Texas Election Season's End of the Beginning Wrangle

It's almost over.

This week, the FBI refused to clear Henry Cuellar of wrongdoing in an ongoing federal corruption investigation.

However, voters in his district received a fake newspaper in the mail falsely claiming he’d been cleared by the Department of Justice. https://t.co/B1k7DQcspR

— More Perfect Union (@MorePerfectUS) May 22, 2022

Keeping fingers crossed, but not holding my breath, that TX-28 Democrats are smart enough to take out the trash tomorrow.

“It took me having to go to Washington to actually figure out what type of representation we were actually receiving in this district,” @JCisnerosTX said of @RepCuellar and Democrats' walkout last year. https://t.co/kDtMgy79z3 #District28 #runoff

— Texas Observer (@TexasObserver) May 21, 2022

Senator @BernieSanders in TX28 with @JCisnerosTX ahead of Tuesday runoff against @CuellarCampaign @GarrettHaake will be in LAREDO next week to bring you the very latest on this HOT race (it’s 108 degrees in Laredo today… send us buckets of sunscreen pls)

—> https://t.co/806dyqXBZo

— Haley Talbot (@haleytalbotnbc) May 20, 2022

Heat hot (caliente) and spicy hot (picante) too.  Yeah.  More on the rising outdoor temperatures in the environmental round-up, below.

Is @JaneHamilton running a "dirty campaign" against @JasmineForUS? @RepEBJ told @TexasObserver yes. https://t.co/Ki1NUfVotv #Dallas #RunOffElection From @by_jmiller

— Texas Observer (@TexasObserver) May 21, 2022

Yes she is, and the orchestra's conductor is Matt Angle of the Lone Star Project, still holding the ignominious title of the state's most flea-bitten Blue Dog.  Thanks for calling him out, Texas Signal staff, but next time put somebody's name on it and his name in it.  Be bold, be brave. This shit isn't going to stop on its own, and none of us have time to wait for these centrist shitlibs to die off.

We're all enjoying a nice respite from the heat at the moment, but nobody should overlook the fact that this might be one of the hottest summers on record.  And maybe the coolest for years to come.

ERCOT expects "at least 40 days of 100 or greater in DFW"... "20-30 days is a reasonable expectation" for Houston ..."at least 50 days" in Austin and 40-60 days for San Antonio. Govt's should be seeting up lots of cooling centers. This is dangerous heat. #txlege #txenergy 6/

— Doug Lewin (@douglewinenergy) May 19, 2022

Quadfecta today for record highs at our climate sites:

College Station: 98 breaking the old record of 96 set in 1925
Houston: 95 tying the record set in 1890
Houston-Hobby: 94 breaking the old record of 93 last set in 2003
Galveston: 90 breaking the old record of 89 set in 1875

— NWS Houston (@NWSHouston) May 18, 2022

Six of the state’s power plants went offline last week due to maintenance problems. This is just the beginning. https://t.co/wfXcRmvsER #ClimateEmergency #ClimateChange From @_e_delger

— Texas Observer (@TexasObserver) May 20, 2022

A week ago, Texans were asked to literally sweat it out through another potential grid failure.

Unreliable fossil fuels are not the answer. Wind and solar are keeping the lights on and the AC running in Texas. #txenergy #txlegehttps://t.co/ypy4IU4RSb

— Public Citizen Texas (@PublicCitizenTX) May 20, 2022

RT @tx_poster: "Texas expands the fight against agencies that are fighting climate change created by humans.

"Texas remains anti-human and pro-fossil. #txlege

"Boy howdy." https://t.co/26PwNzIru4

— Forever in debt to your priceless advice. (@PDiddie) May 20, 2022

Why Shale Drillers Are Pumping Out Dividends Instead of More Oil and Gas
Compensation plans that once paid executives to boost output without regard to energy prices now foster cost cuts and shareholder returns https://t.co/npYMOHW8oQ #txlege

— Dick Lavine (@dlavine) May 23, 2022

Many members of OPEC can produce oil for less than $20 a barrel but paying brutal security forces and operating luxury yachts gets expensive. Just one reason gasoline prices will remain high for a while. There's another way: https://t.co/cOFVBiIPyo @HoustonChron #txlege

— ChrisTomlinson (@cltomlinson) May 20, 2022

More than half of car buyers say their next car will be an #EV, representing a jump of 22 percentage points in two years. #txlege #txenergy https://t.co/kl9iTnJt9o

— Texas Electric Transportation Resources Alliance (@TxETRA_TX) May 23, 2022

At the same time Samsung Electronics was receiving an environmental award from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the same agency was actively investigating the company because of a toxic wastewater discharge last year. https://t.co/59FoDgU1pL

— Texas Monthly (@TexasMonthly) May 20, 2022

The Army Corps' proposed 'Coastal Spine' will be one of the most expensive infrastructure projects in U.S. history.

