A month after gaining a historic 690 legislative seats across all 50 states, Republicans are still growing their new majorities and basically making state Democrats even more miserable, especially in the south—but what about Texas?

Galveston Judge Susan Criss is blocking General Abbott’s order for the release of TWIA settlement details.

As we edge closer to the start of the 82nd Legislature in Texas, many people are becoming jittery over the biennial budget and its projected $20 billion shortfall. Cutting back is never enjoyable, but then again, neither are tax increases. While budget cuts are sure to upset many people, they are actually better for our state, our budget, and future economic growth.

The Straus team, which includes the Austin media jack-in-the-boxes, is making hay about the pledge count. Straus has 120 and Paxton has 12. It’s a good sound bite for them.

It’s also as hollow as a paper mache speaker gavel.

For a variety of bad reasons, political and otherwise, some say Texas will face an insurmountable budget crisis when lawmakers meet in January. But Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst tells the Austin American Statesman that the budget hole won’t be what many have claimed.

Joe Straus’s sacrificing of his relationship with Larry Taylor at the altar of establishment control exposes his “let’s all be sweet to each other” scam. Taylor is being scapegoated amid an ethics storm gathering around the Straus team.

So much for that congenial loyalty we’ve heard about. Texas House Speaker Joe Straus this weekend tossed House Republican Caucus chairman Larry Taylor under the proverbial bus. So much for friendship.

In an interview with the Houston Chronicle, Straus said he wants the Texas House to address ethics reform.

Joe Straus lieutenant Jim Pitts provided a snapshot for the importance of the Texas House Speaker race when he told a questioner that to save any money opting out of federal Medicaid Texas would have to throw people out on the street .

With all the commotion surrounding the fight for a more conservative Texas House Speaker, it seems as if the special election to fill the late-State Representative Edmund Kuempel’s seat in HD 44 has been greatly overlooked.

When the General Investigating & Ethics Committee met to hear allegations a member of Speaker Joe Straus’ leadership team threatened to use redistricting as retribution against other lawmakers, Chairman Chuck Hopson didn’t ask the accused to testify oath. And that appears to violate state law.