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Comings and goings
June 19, 2008
Russert once tried to hold Texas-centered debate
The unexpected death of Tim Russert, NBC’s mainstay in its coverage of national politics, brought me back to the time I briefly interviewed him. It was the fall of 2002 and Russert invited the Texas candidates for the U.S. Senate, Republican John Cornyn and Democrat Ron Kirk, to debate live on his Sunday morning program.
Cornyn accepted, while Kirk declined to make the Washington trip.
Before deciding against the joint appearance on network TV, Kirk told the editorial board of the San Antonio Express-News (the paper that had me watching the race that year) that he wasn’t inclined to take time for Russert.
Kirk said then that he had not planned to leave Texas in the last month of the campaign to appear on TV or for any purpose. He also called Russert a “huff and puff,” though to this day he insists he would not have hatched such a tame descriptive.
Russert was the host of “Meet the Press,” which then reached 6 million viewers a week.
When I reached him about Kirk’s comment, he was mystified.
“What is a ‘huff and puff?’” Russert said. “Sometimes candidates get tired and say things. I’m here to do my job, and I want to do a debate with the candidates from Texas.”
Dave Beckwith, a Cornyn campaign adviser at the time lately serving as the senator’s Texas chief of staff, remembers the Russert-debate back-and-forth this way:
“In 2002, Russert was just starting his now-established practice of screening a full hour debate in competitive Senate races. He called both camps to issue an invitation. Attorney General Cornyn accepted almost immediately, nearly three weeks before the planned date in September. Kirk stalled, and delayed a decision.
“Meanwhile, NBC aired what I believe was Russert’s first such debate, between Sen. Wayne Allard and challenger Ted Strickland. Russert asked both candidates about their plans to resolve the Social Security crisis — raise taxes, cut benefits, or what else? Allard touted private accounts. Russert pressed Strickland repeatedly, but he could not come up with an answer. He looked foolish.
“Early the next week, Kirk announced he would not be accepting the Russert invitation. Russert later told me that he had mixed success arranging these debates that first year, and in every failed case, it was the Democrat candidate who had refused to come on his show.”
Justin Lonon, Kirk’s spokesman at the time, said this week that the issue came down to Kirk’s busy schedule, filled with campaign stops and fund-raisers. “Ron was getting a lot of national exposure,” Lonon said, recalling that national and international reporters were already touring with him. “Getting national exposure was not a problem for us.”
Kirk agreed with Lonon’s recollection, adding that the campaign took the debate offer seriously. “I wanted to do it. With the travel, I just couldn’t give up three days 10 days out front of an election.”
“I was a Tim Russert fan,” Kirk said. “I liked the show… I respected him. He was a good guy, he was tough, he was fair.”
Kirk dismissed Beckwith’s theory that he dodged the Russert opportunity after the previous Democrat who debated a GOP opponent struggled. Kirk said: “That’s (horse puckey). We were not afraid. I was not afraid of debating John Cornyn anywhere. For us, it was just an issue of time.”
That’s all I know about what could have been a significant Russert moment in Texas political history.
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June 12, 2008
Ron Paul getting out as candidate, but...
He’s going to tell supporters in Houston Thursday night that he’s proud to be fathering a new political committee to help freedom-loving candidates. I snagged him for a moment and he cheerfully posed for this shot:
In an interview, Paul played down the end of his candidacy, stressing instead the launch of a political group to help like-minded candidates, the Campaign for Liberty.
Paul’s campaign intends to shift about $4 million to the group, which will host a conference in September to coincide with the Republican National Convention in Minnesota.
Paul said he and supporters are simply changing the method of advocating beliefs in the U.S. Constitution, the withdrawal of U.S. troops from abroad and an end to federal income taxes, among his favorite topics.
He said he’s known since the day before he filed his candidacy that his journey wouldn’t end in the White House.
While he’s no longer a candidate, Paul said, “I never thought I was… I was just promoting a cause.”
“I’m really excited about what’s happening,” Paul said. “Really and truly, this is the beginning of something big.”
Permalink | Comments (5) | Post your comment Categories: Comings and goings, Presidential race, Republican State Convention, Republican politics, U.S. Congress
Secretary Wilson stepping down
Texas Secretary of State Phil Wilson announced today he will step down July 6 to become the public relations chief for a Dallas-based energy company.
Wilson, 40, who served as Gov. Rick Perry’s chief of staff before being named secretary of state almost a year ago, will become senior vice president of public affairs for Luminant Energy on July 7, officials said.
“I have been honored to serve in this role for the people of Texas and am proud of the accomplishments we achieved during our time in office: overseeing the largest primary in Texas history, being part of bringing thousands of new jobs to Texas, and investing in our states future employers and technologies,” Wilson said.
Wilson, who has been Perry’s point man on economic development for several years, has served as Chair of the Governor’s Competitiveness Council and on the Border Security Council. As Perry’s chief of staff, Wilson oversaw the Texas Enterprise Fund and Emerging Technology Fund.
Acknowledging that Wilson has been “a trusted advisor and dear friend of mine and (first lady) Anita’s for many years,” Perry called him “a man of innovative thought and exceptional determination — attributes that have led him to success in both his professional and personal life.”
“He will be hard to replace.”
At Luminant, Wilson will oversee the firms community relations, communications, regulatory and government-affairs efforts, the company said. Luminant is the largest purchaser of wind-generated electricity in Texas and fifth largest in the nation.
Luminant is a subsidiary of Energy Future Holdings, formerly TXU Corp.
As secretary of state, Wilson is Texas’ chief elections officer in addition to overseeing business and public records filings. He also acts as the governor’s chief liaison for border affairs, and oversees international protocol.
Secretaries of state in Texas historically have been close confidants to governors, and the position often turns over every few years. While Wilson had served for just about a year, his predecessor, Roger Williams, served for about 2 1/2 years before resigning to pursue other interests.
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June 3, 2008
Yup, that was Mike Huckabee in Austin
A watchful wag spotted a guy who looked like Mike Huckabee in Austin’s airport over the weekend.
Bingo: Huckabee swooped in to give a paid speech at a conference on retailing; the exclusive gig shows up here — though it seems a little odd that the former Arkansas governor renowned for losing weight would attend a gathering that included, by my count, eight purveyors of fare such as donuts, chicken wings and fried chicken fillets. To be fair, Huckabee was the headline speaker over representatives from such food companies and other retailers.
