Wednesday morning brief 11.27.19

Dan Patrick Mad | A certified election with 800 missing votes?

Nov 27

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On to today’s stories.

Dan Patrick is not happy that the Texas Medical Board’s implementation of law designed to limit surprise medical bills. In a brief statement yesterday, Patrick issued the threat that “Members of the TMB should be aware that the Senate approves all appointments to the TMB.”

With over 800 votes still unaccounted for, yesterday, MISD trustees approved the results of an election approving over half a billion in bonds. As was noted in Monday’s brief, the election has been a rollercoaster.

Midland resident Matt Galindo said. “To know that there's a discrepancy in the amount of votes. I’m disappointed, worried, and now have a lack of trust.

Yesterday it was announced that statewide election watchdog Direct Action Texas is launching an investigation into the election.

Donald Trump has said that he is working to designate Mexican cartels as terrorist organizations. Such a move would have significant impacts on immigration and trade policy.

As terrorist designation would speed up deportation of criminals and impact banking since suspected terrorist’s financial transactions must be blocked and reported to the Treasury Department.

Rolling polling, the practice of moving polling locations in the middle of early voting to make vote harvesting more convenient, was ended in the 2019 legislative session. Yesterday, a second lawsuit was filed to bring back the derided practice. The lawyer who filed suit yesterday is running for Congress against Michael McCaul.

Local control, a tool once touted by conservatives as a counter to growing government at the state and federal level, is now, more and more often being weaponized to circumvent state law and grow government at alarming rates.

It’s also being deployed to excuse the practice of tax-funded lobbying.