Kenny Paxton/Dave P's Impeachment Game Day Thread

[Longhorn_Fan68 33695]

On 9/16/2023 at 5:20 PM, CTC2 said:

Democrats in Texas really should just start massively voting in Republican primary’s.  If they could, they could maybe keep out some of these nuts. 

I'm considering it, but that probably also hurts good D candidates that maybe don't have funding or backing. It's a risky strategy. But if the races in your district are a foregone conclusion, then hell yeah do it

[Js1 82369]

21 minutes ago, Longhorn_Fan68 said:

I'm considering it, but that probably also hurts good D candidates that maybe don't have funding or backing. It's a risky strategy. But if the races in your district are a foregone conclusion, then hell yeah do it

Can’t do it next year, if I’m still around. I have to vote against Kim Ogg. 

[Beau Vine 53625]

TT:

Quote

In the closing arguments of the impeachment trial of Attorney General Ken Paxton, Rep. Jeff Leach, a former Paxton ally who was now making the case against him, told his Senate colleagues that their next vote would be “the hardest vote, the most difficult vote, the heaviest vote” that they would ever cast.

After 13 witnesses and dozens of hours of testimony and cross-examination — it was finally time for the Texas Senate, acting as the jury, to deliberate.

Senators ate lunch and then fanned out across their side of the Texas Capitol. They deliberated for just shy of eight hours.

By Saturday morning, the jury had reached a verdict — and it was decisive. The Texas Senate voted to acquit Paxton on all 16 articles of impeachment that alleged he misused his office to help his friend and donor Nate Paul investigate his enemies in exchange for favors. No article received even close to the 21 votes required to convict Paxton — and permanently remove him from office.

Behind closed doors, however, it was not a foregone conclusion that Paxton would skate.

Multiple senators who spoke with The Texas Tribune described deliberations that began in good faith, but turned toward an acquittal consensus as political calculation set in among Republicans. In the end, it appeared that the Senate may have been close to the threshold for acquittal, but Republicans did not want to take a tough vote if they could not get there.

“I feel there were six senators who were ready to be the 21st vote,” said Sen. Nathan Johnson, D-Dallas. “But they didn’t want to be the 20th vote.”

Ultimately, only two Republicans — Sens. Robert Nichols of Jacksonville and Kelly Hancock of North Richland Hills — voted with Democrats to convict Paxton. But at least five more GOP senators appeared to be in play during deliberations, according to four people familiar with the talks. There was never any poll taken of how senators would vote, so they were left to gauge their colleagues’ thinking through personal observations and discussions in private

Among those five were some who had long been seen as potential problems for Paxton. There was Houston Sen. Joan Huffman, the chair of the Senate Finance Committee, who had questioned Paxton in 2021 over his hiring of an outside lawyer to investigate Paul’s claims that he was the target of a conspiracy by law enforcement. Even Paxton’s lead lawyer, Tony Buzbee, publicly acknowledged in a mid-June podcast that Huffman “may not be pro-Paxton.”

“Any characterization that I changed my mind during deliberations is completely false,” Huffman said in a statement when asked about being open to voting to convict. “No one could have known my final decision until I voted on the Senate floor as votes were never taken during the deliberation process. I impartially considered the law and the evidence as required by my oath.”

Another one of the five was Sen. Mayes Middleton of Galveston, who had donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to two of Paxton’s primary challengers in 2022. Middleton has been conspicuously quiet since the verdict — he did not respond to a request for comment, and he had not publicized any explanation of his vote as of Wednesday afternoon.

The Houston Chronicle first reported Tuesday that Huffman and Middleton were among multiple senators who considered voting to convict but ultimately declined.

Sen. Drew Springer, R-Muenster, went further in an interview with his local newspaper published Monday, suggesting half of the 16 Republican senators who voted to acquit had been close to deciding the other way. People familiar with the deliberations said Springer was among those who were on the fence, but his spokesperson told the Chronicle that “evidence alone impacted Sen. Springer’s decision.” He did not respond to messages seeking comment from the Tribune.

Paxton allies had especially zeroed in on him as GOP senator up for reelection next year in a blood-red district. They released polling in his district and dangled a serious primary opponent.

