The Midday Brief: Aug. 26, 2010

Your afternoon reading:

• "Amid a growing controversy over new allegations of abuse and security concerns at the Texas Youth Commission, the top official responsible for independently investigating mistreatment and monitoring conditions has resigned." — Amid new abuse inquiry, TYC ombudsman resigns, Postcards

• Gov. Rick Perry's got a new video out today, this time attacking opponent Bill White by way of Starsky & Hutch (the new one, not the old):

• "They say in Texas to win the Governor's Mansion, er, rental house, you need to campaign on God and guns. Looks like Gov. Rick Perry is getting the guns part covered with an article called: Our Governor Hunts." — Perry still stalking Bill Whitetail, Texas Politics

• "For years, Karl Rove has denied that he helped engineer anti-gay marriage amendments in states to help George W. Bush win reelection in 2004. Rove's position was that the marriage amendments arose organically within eleven states, including political crucial Ohio , and that the Bush campaign wasn't involved in any way. Not true, a former Republican National Committee chairman now says." — Karl Rove says he didn't engineer anti-gay marriage amendments. He did., Trail Blazers

• "Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill White today is releasing a plan to rein in homeowner insurance costs by requiring companies to get 'prior approval' from the state before raising rates." — Bill White offers homeowner insurance rate plan, Texas Politics

New in The Texas Tribune:

• Texas has always operated its own electricity grid, separate from the two other grids that span the rest of the nation. But a project quietly emerging in eastern New Mexico could curb that independence — and affect energy prices here in ways that remain much in dispute. — Project to Connect Grids Raises Questions

• At this morning's TribLive interview, Attorney General Greg Abbott wouldn't say whether he'll square off against his Democratic opponent, Barbara Ann Radnofsky. "That is going to be up to the people who run my campaign," he said. — 2010: Abbott Won't Commit to Debating Radnofsky