March 2, 2021

Felonies may not keep Arlington mayoral candidate from running. Here's why.

A two-time convicted felon is running for mayor in Arlington, and the city says he can remain on the ballot unless it is presented proof he did not have his “full citizenship rights restored.” But what exactly that means has caused confusion surrounding candidates’ eligibility in local races across the state.

Jerry Warden, who filed Feb. 11 in the crowded eight-person mayor race, holds a lifetime listing in the state’s sex offender registry after his conviction in 1996 of aggravated kidnapping and sexual abuse of a 24-year-old woman. A grand jury also found Warden guilty of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in 1995, according to Tarrant County criminal records. He served time for both felony charges at the same time.

State election laws prohibit people with felony convictions from running unless they are pardoned or had their full citizenship rights restored. Warden signed off on his application that he had his rights restored. He said in a phone interview with the Star-Telegram that his rights were restored after he served his sentences.

Texas Election Code states that candidates must be pardoned from their felonies or “otherwise released from the resulting disabilities.” Lawmakers have in recent years proposed clarifying or eliminating the line.

Read more: https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/arlington/article249522045.html

March 2, 2021

Supreme Court ends 12-year Fort Worth legal battle over $100 million in church property

A breakaway diocese in Fort Worth will retain the rights to $100 million in property and assets after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to weigh in on the case between the diocese and the national Episcopal Church, upholding a previous decision by the Texas Supreme Court.

The decision is the beginning of the end of a 12-year legal battle between the national Episcopal Church and the Fort Worth-area diocese. In 2008, Rev. Jack Iker led a revolt against the church, condemning the national Episcopal Church for socially liberal practices, such as the consecration of a gay bishop. About 15,000 local congregants from 48 churches followed his lead. Eight churches did not follow suit and remained loyal to the national Episcopal Church. Other churches’ congregations were split, forcing those in the minority to find other places to worship.

The breakaway diocese is now part of the more conservative Anglican Church of North America. As a conservative church leader, Iker disagreed with the Episcopal Church’s practices of ordaining women as priests, overseeing same-sex unions and the consecration of a gay bishop.

Contrary to status quo, the Anglican Church group wished to leave the official church but still retain $100 million worth of property, buildings and investments. The national church pushed back, arguing that the property belonged to them.

Read more: https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/fort-worth/article249433970.html

March 2, 2021

Second Fort Worth police officer fired for 'racially insensitive' social media post

The Fort Worth Police Department fired an officer Monday for making a “racially insensitive” social media post, according to the police department.

The officer is the fourth person to be fired by Chief Neil Noakes since February.

On Feb. 5, another officer found the social media post by Officer Kelly Kujawski, according to a news release. Internal Affairs investigated and Noakes reviewed the findings of the investigation. He and the chain of command determined Kujawski violated general orders and brought unfavorable criticism upon the department.

She was fired on Monday for violating the department’s social media policy. The press release did not specify what Kujawski posted on social media.

Read more: https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/fort-worth/article249617248.html

March 2, 2021

Texas telephone companies team up in lawsuit against Public Utilities Commission

More than 50 Texas telephone companies and co-ops have sued the state’s Public Utilities Commission for reductions it made in payments from a fund meant to guarantee phone service to rural residents.

The lawsuit alleges the Texas Universal Service Fund shrank as a result of PUC inaction, leading to a 70 percent cut in payments to phone service providers.

Since 1987, the fund has subsidized carriers to offset high costs of providing phone service to rural areas that account for 55 percent of Texas’ land mass, an area larger than Montana. Currently, the fund doesn’t subsidize broadband service.

The legal dust-up is more than a spat over a fund based on 34-year-old legislation. It’s part of a protracted battle between landline and wireless telephone companies, a sign of how technology is changing how people communicate and how laws struggle to keep up.

Read more: https://www.mysanantonio.com/sa-inc/article/Texas-telephone-companies-team-up-in-lawsuit-15979359.php

March 2, 2021

'It's unsurprising': Joaquin Castro points out the lack of Latino representation at Golden Globes

A San Antonio Congressman is sticking up for the Latino community.

While the nation watched the Golden Globes Sunday evening, Joaquin Castro noticed a lack of Latino actors, writers, and creators in the award show. And, he took to Twitter to share his thoughts.

"Latinos are almost completely missing at the @goldenglobes – it's unsurprising and unacceptable," the San Antonio native politician said. "The film industry must address the pernicious lack of opportunity and representation of Latino Americans. The stories that Hollywood tells affect how entire communities are perceived."

https://twitter.com/JoaquinCastrotx/status/1366226278706262017

Castro added in a comment on his tweet that he uses the word "pernicious" because the status quo is toxic, harmful, and dangerous to Latinos in American society. In another tweet, he noted Hollywood as a system is very "insular," "exclusionary," and "regressive." Castro said some individuals in the system are progressive, but pointed out the system as a whole is among the least progressive industries in America.