Ultimately, Republican senators largely justified their acquittal votes by saying the House simply did not meet the heavy burden of proof. But the political pressure was inescapable, as Paxton allies bombarded Republican lawmakers with TV ads, text messages, billboards and individual threats of primary challengers. Toward the end of the trial, former President Donald Trump broke his silence on the Senate proceeding, condemning Paxton’s “shameful impeachment.”

And then there was Patrick, the all-powerful lieutenant governor who presided over the trial and made an effort to show his impartiality, impressing even some of his sketics along the way. But he took $3 million from a pro-Paxton group in June, and any of his skeptics’ optimism crumbled when they saw him conclude the trial by giving a fiery speech denouncing the House impeachment process.

It instantly sparked speculation that Patrick knew the verdict ahead of time and had been in contact with jurors, perhaps lobbying them during deliberations. He has since denied applying any pressure to senators, calling it a conspiracy theory from the House.

“It’s a bunch of losers who are crying now in their beer saying, ‘Oh, well, it has to be someone else. We did our job,’' Patrick said in a radio interview Tuesday. “They did nothing.”

Jury deliberations began shortly before noon Friday.

There was no indication how long they would last. Patrick told them if they could not reach a verdict by Sunday night, he may sequester them in the Capitol. They were to pack a bag of clothes just in case.

It was nothing like “12 Angry Men,” the 1957 movie where a jury vigorously debates as a whole, multiple senators said in interviews. After all, the senators didn’t need a unanimous verdict like in a criminal trial. Instead they went off on their own or broke off into small groups — no more than roughly six senators meeting at once. Some sat at their desks to review their notes on the Senate floor, while others gathered in the hallway or committee room behind the chamber.

Johnson said he thought most senators had “very strong leanings” by the end of closing arguments but wanted to return to the evidence to address “lingering questions” or confirm things they had heard. He said some of the conversations among senators were “more earnest than others” and he had “some really good, patient conversations with several members, including Republicans.

Sen. Paul Bettencourt, a Houston Republican close to Patrick who had voted to dismiss the case pretrial, said a “a couple dozen or more” senators went to the Betty King Committee Room to watch what he considered a key piece of evidence. It was a video of a 2020 meeting between Nate Paul, his lawyer Michael Wynne and Paxton’s deputies, with Paul laying out his allegations against the authorities. Bettencourt recalled that senators listened “intently” and some stayed for the entirety of the video.

“I felt that there was a pretty substantial coalescing around the video making it demonstrably clear that it was not a baseless complaint” by Paul, Bettencourt said, nodding to the prosecution’s insistence that it was a waste of the offices’ resources and time to take Paul’s case seriously.

Another senator, granted anonymity to discuss the private deliberations, said the audio of the video was poor quality and they did not understand how it could outweigh all the other evidence in any case.

In the 5 p.m. hour, a poll was taken of who was ready to vote. Bettencourt said a “substantial minority” was not ready — “including people in all the camps” — so they kept deliberating. Another senator confirmed Bettencourt’s account.

They had fajitas for dinner, but there was no gathering of the full jury — individuals and small groups came and went.

The mood was changing by late evening, however, according to multiple senators. Johnson said it “turned deathly pale” as it became clear some Republican senators were moving toward voting inconsistent with how they “actually felt.”

“You could tell they were beginning to be pressured,” Sen. Roland Gutierrez, D-San Antonio, said.

Hancock, the Republican senator who voted to convict, later told the Dallas Morning News that “a lot of people’s opinion changed overnight.” He declined to elaborate, both to the newspaper and to the Tribune.

While jurors deliberated Friday, Patrick and his staff went to see “Oppenheimer,” the summer blockbuster about the making of the atomic bomb, before going out to dinner at a Mexican restaurant. Patrick said he got a call from a senator “right in the middle of the movie when the bomb’s gonna drop.”

“[The senator] wanted to know if they had reached their decision, if they could go home early,” Patrick said in an interview with the Tribune on Tuesday

.

Senators apparently were cleared, as several were seen leaving the Capitol before the 8 p.m. end time that Patrick had given them.

Patrick said he got a second call from a senator later that night, asking about the logistics of the Saturday vote.

Patrick declined to name who he spoke with but denied discussing jury deliberations with them.

“People were still formulating an opinion” Friday night, Bettencourt said, “but I felt like there were no eureka moments of, ‘Here’s the smoking gun. We found it.’”