What could it mean for the Houston region?

Register below to learn more next Wed (5/25):https://t.co/0MsNlyQGDm#ikedike #Houston pic.twitter.com/sdAQrkMoMg

— Texas Living Waters (@txwater) May 18, 2022

Expert: A monster hurricane season is coming https://t.co/xHs2KKyGKQ

— Houston Chronicle (@HoustonChron) May 18, 2022

Hi, I'm the environment reporter @TexasTribune & we're asking for your help documenting climate change in Texas.

Climate change doesn't hit countries, communities, and people equally. It is fundamentally a local problem, even as it requires global solutions.

THREAD:

— Erin Douglas (@erinmdouglas23) May 20, 2022

The TexTrib's crew is doing much of the heavy lifting in today's Wrangle.  Also providing the segue between the climate tweets and the social injustice ones.

Of the more than 300,000 homes in Texas damaged by Hurricane Harvey in 2017, none were in Coryell County.

Nevertheless, Coryell is slated to receive $3.4 million in Hurricane Harvey aid. https://t.co/pzkugEwvUd

— Texas Tribune (@TexasTribune) May 21, 2022

In November, under pressure from politicians, the hospitals who ran this doctor’s program for trans youth dismantled it.

This week began a brief resumption of care.

She said, after waiting months, many patients she is seeing are now suicidal. https://t.co/YjunZhugZx #txlege

— 🌟 Lauren McGaughy (@lmcgaughy) May 20, 2022

The Texas child welfare agency has resumed at least some of its investigations into parents who provide gender-affirming care for their transgender children, family lawyers have confirmed to The Texas Tribune. #TXlege https://t.co/QE858gF8kM

— Texas Tribune (@TexasTribune) May 20, 2022

New: 14 Texas Republican lawmakers (so far) plan to support legislation that would ban any corporation from the state if that business helps employees or customers or anyone else access abortion care in other states. https://t.co/O6uNkGEE1C

— Zach Despart (@zachdespart) May 23, 2022

In one email, a longtime Southern Baptist lawyer, August "Augie" Boto, called the work of outspoken survivor advocates @ChristaBrown777 and @R_Denhollander a "satanic scheme."

Factcheck: These women are not scheming with the devil.https://t.co/5VIPIpo3BG #sbctoo #hounews pic.twitter.com/loPKZyJK4F

— John Tedesco (@John_Tedesco) May 22, 2022

This patchwork of care exists in part because the state of Texas’ primary way of supporting children with diabetes in classrooms is not enforced or tracked by any state body. https://t.co/ABmzdiasm9 pic.twitter.com/aaDGAi9jJI

— Fort Worth Star-Telegram (@startelegram) May 22, 2022

It wasn't all social injustice last week, though it may have seemed so.

A Texas restaurant owner and father of three has come to the rescue of hundreds of parents struggling to find infant formula amid a national shortage of the product. https://t.co/lvo6Hz3Fd3

— CBS Sunday Morning 🌞 (@CBSSunday) May 20, 2022

The program is in partnership with a coalition of more than 60 mayors engaged in the advancement of a federal guaranteed income, with direct recurring cash payments to the poor and middle class. https://t.co/Mh97OktWvw

— ABC13 Houston (@abc13houston) May 22, 2022

Seven years after the momentous traffic stop that sparked Sandra Bland’s arrest, and ultimately her death, Prairie View officials this week unveiled a historical marker honoring her life. https://t.co/mQ4ZnLQihG

— Houston Chronicle (@HoustonChron) May 18, 2022

Here's the rest of the calm-me-downs (and two crack-me-ups).

There are few things that get a wealthy, powerful man more incensed than to hear someone question his integrity. Witness Jimbo Fisher and Nick Saban bickering over who cheats the most after the latter accused the former of buying all of his players. https://t.co/A7iieVcvb4

— Texas Monthly (@TexasMonthly) May 19, 2022

links in cases, tried successfully. https://t.co/FT53CiDmFh pic.twitter.com/9osKeOj9DA

— RiverOaksProblems (@RiverOaksPrblms) May 21, 2022

I won't lie: I very much appreciated the kindly words @outandabout wrote about me in his Austin American Statesman article re: the best digital tools for Texas history buffs: https://t.co/9prz5KwAf3

The article got picked up by Yahoo News. Little 'ol me. Yep. Thanks, Michael!

