Tx Capitol Report | A view from the Texas state capitol

Will she stay or will she go?

Still wondering what happened to Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison's plan to resign from the U.S. Senate after the governor's race?

Well, an answer could come today.

Politico and the National Journal are reporting that Hutchison plans to finish out her term in the senate.

Hutchison will have a news conference in San Antonio this morning. She will be joined by Sen. John Cornyn and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.

A media advisory from Hutchison's office did not give a topic for the news conference and her staff has not responded to requests for additional information.

While campaigning for governor, Hutchison repeatedly said she would leave the Senate before the end of her term in 2012.

But members of Texas' Republican Delegation, Gov. Rick Perry, Cornyn, McConnell and others, asked her to reconsider and finish her term.

Cornyn and McConnell's presence at the news conference seems to indicate that Hutchison will stay.

Texas Sen. Florence Shapiro, R-Plano, also seems to think so as she withdrew from the race to replace Hutchison this morning.

Here is a portion of Shapiro's press release:

Austin, Texas, Wednesday, March 31, 2010--- Plano Republican State Senator Florence Shapiro has announced she is formally withdrawing her candidacy for the 2012 United States Senate seat currently held by Kay Bailey Hutchison.

"The political landscape of American government has dramatically shifted since I announced my US Senate candidacy almost 21 months ago," Shapiro stated. "State government is now the last back stop to an over-reaching federal government."

With a positive reflection on her US Senate journey, Shapiro said she leaves the federal race with no regrets. "I wouldn't do it any differently," she said. "I am truly humbled by each of those who helped the campaign and proud of what we accomplished."

"My decision to withdrawal from the US Senate race is an obvious and clear one," Shapiro stated. "To protect Texas taxpayers, I firmly believe we now need an all hands on deck commitment by our state legislature."

Shapiro also noted that the demands on her role as Chairman of the State Senate Education Committee have increased over the past several months. Lt. Governor David Dewhurst recently appointed her to lead an interim statewide committee tasked with development of a new public school funding formula. "Our pending state budget shortfall has worsened the immediacy of the issues facing our school children," Shapiro said.

State Rep. Joe Moody asks for online votes to raise money

State Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso, is trying to raise money for his campaign through an online contest.

He is participating in a "Monopoly Buster Ballot" sponsored by State Sen. Kirk Watson.

Watson is giving a $10,000 campaign contribution to one of 28 Democratic incumbents who gets the most online votes in the contest. The runner-up will get a $1,500 contribution.

Ten finalists will be chosen during the first round of the contest which ends at 5 p.m. today. Those candidates will then move to a second round that ends April 3.

"Each of these public servants faces a challenge this year from, let’s say, a certain political party that’s controlled a certain state government for an awfully long time," Watson said in a statement announcing the contest.

Moody faces Republican businessman Dee Margo in the general election this November.

Click here to read more about the contest.

Battle over border security in the Governor's race

    Former Houston Mayor Bill White accused Gov. Rick Perry of playing politics and misleading Texans on border security statistics.

    White said Perry has used inaccurate numbers in government websites, speeches and press conferences. He said Perry's claim that state efforts helped reduce crime along the border by more than 60 percent have no place in publicly-funded websites.

    White's campaign spokeswoman Katy Bacon said public funds should not be used to mislead the public and called on Perry to "admit the truth."

   "When it comes to crime in border areas, Governor Perry doesn't know, doesn't understand, or doesn't care about the truth," Bacon said. "Trying to take credit for wild reductions in crime rates disrespects men and women in law enforcement who work hard and put their lives on the line every day."

    White's campaign cited Texas Department of Public Safety figures which show that total crime rates along 14 border counties dropped by 3.1 percent between 2005 and 2008. Crime in unincorporated areas rose 3.9 percent and violent crime in those areas decreased by 2.4 percent.

    Perry often cites a 60 to 65 percent drop in crime when he talks about the border.

    Here are some of the lines from Perry's website, speeches and press conferences.