Others left the Capitol that night mostly resigned. Paxton, they believed, was headed for acquittal as it became clear Republicans were not willing to take a tough vote if they could not reach the overall threshold to convict.

Not all of the senators have painted the same picture of what happened.

Sen. Tan Parker, R-Flower Mound said in a radio interview Monday that the final outcome was a surprise to members. State. Phil King, R-Weatherford, said he did not think any minds were changed in deliberations.

Some GOP senators and people close to them said they started really forming an opinion a couple days before deliberations, when the House rested its case. They were taken aback that the House had nothing more to offer.

Verdict day
In any case, there was little deliberation left to be had by Saturday morning. Senators were scheduled to resume deliberations at 9 a.m., and while a handful were still reviewing evidence, it seemed like a verdict was near.

Mitch Little, one of Paxton’s attorneys, later recalled that he was showering around 9 a.m. Saturday — when he got a call from Patrick’s chief of staff, Darrell Davila. The jury had reached a verdict.

Shortly after 9:30, Patrick’s office gave notice to the media that the jury would vote on the articles at 10:30 a.m..

Paxton’s lawyers felt they had done a good job raising doubt about the testimony of the House witnesses, but they had no read on the jury.

“Not one of them ever gave any indication of where their heads were in all this,” Paxton’s lead lawyer, Tony Buzbee, later said in a radio interview. “There were no leaks. I had no idea. My team had no idea. My client, Attorney General Paxton, had no idea how these jurors would vote.”

After the vote to acquit, Patrick excused his impeachment counsel, Lana Myers. Then Davila laid a new piece of paper on Patrick’s desk.

“Longtime observers like me,” Bettencourt said, “I knew something was coming.”

Patrick laid into the House, harshly criticizing the impeachment process and calling for an audit of the costs of the investigation and trial. It was a political bombshell, ratcheting up a Texas GOP civil war that was already raging. At least one senator who voted convict, Gutierrez, walked out in disgust.

Within an hour and a half, it drew a furious response from Phelan, who accused Patrick of showing he was biased all along.

One of the House lawyers, Dick DeGuerin, had a simpler — but maybe not unrelated — explanation in a TV interview three days later.

“The Republican senators turned chicken,” DeGuerin said.

Patrick’s speech
The questions began almost immediately. What did Patrick know, and when did he know it?

By Sunday evening, the Wall Street Journal published an editorial saying the “fix was in from the start and that Mr. Patrick lobbied his fellow GOP Senators to unite against the House articles of impeachment.” Patrick insisted on Twitter that all he did was return phone calls from two senators who had “procedural issues” during the deliberations.

In media appearances Monday, he denied speaking to any senators about their deliberations and said he actually thought going into the trial that Paxton would probably be convicted due to the large number of articles. In a radio interview, Bettencourt said the Wall Street Journal editorial board is “just flat lying through their teeth ... and there's just no senators that will testify otherwise, Democrat or Republican.”

As for the Saturday timeline, Patrick told Lubbock radio host Chad Hasty that he had prepared two speeches — and wrote the one he ultimately delivered at 4 a.m. Saturday. He emphasized to Hasty and other interviewers that he decided to give it immediately after the verdict — rather than later — because he wanted his feelings on the House process to be part of the court record.

Patrick told the Tribune that the other speech he prepared was for if Paxton had been convicted. He said he planned to criticize the House process regardless.

“I would have said very, very similar things – in fact, pretty much identical,” he said.

While opinions vary on what exactly may have ultimately swayed the swing votes, few disagree that it was an inherently political process from the start. The outcome, they reason, reflected that.

“My cynical lens says Republicans were gonna go in there and make a political decision,” Gutierrez said. “Hell, I thought that from Day 1. I was proven right.”

 

[YGIFS 19443]

From the dept. of "Da Fuh?"  Days after the verdict came down, and Nate went back to counsel revisit/revise options, his sister-Sheena made some curious moves.  She's been renting a rather pricey, even for that place, condo unit in the Austonian from a local political influencer.  Owner is notified that Sheena will be breaking lease early.  She informs owner that she can pay whatever penalties but any break, power-woman to power-woman, she can give her are appreciated.  I didn't ask any follow-ups on that.  But Sheena further says she has to vacate soon and is offering a quick-close in cash on the sprawling home of her dreams outside of downtown in a prominent Austin neighborhood, so as to beat competing offers.  Owner is somewhat puzzles but this happens in the high-end condo market so she's willing to work with her.  We of course both note that homestead equity can be declared rather quickly and is nearly untouchable in the State of Texas except in extremely rare legal circumstances.  I say nothing but draw some conclusions.  