I failed to draw a comment from his press spokeswoman, who might still be on a post-campaign vacation of indefinite duration.
Permalink | Comments (14) | Post your comment Categories: Comings and goings, Presidential race, Republican politics
Lulu Flores: Clinton should fight on to convention
Austin lawyer Lulu Flores, president of the National Women’s Political Caucus, wants Sen. Hillary Clinton not to give up her campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination.
Flores, reacting to an Associated Press report Tuesday stating Clinton intends to concede to Sen. Barack Obama, said Clinton deserves a chance to persuade super-delegates — party dignitaries and Democratic members of Congress — that she would be the strongest November foe for presumptive GOP nominee John McCain, the Arizona senator.
The caucus, which endorsed Clinton for president in April 2007, has raised tens of thousands of dollars for Clinton’s campaign, Flores said, believing that her candidacy would be the one to finally place a woman in the nation’s highest elected office.
“We’ve waited. We have had 43 male presidents. We are probably about to elect our 44th. I hope not. I’m still not giving up,” Flores said.
Regarding Obama’s popularity, Flores said: “We are not selecting our next rock star. We are selecting our next commander-in-chief.”
Flores said she’d spend part of her afternoon telephoning voters in South Dakota and Montana, which have Democratic primaries wrapping up tonight. And, she said, she hopes Clinton puts off a concession to Obama — and that the super-delegates give her a chance to make the case that she’ll have a stronger chance of winning big states in the fall such as Pennsylvania, Ohio and Florida.
Flores was in Washington over the weekend among Clinton supporters urging a national party committee to award Clinton the delegates she could have won for prevailing in early-against-the-rules primaries in Florida and Michigan. The party panel settled on an approach seating delegations from the states, with each delegate having half a vote at the national convention this summer in Denver — a result that diminished Clinton’s chances of closing much ground on Obama in pledged delegates.
Flores said some Clinton supporters were angry at the decision and threatening not to turn out for the Democrats in November; they chanted, “We’ll Remember in November.” Flores said she didn’t join that chant, but she did chime in on another signaling the battle for the nomination should go on to the national convention: “Denver!”
“I’d love to see it go to Denver,” Flores said.
“Let’s not be hasty,” Flores said of Clinton possibly ceding the nomination to Obama. “I really believe we might be making a serious mistake, a rush to judgment.”
Hear her off-stage advice here.
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May 27, 2008
Staples in Cuba, many, many miles from Houston
The Texas agriculture commissioner, Todd Staples, has made it to Cuba, his office reports. Of course, he’s expected to file updates to an agency blog tracking his trade mission to the island nation.
Staples, who is from East Texas, wrote in a pre-arrival posting: “It is only 900 miles between Houston and Havana but for several decades it might well have been a million miles.”
It’s just like a Texan to write “only” 900 miles. (It’s actually 925 miles, according to this site.) Then again, it’s only 975 miles from Austin to Mexico City. Give me a call when you get there?
Staples’ Cuba blog is here.
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May 25, 2008
Perry with a fourth grader, Dewhurst in France...
My story in Sunday’s newspaper, in our Insight section, draws from hundreds of pages of schedules kept by the state’s seven top elected officials (counting House Speaker Tom Craddick among them).
A surprise to me was Gov. Rick Perry granting an interview to Cole Blue, a fourth-grader from McComb, Mississippi. Blue’s parents drove him the more than eight hours from their home to the Capitol in Austin for the big sit-down. They thought an aide shot a video; when I asked Perry’s office for a copy, a spokeswoman said it had been erased. Still photos are viewable online here.
Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst’s office redacted the names of about 70 individuals who he visited in the year’s first quarter, though Dewhurst later named many in an interview.
Dewhurst further volunteered that he’d gone to France for about a week to try to negotiate with the French government on expanding a museum devoted to Utah Beach to better display the role Allied air, army and naval power played on D-Day in World War II. Dewhurst said he learned more about his late father’s role as a pilot in the invasion last year.
Dewhurst said he was promised an answer on his expansion pitch by D-Day, June 6.
“The Legislature gets blamed for sometimes moving slowly,” Dewhurst said. “After spending a week trying to negotiate with the equivalent of an American governor and a United States senator in France, I now believe that the Texas Legislature moves with lightning speed.”
Remember his words when the 2009 session drags—if it ever does, of course.
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May 12, 2008
Mark Sanders wins council seat in Eustace
By drawing 69 votes, longtime Capitol campaign consultant Mark Sanders has landed on the city council in the East Texas town of Eustace.
The way it played out, he says, 93 voters cast ballots Saturday to fill three council seats. Under Eustace’s approach, voters could vote for up to three candidates on their ballots and then election officials tallied the number of total votes for each candidate. The top three finishers—Sanders says he ran second in the group—are due to be sworn into office Friday.
(Eustace, turns out, is easy to find, according to the city’s Web site. It’s 12 miles east of Mabank and 11 miles west of Athens.)
Sanders, 45, whose past clients included Carole Keeton Strayhorn, David Dewhurst, Jerry Patterson and Rob Mosbacher Jr., said Monday he’s intent on introducing a code of conduct for council members and the mayor that would require any one of them charged with a felony to resign immediately.
Sanders had made the plunge into life as a candidate after failing to persuade Mayor Laura Ward to resign; she was arrested in September after striking a woman outside a bar in Gun Barrel City.
The code of conduct, Sanders said, “is designed entirely to get rid of the mayor.”
So much for a honeymoon period.
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May 6, 2008
Bullock bio stirs Jan Bullock and longtime aides
My story in Wednesday’s editions about the Bob Bullock biography by Dave McNeely and Jim Henderson—peek here—yields the first post-publication comments by Bullock’s widow, Jan Bullock, on the book, which is in its third printing and has drawn favorable reviews. It is viewable here.
Several longtime aides to the late lieutenant governor are similarly disappointed in “Bob Bullock: God Bless Texas,” with some saying the authors made an insufficient effort to tap their knowledge and experiences of Bullock. McNeely told me they deliberately did not do so partly because they didn’t want to cause one of the Bullock-ites to hurry their own book into print.
Glen Castlebury, who worked for Bullock for 20 years starting in 1974, said the authors could have started their research by querying people closest to Bullock.
“I would have thought they would have gone to the Bullock loyalists probably first (for interviews); it would have been most obvious (approach),” Castlebury said. “Then you would have gone out to talk to all the other turkeys walking the street to see if they had something to say.”
