TexasTowelie
TexasTowelie's JournalRep. Mark Meadows reprimanded by panel over response to sexual harassment allegations
WASHINGTON -- Rep. Mark Meadows, a Republican from western North Carolina, must repay the government more than $40,000 after the House Ethics Committee found that Meadows didn’t do enough to address or prevent harassment by his former chief of staff.
Meadows, chairman of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, also received a reprimand from the committee, which began an investigation in 2016 after getting a referral from the independent Office of Congressional Ethics.
“Meadows’ failure to take prompt and decisive action to deal with the alleged sexual harassment in his congressional office was troubling,” the committee wrote in its report released Friday afternoon.
The case stems from allegations of sexual harassment made by multiple female staffers in Meadows’ office against his then-Chief of Staff Kenny West in 2014 and 2015. Meadows changed West’s title to senior adviser, but kept him on staff for months. West later resigned, but was paid his full salary for another two months and received travel reimbursement during that time, according to the committee’s report.
Read more: https://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/congress/article221776670.html
Lindsey Graham poised to become judiciary panel chairman -- and a big Democratic target
WASHINGTON -- Sen. Lindsey Graham is poised to become the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee in the next Congress, giving him both influence and exposure — and a new, politically risky stature as a Democratic target.
Aside from running for president in 2015, the South Carolina Republican has never held a position with such a high level of visibility and unique set of challenges in his decades-long career.
Now he’s about to move into one of Congress’ most visible positions as he and President Donald Trump prepare to run for re-election in 2020.
Graham’s primary responsibility will be moving Trump’s judicial nominees through the Senate, helping the president cement his legacy by confirming conservative judges to lifetime tenures on the federal bench.
Read more: https://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/congress/article221425120.html
Trudeau Grilled About Bigoted GOP Push to Remove LGBTQ Protections from North American Trade Deal
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was questioned on Sunday about a group of 40 GOP bigots who are pushing to have a provision that ensures LGBTQ workers are protected from discrimination removed from a new North American trade pact between the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.
The letter, signed by a veritable ‘who’s who’ of anti-LGBTQ Republicans, urges Trump to reject the agreement unless the protections for LGBTQ people are removed, saying that “a trade agreement is no place for the adoption of social policy” and said the U.S. “has the right to decide when, whether and how to tackle issues of civil rights, protected classes and workplace rights.”
Adds the letter: “It is especially inappropriate and insulting to our sovereignty to needlessly submit to social policies which the United States Congress has so far explicitly refused to accept.”
The letter argues that keeping the provision would not allow the administration to rescind Obama-era protections for LGBTQ workers that Republicans have been working diligently to trash.
Read more: http://www.towleroad.com/2018/11/justin-trudeau-lgbtq-protections/
The scoop on how your cat's sandpapery tongue deep cleans
WASHINGTON (AP) — Cat lovers know when kitties groom, their tongues are pretty scratchy. Using high-tech scans and some other tricks, scientists are learning how those sandpapery tongues help cats get clean and stay cool.
The secret: Tiny hooks that spring up on the tongue — with scoops built in to carry saliva deep into all that fur.
A team of mechanical engineers reported the findings Monday, and say they're more than a curiosity. They could lead to inventions for pets and people.
"Their tongue could help us apply fluids, or clean carpets, or apply medicine" to hairy skin, said Georgia Tech lead researcher Alexis Noel, who is seeking a patent for a 3D-printed, tongue-inspired brush.
Read more: https://www.dentonrc.com/ap/washington/the-scoop-on-how-your-cat-s-sandpapery-tongue-deep/article_81376467-d3be-5e3e-94f0-97caaeeb38a5.html
MIRT Alert - Incoming?
The large wooden troll, "Isak Hearthstone," made by artist Thomas Dambo during Breckenridge International Festival of the Arts in August, sits in the snow Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2018, along the Wellington Trail in Breckenridge, Colo. The troll was created during the Breckenridge Festival of the Arts in August, but got so popular that it caused complaints from nearby homeowners due to tourists visiting, and demanded it to be removed. (Hugh Carey/Summit Daily News via AP)
Giant wooden troll removed in Colorado could get new home
BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. (AP) — A huge wooden troll that proved to be too popular in a Colorado ski resort town is gone, but it's possible the artwork could find another home.
Workers in Breckenridge used a chainsaw and backhoe to remove the 15-foot (4.5 meter) sculpture known as Isak Heartstone on Thursday.
The Summit Daily News reports that most of the work created by Danish artist Thomas Dambo was discarded or recycled but that some pieces were saved and put in storage in hopes of installing the sculpture somewhere else.
Town manager Rick Holman said officials are talking to Dambo and considering some possibilities but said nothing was imminent.
Read more: https://www.mrt.com/news/article/Giant-wooden-troll-removed-in-Colorado-could-get-13400354.php
Environmental Group Gathers 53,000 Signatures Asking Whataburger to Ditch Polystyrene Cups
Around 53,000 people have signed an environmental group's petition demanding that Whataburger stop using polystyrene cups.
Environment Texas delivered copies of the petition to three Whataburger locations Monday, including the iconic burger chain's San Antonio corporate headquarters and individual restaurants in Austin and Corpus Christi.