Here's the really interesting kicker.  Owner has handshake agreement to inform next door neighbor to her Austonian unit when her unit becomes available from current/any renter (I think she's been wanting to sell it anyway).  Such that next door neighbor can move a friend/family next door or buy it himself for investment purposes.  Neighbors keep to themselves when in town, and don't talk with Sheena much.  And they've all been awfully quiet during the Paul/Paxton situation.  And now Sheena is suddenly moving and buying very expensive home in cash.  Neighbor doesn't think anything of any of it, just wants to think about maybe making a move on the adjacent unit.  And Sheena's neighbor's name?  You guessed it.  John Cornyn.  

The simulation is so damn lazy at this point, I'm half expecting the Stay-Puft marshmallow man to appear on top of the Austonian this Sunday night.

[Pescado_Rojo 19192]

2 minutes ago, YGIFS said:

From the dept. of "Da Fuh?"  Days after the verdict came down, and Nate went back to counsel revisit/revise options, his sister-Sheena made some curious moves.  She's been renting a rather pricey, even for that place, condo unit in the Austonian from a local political influencer.  Owner is notified that Sheena will be breaking lease early.  She informs owner that she can pay whatever penalties but any break, power-woman to power-woman, she can give her are appreciated.  I didn't ask any follow-ups on that.  But Sheena further says she has to vacate soon and is offering a quick-close in cash on the sprawling home of her dreams outside of downtown in a prominent Austin neighborhood, so as to beat competing offers.  Owner is somewhat puzzles but this happens in the high-end condo market so she's willing to work with her.  We of course both note that homestead equity can be declared rather quickly and is nearly untouchable in the State of Texas except in extremely rare legal circumstances.  I say nothing but draw some conclusions.  

Here's the really interesting kicker.  Owner has handshake agreement to inform next door neighbor to her Austonian unit when her unit becomes available from current/any renter (I think she's been wanting to sell it anyway).  Such that next door neighbor can move a friend/family next door or buy it himself for investment purposes.  Neighbors keep to themselves when in town, and don't talk with Sheena much.  And they've all been awfully quiet during the Paul/Paxton situation.  And now Sheena is suddenly moving and buying very expensive home in cash.  Neighbor doesn't think anything of any of it, just wants to think about maybe making a move on the adjacent unit.  And Sheena's neighbor's name?  You guessed it.  John Cornyn.  

The simulation is so damn lazy at this point, I'm half expecting the Stay-Puft marshmallow man to appear on top of the Austonian this Sunday night.

[hookemATL 11496]

Paxton needs/deserves the Maury treatment from Goodfellas. Cannot believe this bullshit (yes I can). 

[HalfSack Horn 149]

47 minutes ago, YGIFS said:

From the dept. of "Da Fuh?"  Days after the verdict came down, and Nate went back to counsel revisit/revise options, his sister-Sheena made some curious moves.  She's been renting a rather pricey, even for that place, condo unit in the Austonian from a local political influencer.  Owner is notified that Sheena will be breaking lease early.  She informs owner that she can pay whatever penalties but any break, power-woman to power-woman, she can give her are appreciated.  I didn't ask any follow-ups on that.  But Sheena further says she has to vacate soon and is offering a quick-close in cash on the sprawling home of her dreams outside of downtown in a prominent Austin neighborhood, so as to beat competing offers.  Owner is somewhat puzzles but this happens in the high-end condo market so she's willing to work with her.  We of course both note that homestead equity can be declared rather quickly and is nearly untouchable in the State of Texas except in extremely rare legal circumstances.  I say nothing but draw some conclusions.  

Here's the really interesting kicker.  Owner has handshake agreement to inform next door neighbor to her Austonian unit when her unit becomes available from current/any renter (I think she's been wanting to sell it anyway).  Such that next door neighbor can move a friend/family next door or buy it himself for investment purposes.  Neighbors keep to themselves when in town, and don't talk with Sheena much.  And they've all been awfully quiet during the Paul/Paxton situation.  And now Sheena is suddenly moving and buying very expensive home in cash.  Neighbor doesn't think anything of any of it, just wants to think about maybe making a move on the adjacent unit.  And Sheena's neighbor's name?  You guessed it.  John Cornyn.  

