Becky Gregory is the new U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas; the U.S. Senate confirmed her appointment. Gregory, a Dallas lawyer and a former assistant U.S. Attorney, succeeds Matt Orwig, who resigned a year ago (and who’d been replaced on an interim basis by John Ratcliffe).

Karl Eschbach of San Antonio is the state’s new demographer, replacing Steve Murdock, who left that gig to head the U.S. Census Bureau. Like his predecessor, Eschbach is head of the Texas Data Center at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

A year after firing the management team in the prepaid college tuition division, Comptroller Susan Combs hired Kevin Dieters to head the new “Educational Opportunities and Investment Division.” Under his purview: the state’s 529 college savings plans, the Texas Guaranteed Tuition Program that was known as the Texas Tomorrow Fund (and is now closed to enrollment) and the Texas Tomorrow Fund II, which is scheduled to open later this year. Dieters had been at the Office of the Fire Fighters Pension Commissioner.

Dr. Eduardo Sanchez, former commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services, is joining Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas as vice president and chief medical officer. He’s currently working at the UT Health Science Center in Houston in the Institute for Health Policy.

Gardere Wynne Sewell added Elizabeth Hurst to its environmental practice, saying she’ll work closely with the firm’s state lobbyists. She worked with the Environmental Protection Agency before joining Oklahoma City-based Tronox, a chemical company.

Trey Trainor is leaving Rep. Phil King’s staff after almost ten years with the Weatherford Republican and with the Secretary of State. He plans to practice law and do some lobbying. Caleb Troxclair will take over as clerk of the House Committee on Regulated Industries, which King chairs.

Spencer Chambers is the new government relations manager at the Port of Houston Authority. He’s been an aide to U.S. Sen. John Cornyn and to state Rep. Tony Goolsby, R-Dallas.

Larry Gonzales, last seen working for Rep. John Otto, R-Dayton, and in the Pink Building for 16 years before that, has moved to the Texas State University System. He’s the number two to Patricia Hayes, the vice chancellor for governmental relations and educational policy.

Gov. Perry appointed:

• Nine members to the Rio Grande Regional Water Authority Board, including Joe Barrerra III, general manager of the Brownsville Irrigation District; Dario Guerra Jr., an Edinburg rancher; Wayne Halbert of San Benito, GM of Harlingen Irrigation District and Adams Gardens Irrigation District; Sonny Hinojosa or Edinburg, GM of Hidalgo County Irrigation District No. 2; Sonia Kaninger of Harlingen, with Cameron County Irrigation District No. 2; Brian Macmanus of Harlingen, director of water and wastewater at the East Rio Hondo Water Supply Corp.; Samuel Sparks, owner and operator of SRS Farms in Harlingen; Jimmie Steidinger, a Donna rancher and farmer; and Frank “JoJo” White of Progreso lakes, GM of Irrigation District No. 9 in Hidalgo and Cameron Counties.

• Michael Bray, an El Paso real estate agent, as presiding officer of the Manufactured Housing Board.

• Dr. Ahmed Osama Gaber, director of transplantation for Methodist Hospital Physician Organization of Houston, as presiding officer of the Chronic Kidney Disease Task Force. His 12-member panel will make recommendations on disease treatments.

Busted: Rep. Mike Krusee, R-Round Rock, for driving under the influence after a DPS trooper saw his car weaving on the highway late on a weekday night. He spent the rest of the night in jail.

Democrat Joe Moody, who started the general election season promising to limit his campaign contributions to $2,300, won’t keep that promise.

He says in a press release that it was a challenge to Republican Dee Margo, that Margo turned down the challenge to limit incoming contributions, and that Moody won’t obey the limits, either.

The proposal threatened to unilaterally disarm the Democrat against a Republican who raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in an expensive primary against Rep. Pat Haggerty, R-El Paso. The decision to back out re-arms Moody, but opened him to an easy shot from the Republican. "This is the first time I've ever heard of a candidate seeking public trust going back on his word six months before an election," Margo said in a press release of his own.

Jaime Gonzalez Jr., a Texas member of the Democratic National Committee and a superdelegate, pledged to vote for Hillary Clinton at the party convention in Denver.He's a McAllen attorney and has been on the DNC since 2000. Keeping track of all this? There's a great thing on the Internet to help you in your tallies, right here.