Podcasts about attorney general ken paxton

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:Somewhat shaky reports have emerged that the Texas House Democrats away from the Capitol breaking quorum are making plans to return for a promised second special session, hoping for flood relief to be made the top priority: https://abc13.com/post/texas-house-democrats-return-home-second-special-session-abc13-sources-confirm/17515302/...The Texas Senate tried to push flood relief to the top yesterday too, but failed - a walkout by nine of the Democrats wasn't enough to stop the chamber from passing Donald Trump's new map, 19-2: https://www.kut.org/politics/2025-08-12/texas-senate-democrats-walk-out-redistricting-special-session...Attorney General Ken Paxton is calling for Beto O'Rourke to be arrested, alleging contempt of court as O'Rourke, after a restraining issue on fundraising was issued against Powered By People, told a Fort Worth rally crowd "fuck the rules": https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-he-s-lying-texas-ag-wants-to-arrest-beto-o-rourke-as-tensions-explode-244842565716The NPR Politics Podcast focused yesterday on the massive failure of FEMA call centers to properly answer calls for help from the Texas Hill Country in the wake of the July 4 flood: https://www.npr.org/2025/08/12/nx-s1-5500118/exclusive-fema-didnt-sufficiently-staff-disaster-hotline-after-texas-floods...Text messages between officials with the Upper Guadalupe River Authority show a lack of understanding about what that agency was dealing with on July 4: https://abcnews.go.com/US/assume-worst-internal-texts-emails-show-confusion-concern/story?id=124588857...Even now, dozens of structures at 13 Hill Country youth camps stand in the Guadalupe River 100-year flood plain: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/13/texas-hill-country-summer-camps-kerrville-floodplain/...To evade flood insurance and bolster property values, using a little-used process called a "letter of map amendment", several Camp Mystic buildings and nearby luxury homes have been drawn out of FEMA's special flood hazard areas: https://www.expressnews.com/projects/2025/kerr-county-floods-camp-mystic-fema-maps/...The New York Times has released a devastating photo essay of the flood damage: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/13/insider/documenting-the-horrors-of-the-texas-floods.htmlWith kids headed back to school, RFK Jr. in charge in D.C. and generous exemption policies available to Texas families, now's the time for parents who believe in science to double-check that their kids' vaccinations are current: https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/texas-parents-urged-to-update-childrens-vaccines-as-new-school-year-beginsTickets are on sale now for our live podcast taping with legendary Austin FC goalkeeper Brad Stuver on September 15 at Hopsquad Brewing in Austin! Tickets are limited and are available here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/allstaractivism_2025⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...The Brad Stuver interview will be co-hosted by Landon Cotham of the Austin FC podcast Moontower Soccer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.moontowersoccer.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Progress Texas' financial reserves have dropped to about 3 months worth of funding. Help us avoid going on a permanent vacation this summer by becoming a sustaining member: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org/join-pt-summer-vacation-membership-drive⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://progresstexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

