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As the Texas Lege debates the creation and adoption of new congressional maps, the Texas Tribune is reporting that the Republican-run state House is getting outside help from a master of the redistricting dark arts: Adam Foltz, an operative who helped craft Wisconsin’s heavily gerrymandered map in 2010. Foltz was hired by the Texas Legislative Council at an annual salary of $120,000 and is reportedly working behind the scenes for the House Redistricting Committee, the Trib reports.
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SA has a new mural celebrating one of its most beloved characters: the diminutive impersonator known as “Hispanic Elvis.” Local muralist Colton Valentine painted the mural, which depicts the colorful local celebrity on his trademark bicycle. The image on a wall at 802 San Pedro Ave. replaces Valentine’s depiction of Cardi B.
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In news that will shock no one, a report issued last week by federal energy regulators shows that Texas hasn’t addressed the root causes of February’s catastrophic power-grid failure. The document recommends that the state make two dozen changes to better prepare for the coming winter.
A state district judge last week ordered Texas to release 250 migrants arrested in accordance with Gov. Greg Abbott’s “catch and jail” border policy. The arrested migrants were held in prison for over a month without being charged with any crime, violating both their constitutional rights and Texas law, the judge ruled. As many as 900 migrants arrested after being accused of property crimes were being held without charges last week, the Texas Tribune reports. — Abe Asher
YOU SAID IT!
“What we have is a real domestic violence crisis on our hands. We have a very real homelessness crisis. We’re experiencing a very real sex trafficking crisis and a very real veteran opioid and mental health crisis. What we’re not facing is a ‘transgender-in-sports’ crisis, because it doesn’t exist. Anyone who tells you that this is a problem in Texas is misinformed or, in the case of [Lt. Gov.] Dan Patrick and Greg Abbott, is trying to misinform you.”
ASSCLOWN ALERT
Clayton Perry votes ‘no’ Assclown Alert is a column of opinion, analysis and snark. It’s tempting to write off Clayton Perry, the sole conservative on San Antonio’s largely progressive city council, as a loveable curmudgeon. After all, he’s more folksy than brash in his contrarian stances, not exactly someone prone to Trumpian tantrums. But Perry’s vote against last week’s council resolution condemning the ugly crusade by Texas GOP leaders to ban transgender kids from school sports is one more reason why we shouldn’t fall into that temptation. In defending his vote — the only one cast against the resolution — the District 10 councilman argued that he was refusing to back an empty gesture. “Oftentimes, these resolutions bare no teeth and go beyond the ability and responsibility of council,” he said in a written statement. “Potential legislation regarding this issue is currently under review at the state legislature. This resolution, like many others that have come before council, is an attempt to point fingers and place blame on our state and federal leaders.” Perry’s right in one sense: Republicans in the Lege don’t give a shit what San Antonio’s city council has to say about their latest bill to marginalize transgender kids. To be sure, those lawmakers haven’t listened to the parents or experts on school sports who correctly point out that it’s both cruel and unnecessary. The reality, however, is that political bodies pass resolutions of approval or disapproval all the time. Yes, they’re largely symbolic, but
Matthew Dowd, former chief strategist for President George W. Bush, last week announced he’ll run as a Democrat for Lieutenant Governor. Dowd said he began considering a run following the January 6 coup attempt. After the Texas Legislature’s hard-right push during its most recent session, Dowd decided to target Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, whom he called “cruel and craven.” Dowd will have to face Democratic primary voters first; Mike Collier, who came within five points of beating Patrick in 2018, is also exploring a run.
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That Rocks/That Sucks
Facebook / District 10 Councilman Clayton Perry
they’re provide moral support for constituents affected by the issue. They have value in establishing how a community stands. While Perry has voted against plenty of resolutions, he’s not universally opposed to them. Last year, he voted for one condemning pandemic-related hate speech, and in 2019 he supported another calling for an end to mass shootings. Did he really believe his vote would abolish either ill? Perhaps Perry’s opposition to last week’s resolution — like his abstention from one last year declaring racism to be “a public health crisis” — isn’t so much rooted in his opposition to the practice itself as it is in signaling to voters in his conservative-dominated district where he falls on America’s deepening partisan divide. The Lege’s politically motivated assaults on trans kids affects families in Perry’s district, and it’s taking a dark toll. The Trevor Project, a suicide prevention group serving LGBTQ+ young people, said crisis contacts from Texans is up 150% from January 1 through August 30 compared to the same period of 2020. Council’s resolution matters to San Antonio families affected by the Lege’s ugly fixation with punishing transgender kids. If Perry is unwilling to stand up for them, even symbolically, he’s clearly put being a pandering assclown ahead of his role as a public servant. — Sanford Nowlin
The Musicians of the San Antonio Symphony (MOSAS) voted to strike after contract negotiations with the Symphony Society broke down. The musicians rejected the Symphony Society’s offer to cut the orchestra’s compliment of fulltime musicians from 72 to 42, converting 26 of those positions to part-time work and terminating four entirely. The musicians also rejected a previous offer to cut all their paychecks by half. The Symphony Society argues that major cuts are a financial necessity. — Abe Asher
— Manny Pelaez,
District 8 San Antonio councilman Twitter / @matthewjdowd
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