The Brief: In poll, most Texans say “bathroom bill” isn’t an important issue

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Sen. Lois Kolkhorst R-Brenham give the media an update on SB6 The Texas Privacy Act also known as the "bathroom bill" on Feb. 6, 2017 The state's top leaders have remained silent on whether they'll provide more resources for victims - or more funding for the crippled child welfare system that's supposed to protect vulnerable kids. The Affordable Care Act is unpopular, but Texans don't want to get rid of it until they know what's going to replace it.

Group holds town hall meeting for Representative Flores

Texas 17th District Indivisible will be holding a Town Hall meeting Sunday evening, but it does not seem Rep. Bill Flores will actually attend. A representative for the group, Jeni Ganz, said they decided to hold a town hall after repeatedly reaching out Rep. Flores to schedule a town hall.

Senate GOP should vet Cabinet picks

Confirmation hearings begin this week for many of President-elect Donald Trump's most important Cabinet picks - and the Republicans who lead that chamber have a tremendous responsibility to ensure that each Cabinet nominee is thoroughly challenged, even if most of them are sure to be confirmed. So far, they appear to be shirking that responsibility.

Motion filed to compel redistricting ruling

The major plaintiffs challenging the Texas congressional and State House boundaries filed a joint motion earlier today to compel the three-judge federal district court in San Antonio to finally issue a decision on their claims that the Texas maps adopted in 2011 are discriminatory in violation of the Voting Rights Act and the U.S. Constitution. The motion can be viewed and downloaded here.

Climate Campaigners Announce New Major Mobilization to Resist Trump

Renewing the vision of the 2014 People's Climate March in New York City, campaigners hope "to show that our movement is just as ready to fight Trump's racism and hatred as we are the fossil fuel industry that's poisoning our future." Not willing to sit idle as Donald Trump and his cabinet take office and roll out an avowedly pro-fossil fuel , anti-regulation agenda , campaigners are preparing for a multi-faceted affront to the new administration.

The Congressman Who Helped Gut the Ethics Office Was Once Sued for Sexual Harassment

On Monday, news broke that House Republicans voted privately to gut an independent ethics office that was established to hold members accountable for things like bribery, fraud, and conflicts of interest. They approved a measure that would put the Office of Congressional Ethics - a six-person board of private citizens - under the control of the House Ethics Committee, which is made up of sitting members of the House of Representatives.

a Saturday Night Livea Pokes Fun at Trumpa s Misspelled Tweets,…

Alec Baldwin returned to Saturday Night Live this weekend to reprise his role as Donald Trump, taking jabs at the president-elect's relationship with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, his cabinet picks, his misspelled tweets, and the refusal by some musicians to perform at his inauguration. But also notable about the episode is the return of cast member Kate McKinnon's Hillary Clinton in a sketch later in the show, inspired by the 2003 romantic comedy Love Actually .

U.S. judge halts Texas rules on fetal tissue disposal: plaintiff

A U.S. judge on Thursday temporarily halted until Jan. 6 a Texas regulation due to take effect next week that requires abortion providers to dispose of aborted fetal tissue either through burial or cremation, a women's reproductive health group in the suit said. The regulation, set to take effect on Dec. 19, also requires hospitals and other medical facilities to bury or cremate miscarried fetuses.

Perry nomination raises Dem concerns that Trump plans to gut Energy Dept.

Democrats are growing increasingly concerned that President-elect Trump is preparing to slash the Energy Department, with the incoming president picking fossil fuel advocate and former Texas Gov. Rick Perry to lead the department after Trump's transition team sent a questionnaire that Democrats call a "witch hunt." The top Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce and Oversight committees, Reps.

Trump taps former Texas Gov. Rick Perry to head Energy Department he once vowed to abolish

President-elect Donald Trump picked Rick Perry to head the Energy Department on Wednesday, seeking to put the former Texas governor in control of an agency whose name he forgot during a presidential debate even as he vowed to abolish it. Perry, who ran for president in the past two election cycles, is likely to shift the department away from renewable energy and toward fossil fuels, whose production he championed while serving as governor for 14 years.

Rick Perry tapped to be energy secretary under Donald Trump, reports say

Former Texas governor Rick Perry was named to Donald Trump's Cabinet as energy secretary on Monday night, according to multiple reports. "I think Perry is an absolutely logical appointee," said Jim Riddlesperger, a Texas Christian University professor and Texas politics expert.

Not Surprisingly, Texas Sued Over Aborted Fetus Burial Rule

After telling the state in a letter that the new fetal remains burial rule would "almost certainly trigger costly litigation," the Center for Reproductive Rights has followed through on that quasi-threat and has sued the Texas Department of State Health Services Commissioner John Hellerstedt over the rule, representing various abortion providers ... (more)

Wall Street Breakfast: Fed In Focus After Trump Reshapes Markets

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