On today's Front Page: National Guard troops arrived in Washington as the White House shared the first batch of federal arrests, the redistricting fight in Texas has state Attorney General Ken Paxton filing a multitude of lawsuits, and more.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:After Friday's Texas House quorum scare - in which one more Democrat, Rep. Mary Gonzales, showed up - the House will try again this afternoon at 1: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/texas-legislature-swing-redistricting-vote-democrats-extend-walkout-124533839...Texas Monthly comes up with a solid nickname for the Dems who have lined up for the Republicans, in the "housebodies": https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/the-texas-democrats-who-stayed-behind/...Why are Governor Abbott and Texas Republicans so upset about this quorum break, compared to those of the past? The answer is simply the accommodating of Donald Trump: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2025/08/08/heres-why-greg-abbott-gop-using-hardball-tactics-to-bring-back-quorum-busting-democrats/...Attorney General Ken Paxton got a Fort Worth judge to agree to block funding for the quorum breakers from Beto O'Rourke's Powered By People, while Beto has countersued to get Paxton out of his business: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/08/beto-orourke-texas-democrats-ken-paxton-fundraising-quorum-break/...Faultlines in Republican unity are showing up in the ongoing conflict between Senator John Cornyn and Ken Paxton: https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5443855-texas-senate-redistricting-fight/...As well as Texas Republican Party plans to censure, and possibly block from reelection, any GOP elected whom they find insufficiently radical: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/11/texas-gop-republican-party-censures-primary-ballot-dustin-burrows/?_bhlid=f03c1c69eee8b8e0c46b450567f17bf828bf7095Tickets are on sale now for our live podcast taping with legendary Austin FC goalkeeper Brad Stuver on September 15 at Hopsquad Brewing in Austin! Tickets are limited and are available here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/allstaractivism_2025⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...The Brad Stuver interview will be co-hosted by Landon Cotham of the Austin FC podcast Moontower Soccer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.moontowersoccer.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Progress Texas' financial reserves have dropped to about 3 months worth of funding. Help us avoid going on a permanent vacation this summer by becoming a sustaining member: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org/join-pt-summer-vacation-membership-drive⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://progresstexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Ralph welcomes labor organizer Chris Townsend to discuss the current state of the labor movement under the second Trump administration. Then, Ralph talks to journalist Mariah Blake about PFAS and her new book “They Poisoned the World: Life and Death in the Age of Forever Chemicals.”Chris Townsend has been a union member and leader for more than 45 years. He was most recently the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) International Union Organizing Director. Previously he was an International Representative and Political Action Director for the United Electrical Workers Union (UE), and he has held local positions in both the SEIU and UFCW.We've moved up an administrative layer of labor leaders, time markers, folks who see their role as at best guiding the sinking ship, managing the decline, taking best care as they can think of the members as their lives are destroyed, as the employers move to liquidate us.Chris TownsendIn many ways, exceeding the gravity of the political action crisis (our subordination to the Democratic Party, our membership estrangement from the political process, the lack of any significant trade union education of the rank and file other than a few cheap slogans)…is that the crisis that we face is the crisis of our very existence.Chris TownsendIt's far easier to shrink the labor movement than it is to build it and grow it. And that's our job. No other force in the country is going to do the work of adding the many millions of unorganized toilers—I use the word “toilers” very carefully…Toil is really what we've been reduced to, and increasingly so. So there's absolutely, I would indict the labor movement loudly, daily, that there is as yet no understanding that unless we go back out to the unorganized and take the spirit of trade unionism—unity, one for all, take on the employer, organize, defend each other, move forward, recapture some of this gargantuan wealth that we create each day on the job—unless that spirit is returned into an organizing wave or at least an attempt to do this, our fate has been sealed.Chris TownsendMariah Blake is an investigative journalist whose writing has appeared in the New York Times, the Atlantic, Mother Jones, the New Republic, and other publications. She was a Murrey Marder Nieman Fellow in Watchdog Journalism at Harvard University. And she is the author of They Poisoned the World: Life and Death in the Age of Forever Chemicals.PFAS are a large family of chemicals with some pretty amazing properties—they're extremely resistant to heat, stains, water, grease, electrical currents. They stand up to corrosive chemicals that burn through virtually every other material (including, in some cases, steel). And this makes them extremely useful. And as a result, they found their way into thousands of everyday products. On the other hand, they are probably the most insidious pollutants in all of human history. So they stay in the environment for hundreds or even thousands of years. Those that have been studied are highly toxic, even in the most minuscule of doses. And they are literally polluting the entire planet.Mariah BlakeThe way we regulate chemicals in this country at the moment makes zero sense. You do see changes happening in response to the unique threat posed by these chemicals on a state level. And this is really in response to citizen activism. So a number of states are passing laws that have banned the entire class of chemicals. That is not how we regulate chemicals in this country normally. We normally regulate them one by one, but at this moment 30 US states have passed at least 170 laws restricting PFAS, including 16 full or partial bans on the entire class of chemicals in consumer goods.Mariah BlakeThe amazing thing is the families of all these lobbyists have got these chemicals in their own bodies, their own kids, their own infants. I mean, don't they crank that into their daily mission as to how they're going to confront efforts by citizens around the country to ban and regulate these chemicals? How oblivious can you be? These oil and gas executives and lobbyists in Washington, their own families are being contaminated.Ralph NaderThese were people very much like Michael, people who had never taken much of an interest in politics, who'd spent their lives trusting that there were systems in place to protect them. And now that trust had been shattered. But rather than becoming cynical or resigned, they fought like hell to protect their families. And along the way, they discovered these hidden strengths that turned them into really remarkable advocates.Mariah BlakeNews 8/8/25* In Gaza, even the Israeli media is starting to acknowledge the scale of the starvation crisis. The New Yorker reporters, “Channel 12 [Israel's most-watched mainstream news broadcast], aired a series of startling…photographs of emaciated babies, and of children being trampled as they stood in food lines, holding out empty pots…[as well as] pictures of mothers weeping because they had no way to feed their families…Ohad Hemo, the network's correspondent for Palestinian affairs, concluded, ‘There is hunger in Gaza, and we have to say it loud and clear…The responsibility lies not only with Hamas but also with Israel.'” According to the U.N.'s World Food Programme, more than one in three people are not eating for days in a row. Yet, polls show that a “vast majority of Israeli Jews – 79 percent – say they are ‘not so troubled' or ‘not troubled at all' by the reports of famine and suffering among the Palestinian population in Gaza,” according Haaretz. This callous disregard for the lives of Palestinians among Israel's majority population ensures that this humanitarian crisis will worsen even more unless the government faces real external pressure to end the devastation and provide humanitarian aid.* Meanwhile, Axios reports the government of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu “unanimously voted Monday to fire Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, who is currently prosecuting [Netanyahu] for corruption.” As this piece explains, “This is the first time an Israeli government has ever voted to fire an attorney general,” sparking “immediate accusations Netanyahu was seeking to protect himself and his aides.” The Israeli Supreme Court issued an injunction blocking the move. However, this act, and the ensuing backlash, all but guarantees the bombardment of Gaza will continue as Netanyahu uses the campaign as a political liferaft.* Speaking of political crises, a major one is unfolding here at home. In Texas, the Republican-dominated state legislature is seeking to redraw the state's congressional maps to give Republicans five additional seats, which President Trump claims they are “entitled” to, per ABC. This naked power grab has set off a firestorm, with Democratic-controlled states like California and New York vowing to retaliate by redrawing their own maps to maximize their party's advantage. Texas state Democratic legislators, in an attempt to deny Republicans the quorum they need to enact the new maps, have fled to Illinois. Attorney General Ken Paxton has ordered their arrest, but they are seeking safe harbor in Illinois. Gerrymandering has plagued the American body politic since the foundation of the republic; perhaps this new crisis will force a resolution to the issue at the federal level. Then again, probably not.* In more positive legal news, former Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan reports that in an “Important win…A court rejected Google's effort to overturn a unanimous jury verdict finding that Google illegally monopolized key markets.” Crucially, the court also found that “digital monopolies can enjoy the fruits of their illegal conduct even after it stops.” In practice, this ruling means a remedy “may need to go beyond just stopping the illegal behavior so that the market can truly be opened up to competition.” However, Google is still appealing the ruling to the corporate-friendly Supreme Court, so the ultimate fate of this decision remains in the balance.* On Tuesday, the New York Times published an article giving an inside look at financier and pedophile sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein's “Manhattan Lair.” Among other notable features of the seven-story townhouse: a surveillance camera inside Epstein's bedroom. One can only imagine the images it captured. Another notable feature: the preponderance of photographs of powerful and influential figures with Epstein, including Bill Clinton, Donald Trump, and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman. Epstein's Saudi connections, including a passport with a fake name and an address in Saudi Arabia which he used to enter several countries, including the Kingdom in the 1980s, have not been deeply probed.* Our remaining stories for this week all revolve around the Trump administration. First, after complaining that the Bureau of Labor Statistics “rigged” economic data to make his administration and Republicans look bad, Trump has fired BLS Commissioner Erika McEntarfer. As POLITICO notes, budget constraints and workforce cuts have already enfeebled BLS, and the bureau's attempts to insulate itself from political pressure will now be strained to the limit as whomever Trump does install will – implicitly or explicitly – understand that their fate will be tied to reporting out positive economic data. In the long run, this blow against accuracy in official economic reporting could do immense damage to the confidence of those considering investing in the United States.* Another Trump power grab is aimed at the District of Columbia. At 3 a.m. on Sunday, an altercation occurred between two fifteen-year-olds and Edward Coristine, the infamous DOGE staffer nicknamed “Big Balls,” in Washington's Logan Circle neighborhood. According to AP, “the group approached…[Coristine's] car and made a comment about taking it…[he then]...turned to confront the group…the teens then attacked him…officers patrolling nearby intervened…[and] the teens fled on foot.” This objectively strange, though ultimately mundane, attempted carjacking by teenagers has spurred the president to threaten a federal takeover of D.C., even as “violent crime overall is down more than 25% from the same period last year.” This is not the first time Republicans have threatened a federal takeover of the District, and in recent years there have been increasing tensions between the local and federal government – but D.C. is largely powerless to resist as it lacks the constitutional protections of statehood.* The Trump administration is also taking actions that will endanger the health and safety of all Americans. NBC reports Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is terminating 22 contracts, amounting to around $500 million, for research and development of mRNA vaccines. These contracts were awarded through the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, or BARDA. One of these contracts was intended to help develop an mRNA-based vaccine for H5N1, the strain of bird flu that has infected dozens of people in the United States, according to this report. Rick Bright, who directed BARDA through the first Trump administration is quoted saying, “This isn't just about vaccines…It's about whether we'll be ready when the next crisis hits. Cutting mRNA development now puts every American at greater risk.”* Over at the Environmental Protection Agency, the picture is far more muddled. The Washington Post reports that the EPA held a tense meeting this week on its plan to rescind the agency's drinking water standard with regard to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS. In this meeting, state officials complained that mixed messages from federal regulators were frustrating their efforts. According to the Post “Despite the lack of clarity on what the EPA will do with the standard, states are still on the hook for implementing it.” Steven Elmore, chair of the National Drinking Water Advisory Council, is quoted saying “Certain states have state laws that say their drinking water standard can't be more stringent than the federal law.” At the same time, 250 bills have been introduced in 36 states this year to address PFAS by “banning the chemicals in products, setting maximum levels in drinking water and allocating funding to clean up contamination,” and “Dozens of states have passed regulatory standards for at least one forever chemical in drinking water.” Put simply, chaos and confusion reign, and the American people will pay the price as toxic forever chemicals continue to pollute our drinking water.* Finally, the BBC reports Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has announced plans for the United States to put a nuclear reactor on the moon. According to this piece, this initiative – part of “US ambitions to build a permanent base for humans to live on the lunar surface” – will be fast-tracked through NASA with a goal of being completed by 2030. The BBC astutely observes “questions remain about how realistic the goal and timeframe are, given recent and steep [NASA] budget cuts.” The announcement of this literally outlandish potential boondoggle is driven by an announcement in May by Russia and China that they plan to build an automated nuclear power station on the Moon by 2035. That's right, a second space race is underway, and to paraphrase the 18th Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte, the second time is always a farce.This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

August 9, 2025; 9am: Texas Democrats are facing a full-blown retaliation campaign after leaving the state to block the GOP's redistricting campaign. Governor Greg Abbott is asking the Texas Supreme Court to expel the House Democratic leader from office. Plus, Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit demanding that 13 House Democrats be declared vacant from their seats. One of those Democrats, State Representative Ron Reynolds, joins “The Weekend” to discuss the latest.For more, follow us on social media:Bluesky: @theweekendmsnbc.bsky.socialInstagram: @theweekendmsnbcTikTok: @theweekendmsnbcTo listen to this show and other MSNBC podcasts without ads, sign up for MSNBC Premium on Apple Podcasts.

