I needed a Monday off from Havana Ted and his twice-weekly stunts, but I'm back at it today.
Ted Cruz, to his staff: This doesn't make me look like Fidel Castro's love child, does it?
— Shane Roth (@apexnerd) April 6, 2021
His staff: Of course not. pic.twitter.com/U8yBEzvjaH
This week is looking like it will belong to Gov. Helen Wheels again, though.
So let me understand, you're upset that MLB "politicized" baseball by moving the All Star Game. So your protest, is to politicise baseball by not holding MLB events? Yup makes sense to me. I guess it's ok if they did it first. https://t.co/dhidCGu1i5
— James Owens (@owensjames44) April 5, 2021
I don't think anybody really cared.
Over 40,000 people expected for today’s Rangers/Jays game in Arlington. Glad to see they’re enforcing the mask mandate. pic.twitter.com/ibDonG6wuj
— Sid Seixeiro (@Sid_Seixeiro) April 5, 2021
how to tell Greg Abbott doesn’t pay attention to baseball https://t.co/ExbXsXukQk
— John Arndt (@JohnMA_24) April 5, 2021
As with his mentee Cruz, Abbott simply doesn't comprehend his own hypocrisy. Either that, or he doesn't give a shit what anybody thinks. My money's on the latter.
Last month, Gov. Greg Abbott accused Facebook and other social media giants of spearheading a “dangerous movement to silence conservative voices.”
— Texas Tribune (@TexasTribune) April 5, 2021
Privately, he’s courting the company to build a second data center in Texas. https://t.co/uNtQBAwGcg
Will McAdams — the man @GovAbbott just tapped to join the state's embattled Public Utility Commission — is a lobbyist who spent $1,336 on freebies for lawmakers and staff since January.
— Lauren McGaughy 🌟 (@lmcgaughy) April 1, 2021
Story by @RobertTGarrett with a light assist from me. https://t.co/fwDLbUW7so #txlege
It's hard to pick winners from among so many Texans Behaving Badly, so I'll make the easy choice and run with Deshaun Watson.
Texans' Deshaun Watson sought massages from more than 50 women, 22nd lawsuit alleges https://t.co/6k2phqTdrH
— Houston Chronicle (@HoustonChron) April 5, 2021
Something something "deeper buttocks massage" something "HPD investigation" something "team taking allegations very seriously" something.
Not the best way to have kept your trade value high if you really wanted to leave Houston, among the variety of poor decision-making here, De. I'm just surprised that the Tony Buzbee-Rusty Hardin duel hasn't garnered more local media attention. I feel certain that story is about to pop.
Stephanie Stradley answers all of your questions about the Watson lawsuits. Moving on ...
In #TX06, GOP candidate Sery Kim said she didn't want Chinese immigrants to come to the US - "I can say that because I'm Korean." She's now suing @TexasTribune for $10m, claiming defamation bc it called the comment "racist." https://t.co/JG6yFfxMsg
— Dave Weigel (@daveweigel) April 5, 2021
Backstory if you missed it.
UT-Austin left 550 emails out of what they owed us for an open records request.
— Rebekah Allen (@rebekahallen) April 1, 2021
After @McGeeReports asked abt missing docs they provided these — revealing even more well-known, rich donors, including Colt McCoy, pressuring UT to keep "Eyes of Texas" https://t.co/FuEr67FWo2
Important. A senior Texas GOP chairman appears to have suggested that private companies headquartered there that oppose new voting restrictions should face higher tax bills. @JuddLegum captured the deleted tweet: https://t.co/YSPWgesdWz
— Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) April 2, 2021
This is becoming a real thing: https://t.co/IHR3feLlhM
Former Williamson County Sheriff Robert Chody was booked into Travis County Jail this afternoon on a tampering with evidence charge in connection to the Javier Ambler case. https://t.co/P2UjHecoo4
— FOX 7 Austin (@fox7austin) April 1, 2021
That's my segue to the criminal and social justice updates.
6 People Dead in Murder-Suicide in Allen, Texas. “The 19-year-old also allegedly said that it was too easy for his brother (who was on medication for depression) to buy a firearm, according to the apparent suicide note.” https://t.co/zeDwTZJ6Hf
— Texas Gun Sense (@txgunsense) April 6, 2021
New: We investigated all 254 Texas counties to find each death caused by February's cold & blackouts.
— Zach Despart🖊️ (@zachdespart) April 1, 2021
We found 194, almost 2x the state's count. And toll will almost certainly increase.
It's now clear: This was one of worst TX disasters in past century.https://t.co/zNMvFteHLt
7 police officers have been fired after Marvin D. Scott III, a 26-year-old detained on a misdemeanor marijuana charge, died after being pepper-sprayed and placed in a spit hood.https://t.co/HFKwewR8g2
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) April 2, 2021
A prisoner at a maximum-security unit in Texas said the drugs are now so plentiful and the meals so meager that some men have begun trading contraband drugs for extra food. https://t.co/oRv0o4Bsz2
— Texas Tribune (@TexasTribune) April 4, 2021
In Houston's Third Ward, where some residents' homes were extensively damaged, a fight for repairs has reached a breaking point.https://t.co/kMAORti5i1
— Texas Monthly (@TexasMonthly) April 4, 2021
A new group of sexual assault survivors in Texas is working with state and local government to help shape policy. But it means reliving trauma, with people & institutions that have historically failed them. Powerful piece by @SarahMarloff in @TexasObserver https://t.co/OMBgC56Ubq
— Sophie Novack (@SophieNovack) March 31, 2021
And Grits for Breakfast concluded that Texas was able to greatly reduce the number of traffic stops conducted without any negative effect on crime. And here's a couple of developments regarding the renters' crisis in the Lone Star State.
