Joe Deshotel Posts

Parkdale Mall in Beaumont is clarifying its ban on all guns in response to an incident where Derrick Poe was charged with disorderly conduct for slinging an AR-15 across his back.

In a newsletter to donors, Denton Co., Texas, Republican Chair Dianne Edmondson referred to Democratic Gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis as 'Abortion Barbie' and felt the need to reference running mate Leticia Van De Putte's hispanic heritage. A bit more sensitivity training may be in order.

A gun store owner in Beaumont faces up to 180 days in jail and a $1,000 fine if convicted of disorderly conduct after he walked through Parkdale Mall on December 28th with an AR-15 strapped to his back. The man turned himself in after a warrant was issued for his arrest but he maintains that he did nothing "illegal."

Unless Greg Abbott plans to turn the entire Texas Public Education system into charter schools and magnet academies, his latest campaign video still sheds little light on his position regarding education funding or traditional public schools.

The state's top GOP hopefuls recently met to discuss the changing political landscape in Texas and how they might keep their iron grip on the state's highest offices. At the heart of their concern is that Texas' traditional non-voting populations are starting to wake up thanks to a resurgent state Democratic Party led by their flagship gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis and the on the ground organizers of Battleground Texas.

Texas Land Commissioner and open carry advocate Jerry Patterson was compelled to issue an official response to a conspiracy theorist he shared the stage with at a gun rally at the Alamo in late October. Alex Jones' website infowars.com claimed that the, "blue UN flag may fly above the historic shrine of liberty once it falls under UN control."

Last week, the Austin City Council voted 6-1 to require that construction workers be paid the prevailing wage by companies who seek economic development incentives from the city. Austin is now the second and largest city in Texas to have such requirements.

Bexar County Court at Law Judge Carlo Key switched from the Republican party to the Democratic party emphasizing that the, "Republican party has been at war with itself," and that ultimately, "I have not left the Republican party, it left me."

Dallas County DA Craig Watkins held a Twitter Town Hall on his participation in the voter ID lawsuit against the state of Texas. The new law will be in effect for the November Constitutional election and is expected to place an unnecessary burden on communities already less likely to make it to the polls, namely African Americans and Hispanics.

Wendy Davis hasn't even entered the race for Texas Governor yet and the Republican front-runner Greg Abbott is already having to explain himself thanks to Barbie-gate. The AG may be sitting on over $20 million in the bank but a new study suggests we should be comparing their twitter capital instead.

Congressman Steve Stockman has invited a rodeo clown to perform in Texas who was banned from the Missouri State Fair for mocking the President in what many believe was a modern day minstrel show. Bad company is par for Stockman who invited Ted Nugent to give a response to the President's 2012 State of the Union speech after he told Obama to "suck on my machine gun."

New analysis by Latino Decisions shows Hispanics in 44 battleground congressional districts held by Republicans are poised to make a difference next November. The study comes on the heels of a June 6th vote in which every house Republican voted to defund President Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).

Last Friday, the House Tea Party Republicans in Congress passed a federal education bill that would reduce accountability, misappropriate Title 1 grants, and cut funding to public schools by over $1 billion. The legislation, which President Obama has threatened to veto, has also found opposition among the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, teachers unions, civil rights groups and advocates for the disabled.

Governor Rick Perry hasn't exactly had a smooth transition into his (yet to be announced) 2nd run for President. His initial announcement that he would not seek re-election was postponed due to the epic events surrounding Wendy Davis' filibuster in the Senate. Now, Wallace Hall, UT regent and Perry appointee, is one step closer to being impeached by the Texas legislature.

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott announced yesterday that he is running to replace Rick Perry as Governor. It's a loaded fact. Not only will Rick Perry remain governor of Texas until January 2015, but we are now subject to 15 months of what will likely be some of the most divisive campaigning in American politics.

On Tuesday, the White House released a statement declaring that a bill — H.R. 3, by Rep. Lee Terry (R-NE) to fast track a portion of the Keystone XL pipeline through the state of Nebraska — would be vetoed by the President. The measure will likely pass the Republican controlled House. So what does this mean for the controversial proposal?

Texas has a feral hog population of over 2 million. They are responsible for damage to property, crops and livestock at an estimated annual cost of $500 million.

Several hundred people rallied at the Capitol in Texas Thursday to support reinstating Planned Parenthood into the Women's Health Program. Rep. Senfronia Thompson (D-Houston) is the author of HB 2819, the bill seeks to undo the changes made last session by Republicans seeking to ban clinics with any affiliation to abortion providers.

A new poll by Gallup shows attitudes about gun regulations have warmed since the tragedies of Sandy Hook and Aurora but there is no evidence to suggest it will be sustained.

God did bless Texas, but when we talk about social statistics, and the general welfare of our citizens - we’re always reminded to give thanks for Mississippi.