Attorney General Ken Paxton argued in a lawsuit filed Thursday evening that Illinois law enforcement officers should be allowed to arrest Texas House Democrats who have been staying in the Chicago area this week. in other news, Dallas' Park and Recreation Department is looking to slash $3 million from its budget by cutting positions, closing pools and reducing hours at recreation centers; an alligator was captured and removed from Eagle Mountain Lake in Tarrant County on Thursday morning. The 11 foot-long adult male alligator “was safely measured, tagged and relocated to a protected, more remote location.”  It weighed close to 300 pounds; and did Chicago-based Italian Beef and Hot Dog restaurant Portillo's open too many restaurants in Dallas-Fort Worth? Find out in today's edition. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On Wednesday's show: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton want the state's Supreme Court to order Democrats who broke quorum during the special session to be thrown out of office. Can they do that? We talk through the Texas redistricting fight and discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup.Also this hour: Houston Restaurant Weeks is underway during the month of August raising funds for the Houston Food Bank. In this month's installment of The Full Menu, food writers talk about what dishes local restaurants are offering this year and what they're looking forward to sampling.And, 80 years after the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, we talk with an area psychologist and author whose dad took part in the Manhattan Project that developed the bomb. Dr. Leslie Shover talks about her debut novel, Fission: A Novel of Atomic Heartbreak, which is based on anecdotes from her parents during that time.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:In developments leading into the third day of the Texas House quorum break, Senator John Cornyn has requested that the FBI intervene, capture and transport the Democratic lawmakers avoiding the special session back to the Capitol: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/cornyn-fbi-arrest-texas-democrats_n_68925f14e4b0d3424bc402f3...Next, Attorney General Ken Paxton declared he'll ask that the seats of any Democrats still absent on Friday be declared vacant by the courts: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2025/08/05/texas-ag-ken-paxton-will-ask-state-courts-to-declare-absent-house-democratic-seats-vacant/...Then, Governor Greg Abbott asked the Texas Supreme Court to remove Democratic State House Minority Leader Gene Wu from office by 5pm on Thursday: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2025/08/05/gov-greg-abbott-asks-texas-supreme-court-to-remove-house-democratic-chair-gene-wu/...Then, Paxton piped up that Abbott doesn't have the authority to make that move, and the Governor took to social media to counter that he does: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/05/texas-democrats-ken-paxton-court-vacate-seats-quorum-break/...Meanwhile, Cornyn has been badmouthing Paxton, ahead of their likely GOP primary faceoff, for doing all of this from vacation: https://www.rawstory.com/cornyn-paxton/...And Houston State Senator Mayes Middleton, who's running to replace Paxton at Attorney General, issued a blatantly racist tweet against Rep. Wu, which remains up this morning: https://x.com/mayes_middleton/status/1952430829587829074All of this Republican crazy provides a unique opportunity for national Democrats to display some backbone ahead of the 2028 presidential election: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/abbott-texas-redistricting-newsom-pritzker-b2802534.htmlPlease help Progress Texas continue our important work as the 60th anniversary of LBJ's signing of the federal Voting Rights Act arrives today: https://act.progresstexas.org/a/60th_vraAustin friends and soccer fans! Mark your calendar for Monday September 15, when we will gather for a live podcast taping with legendary Austin goalkeeper Brad Stuver! Sponsorship opportunities are available now, and individual tickets will go on sale soon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/allstaractivism_2025⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...The Brad Stuver interview will be co-hosted by Landon Cotham of the terrific Austin FC podcast Moontower Soccer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.moontowersoccer.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Progress Texas' financial reserves have dropped to about 3 months worth of funding. Help us avoid going on a permanent vacation this summer by becoming a sustaining member: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org/join-pt-summer-vacation-membership-drive⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://progresstexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Attorney General Ken Paxton will "seek judicial orders" stating that the state legislators who fled to Illinois — to stall a Republican-led effort to redraw the state's congressional districts — had "vacated" their offices, if they are not back to work by this coming Friday.Congress is ratcheting up its investigation into matters related to deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, subpoenaing the Department of Justice for documents as well as Bill and Hillary Clinton, and several ex-law enforcement leaders for testimony.Jim Acosta spent some time with an AI likeness of Joaquin Oliver, created by the gun control group Change the Ref, founded by Oliver's parents, all in the name of anti-second amendment propaganda and - for Acosta - to be relevant again, even if for only a moment.Rep. Delia Ramirez, an open-borders Democrat who sits on the House Border Security and Enforcement Subcommittee, spoke to fellow leftists in Mexico City over the weekend at the second Panamerican Congress.Ramirez called for the defunding of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement just last week. She also stated that the lawmakers and leaders headed to the convention sought to take up various challenges affecting the Western Hemisphere, including "democratic backsliding, climate crisis, deep poverty, political violence, and family displacement."In her speech at the conference, Ramirez revealed where her true loyalties lie, telling fellow travelers in Spanish, "I'm a proud Guatemalan before I'm an American."The fearmongers are trying to scare everyone into thinking that another pandemic is coming after China issued a quarantine order over thousands of cases of a viral disease carried by mosquitoes. Chinese officials reported 7,000 infections of the chikungunya disease in Foshan, a city located in the south. The disease is not usually fatal but can be very painful.Become a supporter of Tapp into the Truth: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tapp-into-the-truth--556114/support Tapp into the Truth on Rumble. Follow, watch the older shows, and join the live streams.“Remember Pop Rocks? Now, imagine they gave you superpowers.” Please let me introduce you to Energy Rocks! Born from the grit and ambition of a competitive athlete who wanted a better, cleaner way to fuel the body and mind, without the hassle of mixing powders, messy bottles, or caffeine crashes. Energy Rocks is a reimagining of energy into something fun, functional, and fantastically effective. A delicious popping candy energy supplement that delivers a rapid boost of clean energy and focus — anytime, anywhere. No water. No mixing. No bulky bottles. Just open, pop it in your mouth, and get ready to rock. Making any time the right time to “Get in the Zone, One Pop at a Time.”Take This Quiz To Find Out The Best & Worst Foods To Avoid For Joint Pain!Do you wake up in the morning with stiff joints or pain in your hips, back, knees, or elbows? Then, chances are you're feeling the effects of chronic inflammation taking its toll on your body. The good news is that it is NEVER too late to help get this under control. And the best part is certain foods help you do this naturally, without the need for prescription medications.If recent events have proven anything, you need to be as prepared as possible for when things go sideways. You certainly can't count on the government for help. True liberty requires self-reliance. My Patriot SupplyDiversify and protect your hard-earned wealth. Use America's Premiere Conservative Gold Company, Harvard Gold Group. Use promo code TAPP.Support American jobs! Support the show! Get great products at great prices! Go to My Pillow and use promo code TAPP to save! Visit patriotmobile.com or Call (817) 380-9081 to take advantage of a FREE Month of service when you switch using promo code TAPP! Morning Kick is a revolutionary new daily drink from Roundhouse Provisions that combines ultra-potent greens like spirulina and kale with probiotics, prebiotics, collagen, and even ashwagandha. Just mix with water, stir, and enjoy!Follow Tapp into the Truth on Locals Follow Tapp into the Truth on SubstackHero SoapPatriot DepotBlue CoolersKoa CoffeeBrainMDDiamond CBDSauce Bae2nd SkullEinstokBeanstoxBelle IsleMomento AIHoneyFund"Homegrown" Boone's BourbonBlackout Coffee Co.Full Circle Brewing Co.Pasmosa Sangria  

