Lawmakers launch last-ditch effort to block Texas Medicaid cuts

In a last-ditch effort to stave off $350 million in cuts to a state Medicaid program that provides therapy to disabled children, federal and state lawmakers are asking the federal government to intervene.

Families that have sued the state to stop the cuts before they go into effect July 15 have also asked the Texas Supreme Court to block the cuts by next Friday.

“While Texas has considerable discretion in the administration of what is already a stingy Medicaid program, these cuts go way over the line in limiting child therapy services,” U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, told the American-Statesman. “I hope federal authorities will recognize the damage being done to these children and their families.”

Doggett and U.S. Rep. Gene Green, D-Houston, sent a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services asking the federal agency to review the impact of the cuts to ensure that access to care isn’t affected.

Read more: http://www.mystatesman.com/news/news/state-regional-govt-politics/lawmakers-launch-last-ditch-effort-to-block-texas-/nrqgW/?icmp=statesman_internallink_referralbox_free-to-premium-referral

Dallas DA candidate denies knowledge of bribe; possibility of wider federal probe looms

A guilty plea by a former chief investigator with the Dallas County district attorney's office in a federal bribery case could be just the beginning of a broadening investigation of that office while former DA Craig Watkins was in charge, two former Texas U.S. attorneys told The Dallas Morning News.

The former investigator, Anthony "Tony" Robinson, admitted taking a bribe from Wayne Joseph Sweeney in 2013 to get Sweeney's failure to register as a sex offender case dismissed. That case was ultimately dismissed by Heath Harris -- then Watkins' top assistant at the district attorney's office -- a move that former prosecutors say is rare and violates decades of protocol dictating how cases are thrown out.

And perhaps touched off alarms elsewhere.

"What exactly was going on at the district attorney's office? Was this poor oversight, poor checks and balances, was this DA just duped or is there something more the feds may want to pay attention to?" said Matt Orwig, former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas. "It could be this is the end of it. But based on my 20 years as a prosecutor and 10 years as a defense attorney, I would lean toward this is not the end of it.

Read more: http://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/headlines/20160630-dallas-da-candidate-denies-knowledge-of-bribe-possibility-of-wider-federal-probe-looms.ece

Dallas court again denies Ken Paxton appeal to punt indictments

AUSTIN -- A Dallas appeals court that has already denied one attempt by Ken Paxton to do away with his three felony indictments again rejected on Thursday a request for the judges to reconsider.

The Fifth Court of Appeals in Dallas denied Paxton's motion for a rehearing on one issue related to his felony charges, which allege that the Republican attorney general misled friends and fellow officials to invest in a North Texas technology firm while profiting from the recommendation. The ruling, issued by Chief Justice Carolyn Wright, did not offer any explanation.

Philip Hilder, one of Paxton's attorneys, said they anticipating appealing the entire case to the Court of Criminal Appeals.

Wyoming News - 6/30/2016

Alaska News - 6/30/2016

Hawaii News - 6/30/2016

American Samoa News - 6/29/2016

Guam News - 6/29/2016

Northern Marianas News - 6/29/2016

Texas AG Ken Paxton: Fort Worth ISD's transgender policy violates state law

AUSTIN -- The Fort Worth school district's factious new guidelines for transgender students violate state law by relegating "parents to a subordinate status" in being informed about their children, according to state Attorney General Ken Paxton.

He issued that nonbinding opinion on Tuesday, further elevating his role in what's become a national debate. Paxton last month sued the Obama administration over its schools directive to let transgender students use bathrooms that match their gender identity.

And the latest action, which does not carry the force of law, further allies Paxton with fellow Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on the issue.

Patrick had asked Paxton for the legal opinion as part of his broadside against Fort Worth schools Superintendent Kent Scribner for enacting the more inclusive rules. The lieutenant governor said Tuesday that the opinion was further proof that Scribner should step down.

Read more: http://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/headlines/20160628-texas-ag-ken-paxton-fort-worth-isd-s-transgender-policy-violates-state-law.ece