Parking right up front at Texas Tribune Festival (at AT&T Conference Center at UT Austin).
Is the Texas fracking boom over? Chaos is “behind us”, says panelist
Fracking: South Texas will never be the same as it was
The Tribune Festival
The event has spread across the campus, so my first stop was Welsh Hall, where panelists in “Is the Boom Over?” wondered about whether the road deterioration in South Texas would ever receive the needed funding to address the dangers caused by oversize, heavily overloaded trucks that both damage pavement and bridges and increase traffic fatalities.
TxDOT is gathering data to report to the legislative session in January 2016, hoping that the Lege will understand that more funds are needed for the maintenance and repair of roads. TxDOT wants to apply some of those funds to South Texas roads that are traversed by vehicles involved in the fracking industry. Texas Highway 285 and other corridors where pavement has been ground down to caliche and where fatalities are rife will be a priority for Lege members whose constituents live in South Texas).
But if oil prices stay low for “too long” (into the $30 dollar mark or lower), the fracking industry might start to ramp down. This could make parts of South Texas spiritual sisters to Russia’s remote oil regions. Maybe the local “constitutional sheriffs should start building up their local militia with an eye toward strategic, local terror strikes that could bring the price of oil up. We went to war for oil. We could end up going to war again because oil is now too plentiful and cheap? Or perhaps we could wage internal battles over the fight to provide subsidies to move America to alternative energy sources. Life holds plenty of surprises. The oil barons are equivalent to the cigarette barons. And the state agency that is devoted to serving automobiles and trucks is being thrown “under the truck” by the fracking companies because their heavy truck traffic on rural roads is destroying them.
Their single-minded focus on minutiae caused me to space out for a minute and I was startled back by one panelist musing about “dreaming big” with the possibility of luring tourist trade into South Texas. I must be dreaming — how much time has he spent in the remote country of South Texas? Now, they are considering tourist development for… Karnes City? The only interesting thing in Karnes City is the BBQ place with an adjacent trailer park where I once almost purchased a pug puppy from a woman who suggested it shared some of its genetics with a Capuchin monkey. With all due respect, these guys making me sad. I think I better go check on another panel.
The Horror
I needed more than one drink after listening to Dan Patrick’s bizarre religious babbling at the Texas Tribune Festival.
Dan Patrick’s Christo-Fascist Religious Rants
After listening to Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick’s religious babbling, spouting his NRA- and testosterone-fueled “guns for the good guys” mantra, the highlight of which was an arrogant suggestion that if all 300 UT professors wanted to quit over concerns about campus safety since “campus carry is now the law of the land” in Texas, I saw a taste of our future as Republican terrorists bully their way into power. How does a guy under investigation on several fronts for crimes be elevated to the highest legal position in the State of Texas?
https://www.texastribune.org/2015/10/16/video-dan-patrick-at-the-texas-tribune-festival/
It’s easier to just fast-forward that nonsense on the live stream than to sit still for it on the UT campus, but the live stream makes it harder to hear the jeers and boos of the audience. (Update: in 2022, Patrick is in a contest with Abbott and Cruz for most despicable public official in Texas.)
U.S. Senator and ex-Virginia Governor Tim Kaine discusses U.S. security with U.S. Representative Michael McCaul, who represents the Texas 10th District and Chairman for Homeland Security, leading the Joint Terrorism Task Force. The moderator is Lawrence Wright, Staff Writer for The New Yorker.
U. S. security matters
ipsum lorem
TX Tribfest on Public Integrity.
The Right on Public Integrity
Dick DeGuerin, Criminal Defense Prosecutor on public integrator defended both Hutchinson and Tom Delay
Kenneth Sheets, State Representative R HB1690 moved the public integrity unit out of Travis County.
3 Bill Turner, Former DA Brazos County. Attorney prosecutes A&M staff, Rosemary Lindberg. Member of House Higher Education Wage and Means and others. a fierce critic of allowing the integrity unit to be moved.
4 Chris Turner, State Rep D
Something big happened. The politicians put themselves into a different class than other citizens on issues such as campaign finance crimes, and other crimes. no longer tried in the county where the crime was committed but instead be tried in the county of their residence.