Governor Greg Abbott says he will remove Democrats who have abandoned the state from the House as the Attorney General threatens arrest, We helped raise over 300k for one of the victims of the mob attack in Cincinnati, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Steve Hilton And Brett Tolman join the show Check Out Our Partners: Advantage Gold: Get your FREE wealth protection kit https://www.abjv1trk.com/F6XL22/4MQCFX/?sub1=Youtube TRUMP STORE: Go to https://www.TrumpStore.com and use my code BENNY15 at checkout for 15% off your first order. Blackout Coffee: http://www.blackoutcoffee.com/benny and use coupon code BENNY for 20% OFF your first order Patriot Mobile: Go to https://www.PatriotMobile.com/Benny and get A FREE MONTH Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Texas Public Policy Foundation, an influential conservative think tank, notified Dallas on Wednesday it needs to repeal or amend local ordinances not covered by state law — or risk being sued. In other news, Robert Roberson asked Texas' highest criminal appeals court to delay his October execution date so the panel can weigh new evidence in the “shaken baby” case;  U.S. Sen. John Cornyn seized on an Associated Press story that Republican primary challenger Attorney General Ken Paxton, with wife Angela Paxton, claimed three houses as their primary residence on mortgage paperwork; and the immersive Go or Glow is a new — and fun — challenge for the bold. In 75 minutes, compete in five adrenaline-pumping challenges at this Design District activity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This Day in Legal History: National Security Act of 1947On this day in legal history, July 25, 1947, Congress passed the National Security Act of 1947, fundamentally reshaping the American national security infrastructure in the wake of World War II. The legislation created a unified framework to coordinate defense and intelligence operations, aiming to prevent the bureaucratic fragmentation that had plagued wartime decision-making. One of its central provisions was the formation of the National Security Council (NSC), designed to advise the president on domestic, foreign, and military policies related to national security.The Act also established the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), which replaced the wartime Office of Strategic Services (OSS) and became the first peacetime intelligence agency tasked with gathering, analyzing, and coordinating intelligence. Additionally, it created the National Military Establishment (later renamed the Department of Defense in 1949), which consolidated the War Department and the Navy Department under a single executive authority.Within the National Military Establishment, the Act preserved the autonomy of the Army and Navy while officially creating a separate branch: the United States Air Force. It also formalized the Joint Chiefs of Staff to provide coordinated military advice to civilian leadership. These structural reforms sought to ensure more cohesive planning and execution of U.S. defense policy during a time of growing Cold War tensions.The legislation marked a profound shift in how the federal government approached global strategy, institutionalizing the military-intelligence bureaucracy that would define American power projection for decades. It also laid the legal groundwork for the modern national security state, with broad implications for executive authority, covert operations, and civil-military relations. As Cold War dynamics evolved, the institutions born from this Act became central to both overt diplomacy and covert action around the world.Ghislaine Maxwell, currently serving a 20-year sentence for aiding Jeffrey Epstein's abuse of minors, is petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn her conviction. Her legal team argues that a 2007 non-prosecution agreement made with Epstein in Florida should have shielded her and other associates from future federal prosecution. The case raises a significant legal issue: whether plea deals made by one U.S. Attorney's Office bind other federal jurisdictions. This question has divided circuit courts, increasing the chances the Supreme Court might take up the case when justices return from summer recess in late September.The Justice Department under Trump acknowledged the legal split but urged the Court to deny Maxwell's appeal, arguing that plea agreements are binding only between the negotiating parties. Maxwell's defense contends the 2007 deal's broad language promised immunity for co-conspirators nationwide, and that allowing prosecutors to renege undermines trust in the justice system. The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers supports her petition, citing the widespread use of plea agreements in American jurisprudence.The case unfolds amid renewed political pressure over Epstein-related disclosures, with Trump's administration walking back earlier commitments to release more records. The political sensitivity may affect the Supreme Court's willingness to get involved, especially given the presence of three Trump-appointed justices. Columbia Law professor Daniel Richman noted the unusual breadth of Epstein's original deal might make this a poor case for setting a national precedent, despite its legal significance.Amid Epstein furor, Ghislaine Maxwell seeks relief from US Supreme Court | ReutersThe Trump administration has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to allow it to implement major funding cuts to National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants, arguing the cuts align with its broader effort to dismantle federal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. A lower court had blocked the move in June, with U.S. District Judge William Young ruling that the cuts were unlawfully arbitrary and lacked clear justification, violating administrative law. The decision came after lawsuits from a coalition of researchers, public health groups, and 16 states led by Democratic administrations, who argued the grant cancellations were politically motivated and targeted research associated with DEI or gender identity.The administration contends that continuing to pay the $783 million in grants contradicts its policy goals. The Justice Department is also challenging the venue of the lawsuits, arguing they should have been brought in the Court of Federal Claims, which specializes in monetary claims against the federal government. The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals recently rejected that argument, refusing to pause Judge Young's ruling.Judge Young, despite being a Reagan appointee, sharply criticized the administration's actions as lacking any rational explanation and as ideologically driven. He noted that officials failed to define DEI while broadly discrediting grant-supported research without evidence. Critics, including NIH employees and scientists, have warned that the cuts undermine scientific integrity and public health.The Supreme Court, now with a 6-3 conservative majority, has been receptive to Trump administration appeals in similar cases. In April, it allowed comparable cuts to teacher training grants to proceed. The administration hopes for a similar result in this case.Trump administration asks US Supreme Court to allow NIH diversity-related cuts | ReutersGlass Lewis and Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS), two leading proxy advisory firms, have filed lawsuits against Texas over a new state law restricting their ability to advise shareholders on environmental, social, governance (ESG), and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) matters. Proxy advisors provide independent recommendations to institutional investors—such as pension funds and asset managers—on how to vote on issues at shareholder meetings, including board elections, executive compensation, and corporate policies. This means their influence is significant in shaping corporate governance across markets.The new Texas law, signed by Governor Greg Abbott, requires these advisors to include disclaimers stating their recommendations may not be in the financial interest of shareholders and to back up ESG or DEI-related advice with financial analysis. Glass Lewis and ISS argue the law violates their First Amendment rights by forcing them to include government-mandated speech that contradicts their independent analysis and perspectives.Filed in federal court in Austin, the lawsuits name Attorney General Ken Paxton as the sole defendant. Both firms contend the law is politically motivated and will damage their reputations, cost them clients, and undermine shareholder oversight of corporate boards. ISS also criticized the law as serving to protect corporate executives from accountability, labeling it "anti-capitalist" and counter to shareholder interests.The legal challenge comes amid a broader rollback of corporate DEI programs nationwide and is part of a trend in Republican-led states to push back against what they see as left-leaning influence in financial decision-making. The law is scheduled to take effect on September 1, unless blocked by the court.Glass Lewis, ISS sue Texas over law limiting DEI, ESG proxy advice | ReutersThis week's closing theme is by Enrique Granados.This week's closing theme is Granados' masterwork Goyescas, Op. 11, a piano suite composed in 1911 and widely regarded as the Spanish composer's magnum opus. Subtitled Los majos enamorados (The Gallants in Love), the suite captures the spirit and elegance of 18th-century Madrid, evoking a romanticized world of passionate young lovers, elaborate dress, and melancholic reverie. Granados drew inspiration from the art of Francisco Goya, though the individual pieces are not linked directly to specific paintings. Instead, they are tonal impressions—musical vignettes steeped in the colors and textures of Goya's Spain.Goyescas is divided into two books. Granados premiered Book I on March 11, 1911, at the Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona, showcasing his own virtuosic pianism. Book II followed in December of that year and was first performed in Paris at the Salle Pleyel on April 2, 1914. Each movement in the suite is rich with rhythmic flair, lyrical warmth, and emotional depth, capturing the elegance of Spanish courtship rituals and the melancholy undercurrents of unfulfilled longing.The suite's most famous piece, Quejas, o La Maja y el Ruiseñor (Lament, or The Maiden and the Nightingale), would later be famously echoed in the song “Bésame Mucho.” Granados' idiomatic use of ornamentation, rubato, and folkloric rhythms set a high watermark for Spanish piano music and influenced later composers such as Albéniz and Falla. Through Goyescas, Granados created a work that is both a tribute to Goya's vision and a deeply personal expression of turn-of-the-century Spanish romanticism.Without further ado, Enrique Granados' The Gallants in Love, the third movement, El Fandango del Candil. Enjoy! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

As Texans rally to support flood victims, state Attorney General Ken Paxton is investigating a GoFundMe campaign that his office says may be taking advantage of their generosity. Paxton issued a warning letter on Monday to Tray Coppola, the organizer of an unverified GoFundMe campaign, because of concerns that it may be a scam targeting those affected by recent floods in Texas. In other news, Dallas officials think they can meet the city's mandate of having at least 4,000 police officers in four years, though their hiring goals rely on a plan that the City Council voted to scale back months ago. The plan includes hiring 350 new officers over 12 months starting this fall and 400 new officers each following year until 2029; the stock of Veritex Holdings soared 20% on Monday, after the Dallas-based bank agreed to a nearly $2 billion buyout by Huntington Bancshares, a Midwest regional banking powerhouse with ambitions to deepen its Texas footprint; and Walmart is adding yet another store to the Dallas-Fort Worth area, but this one will come in a more compact size. The massive retailer is set to begin construction on a “Neighborhood Market” this fall in Mesquite and to complete the site in late summer of 2026. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Plus in Fort Worth, a vigil to honor the victims of the central Texas floods, the Texas Department of Agriculture is pushing resources out for more than just farmers and ranchers devastated by the recent flooding, current Senator John Cornyn is leading Attorney General Ken Paxton so far in fundraising efforts, and more!

