Tag Archives: Texas

SCOTUS Sides With Feds On Texas Border Razor Wire

The New York Times reports: The Supreme Court sided with the Biden administration on Monday in a dispute over a concertina-wire barrier erected by Texas along the Mexican border. The justices temporarily lifted an appeals court’s ruling that had generally prohibited federal officials from removing the wire. The Supreme Court’s brief order gave no reasons, which is typical when the …

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Grand Jury To Consider Charges For Uvalde Police

The Uvalde News-Leader reports: A jury has been convened in Uvalde to determine if law enforcement officers will face criminal charges related to the attack at Robb Elementary School. On Friday, Jan. 19, a dozen people were selected to serve on a special grand jury that is expected to spend at least six months studying the May 24, 2022, Robb …

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Paxton Paid Impeachment Lawyers With Donor Money

The Texas Tribune reports: Attorney General Ken Paxton tapped his campaign funds to pay $2.3 million on legal fees related to his impeachment trial over the last six months, according to a new campaign finance report. The report, which was published Thursday, is the first time Paxton has had to disclose his campaign spending since July. The House impeached him …

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DOJ Report Blasts Police “Failures” In Uvalde Shooting

The Texas Tribune reports: The U.S. Justice Department on Thursday released a withering report into the hundreds of Texas law enforcement officers’ fumbled response to the 2022 Robb Elementary School shooting, finding “cascading failures of leadership, decision-making, tactics, policy and training.” The long-anticipated 575-page report detailed the many failures of the May 24, 2022 response, but concluded the most significant …

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Texas Defies Federal Order On Border Patrol Access

NBC News reports: Texas is refusing to comply with a cease-and-desist letter from the Biden administration over actions by the state that have impeded U.S. Border Patrol agents from accessing part of the border with Mexico. In a letter to the Department of Homeland Security, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton rejected the Biden administration’s request for the state to “cease …

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Appeals Court Blocks Texas Law Requiring Book Ratings

Austin’s CBS affiliate reports: The Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals blocked the Texas Education Agency on Wednesday from enforcing a state law requiring booksellers to rate the explicitness and relevance of sexual references in materials they sell to schools. The appellate court, one of the most conservative in the nation, agreed with booksellers who sued the state, claiming the …

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Nazis Gather At Houston City Hall And On Overpass

The Houston Chronicle reports: A small group displaying Nazi symbols gathered Saturday on a bridge above Interstate 45 near downtown and City Hall in Houston. The group also held a banner that read, “make America white again” alongside one red and one black Nazi flag. The group also was seen outside Houston’s City Hall. A man was seen confronting the …

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Texas Power Grid Fears Spur “Panic Shopping” [VIDEO]

The Houston Chronicle reports: Ever since the grid failed during Winter Storm Uri in 2021, leaving many across the state without power for days, Texans have felt on edge whenever ERCOT issues a grid condition notice and a freeze or extreme heat is on the way. But H-E-B remained open during 2021’s storm, acting as a balm for Texans stressed …

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“Record-Breaking Demand” Warning For TX Power Grid

Newsweek reports: The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which operates 90 percent of the state’s electric load, has issued a warning for residents to conserve energy ahead of “tight conditions” as bitterly cold conditions hit the Lone Star State. The dangerous cold and wintry precipitation expected to hit Texas on Monday, January 15 and Tuesday, January 16 is likely …

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Texas State Troopers “Physically Barred” Border Patrol Agents Trying To Rescue Drowning Migrant Children

The Texas Tribune reports: A woman and two children drowned trying to cross the Rio Grande, near the Eagle Pass park that Texas troopers have taken control over, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection confirmed on Saturday. State officers and National Guard members have been denying federal Border Patrol agents entry to the 47-acre …

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TX GOP Chair Worked For Funder Of Extremist Group

The Texas Tribune reports: For more than three months, Republican Party of Texas Chair Matt Rinaldi has vigorously attacked critics of Defend Texas Liberty, and rebuffed calls to distance the state party from the powerful group over its ties to white supremacists. As he did so, Rinaldi was also working as an attorney for one of the group’s two billionaire …

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Texas Gov: We’d Shoot People Crossing The Border But Then The Biden Admin Would “Charge Us With Murder”

The Houston Chronicle reports: Gov. Greg Abbott says Texas is doing everything to stop border crossings short of shooting migrants because the Biden administration would “charge us with murder.” “We are deploying every tool and strategy that we possibly can,” the governor said in an interview with conservative commentator Dana Loesch. “The only thing that we’re not doing is we’re …

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Abbott To Spend $19M To Oust Anti-Voucher GOP Reps

The Texas Tribune reports: Gov. Greg Abbott raised a record $19 million over the last six months — money he intends to use toward his crusade to oust anti-school voucher Texas House Republicans in the primary season. Abbott’s campaign announced the sum Wednesday, adding that he also has $38 million cash on hand across two political accounts. “With the primary …

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NYC Sues Migrant-Shipping Bus Companies For $700M

Just in via press release: New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Corporation Counsel Sylvia O. Hinds-Radix today announced a lawsuit against 17 charter bus and transportation companies that seeks to recoup all costs New York City has incurred providing emergency shelter and services to migrants transported by the charter bus companies — totaling at least approximately …

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Dolly Parton Gifts Guitar To Texas Drag Queen/Activist

The Messenger reports: Dolly Parton paid a debt of gratitude to a fellow big-haired, blonde icon doing important political work in the state of Texas. The country music legend sent a custom guitar to drag performer Brigitte Bandit, who has been a fierce advocate for the rights of drag queens and queer youth in her home state. “Never did I …

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DOJ Sues TX Over Law Giving State Immigration Powers

CBS News reports: The Justice Department filed a lawsuit Wednesday against Texas over the state’s implementation of a new immigration law allowing state and local law enforcement officials to arrest, jail and prosecute migrants who may have entered the U.S. illegally. The Biden administration warned Texas that it would file a suit if Texas didn’t assure federal officials by Wednesday …

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Appeals Court: Texas Can Ban Emergency Abortions

Reuters reports: The U.S. government cannot enforce federal guidance in Texas requiring emergency room doctors to perform abortions if necessary to stabilize emergency room patients, a federal appeals court ruled on Tuesday, siding with the state in a lawsuit accusing President Joe Biden’s administration of overstepping its authority. The ruling by a unanimous panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court …

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Texas Gov Dumps 400 Migrants On NYC Suburbs

Via press release from the New Jersey city of Secaucus: Yesterday morning the Secaucus Police Department and town officials received word from the Hudson County Executives’ Office that several buses transporting migrants in route for New York had arrived at the train station at Secaucus Junction. The first bus arrived the morning of December 30th. From what we understand after …

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Texas Gov Dumps 350 Migrants In Chicago Suburb

The Chicago Sun-Times reports: In a statement, the city of Chicago said a private Boeing 777 from San Antonio, coordinated by Eastern Airlines, landed in Rockford carrying 350 people seeking asylum. After landing, the passengers were put on eight buses chartered by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, according to a city of Chicago spokesperson. The buses dropped the migrants in the …

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Texas Drag Show Canceled After Right Wing Crusade

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports: Piaf Kitchen + Wine + Bar had promoted a “drag show” Dec. 31 as part of a circus act at a premium-priced party that also will include a fire thrower, a magician, a palm reader, dinner, music and a DJ. The restaurant posted Friday on social media, the lineup was changed, “For the safety of …

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