TEXAS is beyond corrupt and criminal....Despite federal moratorium, increasing number of Texas renters face eviction as state protection expires https://t.co/Po8s7z9FhF
— patricia shepard (@giizhigokwe01) April 3, 2021
NEW: The Texas Supreme Court has quietly ended enforcement of the national CDC eviction moratorium statewide.
— Jen Rice (@jen_rice_) April 2, 2021
Courts are no longer authorized by SCOTX to abate cases based on the CDC moratorium, according to Texas Justice Court Training Center guidance.https://t.co/ykHgrMETkh
More than 170,000 Texans have tried to apply for rental assistance, but only 250 have been paid out of the $1 billion fund so far, per the Texas House Urban Affairs staff report obtained by @quorumreport #TxLege https://t.co/DvA2tN83ol
— Scott Braddock (@scottbraddock) April 5, 2021
Here's the latest from underneath the Pink Dome.
#TXlege update:
— Cover Texas Now (@covertexasnow) April 2, 2021
1) Kids' health coverage: Had a House Human Services hearing; Committee needs to vote
2)Year of coverage for moms: Ditto
3) #MedicaidExpansion: No hearing scheduled yet
4) Live Well Texas: Several R's signed on; no hearing yet #TXhealth https://t.co/TQkTXDr444
This AM, the Texas House PubEd Committee will consider #HB4465, a bill that gives the @teainfo commissioner authority over the administration of $18 billion in federal ed funds & doesn't prevent the supplanting of those funds. #txed #txlege
— RA News (@RANewsTX) April 6, 2021
Background: https://t.co/d0S5lozDWW
Column: Want to wait longer than ever in voting lines? Then you’ll love Texas’ Senate Bill 7 #txlege https://t.co/CvqMqiIfLP
— Bud Kennedy / #ReadLocal (@BudKennedy) April 3, 2021
Facebook is funding the charge of Republican legislatures across the nation restricting voter access.
6. @Facebook tells Popular Information that the $50,000 donation to the RSLC was "standard practice" and represented "membership dues" to the Republican Lieutenant Governors Association.
— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) April 5, 2021
The RLGA is not an org, but a caucus of the @RSLC https://t.co/AW6tBh1UFs
Kuff also commented on the state Senate's omnibus voter suppression bill and the fight against it. And Lilli Hime discussed the current legislative session with LGBTQIA advocates.
You'd think Texas Democrats could walk to victory in 2022, but they won't. Among the many reasons? Here you go.
News: @CollierForTexas is set to run against @DanPatrick again in 2022 https://t.co/t4CStkqozG #txlege
— Patrick Svitek (@PatrickSvitek) April 6, 2021
"If it's a choice between a genuine Republican, and a Republican in Democratic clothing, the people will choose the genuine article, every time..." Who said it?
Billboards are great. Won't flip a single vote.
.@DNC puts up billboard in Houston, near Hobby Airport, hitting @JohnCornyn, @TedCruz for voting against American Rescue Plan: https://t.co/2gwrEoiw1q
— Patrick Svitek (@PatrickSvitek) April 5, 2021
And it's springtime, so Beto must be vacillating again.
After saying he has “no plans” to run for governor, @BetoORourke quick to clarify he might https://t.co/NqMFYKI0fO via @Progrexas 🙄Dithering like #Hamlet again
— Forever in debt to your priceless advice. (@PDiddie) April 3, 2021
Socratic Gadfly blew up this Betomania lead balloon, and also that of another of his 2018 election pals: Kendall Scudder, ConservaDem.
That's a lot of suck for one post. I'll have environmental and COVID news later in the week; right now I need to lighten it up. First, congrats to the Baylor Bears on their history-making national championship victory last night.
#Baylor's 'One Shining Moment' https://t.co/2ASUZGbpf7 #FinalFour #BAYvsGONZ #BaylorvsGonzaga #MarchMadness
— Forever in debt to your priceless advice. (@PDiddie) April 6, 2021
The San Antonio Current introduces us to Kaitlin Teniente, the first female coach of a college E-sports team in Texas.
Will Hank bump into Elon Musk? Will Dale fall down the QAnon rabbit hole? 'King of the Hill' just might be getting a dang ol' revival.
— Texas Monthly (@TexasMonthly) March 27, 2021
Plus: Matthew McConaughey and friends raise millions for storm relief and Lizzo's TV show launches a model search. https://t.co/4pDiNZB43e
Happy Birthday 🥳🎂 to the #CivilianConservationCorp, which built many Texas state parks during the great depression. On this day in 1933, President Roosevelt signed executive order that would kick off the CCC. Learn more at https://t.co/v9Fzv8jrZA@TXParksCCC #TXStateParks pic.twitter.com/o1Q0lkJQMg
— Texas State Parks (@TPWDparks) April 5, 2021
Writer June Naylor and her husband were returning from a hike at the Big Thicket National Preserve when they stumbled upon a cluster of five small, refurbished trails near Woodville's Pickett House Restaurant. https://t.co/8Lo2BO66Ne
— Texas Highways Magazine (@TexasHighways) April 5, 2021
Get prepared for Houston Black Restaurant Week, starting April 2. I put together a list of all the places you can go, and what area they're located: https://t.co/YkpclJZOaq
— Hot Girl of Hip-Hop ✨ (@shelbylnstewart) March 31, 2021