Voter ID: U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos presided over a status conference on the ongoing Voter ID litigation today in Corpus Christi to discuss potential remedies. Broadly, the state argued that Senate Bill 5 appropriately remedied any outstanding issues and plaintiffs argued that the Voter ID law should be overturned and the state be required to once again obtain federal preclearance under the Voting Rights Act for changes to voting laws. Ramos previously ruled that the state passed the law with discriminatory intent. Briefs on proposed remedies are due Monday.
AG: Without comment, the Court of Criminal Appeals rejected prosecutors’ appeal to throw out a recent appeals court ruling removing the judge presiding over Attorney General Ken Paxton’s criminal securities fraud trial. That ruling vacated District Judge George Gallagher’s orders issued after April 11, the day he ordered the case transferred to Harris Co., including the order setting a September 12 trial date. While the appeals court did not explicitly remove Gallagher as judge for the trial, today’s development likely means a new, Harris Co.-based district judge will be assigned. It also likely means his trial will be delayed.
SD19: Sen. Carlos Uresti (D-San Antonio) has asked U.S. District Judge David Ezra to dismiss three of the 13 criminal charges he faces. He seeks to have both counts related to the Reeves Co. charge tossed as well as the charge of selling securities without a license.
HD107: Rep. Victoria Neave (D-Dallas) was arrested early Wednesday morning for driving while intoxicated. “Last night, I disappointed my family, my constituents and my supporters. I disappointed myself,” she said in a statement. “I am deeply sorry and will accept the consequences of my actions, and will work to make this right.”
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