The simulation is so damn lazy at this point, I'm half expecting the Stay-Puft marshmallow man to appear on top of the Austonian this Sunday night.

All of that to tell us you figured out where the shitty brisket was cooked? 

[South Austin 51411]

50 minutes ago, YGIFS said:

From the dept. of "Da Fuh?"  Days after the verdict came down, and Nate went back to counsel revisit/revise options, his sister-Sheena made some curious moves.  She's been renting a rather pricey, even for that place, condo unit in the Austonian from a local political influencer.  Owner is notified that Sheena will be breaking lease early.  She informs owner that she can pay whatever penalties but any break, power-woman to power-woman, she can give her are appreciated.  I didn't ask any follow-ups on that.  But Sheena further says she has to vacate soon and is offering a quick-close in cash on the sprawling home of her dreams outside of downtown in a prominent Austin neighborhood, so as to beat competing offers.  Owner is somewhat puzzles but this happens in the high-end condo market so she's willing to work with her.  We of course both note that homestead equity can be declared rather quickly and is nearly untouchable in the State of Texas except in extremely rare legal circumstances.  I say nothing but draw some conclusions.  

Here's the really interesting kicker.  Owner has handshake agreement to inform next door neighbor to her Austonian unit when her unit becomes available from current/any renter (I think she's been wanting to sell it anyway).  Such that next door neighbor can move a friend/family next door or buy it himself for investment purposes.  Neighbors keep to themselves when in town, and don't talk with Sheena much.  And they've all been awfully quiet during the Paul/Paxton situation.  And now Sheena is suddenly moving and buying very expensive home in cash.  Neighbor doesn't think anything of any of it, just wants to think about maybe making a move on the adjacent unit.  And Sheena's neighbor's name?  You guessed it.  John Cornyn.  

The simulation is so damn lazy at this point, I'm half expecting the Stay-Puft marshmallow man to appear on top of the Austonian this Sunday night.

Speaking of Sheena, who else jerked it to Tanya Roberts back in the day?

 

[Brisketexan 103148]

Speaking of Sheena, who else jerked it to Tanya Roberts back in the day?
 

Back in the day. This afternoon. Whichever.

[Updawg 2239]

Is cornyn retiring? If not you’d think he would know to cut this guy off at the knees when he could. He still has power even if he doesn’t do shit.

[YGIFS 19443]

I hear rumblings to both effects on Cornyn's fate.  We all do.  Facts are he's class II.  If he runs one more time, he'll win no matter the sentiment on here.  Meaning he'd be sworn in in 2027 just a few weeks before he turns 75 years old.  Finishing out his term just shy of 81.  He looks a little weary in person, but a lotta guys his size often do on the other side of 70.  He has spent nearly 40 years in elected office, either on a bench or AG or Senate (which raises the question of how he affords one of the more expensive higher-up units at the Austonian).  Even if a GOP POTUS wins in 2024, I don't think he's any longer an attractive SCOTUS nominee idea like he was two decades ago.  He'd certainly have this choice of think tank or speaking circuit assignments or faculty at any law school almost.  I doubt he makes any kind of decision until Spring of 2025 so not much to speculate beyond pure speculation.  

My inside-baseball bet though?  He runs for re-election in 2026, but retires past half-way through his term and a GOP Governor replaces him for the last 23 months.  No need for a special election and John pursues his lifelong dream of opening up a BBQ trailer in East Austin called Cornyn's Catsup, specializing in brisket and tragic legacies.  

[South Austin 51411]

8 hours ago, YGIFS said:

John pursues his lifelong dream of opening up a BBQ trailer in East Austin called Cornyn's Catsup, specializing in brisket and tragic legacies.  

Okay, that got me.

[wreckatx 141]

Anyone else watching the tweets from TribFest? Patrick and Rs that voted to acquit are still fading a lot of heat. Wonder how long this will last?