    "Starting in June 2006, state-funded operations have committed resources to strategic areas, resulting in an average of 65 percent reduction of all crime, including rape, murder, human trafficking and narcotics smuggling in our border communities."

    "We have dedicated significant state resources to ensuring those local, state and federal officers, have the technology, support and training they need, to disrupt the operations of these cartels. These efforts have caused a 60% drop in crime rates in targeted areas."

    "Over the past several years, our investment in boots on the ground and increased patrols in the air and on the water have made a difference. Since operations began, Texas has seen a 52% drop in illegal alien apprehensions, and reduced border crime as much as 65% in key border areas."   

    "Crime has also fallen as much as 65% in areas that smuggling cartels previously treated as their personal playground."

    Perry's campaign spokesman Mark Miner said the governor has never claimed the percentage for the entire border but instead cited a reduction of crime in unincorporated areas where "surge operations have occurred during a specific time."

    He said the campaign stands by the numbers adding that in specific areas and during a specific time frame Operation Border Star and Operation Linebacker did see such decreases.

    "Throughout the campaign Mayor White has not put forward any ideas or any policies that would improve border security," Miner said. "He is basing his campaign on criticisms and not solutions."

    The Austin-American Statesman and Politifact recently conducted a fact-check on Perry's 60 percent figure.

    The fact-check used an El Paso Times article in its assessment.

    Here is what they had to say:

    "We rate Perry's sweeping statement based on an unreasonable manipulation of crime statistics -- the second instance of his administration touting questionable border crime numbers -- as Pants on Fire"

Texas Republican admits "baby killer" remark

U.S. Rep. Randy Neugebauer, R-Texas, admitted today that he shouted "baby killer" as U.S. Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Michigan, spoke against an attempt by Republican members to use the abortion issue to stall the health care reform bill.

Stupak, an anti-abortion Democrat, was urging House members to move forward with the health care bill.

Here is the statement from Neugebauer.

"Last night was the climax of weeks and months of debate on a health care bill that my constituents fear and do not support. In the heat and emotion of the debate, I exclaimed the phrase 'it's a baby killer' in reference to the agreement reached by the Democratic leadership. While I remain heartbroken over the passage of this bill and the tragic consequences it will have for the unborn, I deeply regret that my actions were mistakenly interpreted as a direct reference to Congressman Stupak himself.

"I have apologized to Mr. Stupak and also apologize to my colleagues for the manner in which I expressed my disappointment about the bill. The House Chamber is a place of decorum and respect. The timing and tone of my comment last night was inappropriate."

Texas to legally challenge health care reform bill

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott announced that he plans to join other states in filing a lawsuit to challenge the federal health care bill passed by the U.S. House last night.

The bill, which would extend health care to 32 million uninsured Americans, passed the House with no Republican support.

Abbott is one of several Republican leaders in Texas who has been critical of the bill.

"The federal health care legislation passed tonight violates the United States Constitution and unconstitutionally infringes upon Texans' individual liberties," he said in a statement. "To protect all Texans' constitutional rights, preserve the constitutional framework intended by our nation's founders, and defend our state from further infringement by the federal government, the State of Texas and other states will legally challenge the federal health care legislation."

State Republican leaders urge Congress to vote against healthcare reform bill

Governor's office touts more security for the border but will not give details

Gov. Rick Perry announced today that the state would employ more patrols, increase surveillance measures and implement more helicopter patrol operations along the Rio Grande river to deal with the drug-related violence on the Texas-Mexico border.

The measures are part of the first phase of the state's "spillover violence contingency plan" said a press release from the governor's office. 

Perry's office, though, would not share details of the plan. They said it "is law enforcement sensitive and will not be released to the public for operational security purposes."

Perry, who is seeking reelection, often criticizes the federal government's border security initiatives. He renewed his call for more involvement from the federal government today while saying that Texas would step up its efforts.