Bill Turner These crimes are dif. violation of public trust. not to give special privileges. and we already were treating them differently. we can come up with ways to minimize political aspect of the trial. For us as elected officials, this should happen where your voters are and put it in the front pages of the town where your voters are. whether Democratic or Republican you have people complaining that it is not fair to have to face a Travis County jury when you are elsewhere.
Chris Turner: Since 1978, there have been 28(15 Dem, 6 Rep) prosecuted. Politics: overwhelmingly Dems. Unique 1690 Bill to prosecute crimes in the district you are from. I would not want to have to explain why I am in a special category to my voters.
Dick DeGuerin: it gives them a home-field advantage. But as BIll Turner has demo’d in his own county, you can (win) a case. In a lot of counties people get away with things because people want them to. In Galveston, gambling was desired by the populace, so someone from outside had to come in and clean it up. Bring in a non-local judge in to try the crime. Duval County Curse (what is that?). Have someone not involved in local politics is a good idea. but it’s also not a good idea to prosecute everyone in Travis County either.
Travis County seems to be out of step with the rest of the state – Dick DeGuerin.
Chris Turner (represents Travis Country). wants an effective mechanism to prosecute when warranted against elected officials and instead we have created a special system.
The criminal justice system only works when we have cooperating witness and public. Making witnesses to a crime go to another location in order to try the person in the location of their homestead, is a problem. You could have a crime of bribery take place at the texas capital and then have to try three people involved in the crime in their home counties.
Moderator: Did Travis County paint a target on its back?
Bill Turner: The good news for me is that I’m leaving Travis County.
DeGuerin: Injecting the convenience of the complainant is the wrong thing to do.
Chris Turner: about Bill Paxton and Collin County. After Mr. Willis recused himself at a time when there was a lot of media attention about whether he would go after the Atty Gen for alleged violations, on the day this bill was on the floor of the house and said if we are going to pass this bill, if the defendant has a relationship with the prosecutor, they should recuse themselves. (confusing) That provsin was removed form the bill. There can be a recusal and if so they will hire a special prosecutor.
Bill Turner: I am an opponent to … bill on open carry and trashed the amendment. ??? home field advantage. changing venue in military is based on your status not your location. this case we create jurisdiction for Texas Rangers to investigate based on special status. They can commit certain crimes that an average citizen cannot commit. We need them to be prosecuted appropriately.
A unique class of individuals.
Paxton case is it an unintended consequence of the bill? The DA felt the local pressure in that case.
Kenneth Sheets: The issue is the appearance, not a reality of special privilege. When we create a group of people and put them in a special category, procedurally this is a problem.
DeGuerin: Travis County took a pass because they thought they could not afford the case. Ken Paxton and Collin County DA clearly had a relationship and he should have recused himself. As for the Texas Rangers, they are not immune from public pressure, but they are the cream of the crop and will resist the pressure. I’d rather trust my luck to the Rangers (if I didn’t have anything to hide!) I think he just referred to the Travis County as the turd in the punchbowl of Tx. as opposed to the blueberry in the ??? pie. Wish I’d hear that better!!!
The reason for Prob 3 would be to allow officials to escape the Travis County public integrity unit.
Now I am not sure who is who, check their photos online to make sure. If a statewide elected official lives in Williamson County, why can’t they stay there if technology allows.
Shannon, with DA Association, questioned the independent prosecutor model. Potential problems with that (Ken Starr, Clinton). Was this discussed, problems with that model? As a fiscal conservative opposed to it, based on funding issues. The current method allows you to use existing DAs. If it’s our guy it’s a witch hunt; if it’s someone else, they are presumed guilty. Every potential change is viewed as potentially favorable or unfavorable.
A special prosecutor has no constituency and no accountability. A DA is accountable to his constituents. In Paxton’s case, there was discussion about limiting the budget for the special prosecutor which could dramatically affect how the investigation is conducted. There should be an office for special prosecution. Paying attorneys in the $300 per hour range and
Bribery example: please use something other than the one affecting my husband. (who is this? Bill Paxton’s wife?)
Newosity: future report 