Must Read Texas – January 10, 2014

1st Cornyn Campaign Tv Ad, “Astonishing”;
RRC Porter Says TX RRC is Hiring Quake Specialist;
Davis Attacks Abbott on Payday Lenders;
DMN: Dunn Provides 99% of Empower Texans’ Funding;
Branch Will Report $4.9M Cash on Hand;
Emmett Backs Simpson over Woodfill for Harris County GOP Chair
*****
Good morning from The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island.
The honeymoon continues.  Fortunately for you, dear reader, Suzanne takes a very long time to get ready!

Here’s the end of week brief:

Your absolute must clicks:
> The re-election campaign of U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) released its first TV ad this morning, “Astonishing.”
> Texas Railroad Commissioner David Porter says (behind paywall) the agency is hiring an earthquake specialist.
> DMN reports on gubernatorial candidate and State Sen. Wendy Davis (D-Fort Worth) attackinggubernatorial candidate and Attorney General Greg Abbott over payday lenders.
> DMN’s Bob Garrett reports on the 99% funding that Empower Texans received from Midland oil man Tim Dunn during a recent fundraising period.

Tweets worth reading:

Dan Branch for Texas AG starts year with $4.9 million cash on hand, campaign announces. #txAG

2:09 PM – 9 Jan 14 · Details

Harris Count Judge @EdEmmett endorses Paul Simpson @paulfsimpson for Harris County @HCRP Rep Party Chair. #txlege pic.twitter.com/IaMgLgnrgc

6:10 PM – 9 Jan 14 · Details

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#txlege

– First Lady of Texas Anita Perry cut a PSA urging Texans to get flu shots.
– Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX) has appointed outgoing Texas Secretary of State John Steen to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
– House Democratic State Senators are calling for the resignation of Texas Finance Commission chair William White.
– ABJ reports that the Texas Technology Fund invested $17 million in failed startups.
– State Rep. Jason Villalba (R-Dallas) wants hot sauce maker to move to Texas.

2013 / 2014 / 2016:
– TT’s Aman Batheja, reporting for Texas editions of the NYT, calls U.S. Rep. Steve Stockman’s (R-TX) grasp on the Cruz coattails “tenuous.”
– Wash Post’s David Farenthold reported over the weekend on the U.S. Senate primary in Texas, with a focus on Rep. Stcokman’s background.
– The father of U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), Rafael Cruz, endorsed challenger Katrina Pierson over incumbent U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX).
– Texas Comptroller candidate and State Rep. Harvey Hilderbran (R-Kerrville) released the sixth point of this Ten-Point Performance Pledge yesterday, pledging to protect Texans’ personal data.

Other stories of interest:
– Forecast predicts the U.S. oil boom will slow in 2015.

Lighter clicks:
– If Pulp Fiction were an 8-bit video game.
– 
Five gadgets from CES 2014 that will change how we travel.
– Texas A&M thanks Johnny Manziel with a 
pretty amazing video compilation.

Your Daily Source of Inspiration:
– Gabby Giffords created a new memory for a terrible anniversary.

NEWS

QUORUM REPORT: War of Words erupts as Harris County Judge Ed Emmett endorses challenger Paul Simpson for GOP County Chair (1/10/14 9:27am)

DMN: Oilman supplies 99.98 percent of anti-tax group’s money (1/10/14 8:25am)

AP: Davis to unveil Texas education proposals (1/10/14 8:24am)

NYT / TT: Hanging Onto Cruz’s Coattails With a Tenuous Grasp (1/10/14 8:23am)

AP: PSA urges Texans to get flu shots (1/10/14 8:23am)

AP: High Texas court weights damaging online comments (1/10/14 8:22am)

AP: Dewhurst to announce education agenda (1/10/14 8:22am)

AP: Perry gives ex-secretary of state Steen new role (1/10/14 8:21am)

AP: Scrutinized Texas parks agency plans historic hire (1/10/14 8:20am)

AP: Ex-workers’ comp chief Herman G. Wilks admits stealing $500,000 (1/10/14 8:20am)

DMN: Hundreds more Texas schools rated below standards (1/10/14 8:05am)

DMN: Wendy Davis: GOP rival Greg Abbott helped payday loan industry collect high fees from borrowers (1/10/14 8:04am)

DMN: Wealthy donors gather at Dallas lawyer Lisa Blue Baron’s home for Wendy Davis fundraiser (1/10/14 8:04am)

DMN: Stockman endorsement page disappears, but he’s visible as always online (1/10/14 8:03am)

DMN: Obama targets San Antonio for “promise zone” aid (1/10/14 8:03am)

FWST ($): Texas Railroad Commission to hire quake specialist (1/10/14 7:58am)

CHRON ($): U.S. oil boom could slip in 2015, feds forecast (1/10/14 7:57am)

CHRON ($): Garcia defends record on sex abuse in county jail (1/10/14 7:56am)

CHRON: Houston lawyer sworn in as secretary of state (1/10/14 7:55am)

CHRON: Houston Democratic senators urge Finance Commission chairman to resign (1/10/14 7:54am)

CHRON: Stockman “ditches” debt-ridden campaign committee (1/10/14 7:54am)

CHRON: Dewhurst to insurance chief: Adopt proposed navigator rules (1/10/14 7:53am)

CHRON: Patrick hits Dewhurst over Finance chair appointment (1/10/14 7:53am)

SAEN ($): Hagel vows budget cuts won’t hurt wounded veterans (1/9/14 10:40am)

AAS ($): Abbott, Davis spar over payday lending (1/9/14 9:59pm)

