The Midday Brief: June 24, 2010

Your afternoon reading:

"Mike Toomey, a lobbyist and former chief of staff to Gov. Rick Perry, personally paid for an aborted effort to qualify the Green Party of Texas for the ballot, according to court testimony Thursday morning." — Former Perry aide paid for aborted Green Party petition effort, Postcards

"The U.S. Supreme Court ruled today that some of the charges against former Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling may not have been covered by a law used to prosecute him." — Supreme Court sides with Skilling's appeal, Houston Chronicle

"Sarah Palin wrote on her Facebook page last night that she will appear in Tyler on Saturday night at the Oil Palace, which has also played host to Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity within the last year. According to the venue’s website, 'She will not only give remarks but will take questions from the audience.' The local CBS affiliate and a talk-radio station are sponsoring her trip, and tickets range from $35 to $100." — Palin returns to Texas, First Reading

"GOP Gov. Rick Perry has proclaimed this Sunday a 'Day of Prayer in Texas for the Gulf Coast' due to the oil disaster." — Gov. Perry on Gulf: Pray, Texas Politics

New in The Texas Tribune:

"Brian Birdwell talked to the Tribune on Wednesday about being a 9/11 survivor, whether he's really eligible to serve, his ties to the Tea Party, why he'd eliminate property taxes and the Texas pols he'll model himself after." — Brian Birdwell: The TT Interview

"A new political action committee is attacking Gov. Rick Perry with a television ad playing on a familiar theme: Perry's high-class living. The ad starts airing tonight in markets across Texas." — Ads Infinitum: Education PAC's Anti-Perry Ad

"The recently elected chairman of the Republican Party of Texas has updated his formerly personal website bio." — TribBlog: Munisteri's Private Parts