My sense is that Henderson was permitted to listen to a few oral histories given by Bullock friends and associates, as reported, because librarians at Baylor University didn’t initially know he was teamed with McNeely, who had a testy relationship with Bob Bullock.
Jan Bullock cut off public access to the histories until the year 2009, she told me, because she figured McNeely wanted to finish his book before President Bush left office that same year.
Bullock and Ben Rogers, director of Baylor’s W.R. Poage Legislative Library, said the authors did not delve into thousands of available pages of materials in the Bullock collection including newspaper clippings and “opposition research” Bullock’s campaign put together that put him in a vulnerable light.
McNeely and Henderson said they were told by Rogers in 2004 that bound newspaper clippings were not available. The library said it has no record of the request; Rogers initially said he didn’t remember the authors visiting together in 2004, later insisting they did not visit together.
The authors did not interview Jan Bullock, but they contacted her.
Henderson called her in 2006, saying he tried again later, without leaving messages. He said he expected she would call him if she wanted to visit.
McNeely delivered a draft manuscript to Bullock in February 2007. She shortly e-mailed Henderson, saying: “I can tell you two certainly did your research.”
McNeely then solicited her corrections, suggesting they get together.
If “there are things that are inaccurate, we want to get them corrected,” McNeely said in a March 30, 2007 e-mail. “…So let’s do get together as soon as possible.”
On May 4, 2007, Bullock wrote him to say she couldn’t help. She made her decision after sharing the manuscript with aides to Bob Bullock. Her letter states that she found mistakes, urban legends, gossip and distortions.
Henderson, speaking to the negative reactions, said in a recent e-mail to me: “Jan wanted to write her own book about Bullock. Didn’t happen. Get over it. Then she did her best to obstruct the writing of this book. Didn’t happen. Get over it. Then she did her best to block publication. Didn’t happen. Get over it. She apparently wanted to control everything written about her late husband. Didn’t happen. Ain’t gonna happen. Get over it.”
Bullock earlier told me: “I would have loved to see a grand book about Bob. He certainly was not an angel. And he was difficult, temperamental - my god, he was every adjective in the book… I mean, I have great stories. I have love letters that he’s written me that people wouldn’t even believe.”
A longtime Bullock aide, Mary Jane Wardlow, identified factual errors in the book including a reference to one senator serving in 1991 who took office in 1993.
In another part, Bullock is described as introducing senators to his forceful leadership style by rushing through measures. It’s placed in 1991 though it occurred in 1995. And, Wardlow said, the book mischaracterizes the late action in a legislative session catching the Senate up after the death of its parliamentarian.
Wardlow also said the book incorrectly describes Bullock’s funeral. Bullock did not repose on a floral altar; his body was in his coffin next to sprays of flowers.
Carolene English, another longtime aide, inquired last year into the UT Press’s method of fact-checking as the book approached publication. The UT Press said the book was vetted by two outside experts it did not identify and cleared by its Faculty Advisory Committee, which unanimously approved publication.
English said this year that details were muffed such as the fact that Bullock had surgery to remove one third of a lung (not most of it), and that he had deeper Texas roots than stated. She said the authors also missed Bullock intervening in the 1980s to ensure that Democrats created legislative districts winnable by black and Hispanic candidates.
McNeely said the record isn’t so simple. And, he noted, Bullock is credited in the book with hiring and promoting minorities.
Castlebury and John Moore, a longtime Bullock aide, told McNeely last year that he mistold episodes from the years during which Bullock was a heavy drinker. The two also did not specify what was incorrect.
Their stance, Castlebury said, amounted to “don’t feed the snake.”
John Keel, a Bullock protégé, presented McNeely with letters from individuals last year saying incidents in the manuscript didn’t happen; two stories were removed before publication.
McNeely informed Jan Bullock—who knew Bullock for 22 years and married him in 1985—of the excisions with a comment she did not appreciate, writing: “I might remind you that all of these things happened before you and Bob were married and before he quit drinking, and do not involve you.”
Permalink | Comments (1) | Post your comment Categories: Agencies, Comings and goings, Democratic politics, Senate, Texas Senate
April 24, 2008
UPDATED: Arrangements for Lena Guerrero
Robert Earley, who was Lena Guerrero’s deskmate when they both served in the Texas House, has relayed the funeral arrangements for the former Travis County legislator:
Public visitation with the family is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Friday at Mission Funeral Home, 6204 S. First St. in Austin, with a rosary to follow at 7:30 p.m. in the funeral home’s Serenity Chapel.
A Mass is scheduled for 9 a.m. Saturday—this is an updated time—at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, 1206 E. Ninth St., followed by internment at the Texas State Cemetery. There will be a reception at the cemetery after that.
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Lena Guerrero dies
Lena Guerrero of Austin died Wednesday night in her sleep, a close family friend, Tom Duffy, said early Thursday. The former Texas House member and appointee to the Texas Railroad Commission was 50.
Guerrero was the youngest-ever president of the Young Democrats of Texas at age 21. She won election to the House in 1984 and served as an Austin representative until 1991. Energetic and intellectually curious, she quickly became a player on many fronts.
In January 1991, Gov. Ann Richards appointed Guerrero as the first Hispanic and first woman on the Texas Railroad Commission, targeting her for higher statewide office.
But Guerrero’s aspirations melted down when, while seeking election to the commission seat, she was forced to admit she had lied about having a University of Texas degree. Republican Barry Williamson easily defeated her.
Guerrero, one of several Texas Hispanic leaders who saw their promising political careers dissolve in the same generation, later called it a “pretty loaded question” when asked to analyze the effect of the Hispanic leaders’ falls from grace. (Former San Antonio Mayor Henry Cisneros and Former Texas Attorney General Dan Morales were undone by criminal charges while in office, Cisneros for lying to the FBI about payments he made to a mistress and Morales for steering money from a lucrative state settlement with tobacco companies to a lawyer-friend.)
“I think that you ought to expect the first layer of Latinos to be overly reviewed, to be highly at the front of the effort to be questioned excessively,” Guerrero said. “If any of us had done a number of the things that some of these other people — Democratic or Republican people — have done, we would have not been treated alike and have not been treated alike.”
Guerrero, speaking in 2000, three years after surgery for removal of two malignant brain tumors, looked forward, not back.
“What happened to Lena Guerrero is not nearly as important as what are we doing to grow Latinos and Latinas who can run and win and serve in public office and be leaders,” she said. “I don’t think we are spending enough time cultivating them.”
