Will Rep. Blake Farenthold Be On The Ballot? The Legal Saga Is Over.

This week in Texas politics with the Texas Tribune.

By Alexandra HartDecember 22, 2017 12:39 pm, , ,

Here to kick off the holiday weekend with a look back at the week in Texas politics is Emily Ramshaw, editor-in-chief of the Texas Tribune.

Blake Farenthold is officially off the ballot for the 2018 primaries, but not without some behind-the-scenes drama.

“There have been so many back-and-forth lawsuits,” Ramshaw says. “So first the Republican Party of Texas said ‘We’re going to file suit to keep his name off the ballot.’ He had missed the deadline to take his embattled name off that ballot.”

After the GOP withdrew their suit, the Democrats filed suit. Now it appears that there are no lawsuits and his name will not appear on the ballot.

This week there was also another chapter in the seemingly never-ending saga that is Attorney General Ken Paxton’s criminal case.

“The latest is the prosecutors who are going after Ken Paxton now have a case that is going to be heard by the Court of Criminal Appeals,” Ramshaw says. “They’re arguing that they need to be paid.”

The Texas Education Agency is facing scrutiny over nixing some special education contracts.

“The special education director was recently let go by the agency, and the agency said, ‘Really this had to do with the fact that she was facing some allegations regarding a cover up of some sexual assault allegations back in her previous job.’”

But the former director says she was let go because she was a whistle blower – and the agency ending a controversial contract may back up her claim.

Listen to the full interview in the audio player above.