[YGIFS 19443]

It was all anybody could talk about Wednesday into Thursday morning at TribFest (where I got the Paul/Cornyn intel which is weird because we were both stone cold sober).  Peppered in was some voucher session talk.  But it seems to have quieted down for the sake of the RPT and higher-up ballot guys trying to put on a united front for the centre-left TribFest because a lot of eyes from around the nation are fixed on it.  I was gonna go check out some of the "OpenCongress" or whatever they call it now today before football but the idea of crowded tent on asphalt in this weather or queued up to hear Cruz or Manchin doesn't sound that appealing.  

That said, there's a buncha great programming today with some actual intelligent middle of the road folks if you want to feel smart before cheering on the destruction of Baylor tonight.  I gotta badge if somebody wants to use it.  I know TCRP has some operatives going to Eckhart's talk in a little while here to ask "tough questions" because she dared question the way in which Dan "Three Fingers/Three Million" Patrick handled the trial of Paxton.  Quite petty, especially in this heat.  I think you'll see brave faces for a few days, then all hell will break loose in the party as they head back to the Capitol for yet another Abbott disaster.  It's like a pro wrestling production with Patrick and Abbott and Paxton.  They take turns being the main heel.  And instead of tapping out and being cheered for, they all three just stoop lower and lower.  It's not so much that their grip on power is in trouble, it is but nothing imminent.  They're just in this weird tryst into the abyss of who can be the most miserable prick and look shady doing it as some twisted badge of honor.  Fuck 'em.

[Michael Knight 12663]

On 9/16/2023 at 1:06 PM, Updawg said:

Phelan is toast

 

[Beau Vine 53625]

I think Bill ate his brother.  That doesn't seem very fair.

[Sawbonz 26736]

On 9/22/2023 at 6:53 PM, South Austin said:

Speaking of Sheena, who else jerked it to Tanya Roberts back in the day?

 

And don’t forget Sheena Easton

 

 

[NWBuck 8511]

5 hours ago, Beau Vine said:

I think Bill ate his brother.  That doesn't seem very fair.

Or he ate everything at the fair, brother <Hulk Hogan voice>

[Bozo_Casanova 25503]

19 hours ago, wreckatx said:

Anyone else watching the tweets from TribFest? Patrick and Rs that voted to acquit are still fading a lot of heat. Wonder how long this will last?

not just at tribfest. And they are taking it both nationally and more importantly from the local grass roots level, and seem genuinely surprised and caught flat footed. Republicans have won so much in Texas that they are like the late Mack Brown Longhorns - they've insulated themselves with the systems they trust to work that they don't have a lot of awareness of what happens outside those systems. As a result, there's a gulf opening between the very inside world of GOP political types and the outside world of relatively normal GOP general election voters. Texas Democrats could exploit that if they weren't organized to lose and massively protarded.

Edited September 24, 2023 by Bozo_Casanova

[Brisketexan 103148]

not just at tribfest. And they are taking it both nationally and more importantly from the local grass roots level, and seem genuinely surprised and caught flat footed. Republicans have won so much in Texas that they are like the late Mack Brown Longhorns - they've insulated themselves with the systems they trust to work that they don't have a lot of awareness of what happens outside those systems. As a result, there's a gulf opening between the very inside world of GOP political types and the outside world of relatively normal GOP general election voters. Texas Democrats could exploit that if they weren't organized to lose and massively protarded.

Counterpoint: it’s not really an outlier. One of the tools of an authoritarian movement is showing, audaciously, how far above the law the movement is. It’s the “see, NOTHING can stop us - you are powerless, so yield to our power” move. It’s what they have been doing since Trump won in 2016. They are not stopping. Ever. The GQP criticism, to the extent there really is any, will end, and soon. Because this is their play now.

[Bozo_Casanova 25503]

2 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

Counterpoint: it’s not really an outlier. One of the tools of an authoritarian movement is showing, audaciously, how far above the law the movement is. It’s the “see, NOTHING can stop us - you are powerless, so yield to our power” move. It’s what they have been doing since Trump won in 2016. They are not stopping. Ever. The GQP criticism, to the extent there really is any, will end, and soon. Because this is their play now.

I don't disagree, but it's not too late. We're still in the moment-of-recognition phase where the conservative establishment realizes that the reactionary insurgent faction they capitulated to is now making an attempt to eliminate them from positions of power. The question now is what they do what that information and whether they attempt to reassert control. There are plenty historical examples and it can go a lot of directions. A few are positive, many are truly horrible and most involve bloodshed. So it's a very dangerous moment.