Permalink | Comments (150) | Post your comment Categories: Comings and goings, Democratic politics, House, Texas Railroad Commission
January 29, 2008
Demo changes
After two years as the voice of the Texas Democratic Party, spokeswoman Amber Moon is moving to Houston, where she will head up communications for the Democratic Party in Harris County — her hometown.
Replacement: Hector Nieto, Moon’s deputy.
“With so many competitive races on the ballot, it’s a particularly exciting time to return to Harris County, and I look forward to a repeat of last cycle’s Dallas County success in my own home town,” Moon said in an e-mail.
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January 23, 2008
Huckabee coming to Austin for barbecue, money
Mike Huckabee, who raised money near Houston over the weekend (see an account here, plans to have an Austin summit/rally early next month, shortly after Tsunami Tuesday, the Feb. 5 balloting in more than 20 other states.
The former Arkansas governor, a GOP candidate for president, intends to have a barbecue and campaign rally at 11 a.m. Feb. 9 at Austin’s downtown Hilton Hotel. That’ll be less than a month before the once-considered-an-afterthought Texas primaries on March 4.
Fetch Huckabee’s invitation here. Or read up on country music singer Collin Raye, penciled in to perform that morning, here.
My hunch: Other presidential candidates are starting to contemplate Texas visits around the same time. Politicos should keep their calendars clear.
Permalink | Comments (6) | Categories: Comings and goings, Presidential race
January 22, 2008
Patterson sitting tight after Thompson departure
Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson, co-chairman of former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson’s presidential campaign in Texas, declared no immediate plans to endorse another candidate in the wake of Thompson quitting the race Tuesday.
But Patterson sounded like he’s mulling a commitment to U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona. He said he won’t be aligning with former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani unless Giuliani (who has the support of Gov. Rick Perry) wins the party’s nomination.
“I want someone who’s straight even if I disagree with him,” Patterson said. McCain, he said, “is a straight shooter.”
Plus for McCain, in Patterson’s view: He’s “been right on the (Iraq) war all along,” a personal issue for Patterson, whose son Travis has done two tours as a Marine captain and helicopter pilot in Iraq.
Minus, in Patterson’s view: McCain is responsible for campaign finance reform that failed to improve the transparency of money in politics while loading up on reporting requirements; he voted against the federal tax cuts successfully sought by President Bush; he’s spoken out against waterboarding as torture; and he’s spoken favorably of getting a governmental handle on global warming.
Patterson wishes Thompson had stayed in the race through Florida’s primary. He attributed his departure half to campaign mistakes and half to abiding disdain in the media’s coverage of his candidacy.
Attorney General Greg Abbott, co-chairman with Patterson of Thompson’s Texas effort, offered no immediate comment on Thompson leaving the race.
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January 17, 2008
Perry, Bush reuniting at Washington fundraiser
Gov. Rick Perry will be reunited with President Bush at a February fundraiser in Washington. The gala organized by the Republican Governors Association (which Perry chairs this year) might give Perry a chance to publicly elaborate on why Bush has never been a fiscal conservative in Perry’s eyes. Perry aired his view at an Iowa stop in December that was placed on YouTube.com. (See our December account here.)
According to the invitation to the Republican Governors Association’s Feb. 25 “celebration of America’s leaders” — fetchable by clicking here — contributors can get in for as little as $1,000, though folks also have the option of volunteering to raise up to $500,000 for the association.
Mildly intriguing in the wake of Perry’s characterization of Bush in December: It looks as if Perry might not directly introduce Bush, his predecessor as governor, at the dinner. That’s because the dinner chairman is South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford.
Permalink | | Categories: Campaign finance, Comings and goings, Elections, Governor, Money, On a Lighter Note, Presidential race
January 15, 2008
Craddick's chief of staff departing after February
Nancy Fisher, who has been an aide to House Speaker Tom Craddick since he won the leadership post in 2003, will depart at the end of February, Craddick announced Tuesday.
The departure of Fisher, who was pretty much Craddick’s deliverer of bad news to House members and staff, stands to be studied around the Capitol for any signs of whether Craddick ultimately bent to members’ requests that she go — or whether she simply decided there are better ways to make a living.
“It has been an honor to work with the speaker in this capacity for the past five years,” Fisher said. “I appreciate the trust he placed in me, and the opportunity to play a small role in bringing historic changes in public policy. While I will greatly miss working for the speaker, the time has come for me to take some time off and pursue outside opportunities.”
Fisher joined Craddick’s office in 2003 when he was elected speaker by the newly-Republican House. She initially worked as his legislative director before becoming chief-of-staff in 2005.
“Nancy has done an excellent job as my top adviser,” Craddick said. “Nadine and I wish her all the best in this next chapter of her life, and we are incredibly grateful for her service and commitment to us.”
Craddick’s office offered no immediate word on a Fisher successor.
Permalink | | Categories: Comings and goings, House, Speaker's race
December 19, 2007
Busy Capitol bus stop needs to move, state says
Plans to change the flow of traffic and enhance security outside the Texas Capitol mean that the busiest bus stop in downtown Austin must move within a year, officials say.
The stop, in sight of the Governor’s Mansion, has long been on the north side of West 11th Street just west of Congress Avenue. It’s on 22 bus routes. Last year, an average of 1,455 people got off buses at the stop while 1,425 people got aboard, according to Capital Metro.
Gov. Rick Perry, saying the Capitol will be more secure with the changes, announced the plans Wednesday, a day after a representative of the State Preservation Board rejected Capital Metro’s pitch to postpone moving the stop until the Capital Metro transportation system gets restructured in 18 months to two years.
The state expects the stop to be moved by Nov. 6, a year after the date of the board’s initial letter to Capital Metro stating that the stop needed to be moved.
The state can order the stop moved because it’s on state land, which extends beyond the Capitol grounds to the middle of 11th Street.
Todd Hemingson, Capital Metro’s vice president for strategic planning and development, said the hunt will be on for alternative stops—with public hearings likely.
Hemingson, noting that the preservation board’s members include the governor and other state officials, said: “We don’t have much interest in getting into a huge public squabble over this. Our immediate plan… is to find a solution acceptable” to the state.
Plans set in motion in February by the preservation board will result in all vehicles on the Capitol grounds entering from 15th Street past a guard station on the north side of the Capitol. Driveways to the east and west will become exits only, along with the two driveways on the south that empty onto 11th Street east of the bus stop. The south exits will be synchronized with the city’s traffic signals on Congress Avenue to ease flow.
