The Midday Brief: Aug. 5, 2010

Your afternoon reading:

"Texas Sen. John Cornyn is the latest senior Republican to call for a review of 'birthright citizenship,' amid complaints that illegal immigrants have abused that post-Civil War constitutional provision." — Texas Sen. John Cornyn backs review of 'birthright citizenship', The Dallas Morning News

"BP's Macondo well could be plugged with cement by Friday morning, a job that if successful would represent 'a major step forward' in killing the well for good and ensuring oil will never again leak from the damaged well, National Incident Commander Thad Allen said this morning." — BP well could be (mostly) dead by Friday, Houston Chronicle

"Rick Perry is spending lots of time this week raising money in California for his reelection campaign. Once upon a time, Perry didn't think much of Texas politicians soliciting big-dollar donors in the Golden State. In his 1990 race for agriculture commissioner, Perry attacked Democratic incumbent Jim Hightower for fundraising on the West Coast." — Rick Perry against fundraising in La-La Land before he was for it, Trail Blazers

"Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill White called for an independent audit of partnerships between the Texas A&M University System and biomedical research companies on Wednesday." — White: A&M deals must be reviewed, Bryan-College Station Eagle

New in The Texas Tribune:

"It wasn't so much a grilling as a polite discussion this morning between Harris County officials and members of the Texas Commission on Jail Standards." — Harris County Officials Talk About Jail Crowding

"The author and former security guard at the Port Isabel detention center for illegal immigrants talked with the Tribune last week about the torture, sexual abuse and drug smuggling he says he witnessed there." — Former Detention Center Guard Tells of Rape, Torture