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:A full week after the fact, Donald Trump is visiting Texas today to observe the flood damage in Kerr County: https://apnews.com/article/trump-texas-floods-fema-phase-out-b77d9681d2d39f8c201351b54ecf944f...The Kerr County Sheriff's Department took a full 90 minutes to relay a flood warning called in by a firefighter in Ingram as the floodwaters were rising: https://abcnews.go.com/US/kerr-county-officials-waited-90-minutes-send-emergency/story?id=123631023...Instead of installing the outdoor flood warning system discussed for years but put off for lack of funding, Kerr County spent an over $10 million ARPA windfall in 2021 on other stuff: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/10/texas-kerr-county-commissioners-flooding-warning/...One might think that Chip Roy, Kerr County's U.S. Congressman, might send down federal dollars earmarked for flood safety infrastructure - until one is reminded that Chip Roy is the biggest tightwad in Washington: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/you-need-fewer-bureaucrats-chip-roy-uses-tx-flood-as-excuse-to-cut-government/ar-AA1I3X5xGovernor Abbott's hopes that the flood might shield his cynical redistricting power grab from public outcry and opposition might be overly optimistic: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jul/10/greg-abbott-midterms-republicans...One political academic predicts that as things currently stand, the Republicans could suffer "a complete sweep" in 2026: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jul/10/texas-republican-redistricting-mapsTexas State Senator Angela Paxton, after for years suffering the public shame of her husband's infidelity and the impeachment that followed, has filed for divorce from Attorney General Ken Paxton: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/10/angela-paxton-divorce-texas-attorney-general-ken/The merch to match your progressive values awaits at our web store! Goodies at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://store.progresstexas.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://progresstexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:Current and former aides to Attorney General Ken Paxton are in an all-out and tawdry legal battle over alleged obstruction during Paxton's 2023 impeachment, threatening to become a sideshow for Paxton's expected run for Senate next year: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/26/ken-paxton-impeachment-witness-tampering-former-employees/?_bhlid=1ce16d89f9b2653aa078b30c686107bc7fce03c7...Top Democrats are lining up to face Paxton next year, as Congressman Joaquin Castro, former Congressmen Colin Allred and Beto O'Rourke, and Austin State Rep. James Talarico have begun talks to discuss the plan: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2025/06/26/democrats-allred-castro-orourke-talarico-meet-to-discuss-2026-options/...O'Rourke, Talarico and Castro will all speak tonight at a Powered By People event in San Antonio: https://www.mobilize.us/poweredxpeople/event/798485/Tarrant County Republican Party chairman Bo French, once again, displays his childish bigotry online - when will Fort Worth area Republicans tire of his embarrassing antics? https://www.sacurrent.com/news/north-texas-republican-party-shares-online-poll-asking-whether-jews-or-muslims-are-bigger-threat-37841913The Trump administration is expanding its military footprint in Texas, endangering the right of Texans to enjoy outdoor spaces near the border: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/26/texas-military-zone-expansion-illegal-immigration/...The Posse Comitatus Act is now being significantly strained in the Texas borderlands: https://www.npr.org/2025/05/06/g-s1-63778/military-border-zone-posse-comitatus-explainedSocial Security is NOT doomed to insolvency - it could be made solid if the top 6% of American earners paid in the same rate as the rest of us: https://www.forbes.com/sites/eriksherman/2025/06/24/social-security-faces-cuts-even-though-theres-a-fix-for-its-problems/The merch to match your progressive values awaits at our web store! Goodies at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://store.progresstexas.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://progresstexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Democratic pollster Brannon Miller, City Hall reporter Molly Smith and host Greg Jefferson discuss next year's race for the U.S. Senate, the upcoming campaign for public dollars for a Spurs arena, and more. Suggested reading: County moves forward with arena plan, despite lack of Spurs details Once Texas GOP's ‘weak link,' Attorney General Ken Paxton is growing more popular and powerful Despite late scare, Jones easily won mayor's race because of party politics Sign up here for our ENside Politics newsletter: https://www.expressnews.com/newsletters/ensidepolitics/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

FPC Action Foundation president and CEO Cody J. Wisniewski joins Cam to discuss the bizarre twist in a legal challenge to several "gun-free zones" in Texas, where Attorney General Ken Paxton agrees the laws lack any historical foundation but is still seeking to dismiss the lawsuit itself.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:President Joe Biden's prostate cancer diagnosis should be seen as a reminder of the importance of continued medical research investment: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/trending/article/texas-lawmakers-joe-biden-20333919.phpHB 49, in the rush to completion at the end of the 89th Legislature, would protect oil companies from legal liability for damage caused by the use of produced water, which they wish to sell to farmers and dump in rivers: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/19/texas-legislature-produced-water-legal-protections-oil-gas/?_bhlid=dd62e22f81d6a0713ef8d55fe4b382ab41846318...See our podcast on produced water and why it's not a good option to shore up dwindling water supply in Texas: https://progresstexas.org/podcast/happy-hour-146-dark-water-how-texas-railroad-commission-threatens-our-futureTo clarify on Friday's Daily Dispatch: while the "anti-squatter" bill HB 32 did die with the House deadline's arrival on Friday, its identical companion bill SB 38 is still in play - thus the rights of Texas renters are still in jeopardy: https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1BoDTqhf11/School financing, the Texas Lottery, Dan Patrick's hemp ban and Greg Abbott's bail reform are all still on the table as Sine Die approaches in two weeks: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2025/05/19/5-things-to-watch-as-texas-legislative-session-nears-end/ICE detention of suspected undocumented immigrants in El Paso has prompted a scathing report from Amnesty International: https://elpasomatters.org/2025/05/14/el-paso-ice-detention-center-human-rights-violations-amnesty-international/Notorious right-wing crusading federal judge Matthew Kascmaryk has ruled that LGBTQ+ people are not protected from workplace harassment by the Civil Rights Act: https://truthout.org/articles/federal-judge-strikes-down-lgbtq-protections-against-workplace-discrimination/Attorney General Ken Paxton has been hit with two lawsuits from five Texas district attorneys over new rules he wishes to use to pry into their prosecutorial records: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/16/texas-attorney-general-district-attorneys-lawsuits/In a harbinger of things to come in Texas, Oklahoma schools see a new wave of conservative disinformation incorporated into lesson plans, including the study of "discrepancies" in the 2020 election: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/17/oklahoma-high-schools-election-conspiracy-theoriesWe look forward to celebrating our 15th anniversary this summer! Join us for a celebratory gathering in Dallas on Monday June 9: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/2025anniversary⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The merch to match your progressive values awaits at our web store! Goodies at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://store.progresstexas.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.We're loving the troll-free environment at BlueSky! Follow us there at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://bsky.app/profile/progresstexas.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://progresstexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Trump runs circles around his enemies as he levels tariffs on all countries and isolates China. A 90 day pause for the good actors and an increase to 125% for China. Now China wants a seat at the table. Trump press secretary doesn't engage with reports who use pronouns in their email signature lines and Attorney General Ken Paxton is running against John Cornyn for his Texas Senate Seat. 