Allison Castle, Perry’s spokeswoman, said a factor in the state’s requirement that the bus stop move is that buses stacking up to reach the stop might block the south Capitol drives, potentially causing delays and accidents.
Castle said the entire project, costing $3.3 million, will be done before the 2009 legislative session.
Permalink | Comments (7) | Categories: Comings and goings, Governor
December 12, 2007
Dale Henry for RR Comish
Dale Henry, the Democrat who tried unsuccessfully last year for a seat on the Texas Railroad Commission, plans to try again.
Henry, a former Mills County commissioner and petroleum engineer, has scheduled a press conference nest Tuesday to announce he will challenge incumbent Republican Commissioner Michael Williams.
In 2006, he challenged GOP Commissioner Elizabeth Ames Jones.
He also ran unsuccessfully, as a Republican, in 2004.
Henry has his own video on YouTube, from an appearance at the 2006 Texas Democratic Convention.
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December 5, 2007
Bullock tales corralled in McNeely biography
Dave McNeely has completed his political biography of Bob Bullock, the rough-edged late lieutenant governor of Texas, and it’s rich with tales — including a recap of the night Bullock sat across from a reporter at Scholz Garden after placing a gun on the table between them.
As the book recaps, quoting from reporter Sam Kinch’s own earlier book: “I sometimes get so mad at you that I want to shoot you,” Bullock told Kinch. “I just wanted you to know that.”
McNeely, the longtime political columnist for the Austin American-Statesman, teamed with Jim Henderson, a veteran journalist whose Texas career included investigative work for the Dallas Times-Herald, to write “Bob Bullock, God Bless Texas.” It’ll be in bookstores in February but can be ordered online at a discount here.
I’m not going to spill many more beans. Suffice it to say the authors succeeded in corralling a broad subset of the tales attached to Bullock’s successes and failures.
Bullock’s reaction to getting denied Texas Senate confirmation as a member of the State Insurance Board in the early 1970s proves one of many dramatic elements in the book. I felt like I should have known already its punchline: Bullock took note of the senators who voted against his serving on the board and, as far as his friends knew, kept the list with him (as in tucked into his wallet) through his life. Given a chance, Bullock didn’t shy from reminding those senators how terrible it felt to be rejected for a state board.
Ultimately, the book underscores how Bullock ruled — the good, the bad and the ugly. It also underscores substantial achievements otherwise likely forgotten — including Bullock’s push as secretary of state for a change in law permitting college students away from home to vote in their college towns.
All in all, it’s a lively look back.
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November 7, 2007
Eltife, Watson cited by TML
Two state senators who are former mayors have new plaques for their office walls.
The Texas Municipal League today honored state Rep. Kevin Eltife, R-Tyler, as Legislator of the Year.
Austin state Sen. Kirk Watson received the League’s Distinguished Service Award.
“Senator Eltife was a strong supporter of cities and an outspoken critic of attempts to erode municipal authority. He is tough, knows the issues, and is a problem-solver.
Watson “continually played a key role in defending and preserving municipal authority and was a critical opponent of legislation that would have placed unnecessary property tax revenue caps on cities and counties,” said the group, which lobbies on behalf of Texas municipalities.
The awards were presented at a Dallas event.
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November 1, 2007
Wendy Gramm new TPPF chair
Wendy Lee Gramm, wife of former U.S. Sen. Phil Gramm, has been elected board chairman of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, officials just announced.
Gramm had previously chaired the foundation’s volunteer board of directors from 1999 until 2004. She succeeds Houston businessman William McMinn, who had served as chairman for three years and will remain on the board.
A Texas A&M grad who recently completed a six-tear term on the university’s board of regents, Gramm served as chairman of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission from 1988 to 1993 and was administrator for Information and Regulatory Affairs at the Office of Management and Budget from 1985-88.
She also served as executive director of the Presidential Task Force on Regulatory Relief, and director of the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Economics during the Reagan Administration.
The Texas Public Policy Foundation is a non-profit, free-market research institute based in Austin.
Permalink | | Categories: Comings and goings
October 31, 2007
Sammy gone, Perry steps in by telephone
It’s big news in Austin radio that Sammy Allred is no longer on KVET FM 98.1 in the mornings.
Yet the bigger political pop of Wednesday morning’s used-to-be Sam & Bob Show might have been host Bob Cole calling Gov. Rick Perry’s cell phone live on the air. After a couple rings, Perry picked up.
Cole wondered aloud if he had the right number, asking if he had the governor.
“In the flesh,” Perry replied.
The pair, joined by ad guru Roy Spence (evidently in the studio with Cole), jawed for several minutes with Perry saying he thinks it could be two years before the overhaul of the Governor’s Mansion is done — that’s six months longer than projected.
And Perry noted that early one recent morning, he stepped outside the Perrys’ temporary quarters southwest of Central Austin and heard coyotes howling.
Cole encouraged Perry to revisit his remarks at a Tuesday award dinner thrown by the local chapter of the Boy Scouts of America. In his speech, Perry said his book on Scouting values will be published in February. He said it’ll be a defense of traditional Scouting values, which he described as inappropriately under attack — a message that civil rights lawyer Jim Harrington questioned.
Harrington, director of the Texas Civil Rights Project and a former Eagle Scout like Perry, told Peggy Fikac of the San Antonio Express-News he disagrees with the Boy Scouts’ prohibition on gay people as leaders, saying the group instead should focus on whether a person may be a danger regardless of sexual orientation.
“What the Boy Scouts should be about, and what I always figured we were about … (is) bringing everyone into the community, accepting differences — even differences that you don’t understand or necessarily agree with — to make a better society,” Harrington said. “And to teach boys how to work with each other … not to teach them hatred, and not to teach them division.”
If Cole dials up Harrington for a live chat, we’ll know KVET’s morning show has truly shifted gears.
In the meantime, could someone e-mail me Perry’s cell num? I’ll trade three numbers of your choice and a migas taco.
Permalink | Comments (16) | Categories: Comings and goings, Governor, On a Lighter Note
October 30, 2007
Brewer's funeral services set for noon Friday
Funeral services for Olan Brewer, the political consultant who died Saturday, are set for noon Friday at First Baptist Church at 901 Trinity St. in Austin, his family said Tuesday. Burial arrangements are pending.