The Austin-based nonprofit started the signature drive this summer after asking Whataburger to find environmentally friendly alternatives for its drink cups. At the time, company officials agreed to meet with the activists, but the restaurant chain only last week committed to a date — Dec. 19.
Luke Metzger, Environment Texas' Executive director, said he hopes Whataburger follows the lead of McDonald's and Dunkin Donuts, which agreed to phase out polystyrene under pressure from consumers.
Read more: https://www.sacurrent.com/the-daily/archives/2018/11/19/environmental-group-gathers-53000-signatures-asking-whataburger-to-ditch-polystyrene-cups
New Democrats Hope For a More Bipartisan Texas Senate in 2019
When the Texas Senate convenes in January, Democrats will have one more senator in their ranks.
But the reality is that Republicans and Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick are still firmly in control of a chamber that has been pushed far to the right in recent years. Even with newcomers Beverly Powell and Nathan Johnson beating out GOP incumbents Konni Burton and Don Huffines in the midterm elections, Democrats only increased their numbers from 11 to 12 in the 31-seat Senate. That’s because Democrats flubbed a special election in September to replace convicted felon and longtime San Antonio Senator Carlos Uresti. Republican Pete Flores beat former Congressman Pete Gallego in the district that Democrats held for 139 years.
Under Texas Senate rules passed by Patrick in 2015, any legislation must have the approval of three-fifths of the lawmakers to be brought to the floor. With 19 Republicans in the upper chamber, the GOP has just enough of a majority to control legislation next session.
On the other hand, Democrats — if they vote as a bloc — now only need one Republican ally to block legislation. Harold Cook, a longtime Democratic strategist in Austin, said the new makeup means there is a much higher probability that the Senate will return to its bipartisan roots, including more cooperation from the lieutenant governor.
Read more: https://www.texasobserver.org/new-democrats-hope-for-a-more-bipartisan-texas-senate-in-2019/
Democrat Gina Ortiz Jones concedes in close congressional race against Will Hurd
By Patrick Svitek, Texas TribuneDemocrat Gina Ortiz Jones conceded Monday in her challenge to U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, R-Helotes, ensuring a third term for Hurd in his perennial battleground district.
"While we came up short this time, we ran a race of which we can be proud," Jones said in a statement. "I remain committed to serving my community and country, and I wish Will Hurd the courage to fight for TX-23 in the way in which our district deserves.”
Her statement comes nearly two weeks after the election. Hurd has consistently led Jones by roughly 1,000 votes or more out of about 209,000 cast, but she had been holding out hope and pushing to make sure all outstanding ballots were counted.
Jones had been particularly concerned with provisional ballots, or ballots that were cast when there was a question about a voter's eligibility. Last week, Jones' campaign went to court to try to force Bexar County to hand over a list of such voters before the Tuesday deadline for them to resolve their issues. The campaign also sought a 48-hour extension of that deadline. Both requests were denied.
Read more: https://www.texastribune.org/2018/11/19/gina-ortiz-jones-concedes-close-congressional-race-against-will-hurd/
After Approval Of HPD-HFD Pay Parity, Credit Rating Agency Downgrades Houston's Outlook
Credit rating agency Fitch has changed the City of Houston’s outlook from stable to negative after the passage of Proposition B in the November 6 midterm election. Proposition B establishes pay parity between the local police and fire departments.
A Fitch report released this week says that the implementation of the pay parity “will exacerbate an already challenged budgetary profile.”
Fitch notes that the City of Houston has shown “an ability and willingness to adjust spending levels to counter revenue limitations and periods of revenue weakness and to maintain sound reserves,” while adding that such expenditure flexibility “will be tested over the near term given the combination of the new charter amendment,” in reference to Proposition B.
The credit agency also mentions increased pension-related spending and existing budgetary pressures as factors to take into account. Moreover, the report touches on the revenue cap voters approved in 2004.
Read more: https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/city-of-houston/2018/11/16/312349/after-approval-of-hpd-hfd-pay-parity-credit-rating-agency-downgrades-houstons-outlook/
No, Beto Won't Be Presidential Based On Seniority. It Will Have to be Magic.
Last week I found myself trying to explain Beto to a New Yorker. I didn’t do a good job. I do better with a day to think about it, a desk, a web browser and an editor than I do trying to talk on my feet.
I was taken aback. The person I was talking to is a very old friend who also happens to be very well connected in New York. He had had dinner the night before with some names you would know from the national media world and some people who were impressive whether you’ve heard their names before or not. I think he has dinner like that every night, unless he’s at home eating pizza in front of the TV and talking to me.
Beto O’Rourke came up, because they were tossing around potential presidential candidates in 2020. He said the really famous, very liberal media person at the table asked if Beto wasn’t just some nobody, a flash in the pan who had had his chance, blown it and now would fade from view and memory.
I asked my friend what he had said to that. He said he had said nothing. He said he figured the media person was right.
Read more: https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/if-hes-presidential-it-will-be-because-beto-is-outside-and-magic-11368959
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Gender: MaleHometown: South Texas. most of my life I lived in Austin and Dallas
Home country: United States
Current location: Bryan, Texas
Member since: Sun Aug 14, 2011, 03:57 AM
Number of posts: 112,491
