Not inclined to go long this morning. Let's open with COVID. An update as this post was being prepared:
Texas will hit 40,000 deaths from the coronavirus
today, according to Dr.
Peter Hotez. And while hospitalizations are
declining, we're a long way from
reaching herd immunity.
Here's a thread from
Sema Hernandez about her recent experience with one of her children in Pasadena's (TX) school.
Before "Texans Behaving Badly", let's get to some of the news generated last week by
Greg Abbott and
Dade Phelan. I made mention in
last Friday's Roundup, but there's also been a few other takes posted that are worth your consideration.
Texas Freedom Network also has an
analysis of Abbott's SotS and also how Speaker Phelan's committee chairs will conduct business. A sample:
Anti-abortion zealots like Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Plano, and Rep. Stephanie Klick, R-Fort Worth, will turn their committees into parade grounds for legislation designed to ban the procedure entirely ... Rep. James Frank, R-Wichita Falls, will head the Human Services Committee, giving him another shot at passing legislation to turn religion into a license to discriminate against LGBTQ Texans.
We know Phelan is against many of the marijuana bills proposed; opposition to vice has long been enforced by the Texas TaliBaptist Caucus. But who is it besides the church crowd that's blocking casino gambling in the Lone Star State?
Reform Austin suggests a few parties.
Entities with competing interests, namely other casinos, don’t want to see the Las Vegas Sands organization running the table.
First, there are tribal interests in Oklahoma and Texas. The Chickasaw Nation has spent over $350,000 to Strategic & Public Affairs Consulting lobbyist Daniel Hodge. (PD adds: Hodge was a longtime right-hand man to the governor before opening his shop.) The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma is paying between $25,000 and $49,999 for three lobbyists. Finally the Kickapoo Tribe in Texas is paying four lobbyists between $100,000 and $150,000 each this session.
Another possible opponent to the Las Vegas Sands expansion in Texas is Tilman Fertitta, who owns the Lake Charles casino The Golden Nugget. Seven lobbyists hired by his company, Landry’s Inc. are being paid from $10,000-$24,999 to $150,000-$199,999 a year (in disclosure forms).
These numbers pale in comparison to the up to $4.5M that the late Sheldon Adelson’s group has spent building up their army of 63 lobbyists.
Money chat is normally
Kuff's beat, but I don't see much lately there regarding CFR, so note
RA's piece on the
top ten PACs in the state. Only two -- the bottom two -- are affiliated with Democrats or progressives, though H-E-B grocer
Charles Butt's PAC and the mega-law firm
Greenberg Traurig gives to politicians of both political persuasions. As best I know, much of GT's blue side fundraising and donating is still headed by the well-connected
Roland Garcia.
And concluding our look at the Lege ...
Socratic Gadfly exposes the bogus claims of
NRA Pander Bear Drew Springer.
At the top of the "TBB" this week:
Ted Cruz.
"The left -- and some grifters on the right -- are consumed by partisan anger and rage," the (Cruz) spokesperson said via email. "Sen. Cruz will continue to work for 29 million Texans in the Senate."
No, he won't. Cruz works only for himself, his potential run for president in 2024, and in the meantime will vote 'no' on everything
Biden does or nominates and get into Twitter spats on cultural topics.
The
TexTrib via
Progrexas has the story about the TXGOP staffer who was fired after he posted video from the DC riot. (He had also spread around that fake Pizzagate conspiracy theory.) Bud Kennedy at the
FWST took note of the Parker County school trustee who
advanced the "Stop the Steal" nonsense.
I will save environmental and social justice links for the week-ending Round-up. Here's a few items to close out today.
You're running out of time,
and places, to get your square fish, chicken and dumplings, jalapeno cornbread, and/or chocolate ice box pie.