Permalink | | Categories: Comings and goings
July 9, 2007
John Hill's family describes his life
From John Hill's family, a recap of his life and times (and perhaps the first reference ever to Austin journalist Ernie Stromberger as Ernest):
John L. Hill, Jr.
John L. Hill Jr. was born October 9, 1923 in Breckenridge, Texas.
His childhood was spent in Kilgore, Texas, where he received his early education.
He was National Debate Champion while at Kilgore University.
He attended the University of Texas as an undergraduate, where he was active in campus politics, Sigma Alpha Epsilon social fraternity, and was a member of the Texas Cowboys honorary service organization, where he served as Foreman (the president of that group.) He was also elected to the Friar Society, the oldest honorary society at the University of Texas.
He served in the United States Navy during World War II, serving in the Pacific. His rank was First Lieutenant.
After the War, he returned to the University Of Texas School Of Law, where he graduated in 1947. He received many awards during law school.
Judge Hill practiced law for over 60 years. He was an associate with the firm Helm and Jones, and then was a founding partner of Hill Brown Kronzer and Abraham, where he practiced for approximately 15 years. He was then a solo practitioner for several years.
Always active in politics, he was appointed Secretary of State of the State of Texas by Governor John Connally. He served in that office from March 12, 1966 until January 1968. While in that office, he instituted many reforms, including installing the Uniform Commercial Code and the many recording and informational policies and procedures which accompanied that code in its day to day application and use by lenders, borrowers, and others.
He returned to the private practice of law from 1968 until the end of 1972. In November of 1972 he was elected Attorney General of Texas, taking office on January 1, 1973. He served thereafter until January 1979. He revolutionized that office, particularly with the institutionalization of the opinion process, open records, and open meetings law.
He organized the environmental protections division, the consumer protection division, and was the first Attorney General to open regional offices around the state so that the office was more accessible to the public.
He then joined a firm titled Hughes and Hill, with offices in Dallas and Austin. He was a leading trial lawyer for the firm, with many interesting cases including assisting EDS with international issues concerning personnel and assets in Iran during times of international crises involving that country
In 1984, he was elected Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas, ably serving in that office until January 1988. He resigned to campaign for changes in the manner of electing or selecting judges to sit in the state judicial system.
He then practiced at the law firm which became Locke Liddell & Sapp. He retired from that firm in 2005. He then became a shareholder in the law firm known as Winstead, serving as a senior member of the Appellate Section.
Considered one of the best trial lawyers in the country, he was a member of the fellows of The American College of Trial Lawyers, the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, the International Society of Barristers, and the American Board of Trial Advocates. He was a member of the American Judicature Society, serving as president of the Texas Chapter.
He was a member of the Order of the Coif Legal Society. He served as President of Texans for Judicial Excellence.
He received many awards throughout his distinguished legal career, including the Leon Green Award for Outstanding Service to the Legal Profession, the America Judicature Society Herbert Hawley Award, the Freedom of the Press Award, the Marc Gold Award for Outstanding Service to the Mentally Retarded, the Karen H. Susman Jurisprudence Award, and the Lola Wright Foundation Award for Legal Ethics.
In 1991, Judge Hill was being named Distinguished Alumnus of the University of Texas. In 1997 he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the University Of Texas School Of Law.
Along with family and friends, he established the John L. Hill Trial Advocacy Center at the University of Texas School of Law. Dedicated on April 2, 2004, the Center oversees the practical training of UT Law students in trial and appellate advocacy. The Center houses the John L. Hill Teaching Courtroom, as well as three additional teaching courtrooms named in honor of other distinguished UT Law Alumni.
With his friend Ernest Stromberger, he recently completed a book about his service as Attorney General of Texas. That book is slated for publication in the fall of this year.
John Hill had many interests, including golf, hunting, and fishing. He was a great friend, who worked hard at being a friend. The stories and humorous things he has done through the years remain a source of delight to those who knew him.
He loved spending time with family and friends at the Double LL Ranch in Dripping Springs, Texas. He particularly enjoyed driving visitors around the ranch, pointing out interesting trees, creeks, hill-top views, animals, and other things he observed. His entertaining and pithy comments were legendary.
Judge Hill was a very active member of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in Houston. He served in many capacities, including service on the Board of Stewards and the St. Luke’s United Methodist Church Foundation.
John L. Hill and Elizabeth Graham were married in Olney, Texas on April 4, 1946. They recently celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary. Their loving devotion to each other was beautiful to behold and experience.
Judge Hill was preceded in death by his parents, John L Hill Sr. and Jessie Hoover Hill. He was also preceded in death by his sister, Laverne Collum.
He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Graham Hill of Houston. He is also survived by his children and their spouses, Melinda Hill Perrin and husband Michael W. Perrin, J. Graham Hill and wife Lindy M. Hill, Judge Martha Hill Jamison and her husband Bruce K. Jamison, all of Houston.
He is survived by one niece, Chris Collum Burkett and husband Harold of Grapevine, Texas.
He is survived by grandchildren, Elizabeth Perrin Eades and husband Jonathan, Carter Perrin and wife Elizabeth, Hunter Perrin and wife Mary Bonner, John Graham Hill, Jr. and fiancée Maria Alsen, Anne Taylor Hill, Peter Charles Hill, Randolph Bolton Hill, Matthew Thomas Clark, Meredith Virginia Clark, Samuel Luke Jamison. He is also survived by four great-grandchildren, Gracelin May Perrin, Eliza Eve Perrin, Oliver Michael Eades, and Elizabeth Graham Eades.
Pallbearers will be his grandchildren.
Permalink | | Categories: Comings and goings
July 5, 2007
John Hill hospitalized
John Hill, the former chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court and attorney general, is in serious but stable condition in a Houston hospital, a family spokesman said Thursday.
Hill, 83, had a pacemaker installed early last month, Ross Margraves said, and left the hospital. He shortly returned to St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital to regain his strength.
“He’s hanging in there,” said Margraves, managing partner of the Houston office of the Winstead law firm, where Hill is a senior partner. “He’s full of tenacity and he’s tough as a boot.”
Hill served as attorney general from 1973 through 1978, the year he won the Democratic nomination for governor before losing to GOP nominee Bill Clements of Dallas. Hill won election as chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court in 1984. He was previously secretary of state.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Comings and goings, Criminal justice
June 25, 2007
Legislative aide reaches Taiwan, sees mariachis
David Holmes, a Texas House aide who doubles in his private life as a Texas member of the Democratic National Committee, landed a DNC-sponsored trip to Taiwan. He made it there—though his first sight happened to be mariachis.
