sorry . . . airplane delays

Embattled Eric Holder no-shows the NAACP as the headlines around him grow

UPDATE: Eric Holder rescheduled to address the convention at 11 a.m. Tuesday.

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Hours before he was set to speak at a Monday luncheon event for the NAACP national convention, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder was forced to cancel his talk due to an airplane delay, according to officials from the civil rights organization.

Press officers for the NAACP, which will release a formal statement later this afternoon, said they hope to reschedule the event for Tuesday, but have yet to confirm with Holder's office.

The attorney general is the first sitting cabinet secretary in U.S. history to face a charge of congressional contempt. The investigation has been blanketed in partisan debate since it began 16 months ago.

Holder already made headlines Monday morning after a poll released by CNN revealed that 53 percent of Americans feel the U.S. House of Representatives was right to hold the attorney general in contempt of Congress for refusing to turn over documents related to the ATF's controversial Fast and Furious operation that reportedly landed guns in the hands of Mexican drug cartels.

In the same CNN poll, 61 percent of those surveyed feel that congressional Republicans are condemning Holder for political gain, as opposed to the 34 percent who think that GOP lawmakers are perusing the Fast and Furious case for genuine ethical concerns.

Presumptive Republican presidential nom Mitt Romney and Vice President Joe Biden remain scheduled to speak at the NAACP convention on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.

Click here for more details on the NAACP's 103rd national conference, which continues through Thursday at the George R. Brown Convention Center.

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no more trips to Colorado

Bill to legalize marijuana in Texas filed by Dallas Democrat

Photo courtesy of Texas Original

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Texas Rep. Jessica González (D-Dallas) has filed a bill to legalize recreational marijuana in Texas. House Bill 1208 would legalize the cultivation, manufacturing, transportation, and sale of cannabis.

The bill would allow adults 21 and older to use, possess, and transport up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana for personal use. Adults could also keep up to 10 ounces of cannabis in their residence, as long as it is stored in a secure location.

Smoking or consuming cannabis while in a public place or in a car on a public road would not be allowed.

Gonzalez filed the bill in mid-November, one in a suite of bills that also included expanding insurance coverage for in vitro fertilization for LGBTQ couples; and requiring landlords to disclose all fees before a rental lease is signed.

Her bill was filed prior to an initiative launched by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on December 4 to ban THC products in Texas entirely.

In addition to legalizing recreational use, the bill also makes provisions for its production and sale including requiring that the packaging be child-resistent and clearly labeled, so that it's not confused for candy.

Businesses looking to grow, transport, test, or sell cannabis would need to be licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. A 10 percent tax would be imposed on the sale of all cannabis and cannabis products. Some of the profits would go towards funding public schools.

If passed, the bill would take effect on September 1, 2025.

Medical cannabis is currently legal in Texas under the Texas Compassionate Use Program, which allows low-THC cannabis to be prescribed for conditions such as epilepsy, MS, autism, cancer, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Some cities have also approved decriminalization for the possession of four ounces or less of marijuana, including Austin, Bastrop, Dallas, Denton, Elgin, Killeen, and Lockhart.

politics marijuana