Texas Politics

DeLay disputing Houston Chronicle and Washington Post Stories
 
U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's national political committee accepted $25,000 in donations from Enron seven days after the federal government launched a formal investigation of the troubled energy giant.

A spokesman for DeLay, R-Sugar Land, said there was nothing improper about the donation and noted that the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee accepted $50,000 from Enron almost a month after the Securities and Exchange Commission's probe began.
 
CPS caseloads under scrutiny
 
The chairman of the House Human Services Committee said Thursday the average child abuse and neglect investigator's caseload of 50 per month is "way too many" and stretches workers too thin.   National child welfare groups recommend one investigator for every 12 cases.
 
Perry gives lobbyist pal's wife state part-time $40,000 job working from home
 
State health officials, at Gov. Rick Perry's request, created a $40,000 fitness-promotion job for the wife of a top-dollar lobbyist with close ties to the governor.
Martha "Marty" McCartt began directing Perry's physical fitness brainchild, the once-a-year Texas Round-up festival, at the Texas Department of Health on July 1, according to an employment document created Wednesday.  This job was not posted out for applicants.

McCartt, formerly a volunteer in the fitness program at the governor's office, will now work from her Austin home 30 hours a week and get a salary, said Texas Department of Health spokesman Doug McBride.
 
The action comes during a year when state budget cuts have forced staff reductions of nearly 5 percent, which cost 230 full-time positions at the Health Department, according to the agency's budget documents.