A flight-report excerpt from his trip blog:
“Oh, and the greatest thing about the menu of food was the choice between two breakfasts entitled ‘Western Delight’ - which sounded reasonable; a nice, Four Seasons style American Breakfast - or, ‘Chinese Superiority’ : Pickled mustard greens with minced pork, “marinated, small cucumber slice,” and plain congee just didn’t seem superior to me in any way.”
Peek.
Permalink | | Categories: Comings and goings, House, On a Lighter Note
June 21, 2007
She cooked for five House speakers
Laura Medlock of Austin lost a bump in retirement pay after Gov. Rick Perry vetoed a proposal last week.
Amazingly, she cooked for five speakers of the Texas House over 36 years, starting with Price Daniel Jr., followed by Billy Clayton, Gib Lewis, Pete Laney and Tom Craddick.
Tidbits from a visit this week:
—Medlock, 84, grew up in a three-room house on a farm on Duval Road in Austin. She remembers chopping cotton, pulling corn and picking other vegetables and fruits. Her grandfather, Jim Daniel, who had a farm near McNeil, had been a slave.
—She raised five children on her own after a divorce. She has more than a dozen grandchildren. One son works at the Capitol, in shipping and receiving.
—Before landing at the Capitol (where she got her cook’s post after seeing an opening advertised in the newspaper), she worked as a cook for Ruben Johnson’s family for 40 years.
—For two years, she held two state jobs—the one at the Capitol and the other, nights, at the Austin State School. She had to quit the latter job after state law was changed to bar anyone from holding more than one state job.
—At the Capitol, she’s cooked for many political luminaries. She’s got photos showing her with Gov. Ann Richards and, separately, with Walter Mondale, the former vice president and Democratic presidential nominee. She’s also got a photo of Gov. Bill Clements signed by Clements.
—Though she’s got several photos given to her by Speaker Lewis, who had the strongest appetite of speakers she served, she insisted she had no favorite among the speakers: “All of them was good to me, every last one of them.”
—She spent uncounted nights sleeping in a guest room in the House speaker’s apartment in the Capitol. That practice enabled her to be up very early for breakfasts.
—By her recollection, Lewis guided her against retirement at one time (though she did retire in 1988 only to return in 1989). “Don’t you do it,” she quoted Lewis saying. “You know what happens to old people when they stop to sit down; they die.”
—She singled out her hot rolls, biscuits, peach cobbler and preparations of wild hogs as favorite dishes. She once cooked up alligator tail for Lewis. And she was invited to make her biscuits in Washington by former Gov. George W. Bush—a request she didn’t accept.
—Since leaving the Capitol early this year, she misses people there. She’s thankful that Department of Public Safety troopers check up on her at her home in East Austin.
—She’s willing to share her biscuit recipe with those who seek it.
—Her closing comment: “I’ll tell you what I do love. I love to help people.”
Permalink | | Categories: Comings and goings, House
June 19, 2007
Labor leader retiring
At 64, Emmett Sheppard, president of the Texas AFL-CIO, plans to retire this summer.
The group issued this press release:
Sheppard to Retire as Texas AFL-CIO President
Texas AFL-CIO President Emmett Sheppard has announced he will retire at the end of his current term, completing a career of more than 40 years as a respected activist in the Texas labor movement.
Sheppard, 64, will serve as president until Saturday, Aug. 4, when delegates at the Texas AFL-CIO Constitutional Convention elect a successor.
“Serving as the state labor federation’s president has been the highest honor,” said Sheppard. “My career has coincided with huge changes in the economy that have posed major challenges to the industrial unions in Texas and the U.S.”
“The need for workers to organize and stand up for their rights never goes away,” Sheppard said. “The labor movement is beginning to understand what it will take for workers to succeed in a global economy. In this economy, management - especially non-union management - can arbitrarily move jobs around, cut health care, cut pensions, off-shore, outsource and change out experienced workers for young ones. But management can never repeal the pursuit of happiness. The rules have changed, but in the long run unions remain the most effective tool for workers to play by them effectively.”
A former city councilman in Groves, Sheppard worked for Gulf Oil and served in a succession of Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers positions before coming to the Texas AFL-CIO in 1989 as legislative and political director. Sheppard later served as secretary-treasurer and, since 2003, president.
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Permalink | | Categories: Comings and goings
June 13, 2007
Hunch: Phil Wilson poised to become secretary of state
After listing four individuals as possible successors to Roger Williams as Texas secretary of state this week, I am inclined to believe Perry is choosing his deputy chief of staff, Phil Wilson, to serve as the state’s next chief elections officer.
To my recollection, Wilson’s background includes work as an aide to then-U.S. Sen. Phil Gramm, R-Texas. He attended Hardin Simmons University in Abilene. For Perry, he’s focused on economic development projects. He also steered the dead-at-introduction proposal Perry offered this year to sell the Texas lottery to a private bidder, putting proceeds into endowments for public schools, health insurance and cancer research.
I failed to snag a biography or resume for Wilson from the governor’s office this morning nor did I field confirmation that he’s Perry’s pick. So don’t take this as a traditional news report—just a reporter’s hunch. What I don’t know is whether a Wilson choice will raise objections from anyone.
Side pocket shot: This probably means Brian Newby, Perry’s general counsel since late 2004, will fill the chief of staff position long held by Deirdre Delisi, who recently gave birth to twin boys.
Permalink | | Categories: Comings and goings, Elections, Governor
June 12, 2007
Remembering Harry Hubbard, labor president
Ed Sills of the Texas AFL-CIO recaps Tuesday’s service for Harry Hubbard, who died last week:
The memorial service for former Texas AFL-CIO President Harry Hubbard captured the integrity and calm that he projected throughout his life.
Assuming the celebratory tone that Hubbard wanted, Brother Hank Brown, former Texas AFL-CIO President, said during a eulogy at First Baptist Church in Bastrop, “He said he didn’t want us to grieve for him and I don’t think we should … He led a good life.”
“He’s a guy who could tell you what the average guy was thinking,” Brown said of Hubbard’s political acumen. “He had the pulse of the people.”
Much of the service focused on Hubbard’s passion for golf and how he incorporated his strong religious faith into his life.