[SaucyJack 3468]

19 hours ago, Beau Vine said:

I think Bill ate his brother.  That doesn't seem very fair.

 

                                                                                                                                              X 1 X  2  X X X

                                                                                                                                                        X  3

 

 

 

[Fudge Nuggets 18825]

On 9/23/2023 at 12:10 PM, wreckatx said:

Anyone else watching the tweets from TribFest? Patrick and Rs that voted to acquit are still fading a lot of heat. Wonder how long this will last?

Until they throw out the next bucket of culture war bullshit red meat to rile up the rubes.

[Brisketexan 103148]

I don't disagree, but it's not too late. We're still in the moment-of-recognition phase where the conservative establishment realizes that the reactionary insurgent faction they capitulated to is now making an attempt to eliminate them from positions of power. The question now is what they do what that information and whether they attempt to reassert control. There are plenty historical examples and it can go a lot of directions. A few are positive, many are truly horrible and most involve bloodshed. So it's a very dangerous moment.

The establishment will join up with the fascist loons.
“Will.” Look at me, being optimistic. What I mean is “has already joined up with the fascist loons.” It’s all over but the crying. You and I both know the authoritarian train can’t be stopped. It only ends the way such trains trips always end: with a lot of dead people.
No progress is made, nothing good happens. A lot of people die as our collective stupid asses relearn the lesson that authoritarian fascism’s only result is pain and death. That’s where we are, and you know as well as I that the die has been cast.
We’ve doused ourselves in gasoline and are lighting matches as fast as we can. The only question left unanswered is how horrific the burns are going to be.

[cactusflinthead 26791]

 

[tx ind 6830]

On 9/23/2023 at 6:40 PM, Beau Vine said:

I think Bill ate his brother.  That doesn't seem very fair.

Color me impressed that Ralph Friedgen is still alive.

[Pig Bellmont 8637]

On 9/24/2023 at 1:56 PM, Bozo_Casanova said:

I don't disagree, but it's not too late.

I’m not sure what you mean here. Texas politics seem broken without repair. 

[wreckatx 141]

Today SCOTX granted the Whistleblower's motion to lift the abatement and denied the Attorney General's petition for review siding with the whistleblowers and affirming the Third Court of Appeals and trial court rulings denying Paxton's bullshit plea to the jurisdiction. Whistleblower's civil case is headed back to Travis County district court.  Pretty remarkable that SCOTX denied review since Abbott and Patrick both filed amicus letters urging the court to grant review.

Edited September 29, 2023 by wreckatx

[troph 23963]

2 hours ago, wreckatx said:

Today SCOTX granted the Whistleblower's motion to lift the abatement and denied the Attorney General's petition for review siding with the whistleblowers and affirming the Third Court of Appeals and trial court rulings denying Paxton's bullshit plea to the jurisdiction. Whistleblower's civil case is headed back to Travis County district court.  Pretty remarkable that SCOTX denied review since Abbott and Patrick both filed amicus letters urging the court to grant review.

One of my best lawyer friends represents one of the plaintiffs and he and I were fly fishing the Colorado today when the news came down. He was pretty stoked about it. I was glad to be there. Just fantastic. 

[DDD Dad 14060]

13 hours ago, troph said:

One of my best lawyer friends represents one of the plaintiffs and he and I were fly fishing the Colorado today when the news came down. He was pretty stoked about it. I was glad to be there. Just fantastic. 

Nice humblebrag. 

[wreckatx 141]

On 9/30/2023 at 7:35 AM, DDD Dad said:

Nice humblebrag. 

What's the humblebrag here? That Troph was fishing on a weekday?

[SimonBolivar 10648]

On 9/23/2023 at 6:40 PM, Beau Vine said:

I think Bill ate his brother.  That doesn't seem very fair.

I thought that was a Meatwad logo on his shirt at first. It would've fit 

[BearSchlong 7966]

I’m getting weekly mailers now from national and state GOP PACs about how Dade must go. He is getting primaried hard.

[Brisketexan 103148]

I’m getting weekly mailers now from national and state GOP PACs about how Dade must go. He is getting primaried hard.