Businesses and industry leaders are worried tariffs will become a major headwind for the Texas economy, according to Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas data. In other news, Attorney General Ken Paxton on Tuesday launched a Senate campaign against Republican incumbent John Cornyn, setting up a potentially bruising 2026 primary that could change the face of the Texas GOP; Texas power grid operator ERCOT is projecting an explosion in energy demand over the next five years, with peak electricity use more than doubling as new data centers come online around the state; and it was a historic collapse for the Dallas Stars last night at the American Airlines Center with Vancouver scoring 3 goals in the final minute to tie the game and send it to OT. The Canucks won it with a goal in overtime to win 6-5. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A mix of sun and clouds today turning breezy this afternoon. The high will be 64. Clear tonight with a low of 38. Get ready for a drop in temperature though. Saturday will be mostly sunny with a high of 48 but then the temp will plummet on Sunday. Sunny skies but a high of only 37. The overnight lows over the weekend will be in the low 20s. Those frigid temperatures will stick around until Wednesday. In today's news: Real estate investor Nate Paul, whose ties to Attorney General Ken Paxton led to impeachment charges in 2023, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of making a false statement to a financial institution; In other news, Keller families lambasted their school board on Thursday night during a heated meeting about a proposal to split the district in two. The idea, which the board discussed but took no action on, has so inflamed the community that Superintendent Tracy Johnson said she was prepared to resign; Nintendo confirmed on Thursday that it will release its hotly anticipated successor to its Switch console this year — and Dallas will be one of the first places to get a preview April 25-27. And many of the authentic flavors of Mexico found in D-F-W have ties to the people who have migrated to the region. Some of these dishes have generations-long traditions, cooking methods and even secret ingredients. The Dallas Morning News is launching a new series documenting and highlighting authentic flavors of Mexico found here in North Texas. Visit dallasnews.com/sabores to read more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton joins 'Court Watch' host Alex Swoyer to discuss the Supreme Court, incoming Trump administration and lawfare. 

At least five bills have been filed in the Texas Legislature so far to require Texas voters to show proof of citizenship. A look at the implications. How education could take center stage in the upcoming 89th Texas legislative session. Attorney General Ken Paxton files a motion to prevent testimony at the Capitol from death […] The post Inside the Conjunto Music Hall of Fame & Museum appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Plus, two police officers and three teenagers are recovering from injuries sustained in a fight near North Forney High School, and Robert Roberson will not testify to the Texas House on Friday after Attorney General Ken Paxton filed an appeal to stop the appearance.

Last week, a Houston-area toddler was killed and his grandmother injured while in a crosswalk, but the driver involved wasn't arrested — despite a state law that could have led to felony charges. That's the big story for today's episode with host Raheel Ramzanali and executive producer Laura Isensee. They also dive into the latest moves from Attorney General Ken Paxton on abortion and Harris County's guaranteed income program. And don't miss how a glitch at Amazon caused a local community to issue a declaration of disaster!  Stories we talked about today:  Family wants justice for 2-year-old Houston boy killed in crosswalk Ken Paxton sues New York doctor accused of prescribing abortion pills to Texas woman Payments under revamped Harris County guaranteed income program halted pending Paxton's appeal Texas Gulf Coast residents now spotting mysterious drones too Humble extends disaster declaration after glitch overwhelmed city with Amazon trucks Your Guide to December 2024 in Houston The Best Free Holiday Activities in Houston Learn more about the sponsors of this December 17th episode here: Classic Christmas Downtown Houston+ Looking for more Houston news? Then sign up for our morning newsletter Hey Houston  Follow us on Instagram  @CityCastHouston Don't have social media? Then leave us a voicemail or text us at +1 713-489-6972 with your thoughts! Have feedback or a show idea? Let us know!  Interested in advertising with City Cast? Let's Talk! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments about restrictions on gender-affirming care for young people. What a ruling could mean.Texas elected officials will soon have to start disclosing more information about the properties they own – changes that could reveal more about Attorney General Ken Paxton's recent real estate transactions.Houston-based Enron went very publicly kaput more […] The post Uranium mining poised for a comeback in South Texas appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing Dallas for the second time in three months, this time arguing the city is violating state law by enforcing a voter-approved charter amendment banning arrests for low-level marijuana offenses. The latest legal action follows suits Paxton filed in January against cities like Austin and Denton, where similar voter-supported mandates on weed passed. In other news, a jury ruled this week that a chain of health clinics knowingly filed more than 20,000 false Medicare claims from North Texas locations. And with statutory penalties attached to each individual claim, the clinic chain could be facing a total fine of more than $300 million; Derrick Morgan, executive vice president of The Heritage Foundation and a contributor to Project 2025, spoke at the University of Texas at Dallas on Wednesday morning at an event meant to unpack this year's election; And license plate readers have spread rapidly to cities across the country, to help police solve crimes and locate missing people. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Attorney General Ken Paxton called for state Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Allen, to resign, saying he was making a criminal referral over the North Texas lawmaker's recent communication with a judge involved in death row inmate Robert Roberson's appeals; In other news, nearly 68,000 Texans and more than 800,000 people nationwide could be affected by a data breach at a Brownwood-based insurance servicer, according to filings with the Texas and Maine attorneys general offices. Landmark Admin announced the breach on Oct. 23, and notices have been sent to those affected; Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced this week that at least 200 Texas educators fraudulently earned teaching certifications through a cheating scheme run out of Houston. Five educators now face criminal charges after collectively profiting by more than $1 million through the cheating ring; And Dallas-based Smoothie King will blend up five drinks, dubbed “Ozempic Smoothies” that target people taking GLP-1 medications. They will be available at the 1,200 Smoothie Kings in the US on Oct. 29. The five drinks have names like Slim N Trim and The Activator, and they're made with 20 grams of protein or more and zero grams of sugar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There hasn't been a trace amount of rain in Dallas the entirety of October. The last recorded amount of rain in the area was Sept. 25 with a reported tenth of an inch of rain at DFW International Airport and a little over an inch at Dallas Love Field. The chance for the dry streak ending likely won't be until at least the end of next week. A pattern change late next week is what will cause a high chance for measurable rain, though the uncertainty is high on that forecast right now. While the dry conditions remain, so does the elevated grass fire threat; In other news, the day after the State Fair of Texas ended, Attorney General Ken Paxton told an appeals court he would keep fighting a new policy banning most attendees from carrying guns; prosecutors secured the first conviction in Tarrant County under a new state law allowing defendants to be charged with murder in some fentanyl overdose deaths, the district attorney's office announced Thursday. Kaeden Farish of Azle pleaded guilty to murder Tuesday and was sentenced to 19 years in prison; and being a college president is tough, but recruiting one can be tougher. In addition to finding candidates with the right academic credentials, universities need leaders that have political savvy to tackle complex social challenges and build consensus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How does your first time at a gay bar compare with the experiences of others? Come cruising with curator Art Smith through his growing online collection of those stories — and you can add yours to thousands of others, like the one told by Daniel M. Jaffe (produced by David Hunt). And in NewsWrap: going abroad to have a surrogacy baby is now a crime in Italy, Moscow police raid two downtown clubs popular with the queer community and arrest 50 on Coming Out Day, a groundbreaking New South Wales law establishes rights for transgender people and strengthens existing protections for sexual minority communities, the dishonorable discharges of 820 U.S. veterans kicked out of the military for being queer under Don't Ask/Don't Tell and other policies are being upgraded, Dr. May Lau of Dallas, Texas is being sued by anti-queer state Attorney General Ken Paxton for providing hormones to her pediatric transgender patients, U.S. Vice President and presidential candidate Kamala Harris handily handles heckler, and more international LGBTQ news reported by Joe Boehnlein and Michael LeBeau (produced by Brian DeShazor).  All this on the October 21, 2024 edition of This Way Out! Join our family of listener-donors today at http://thiswayout.org/donate/ NOTE TO RADIO STATIONS: Beginning in October, 2024, the weekly program uploaded to SoundCloud will include a pitch for This Way Out/Overnight Productions (Inc.). Stations can download a pitch-free version from radio4all.net or Pacifica's AudioPort.Org. For more information, contact Brian@ThisWayOut.org.