Among the political dignitaries attending — and I apologize if I missed some folks in the full house — were former Gov. Mark White, former Attorney General Jim Mattox, former Comptroller John Sharp, former Railroad Commissioner Buddy Temple and former state Sen. Kent Caperton. The labor crowd, of course, was large.
Hubbard was laid to rest earlier in the day in a private ceremony.
Permalink | | Categories: Comings and goings
June 11, 2007
Williams confirms that he's stepping down
Secretary of State Roger Williams is stepping down as the state’s chief elections officer perhaps so he can run for a statewide office.
Williams confirmed his decision to resign, effective July 1, in a statement issued today.
“I am very humbled and appreciative that Gov. (Rick) Perry gave me this incredible opportunity to serve as Texas’ Secretary of State,” Williams said. “The Secretary of State is a great office with a rich tradition and I hope that I played a small role in continuing to ensure that Texas is the best place in America to live, vote and do business.”
Williams, a Weatherford car dealer and businessman appointed by Perry in late 2004, took office Feb. 8, 2005. He was previously a high-dollar fundraiser for President Bush’s campaigns.
Williams, 57, has not cloaked his ambitions. He said in March, for instance, that he’d be interested in a U.S. Senate bid should Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas try for governor in 2010.
“Certainly,” Williams said. “I’m an athlete. I have my track shoes with me all the time.”
The secretary of state oversees elections and doubles as liaison for the governor on border and Mexican affairs. The office also serves as the state’s repository for official and business records and publishes government rules and regulations.
It’s not unusual for secretaries of state to bid for elected office after they’ve held the post. Past secretaries include U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, and Tony Garza, the U.S. ambassador to Mexico who won election to the Texas Railroad Commission after serving as the secretary.
Former Gov. Mark White and former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk, the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2002, were also secretaries of state. The late Bob Bullock won election as state comptroller and then lieutenant governor after serving as secretary of state.
The office as a launch pad for politics “isn’t the same as having your name on the ballot,” Kirk recalled. “But it’s better than starting from scratch.”
Press release from the Secretary of State’s Office:
AUSTIN - Roger Williams today announced that he is leaving his position as Texas Secretary of State to pursue other opportunities. Williams’ resignation will be effective July 1, 2007.
“I am very humbled and appreciative that Governor Perry gave me this incredible opportunity to serve as Texas’ Secretary of State,” Williams said. “The Secretary of State is a great office with a rich tradition and I hope that I played a small role in continuing to ensure that Texas is the best place in America to live, vote and do business.”
During his tenure as Secretary of State, Williams worked aggressively with the Governor to promote job creation and economic development throughout Texas. He served as the Chair of the Governor’s Partnership Council on Economic Development working to bring more business and jobs to Texas. He also led numerous business recruitment missions around the United States through TexasOne, a privately funded program designed to market the state of Texas to companies and site selectors. Additionally, he led missions to Mexico, Canada and Japan to promote trade and increase Texas’ position as the leading exporting state in the nation.
“Roger Williams has been an incredible salesman for the State of Texas and his leadership will be missed,” Perry said. “He has been a tremendous asset to the state on elections, economic development, border affairs and a host of other issues. I am proud of the work he has done during his term as Secretary of State and, more importantly, proud to call him a friend.”
Over the last two and a half years, Williams managed a variety of responsibilities including: leading Texas to be among the first states in the nation to comply with the Help America Vote Act of 2002; serving as the chair of the Base Realignment and Closure Response Strike Force, a group consisting of representatives of 14 state agencies, boards and commissions working to minimize the impact of BRAC on the state of Texas; acting as senior advisor and liaison to the Governor for Texas Border and Mexican Affairs; and serving as Chief International Protocol Officer for Texas hosting foreign officials and businesses from around the world.
Permalink | | Categories: Comings and goings, Elections, Governor
June 7, 2007
Harry Hubbard, 1924-2007
Harry Hubbard, president of the Texas AFL-CIO from 1973 to 1989, died this afternoon at his home in Bastrop after battling leukemia. He was 82.
Ed Sills, spokesman for the AFL-CIO, said Hubbard “led the Texas labor movement with tenacity and class during his presidency and he was widely respected as a labor leader.”
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Comings and goings
May 30, 2007
Former Rep. Roberts dies
Passing along this notice…
Former State Rep. Wesley Roberts passed away in Austin on Wednesday afternoon following a long illness. Roberts, 81, represented the 99th district in West Texas from 1957-1963.
In 1965, Roberts moved to Austin and was a familiar figure among lobbyists while representing Southwest Airlines, Entex, the Texas Forestry Association and the Texas Statewide Telephone Cooperative. He hosted the legislative roundtable breakfasts at the Driskill, and later the Stephen F. Austin Hotel, a tradition that began in the 1960’s and continues.
Roberts served in the Navy during World War II and played football at Baylor. Born in Knott, Texas, he grew up in Andrews and returned there after college where his family ran the Andrews County News and later created Roberts Publishing, which continues to publish newspapers in West Texas today.
Roberts is survived by his wife, Flora, five children, eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Services are set for 10 a.m. Saturday at the Texas State Cemetery.
Permalink | | Categories: Comings and goings, House
May 29, 2007
New chief tech officer
Veteran tech official Brian Rawson has been named the state’s new chief technology officer, officials announced today.
Aftere serving as the interim director, following the resignation of Larry Olsen last December, Rawson will now fill the $135,000-a-year post full-time.
The position of chief technology officer also serves as executive director of the state Department of Information Resources, which coordinates and oversees all state technology programs and operations.
”As a native Texan, and as someone who is passionate about public service, I can think of no better way to serve this state than as it’s chief technology officer,” Rawson said in a statement. ”Texas has a wonderful technology vision, and our focus now must be to deliver on that vision.”
Rawson has served as the interim CTO as well as interim executive director of the agency. With 23 years’ experience in the technology field, he previously served as the director of DIR’s service delivery division.
Rawson has a bachelors degree from the University of Texas at Austin, and an MBA from St. Edward’s University.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Comings and goings
May 26, 2007
Blues in the House, honoring Clifford Antone
Rep. Dawnna Dukes, D-Austin, rolled out a resolution honoring the “affable Clifford Antone,” Austin’s legendary night club impresario who died a year ago.
Antone’s family members were greeted; there was no musical interlude—not even a splash of saxophone.
Permalink | | Categories: Comings and goings, House
May 14, 2007
Update: Nancy McDonald dies
Former El Paso Rep. Nancy McDonald died Monday. Before she became known as Mom