 “With the growing threat of violence in Mexico spilling over the border, we have taken important measures to increase the law enforcement presence along the Texas border and have placed additional resources on standby to combat any potential situation,” Perry said. “It is imperative that the federal government immediately provide additional resources to prevent spillover violence, but with the safety of Texans on the line, we can’t afford to wait.”

Steps in the "spillover" plan include increasing surveillance of border activity by state and local law enforcement, the Texas Border Security Operations Center, and the Joint Operational and Intelligence Centers. They also call for increases in ground, air and maritime patrol presence and more helicopter patrol operations.

No specifics were provided on how this would be accomplished.

Gov. Rick Perry responds to killings; criticizes federal government

Gov. Rick Perry on Monday highlighted the recent killings of U.S. citizens in Juarez as a way to push for unmanned predator drones along the border, tout Texas' border security initiatives and criticize the federal government's involvement.

On Saturday, El Pasoans Lesley A. Enriquez, 25, who worked for the U.S. consulate in Juarez and her husband, Arthur H. Redelfs, 30, a detention officer for the El Paso County Sheriff's Office, were shot to death in Juarez. Enriquez was four-months pregnant.

Jorge Alberto Salcido Ceniceros, 37, a Mexican citizen whose wife also worked for the consulate, was shot and killed in a separate incident.

Perry issued the following comments in response to the killings:

“Over the weekend, more innocent people fell victim to the increasingly ruthless Mexican drug cartels, including the murder of a pregnant American woman and her American husband in Juarez,” Perry said. “How many Americans will have to die before our federal government takes serious action along the Texas-Mexico border? For years, they have failed in their vital duty to secure the border, resulting in escalating violence along the Texas-Mexico border. The federal government must immediately take steps to increase resources along the border to protect American lives.

“As we express sympathy for the lives lost, we are also dismayed by the brutal and cowardly tactics of the drug cartels, and we will continue supporting President Calderon’s efforts to defeat them by committing our own resources here in Texas to amplify border security efforts,” Perry said.

Perry, who is seeking reelection, called for unmanned predator drones last month as he battled U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison in the Republican Primary election.

U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-El Paso, told the El Paso Times that such drones were already being used along the border. Perry, though, says they are being used in Arizona and not in Texas.

He said he has asked the federal government to send 1,000 National Guardsmen to secure the border but he is still waiting for a response.

The statement also said additional state troopers will patrol the border during spring break and urged students to stay away from Mexico during that period.

Chavez fundraising event in Austin

House speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, will attend a campaign fundraiser for State Rep. Norma Chavez, D-El Paso, this afternoon in Austin.

"He is usually an invited guest and attends them for incumbents when he is in town," Spokeswoman Tracy Young said. "It is a respectful thing that he is committed to doing."

Straus' office said he has made a promise not to actively campaign against incumbents because they are the ones who voted him into his position leading the House. 

Young could not say if the House Speaker has taken an active interest in Chavez's runoff election against Assistant County Attorney Naomi Gonzalez.

Democratic leaders have also lent their names to the fundraising event.

Below is the invitation to Chavez's fundraiser:

Perry names state census ambassador

Gov. Rick Perry today named Secretary of State Hope Andrade the census ambassador for Texas in an effort to stoke participation.

Census forms will start arriving at homes next week.

Participation helps determine the number of congressional seats a state has in the U.S. House of Representatives. It also could mean additional federal money for services and programs such as hospitals and job training centers.

“It is in the best interest of our state for every Texan to be counted in the census, in terms of representation and our tax dollars flowing back to Texas,” Perry said. “I am thankful to Secretary Andrade for her dedication to ensuring all Texans understand the importance and value of participating in the 2010 Census.”

Andrade and members of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus will be among the participants in a census rally Friday at the Capitol.

She will also travel throughout the state to promote census participation. 

“Completing the short census form only takes a few minutes, but those few minutes can have a significant impact on our state for many years to come,” Andrade said. “Our focus is on getting a complete and accurate count of Texas residents by helping to spread the word across the state.”