Top headlines for Friday, October 18, 2024In this episode, we discuss Vice President Kamala Harris's noteworthy interview with Fox News anchor Bret Baier, marking her first with the network. Shifting to Texas, we explore the legal battle as Attorney General Ken Paxton sues a doctor for allegedly violating state laws on puberty blockers for minors. Finally, we examine how a struggling economy is impacting religious communities, with a new study revealing that most Protestant pastors attribute decreased church offerings to financial hardships.Subscribe to this PodcastApple PodcastsSpotifyGoogle PodcastsOvercast⠀Follow Us on Social Media@ChristianPost on TwitterChristian Post on Facebook@ChristianPostIntl on InstagramSubscribe on YouTube⠀Get the Edifi AppDownload for iPhoneDownload for Android⠀Subscribe to Our NewsletterSubscribe to the Freedom Post, delivered every Monday and ThursdayClick here to get the top headlines delivered to your inbox every morning!⠀Links to the NewsKamala Harris' Fox News interview: Top 5 takeaways | PoliticsTexas AG sues doctor for violating ban on trans drugs for kids | PoliticsPastor on how church leaders can reduce stigma of mental health | Church & MinistriesCraig family lost 11 members to mudslide in Hurricane Helene | U.S.Pastors blame poor economy for negative impact on offerings | Church & MinistriesImprisoned pro-lifer urges Americans not to vote for Kamala | PoliticsTexas clarifies voter ID law, requires proof of US citizenship | Politics

Drivers are now expected to travel a little slower on a busy Dallas highway. The Texas Department of Transportation has installed signs on U.S. 75 lowering speeds from 70 to 65 from Mockingbird Lane to downtown; In other news, Attorney General Ken Paxton sued TikTok on Thursday, alleging the social media giant is violating Texas' parental consent law. The lawsuit said TikTok collects, stores and processes minors' personal identifying information when they interact with the platform; Texas school finances are stretched. Coppell is the latest district across the state to close a school because of a tight budget; and, JumpShot Inc., a basketball-themed entertainment company, is putting its corporate headquarters in Dallas before opening the first location of the Topgolf-inspired concept in the city next year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Coppell trustees narrowly voted to close its oldest elementary school Monday night, with district leaders lamenting the painful decision as necessary because of a financial squeeze triggered by declining enrollment and stagnant state funding; In other news, Attorney General Ken Paxton vowed Monday to block a ruling that he says prohibits his office from enforcing vote-harvesting restrictions and investigating potential violations. A federal judge ruled Friday that a section of the 2021 law aimed at preventing election fraud in Texas violated the First Amendment by placing “an invalid restriction on speech” and the 14th Amendment's due process clause by being “unconstitutionally vague.”; a 6-month-old baby taken from her Rockwall home Monday morning was found hours later with her biological parents in Missouri; And how ready are you for the polls? The Texas general election is November fifth. The Dallas Morning News Voter Guide can help you prepare to cast your ballot. Check out the guide today at dallasnews.com/voterguide to compare candidates, get recommendations, and build your own ballot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: The Texas Supreme Court has rejected a request by Attorney General Ken Paxton to force the State Fair of Texas, which opens today, to allow its patrons to bring in guns: https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/state-fair/court-blocks-paxtons-appeal-guns-will-stay-banned-state-fair-of-texas-fair-park-dallas/287-1f9c3bb0-ec8d-4e17-beca-039fafb7ce13 ...Still, Paxton continues his pre-election culture war agitation by hassling yet another immigrant advocacy non-profit - they're fighting back with the help of the Texas Civil Rights Project: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/09/26/texas-ken-paxton-las-americas-investigation-lawsuit-immigrants/ The campaign arm of the U.S. Senate Democrats has allocated a fresh multimillion dollar spend for Colin Allred in Texas: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/state/2024/09/27/ted-cruz-colin-allred-texas-u-s-senate-race-congress-flip-race/75393377007/ Federal election authorities have ordered the Texas Republican Party to re-submit their latest financial statement, as it leaves off a list of who's drawing a paycheck: https://www.sacurrent.com/news/feds-warn-texas-republican-party-over-failure-to-disclose-whos-on-its-payroll-35673278 Hispanic voters in Texas are increasingly seen as a must-win by any candidate seeking statewide success: https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/politics/lone-star-politics/texas-election-competitive-hispanic-voters-key-role/3656096/?os=f&ref=app See Progress Texas' guide to fun events happening across the state during National Hispanic Heritage Month, which continues through October 15: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org/blog/celebrating-texas-culture-national-hispanic-heritage-month⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ See Progress Texas' analysis of Project 2025, and what it will mean for Texas should it be enacted: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org/blog/project-2025-vs-progress-2025⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ...And a complete guide to Project 2025 from Media Matters: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.mediamatters.org/heritage-foundation/guide-project-2025-extreme-right-wing-agenda-next-republican-administration⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The deadline to register for the November election is October 7. Are you registered? Are you sure? ALL Texas voters should confirm their registration, right now: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://govotetexas.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ...Please pitch in to help fund our recent expansion of that important voting resource with Hindi, Mandarin Chinese and Vietnamese translation: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org/blog/coming-soon-govotetexasorg-adds-commonly-spoken-languages-increase-ballot-access⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ And, our September membership drive is underway! We want to add 50 new members to the Progress Texas family in the form of regular monthly supporters at the $10, $25 or $50 level - if you join the team before the end of September, we'll hook you up with an exclusive invitation to our Holiday Party this December! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org/donate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work this election year at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Attorney General Ken Paxton is making a third attempt at blocking the State Fair of Texas' new policy that would stop most people from carrying guns at the 24-day event, which begins Friday; In other news, as late summer transitions to fall, North Texas is experiencing significant outbreaks of black crickets. Instead of using pesticides, crickets are repelled by essential oils such as peppermint, citronella or vinegar; the city of Allen clamped down on smoke shops, issuing new regulations within the city. The new ordinance, passed 7-0 at the Tuesday city council meeting, limits locations and outlines rules regarding minors and criminal activity on the premises; and  so much for keeping the lovely Garden Cafe in Dallas a secret. TikToker Stephanie Camillee, who runs an account called Your Dallas Guide shared a video that's been viewed nearly 200,000 times about Old East Dallas gem Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

An appeals court on Tuesday upheld a lower court's decision to reject Attorney General Ken Paxton's latest attempt to block the State Fair of Texas from banning most people from attending while carrying guns. The 15th District Court of Appeals ruling in Austin means the fair's new policy allowing only elected, appointed, or employed peace officers to bring firearms onto the fairgrounds is still in effect starting Friday, when the annual event begins in South Dallas' Fair Park; In other news, Dallas-based Invitation Homes has agreed to pay a proposed $48 million settlement after the company was accused of “unlawful actions against customers.” That's according to a  Federal Trade Commission announcement Tuesday; many Dallas council members were concerned Monday when they learned tiny homes or sanctioned parking lots — places where people experiencing homelessness can stay temporarily— could add five months to the time providers spend rehoming people; and Dallas Trinity FC new head coach Pauline MacDonald is finally with the team after having visa issues. MacDonald will coach her first game today when Trinity visits Brooklyn FC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dallas Police Chief Eddie García, a popular city leader who has overseen a dramatic downturn in violent crime over 3 1/2 years, is leaving to become assistant city manager in Austin, going to work for former boss T.C. Broadnax; In other news, a Dallas County District judge on Thursday denied Attorney General Ken Paxton's attempt to block a new State Fair of Texas policy restricting who can bring guns to the 24-day event. The ban will go into effect when the fair kicks off next week; Texas Teachers of Tomorrow — the largest educator preparation program in the state — must prove it has fixed longstanding problems or risk losing approval to operate in Texas. An agreement approved Thursday by the State Board for Educator Certification is the latest move in a multi-year saga that has unfolded while Texas schools struggled to recruit enough qualified teachers; and First Baptist Church has selected the Beck Group, one of Dallas' best known design and construction companies, to lead the rebuilding of the church's historic sanctuary after a four-alarm fire destroyed it in July. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