— Traces of Texas (@TracesofTexas) May 20, 2022

"The Replacements" Funnies

Mudslinging and Shitstirring Wrangle

Hard to delineate, but we'll classify K-Pax and Pee Bush in the first.  If you've had your teevee on this week, you've probably noticed.

Screen cap from the ad, in which "curriculum" is misspelled. https://t.co/rt9iRFjVp2 pic.twitter.com/BUamJKtYI6

— Texas Election Source (@TXElects) May 19, 2022

I just can't get enough of this Texas Republican civil war, you know.

It's the gift that keeps on giving ...

Abbott, Cruz, Midland's Tim Dunn, rent-a-cop PACs, vicious attacks. Sublime.#txlege
https://t.co/QTjHb9xA7o

— Bob Garrett (@RobertTGarrett) May 19, 2022

In response to a man who thought @DonHuffines would perform better against @GregAbbott_TX, @CarrieIsaac said “You have too much faith in the voters”; she also said “just know that we’re working behind the scenes to get rid of a speaker that’s not conservative.” #TxLege https://t.co/vl0LgS1RDE

— Scott Braddock (@scottbraddock) May 19, 2022

TexDems didn't want to be left out.

The Democratic primary runoff for the 30th Congressional District grew even more contentious Thursday amid accusations of lies and distortions between the candidates and their supporters. https://t.co/18pmZg2og7

— CBS DFW (@CBSDFW) May 19, 2022

"This harms everyone, including the accused, and must stop," Ogg said in a statement in the latest back-and-forth amid indictments against three Hidalgo staffers. https://t.co/dDcsk6Ymuq

— KHOU 11 News Houston (@KHOU) May 19, 2022

Some people would rather focus on the policy failures.

Why do Texas officials keep misleading us about the ERCOT electric grid's problems and the best way to fix them? Here's why the data they push serves politicians' climate agenda, not the public good. https://t.co/GqXb4L7PQg @HoustonChron #txlege #energytwitter

— ChrisTomlinson (@cltomlinson) May 18, 2022

Where are @DanPatrick, @GovAbbott & @DadePhelan on this latest boondoggle idea to pilfer from our raggedy ass power grid in Texas?? Jeopardize power in my dad's senior living facility for crypto? Hard pass. #VotethemOut #txlege https://t.co/3tLPyZwFPx

— jane the hand washer (@moderatemama) May 17, 2022

Hey Texas - privatizing #FosterCare hasn't resulted in better care. The private providers can't provide quality care for what R's are willing to pay. So - vulnerable kids continue to get not nearly enough by the "pro-life" crowd. Quelle Surprise! #txlege https://t.co/g3u0WSu0Jx

— genevieve (@genvc) May 17, 2022

The 5th Circuit just dismantled the SEC's power to enforce securities law. This decision is beyond radical. It is nihilistic. https://t.co/6X46t2f4vY

— Mark Joseph Stern (@mjs_DC) May 18, 2022

Census undercount likely robbed Texas of third additional US House seat @uscensusbureau #reapportionment #2020census #txlege ... @ByJosephMorton https://t.co/QuMcytqlpb

— Todd J. Gillman (@toddgillman) May 19, 2022

From @bgrumet: Texas Republican leaders are getting mileage out of the same anti-immigrant tropes that have animated several mass shooters. It's time we call it out. https://t.co/8NImTDefC4

— Austin Statesman (@statesman) May 18, 2022

Well and good for them, but if you read this piece from Svitek regarding Paxton's acolytes, the one thing you should take away is that reasoning, logic, and facts are impermeable.

Why Ken Paxton’s supporters in the Texas attorney general race are unbothered by his mounting scandals https://t.co/vrWbiIkcDv via @TexasTribune

— Patrick Svitek (@PatrickSvitek) May 18, 2022

And if you're still under the impression that the Democrats are different, or better ...

