Since I’ve criticized Governor Abbott numerous times, I figured he deserved a quick post for vetoing the ethics bill that contained the spousal loophole as discussed in my Ethics the Texas Way post.

As predicated though, when doing so, the Governor did do his best Sepp Blatter impersonation, saying

“Serious ethics reform must be addressed next session — the right way. Texans deserve better.”

Of course in the mad way that Texas governs, that really means 2017. Maybe Sepp Blatter will be gone by then, but Texas ethics won’t have advanced. At least we will be able to see what the Spouses of the legislator are doing.

What many of us suspect goes on all the time in Texas in what is called the ol’ boy network is best seen in action by the sponsor of the Spousal loophole herself, state Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston. Turns out Sen Huffman is facing an ethics complaint related her own spouse. It is alleged the senator filed “false” information by failing to list more than 35 businesses in which her husband has a stake. Off the Kuff has a good round on on Sen, Huffman.

Texas ethics at its best. Well done Governor Abbot for vetoing the bills, they were not the ethics reform you were looking for. Hopefully by 2017 the legislator will take more notice of you than the board of FIFA did of Sepp Blatter.