New questions about Attorney General Ken Paxton and his properties not disclosed in financial statements. Investigative reporter Lauren McGaughy of The Texas Newsroom with more on what she’s found looking into the property disclosures of the state’s top lawyer.State lawmakers hear testimony about the investigation into what caused the largest wildfire in Texas history earlier […] The post Hindu voters in Texas weigh in as political ties grow stronger appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Increased accessibility to overdose-reversing medicine is an immediate need in the community; Police are investigating reports that someone took “potentially improper” photographs of people on the University of North Texas campus and posted them online. UNT police announced in a news release last week that they learned about the photos on September 1 and have “taken a few reports from persons identified” in some of the photographs; Attorney General Ken Paxton this week withdrew a legal opinion issued by his office in 2016 saying nonprofits have the right to ban firearms from property leased from the government. The move comes after he sued Dallas, its interim city manager and the State Fair of Texas on Aug. 29 to block the nonprofit's new ban on firearms at the city-owned fairgrounds. The fair starts in two weeks; and the Dallas Cowboys have some issues to address. Hoping to build on a strong Week 1 victory, the Cowboys returned to AT&T Stadium to face New Orleans yesterday but the Saints rolled to a 44-19 victory. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Texas’ Supreme Court Justices weigh a misconduct case against a top aide to Attorney General Ken Paxton. The state’s education agency updates how it gathers data on Texas 12 hundred plus school districts…but now many of those districts worried they’ll pay a steep price. With wind a bigger part of the energy mix in Texas, […] The post New student data system has Texas school worried appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Rick Perry, the longest-serving governor in Texas history, is returning to the Capitol as an adviser for House Speaker Dade Phelan. What it means for Texas politics.Five years after a mass shooting in Odessa, a new sculpture rises in hopes of helping the city heal.Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing the State Fair of Texas […] The post Alamo Trust battles to keep Ferris wheel out of historic neighborhood appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Many across Dallas mourned the loss of 46-year old police officer Darron Burks over the weekend as a friend, colleague and family member but also paid tribute to a man they said was selfless in the pursuit of helping others. Burks was killed in a southeast Oak Cliff shooting Thursday night.  Dallas police Chief Eddie García said Burks was “executed” in his marked patrol car; Also, Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a brief with the state Supreme Court on Friday supporting a group behind a trio of Dallas charter amendment propositions that several City Council members openly opposed. If approved, the Dallas Hero proposals would mandate the city hire nearly 1,000 officers, waive governmental immunity for city officials and tie the city manager's evaluation to a community survey; the Abilene Christian football team's bus crashed in Lubbock after their narrow overtime loss to Texas Tech Saturday night. One player, two coaches and the bus driver suffered minor injuries and were transported to University Medical Center; and GameStop wants to bring you back to the time when you were playing The Legend of Zelda or Donkey Kong Country 2. The Grapevine-based retailer is launching “GameStop Retro” at four sites in North Texas with old-school devices and games that can reach back more than 20 years, according to a post on its website. That includes locales in Dallas, Arlington, Euless and Allen.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

8.27.2024 #RolandMartinUnfiltered: Neb. Blocking Fmr. Felons From Voting, Axios' Border Control Lie, JD Sets Record Straight MAGA lawmakers in Nebraska are making sure to suppress to voting of those re-entering society by reverting to 19th-century voting restrictions that block former felons from voting.  But we have one running for the highest office in the land.  I'll talk to a Nebraska State Senator about how the state's attorney general and secretary of state are implementing lifetime disenfranchisement. Axios called Vice President Kamala Harris a "flip-flopper" regarding her stance on border control.   I'll tell you why that's a bald-faced lie! I'll show you my conversation with Jermaine Dupri, who was murdered on social media for his comments after the Vice President's acceptance speech last week.  A Latino civil rights group is demanding that the Justice Department investigate Texas "voter fraud" raids led by state Attorney General Ken Paxton. Tennessee's top Republican leaders are threatening to withhold tens of millions of dollars in state funding from left-leaning Memphis for their plans to place three local gun control initiatives on November's ballot. And the former Florida deputy who killed a black airman will stay behind bars after a judge denies him bond.  Download the #BlackStarNetwork app on iOS, AppleTV, Android, Android TV, Roku, FireTV, SamsungTV and XBox  http://www.blackstarnetwork.com The #BlackStarNetwork is news reporting platforms covered under Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As much as President Biden is struggling politically in the weeks after his disastrous debate performance, he was still able to get the best of one Republican: Gov. Greg Abbott, who abandoned Texas in the leadup to a hurricane causing a slower response than usual after Beryl knocked out power to millions amid a heatwave. Plus, Attorney General Ken Paxton claims he's about to be impeached again. What? Join the conversation with Scott Braddock, editor of The Quorum Report, and Houston Chronicle political writer Jeremy Wallace. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An influential group called the True Texas Project is hosting a conference in July that will actively promote Christian Nationalism and the racist great replacement theory, the Texas Tribune reports. The group, which subscribes to the idea of a “war on white America,” has ties to many Texas GOP officials, the report says, including Senator Ted Cruz and Attorney General Ken Paxton, a major supporter of Donald Trump. We talked to Sarah Posner, author of several books on the religious right, who sheds much-needed light on this ugly tangle far right ideologies—and how they're being mainstreamed at the highest levels of Republican power.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston cover the latest reporting on AEW's media rights negotiation process, including when the exclusive window with Warner Bros. Discovery may be closing.Nate Wilcox of The MMA Draw newsletter joins the show from Texas and speaks about the latest on the case involving WWE and Attorney General Ken Paxton, and the scheduled hearing on Wednesday. Plus: WWE front office cuts, several deals expire at AEW, Double or Nothing fallout, and the latest television viewership figures.READING:- AEW's exclusive negotiating window ends in July, offer said to be ‘disappointing'- Analysis: The latest reporting on AEW's ongoing media rights negotiationsMusic courtesy: “Panic Beat” Ben Tramer”POST WrestlingSubscribe: https://postwrestling.com/subscribePatreon: http://postwrestlingcafe.comForum: https://forum.postwrestling.comDiscord: https://discord.com/invite/Q795HhRMerch: https://store.postwrestling.comTwitter/Facebook/Instagram/YouTube: @POSTwrestlingWrestlenomicsSubscribe: https://wrestlenomics.com/podcast/Patreon: https://patreon.com/wrestlenomicsTwitter/Facebook/Instagram/YouTube: @WrestlenomicsOur Sponsors:* Check out eBay Auto: www.ebay.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

America's open border is great for business - if your business is trafficking drugs or subjecting women and children to sexual slavery. International sex trafficking rings are more profitable than ever, and countless kids are being abused in unspeakable ways, over and over again, every single day.But it's not just happening near the border or in our big cities. Chances are that child sex trafficking is happening in your hometown too. It's a widespread but often invisible horror that very few officials want to acknowledge or seriously fight.But Guatemalan Secretary-General Angel Pineda has the courage to confront it. In fact, he is investigating the role that Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO's) may have in trafficking children through Latin America and throughout the U.S. Many of these NGO's operate through your tax dollars.Today, Pineda joins Sara to discuss how he's uncovered "a union of organized crime and the migration of people." Pineda also pleads for cooperation from the Biden administration and Texas state officials like Attorney General Ken Paxton. So far, Pineda's requests have fallen on deaf ears. He says it is imperative that all nations work together to save children because "in this matter, we cannot be apart."It's hard to imagine anything more appalling than the sexual trafficking of children. So why are so many public officials and media organizations quick to ignore or minimize the issue? Why won't they stand up for our kids and the ones being exploited in this border nightmare?Thank you for being part of the Sara Carter Show.Time Stamps:0:05 Child traffickers are running free with impunity11:20 Secretary-General Angel Pineda joins the Sara Carter Show14:28 Serious claims have been reported18:29 Do open borders increase trafficking?24:11 We have to work together internationally31:05 What would you say to Texas?34:24 The children of Guatemala need our help39:59 Who is stopping this?41:58 What can happen here?Please visit our great sponsors:Goldcohttp://saralikesgold.comGet your free gold kit today and learn how to get $10,000 in bonus silver. My Pillowhttps://mypillow.comUse code CARTER for $25 prices and free shipping on orders over $75.

Attorney General Ken Paxton of Texas, talks about the rule of law, the support from around the country from both American citizens and Governors for Texas to protect their border. While Biden is asleep at the switch and spending more time at Camp David, Paxton and his administration are protecting the people of Texas. We have already seen enough heartbreak and another tragic loss just last week in Georgia where liberal policies allowed the murder of nursing student Laken Riley by an illegal immigrant.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.