end.
Farewell to @ArtAcevedo, the @KingJames of performative self-promotion https://t.co/E9RhROlqnE #Miami #HouNews
— Forever in debt to your priceless advice. (@PDiddie) March 17, 2021
GET READY FOR 500 MURDERS: @ArtAcevedo predicts grim milestone for @HoustonTX as city's homicide numbers surge, under his watch at @houstonpolice. Acevedo tells @KPRC2Mario,"I’ll be gone, and bring in the best chief, bring in any chief..." https://t.co/7lgoQPJiuu @KPRC2 #hounews
— Aaron Fernandez-Wische (@KPRC2Aaron) March 17, 2021
Nice way to say adios, Chief. Schaefer Edwards at the Houston Press delivered yet another expose' of Acevedo, including the reminder that El Jefe de Policia is a self-confessed RINO. So what I mentioned yesterday about his political future being in the Sunshine State was no joke. And what John Whitmire let slip today seems to confirm that Acevedo has been planning his escape from H-Town for a while now.
.@whitmire_john tells @mimiswartz he's exploring a run for Houston mayor, and that @ArtAcevedo had agreed not to run against him if he decided to throw his hat in. #txlege https://t.co/x9TzSNKlBp
— Jasper Scherer (@jaspscherer) March 17, 2021
First of all, a hard 'NO' on Whitmire. Second: expect a bootlicking post from Charles Kuffner tomorrow morning about what wonderful news this is. He's been thick as a brick on Acevedo for years; I have no expectation of him catching a clue now. Kuff is a big part of the reason I don't use the word 'progressive' to describe anybody but Democrats like Joe Biden.
This updated Assemblage is too late as it is, and there's a green beer with my name on it waiting, so I'll stop here and save everything I'm still holding for tomorrow. Not too early, though.
Until then, enjoy the flowers and the bagpipes.
Did Texas #bluebonnets survive the winter freeze? Check out our wildflower forecast with @WildflowerCtr at https://t.co/MHEXXNUQu0 pic.twitter.com/dtXDK9T0GK
— TX Parks & Wildlife (@TPWDnews) March 16, 2021
Piper on the roof of @theduckhouston! #StPatricksDay pic.twitter.com/kBtzqbjIgk
— Cactus Music🌵🎶 (@cactus_music) March 17, 2021