AUSTIN BUSINESS JOURNAL: Texas technology fund invests $17M in failed startups (1/9/14 9:52am)

NPR: Pregnant Woman On Life Support Draws Attention To Texas Law (1/9/14 9:50am)

USA TODAY: Texas charges controversial doctor with false ads (1/9/14 9:49am)

TIME MAGAZINE: Texas Legislator Invites Sriracha Maker to the Lone Star State (1/9/14 9:48am)

REUTERS: Texas club auctions rhino hunt permit in bid to protect species (1/9/14 9:44am)

SARASOTA HERALD-TRIBUNE: Ted Cruz to speak in Sarasota (1/9/14 7:51am)

WSJ ($): Cruz Vows to Step Up Attack on Health Law (1/9/14 7:49am)

TT: Oil and Gas to PUC: Don’t Overhaul Energy Market (1/9/14 7:45am)

AUSTIN BUSINESS JOURNAL: Texas Lyceum selects new president, directors (1/8/14 6:34pm)

THE HILL: Cruz’s dad endorses Sessions challenger (1/8/14 6:26am)

WASH POST: Rep. Steve Stockman of Texas goes it alone in Republican primary against Sen. John Cornyn (1/7/14 6:59am)

TT: In Third Statewide Bid, Friedman Hopes to Win With Weed (1/7/14 6:59am)

EDITORIALS

NYT: Abortion Restrictions in Texas and Beyond (1/10/14 8:19am)

DMN: Let Marlise Munoz die (1/10/14 8:07am)

DMN: We recommend Lori Chrisman Hockett for 255th Family District Court (1/10/14 8:06am)

FWST ($): To Cornyn, Cruz: Restore tax break for Texans (1/10/14 8:02am)

FWST ($): Texas power companies want more $$ (1/10/14 8:01am)

FWST ($): Tower 55 relief will last about 10 years (1/10/14 8:01am)

FWST ($): Pregnant woman’s Texas family is heartbroken, but law does not let hospital withdraw life support (1/10/14 8am)

CHRON: Hurricane surge (1/1/14 7:48am)

CHRON: A doggone shame (1/10/14 7:48am)

SAEN: Unified design must drive reform (1/9/14 10:08am)

SAEN: Keep politics minimal in A&M search (1/9/14 10:08am)

SAEN: Biofuels mandate makes no sense (1/9/14 10:07am)

SAEN: In streetcar fight, bus riders hurt (1/9/14 10:07am)

AAS ($): Background checks would eliminate gun show loophole (1/9/14 10:01am)

AAS ($): Strong breaks barriers, but still a regular coach (1/9/14 10am)

COLUMNS

GEIGER: Legalized pot would make life worse for Dallas’ poor (1/10/14 8:09am)

PACELLE: Will we put a price tag on all our endangered animals? (1/10/14 8:08am)

KEITH: The real sin in Dallas Safari Club’s black rhino hunt auction (1/10/14 8:06am)

NORMAN ($): Blaming North Texas earthquakes on gas industry a difficult fight (1/10/14 8:02am)

WOLFER ($): New legislation can help curb gun violence in the U.S. (1/10/14 7:57am)

FALKENBERG ($): Where oh where does Dave Wilson live? (1/10/14 7:51am)

U.S. REP. JACKSON LEE: Extend emergency unemployment aid (1/10/14 7:50am)

JARL: Proposed agriculture legislation won’t be good for Texas (1/10/14 7:49am)

KING: City’s financial health continues to deteriorate (1/10/14 7:49am)

PIMENTEL: How about ending the war on heathens? (1/9/14 10:03am)

ANGLIN: The lesson: Free speech is priceless (1/9/14 10:02am)

THORBURN ($): County elections in Texas hark back to one-party system (1/9/14 10:01am)

U.S. SEN. CRUZ: Limits on the Treaty Power (1/8/14 6:31pm)

STATE REP. AYCOCK: Push Back Against “Do-Nothing” Crowd (1/7/14 3:48pm)

BLOGS (from the left)

TO: How the Payday Loan Industry Works Regulators from the Inside (1/9/14 9:51am)

BOR: Wendy Davis Calls on Rick Perry to Remove Finance Commission Chair William White (1/9/14 9:51am)

RAW STORY: Greg Abbott: New York and California are using Wendy Davis to turn Texas blue (1/9/14 9:45am)

OFF THE KUFF: Rick Perry doesn’t want people to get health insurance (1/9/14 9:43pm)

THINK PROGRESS: Ted Cruz’s New Plan To Shut Down Diplomacy With Iran (1/9/14 7:50am)

BOR: Rick Perry Violates Legislative Intent With Overreach And Overregulation of Texas’ ACA Navigators (1/7/14 3:45pm)

PROGRESS TEXAS: Abbott Defends Predatory Lenders, Not School Kids (1/7/13 6:57am)

BLOGS (from the right)

LIFENEWS: Comedians Performing “Night of a Thousand Vaginas” Fundraiser for Abortion (1/10/14 9:25am)

RED STATE: The Wendy Davis comedy routine (1/10/14 9:24am)

HILDERBRAN CAMPAIGN: Hilderbran Pledges to Protect Texans’ Personal Data (1/10/14 9:20am)

CORNYN CAMPAIGN: Cornyn campaign releases first TV ad, “Astonishing” (1/10/14 8:29am)

STOCKMAN CAMPAIGN: Stockman slams new anti-gun Bloomberg Bill (1/9/14 9:21am)

Author: Must Read Texas

Matt Mackowiak (@MattMackowiak) & Jason Stanford http://www.MustReadTexas.com @MustReadTexas