There was a time that this plus an FBI raid would have ended a campaign. But it’s impossible to overstate the party establishment’s hostility to its progressive wing. There’s basically nothing Cuellar could do to lose their support https://t.co/rLcQbri0mH

— Ryan Grim (@ryangrim) May 17, 2022

AIPAC is pouring millions into defeating progressive Democrats https://t.co/092ObOApCz #Elections2022

— Forever in debt to your priceless advice. (@PDiddie) May 17, 2022

Voting harder, red or blue, isn't going to change any of this.  But hey, if that's still your jam, go on with your bad self.  I'll even grant that there are some Dems worth giving a chance, inside and outside the Great State.  Here's a few.

Chip, I know you were birthed from the pits of the netherworld, but babies need food to live.

I am pro-choice and more “pro-life” than you are. In Congress I will fight to codify Roe v. Wade AND expand social services to address maternal/infant mortality rates. https://t.co/ySL6z24xsq

— Claudia Zapata for Congress, TX-21 (@PoderConClaudia) May 19, 2022

.@JCisnerosTX is offering a bold agenda that speaks to the needs of Texas’ 28th district. Her opponent, one of the very few anti-choice Democrats in Congress, is funded by over a million dollars in corporate contributions from Big Oil companies. She can win if we stand with her. pic.twitter.com/wdrzUcn1jg

— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) May 18, 2022

If you're still into voting, live in @ClyburnSC06 district in South Carolina and want to get rid of the man who said "You know Joe" to get the architect of black mass incarceration elected, he has an opponent named @Marcel4Congress that actually has a pro Black platform

— Black in the Empire (@blackintheempir) May 17, 2022

Thank you Houston Chronicle Editorial Board for your robust endorsement. I will not let you down. Onward! pic.twitter.com/MImWS7xS6e

— Joe Jaworski (@JaworskiForTX) May 15, 2022

I am not running just to be a JP, I am running to transform this Court into a model progressive court that serves the needs of our community. Early vote today! pic.twitter.com/gGW5qTPjjO

— Steve Duble for Justice of the Peace (@SteveDuble) May 18, 2022

But there's many reasons why the list is short, and why Beto O'Rourke is not on it.

Vote for @DelilahforTexas for Governor! She doesn't take any donations from corporations, lobbyists, or dark money PACs. She also not a millionaire like Abbott and O'Rourke. She's a working class Latina who will represent the working class and not the elites. https://t.co/RGt5VaYOLW

— Bexar County Greens 🌻💚 (@BexarGreensTX) May 17, 2022

And you can meet her this Saturday in H-Town and see for yourself why she's the best choice for governor in November.

Meet @DelilahforTexas in #Houston this Saturday! Details: https://t.co/4VZgR9bap0 #TXLege #TX2022 #TXGov #HouNews #HTX #GreenTwitter https://t.co/KA60VurURB

— Forever in debt to your priceless advice. (@PDiddie) May 19, 2022

Lots more later, maybe tomorrow but more likely Monday.  Here's a few soothers.

Welcome to this year's Best of Austin issue: https://t.co/AGB82EOG0A

You voted, and now it's time to see who received the city superlatives. Browse around, and find something new (and best) about Austin. pic.twitter.com/b9DTIIqgwe

— Austin Chronicle (@AustinChronicle) May 19, 2022

When, in the 1930s, HEB, run by the Butt family, bought out Piggly Wiggly in Austin, the locals called it "Wiggly Butt." https://t.co/bF3y6YDpv0

— Michael Barnes (@outandabout) May 20, 2022

Longtime Houston Oilers mascot Art Horridge has passed away at the age of 86. I think all of us who went to games and covered the Oilers remember Art and his passion for the #Oilers @BudsOilers . Thanks to his family for sending these pics to us @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/78bgxcNZxm

— Randy McIlvoy (@KPRC2RandyMc) May 19, 2022

I worked with Big Daddy Horridge at Lexus of Clear Lake from '99 to '02 ( I was the F&I guy; he was the top salesman).  He was just as animated and hilarious in real life as we was on the sidelines in the Dome.  Condolences to his loved ones.

Egg-citing news. A routine survey at Galveston Island State Park today by the Sea Aggie Sea Turtle Patrol turned up a Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle nest containing 107 eggs in the dunes. This was the first nest found at the park since 2012. #khou11 Credit: Texas Parks and Wildlife pic.twitter.com/pkswoOyQsx

— The Bishop (@BillBishopKHOU) May 19, 2022

Please help us welcome yet another Pulitzer winner to the Observer staff, the fabulous Gayle Reaves, who is our new editor-at-large! 🎉🎉🎉 #investigative #journalism #longform #ladyjournos pic.twitter.com/2YtcwHluyO

— Texas Observer (@TexasObserver) May 17, 2022