But dat last name tho.
Seems like an uphill climb for the nutbars.

[BearSchlong 7966]

Agreed, but it’s national money flowing in. Strange things could happen.

Had a long talk with his uncle yesterday, but we discuss family stuff, not politics.

[TDunk 590]

14 hours ago, wreckatx said:

What's the humblebrag here? That Troph was fishing on a weekday?

I’m guessing it was fly, but yes it’s gorgeous on the Colorado. Nice trout run. 

[TDunk 590]

My bro was a fly guide in Estes park at Kirk’s. It’s not easy to get to those spots. So yes, it’s a subtle humblebrag. 

[Nice Guy Eddie 13272]

Now we know the following facts that didn’t come out at the trial

• Nate Paul was in constant contact with the contractor renovating paxtons house. The contractor told the House mgrs that he would plead the 5th if called to the trial.  Oddly enough, this contractor claims he never got paid for any of the work.
• Remember the renovation company that Paxton hastily paid 120k when he found out his subordinates went to the FBI? It wasn’t the contractor above who was paid. The company, that received the 120k, didn’t register with the state of Texas until weeks after the payment.
• said company was also managed by a buddy of Nate Paul. The buddy is wrapped up in the Paul federal investigation as well. And he threatened to plead the 5th if called to Paxtons trial as well. I’m unsure if anyone is fully aware of the ownership structure of this company.

the state senators must have been aware that witnesses were refusing to testify but Dan Patrick must have not have wanted many any witnesses pleading the 5th. That makes the GOP look bad.

source: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/house-impeachment-new-evidence-18404478.php

[Beau Vine 53625]

20 minutes ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

• Remember the renovation company that Paxton hastily paid 120k when he found out his subordinates went to the FBI? It wasn’t the contractor above who was paid. The company, that received the 120k, didn’t register with the state of Texas until weeks after the payment.
• said company was also managed by a buddy of Nate Paul. The buddy is wrapped up in the Paul federal investigation as well. And he threatened to plead the 5th if called to Paxtons trial as well. I’m unsure if anyone is fully aware of the ownership structure of this company.

Buzbee actually brought up during the trial the press had reported this and that it was not true.

[wreckatx 141]

20 hours ago, TDunk said:

My bro was a fly guide in Estes park at Kirk’s. It’s not easy to get to those spots. So yes, it’s a subtle humblebrag. 

Um…there’s a Colorado river that runs through Austin. 

[TDunk 590]

1 hour ago, wreckatx said:

Um…there’s a Colorado river that runs through Austin. 

I was being helpful.  And a river runs through it… for now. 
 

[DDD Dad 14060]

9 hours ago, wreckatx said:

Um…there’s a Colorado river that runs through Austin. 

I’ve never seen anyone fly fishing on that Colorado. 

[Pescado_Rojo 19192]

8 minutes ago, DDD Dad said:

I’ve never seen anyone fly fishing on that Colorado. 

You gotta get south of town, but it's a decent fishery. 

[YGIFS 19443]

1 hour ago, DDD Dad said:

I’ve never seen anyone fly fishing on that Colorado. 

I saw what looked like a dude in waders fly fishing in Town Lake last week.  Got closer, turned out it was just a half-naked homeless dude swinging his sword around in the water.  He didn't catch any fish, but he caught dysentery.  

[Grade of D as in David 13253]

I saw what looked like someone wading in the water down by Rainey late one Saturday night a few months ago.

Turns out it was Nicole drowning another victim.

[YGIFS 19443]

Yeah, her idea of "noodling" is pretty fucking twisted.  She gets the catfish drunk, drugs it, lures it into a filthy part of the lake, and then releases it back into the water in a little cove where it won't get washed away by the current but just kinda float and rot.  And hours later, she reveals it wasn't a catfish at all.  It was my Uncle Harold.  

[pacman 7213]

 

 

 

[DDD Dad 14060]

3 hours ago, Grade of D as in David said:

I saw what looked like someone wading in the water down by Rainey late one Saturday night a few months ago.

Turns out it was Nicole drowning another victim.

 

[royiv 9043]

Oh, look, Paxton retaliating against the House impeachment managers. Cool, cool.

https://www.texastribune.org/2023/10/09/ken-paxton-impeachment-managers-criminal-complaint/

[cactusflinthead 26791]