1.0The Texas Observerhttps://www.texasobserver.orgJake Bernsteinhttps://www.texasobserver.org/author/jake-bernstein/rich600338<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="Fj6s1iQwK7"><a href="https://www.texasobserver.org/1525-last-of-the-legislative-mechanics-the-texas-observer-talks-with-senator-bill-ratliff/">Last of the Legislative Mechanics</a></blockquote><iframe sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" src="https://www.texasobserver.org/1525-last-of-the-legislative-mechanics-the-texas-observer-talks-with-senator-bill-ratliff/embed/#?secret=Fj6s1iQwK7" width="600" height="338" title="“Last of the Legislative Mechanics” — The Texas Observer" data-secret="Fj6s1iQwK7" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" class="wp-embedded-content"></iframe><script> /*! This file is auto-generated */ !function(c,l){"use strict";var e=!1,o=!1;if(l.querySelector)if(c.addEventListener)e=!0;if(c.wp=c.wp||{},c.wp.receiveEmbedMessage);else if(c.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if(!t);else if(!(t.secret||t.message||t.value));else if(/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/.test(t.secret));else{for(var r,s,a,i=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),n=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),o=0;o<n.length;o++)n[o].style.display="none";for(o=0;o<i.length;o++)if(r=i[o],e.source!==r.contentWindow);else{if(r.removeAttribute("style"),"height"===t.message){if(1e3<(s=parseInt(t.value,10)))s=1e3;else if(~~s<200)s=200;r.height=s}if("link"===t.message)if(s=l.createElement("a"),a=l.createElement("a"),s.href=r.getAttribute("src"),a.href=t.value,a.host===s.host)if(l.activeElement===r)c.top.location.href=t.value}}},e)c.addEventListener("message",c.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",t,!1),c.addEventListener("load",t,!1);function t(){if(o);else{o=!0;for(var e,t,r,s=-1!==navigator.appVersion.indexOf("MSIE 10"),a=!!navigator.userAgent.match(/Trident.*rv:11\./),i=l.querySelectorAll("iframe.wp-embedded-content"),n=0;n<i.length;n++){if(!(r=(t=i[n]).getAttribute("data-secret")))r=Math.random().toString(36).substr(2,10),t.src+="#?secret="+r,t.setAttribute("data-secret",r);if(s||a)(e=t.cloneNode(!0)).removeAttribute("security"),t.parentNode.replaceChild(e,t);t.contentWindow.postMessage({message:"ready",secret:r},"*")}}}}(window,document); </script> The media advisory was cryptic—Senator Bill Ratliff (R-Mt. Pleasant) will “formally announce his future plans for public office” in a press conference in the Senate chambers on November 20. Yet most of the inhabitants at the Capitol could guess what the legislative veteran was likely to say, if not the exact details. Rather than serve […]https://www.texasobserver.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/about-the-texas-observer.jpg740402