Read more: https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/Joaquin-Castro-calls-out-Golden-Globes-15988060.php

March 2, 2021

Jimmy Kimmel Live: Trump Emerges for Crazy Self-Love Fest at CPAC

March 2, 2021

Lawyer for TX AG's office repeatedly tries to block testimony and evidence at whistleblower hearing

by Kate McGee, Texas Tribune


The first hearing in a whistleblower lawsuit against the Texas Attorney general’s office mostly consisted of objections Monday as the agency’s lawyer opposed the vast majority of questions lawyers asked two former agency employees who testified.

Attorney William Helfand repeatedly lobbed those protests after he unsuccessfully tried to get the judge in the case to dismiss the lawsuit outright. But Travis County District Judge Amy Clark Meachum said Monday she wasn’t yet ready to determine whether the lawsuit should be dismissed. She instead permitted testimony on a request for a temporary injunction that would allow two of the whistleblowers to have their jobs in Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office back.

At one point, Helfand also filed an appeal to halt the temporary injunction testimony from happening.

“It’s starting to feel like you might be just elongating things for the purpose of elongating them rather than actually in good faith responding to arguments,” Meachum told Helfand before she allowed the hearing to continue.

-snip-

The four plaintiffs are seeking reinstatement and compensation for lost wages and future loss of earnings. They also are seeking damages for emotional pain and suffering. If they win, the taxpayers will cover most of the litigation costs.

Read more: https://www.texastribune.org/2021/03/01/texas-attorney-general-ken-paxton-whistleblower-hearing/

I wouldn't want to return to my job knowing that I would face a hostile work environment. Most likely those whistleblowers would be assigned to duties that would make them want to leave state employment.

March 2, 2021

"UT needs rich donors": Emails show wealthy alumni supporting "Eyes of Texas" threatened to pull

“UT needs rich donors”: Emails show wealthy alumni supporting “Eyes of Texas” threatened to pull donations

by Kate McGee, Texas Tribune


The Texas Longhorns had just lost to rival Oklahoma for the third time in a row — this time after a quadruple overtime.

The bruising loss was quickly overshadowed when then-Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger stood alone on the field for the playing of the university’s alma mater song "The Eyes of Texas," a postgame tradition. The rest of the team, who typically stay to sing the song with fans at the end of games, had retreated from the field.

For many University of Texas at Austin students who had spent months protesting and petitioning the school to get rid of "The Eyes of Texas," it was gutting to see the student leader seemingly taking a stand. (Ehlinger later said he was only lingering alone on the field to talk with coaches.) The song — played to the tune of "I’ve been working on the railroad" — was historically performed at campus minstrel shows, and the title is linked to a saying from Confederate Army Commander Robert E. Lee.

But hundreds of alumni and donors were more concerned about why Ehlinger was alone. They blasted off emails to UT-Austin President Jay Hartzell, calling the image of the abandoned quarterback "disgusting," "embarrassing" and "disturbing." They demanded that the school stand up to "cancel culture" and firmly get behind the song — or else donors were going to walk away.

Read more: https://www.texastribune.org/2021/03/01/ut-eyes-of-texas-donors-emails/

March 2, 2021

Public Utility Commission chair resigns after Texas officials criticize management of power outages

by Erin Douglas and Patrick Svitek, Texas Tribune


The chairwoman of the Public Utility Commission of Texas, the agency that regulates the state’s electric, telecommunication, and water and sewer utilities, resigned Monday, according to a resignation letter provided to the Texas Tribune.

The Gov. Greg Abbott-appointed commission came under public criticism in the aftermath of Texas’ power crisis that left millions of people in the dark for days and claimed the lives of dozens.

On Monday, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick called for PUC chairwoman DeAnn Walker and Electric Reliability Council of Texas CEO Bill Magness to resign.

Walker earned a salary of $201,000 as of Feb. 1.

The PUC is charged with overseeing the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT, a nonprofit entity that manages and operates the electricity grid that covers much of the state.

Read more: https://www.texastribune.org/2021/03/01/texas-power-outages-public-utility-commission-resigns/

March 2, 2021

Board of Elections will certify Cincinnati mayoral candidates. Some protests expected.

Some candidates and supporters might protest Tuesday as the Hamilton County Board of Elections makes official the list of candidates for Cincinnati mayor.

Nine people filed to run for mayor, but the board of elections staff determined only six had the required 500 signatures from registered voters needed to be placed on the ballot.

The four-member board of elections, composed of two Republicans and two Democrats, will certify the candidates' petitions Tuesday morning in a meeting at the board of elections' headquarters in Norwood.

The BOE staff found three candidates didn't gather enough valid signatures: City Councilman Wendell Young, tech entrepreneur Adam Koehler and activist Kelli Prather.

Read more: https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/politics/2021/03/01/cincinnati-elections-mayoral-candidates-get-certified-board-elections-tuesday/4574381001/