Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

These were very random thoughts. And I still hold these truths to be self-evident. 

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• I'm not sure I remember a December this warm, especially in the two weeks leading into Christmas. I'm against it. 
  
  
  
•  I liked this gal on Channel 8. 
  
  
  
• This case is pretty simple, and it is no big deal. Elected DAs and County Attorneys in Texas have the right to prosecute crimes in Texas. And although they can ask the AG for help, the ultra-conservative and Republican court ruled yesterday that the legislature can't create a statute that gives the AG the exclusive right to prosecute any particular brand of crime because the Texas Constitution specifically limits what the Texas AG can do.  Here, the legislature had done just that by giving the AG jurisdiction to prosecute voter "fraud" without the consent of the locally elected prosecutor.
  
  
  
• AG Ken Paxton responded like an angry child and, like a child, he just made stuff up. To say the ruling is "devastating" is ridiculously laughable. 
  
  
  
• Ok, this was legitimately funny yesterday. 
  
  
  
• For those who don't get it.
  
  
  
• Regarding the possible hit and run by the Prosper mayor, his attorney is probably right about fault, but there's not a lot of upside in saying it while the guy is in critical condition. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Two quick hits about this story: (1) She's a Congresswoman so she's talking about federal law. This should be a state law issue. (2) Texas already has such a law, but it's a misdemeanor.  
  
  
  
• This is very weird, but this is what I think is going on (a little legal nerdy):
  
  
  
• The Defendant was arrested for murder. The charge carries with it a punishment range of anywhere between 5 years and life. 
• He couldn't afford bond (because, in Texas, the rich get out of jail and the poor stay in jail.)
• But the State couldn't announce "ready" for trial within 90 days so the judge granted the defendant a PR bond which, quite frankly, he had to under the law. See art. 17.151
• The State then upgraded the charges by re-arresting the guy for capital murder and actually signaled its intent to seek the death penalty. Why? Well one reason is that a person charged with capital murder is not entitled to bond "where proof is evident" even when the State can't announce "ready" for trial within 90 days.  By doing the re-arrest trick, they could keep the defendant in jail even if they weren't ready for trial. Or so they thought. 
• No so fast, the judge said. He got mad and dismissed the capital murder charge calling it "prosecutorial vindictiveness" because he believes he was only re-arrested and the charges upgraded to try and get around the PR bond law.
• This is all pretty wild.
• If you are interested in stuff like this below, read this thread. I think he'll be able to stay on the ballot.
  
  
   
  
  
  
• Jacksonville coach Urban Meyer was fired overnight. (I told you last week that the NFL brass wanted him gone.)  He's in year one of a six year contract which is estimated to be $10 to $12 million a year. And you know what? Jacksonville owes him all of it now. 
  
  
  
• The number one recruit in the nation signing with Deion Sander's led Jacksonville State over Florida State and Georgia because (maybe) the kid is going to get a big check through Barstool Sports is everything you need to know about the future of college football.  And if you haven't seen the kid trolling the other schools as he made his decision, here ya go: Video.
  
  
  
• I'm not against these kids being paid. In fact, I've been advocating it for years. But now that it is here, it just seems weird. 
• Keep away from the Aggie in the next cubicle today. 
  
  
  
• I never watch the NBA, but here's a wild finish from last night. Video. It's the longest game winning shot in 25 years. 
  
  
  
• That's a good photo, I think: