Podcasts about attorney general ken paxton

I released Part 2 of my H-1B visa scam documentary series! There are countless businesses in unassuming office buildings that are sponsoring visas, but where are the workers? Texas held its primary elections yesterday, and Attorney General Ken Paxton and incumbent John Cornyn will be going to a runoff. However, President Trump says one of them should drop out. Meanwhile, Rep. Jasmine Crockett lost to state Rep. James Talarico in the Democratic Senate primary, but people may not realize that Talarico is just as unhinged. ► Watch my latest H-1B visa scam documentary: https://youtu.be/ApBnRnGFht4?si=1RZxBe3SR50B-wMV ► Watch my first documentary on how I exposed H-1B visa scams: https://youtu.be/9sfeESywMUs?si=23qLeBI8neFymdFu ► Email me at saratips@blazemedia.com if you have uncovered potential fraud in your area. ► Subscribe to my second YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@SaraGonzalesTX?sub_confirmation=1 Sponsors: ► PreBorn Donate securely at https://www.preborn.com/sara or dial #250, keyword BABY. ► Select Quote Get the right life insurance for YOU, for LESS, and save more than 50% at https://www.SelectQuote.com/SARA today. ► BlazeTV Head over to https://www.blazetv.com/sara and subscribe today. Use code SARA to save $20 on your annual subscription. Timestamps: 00:00 – H-1B Documentary 20:13 – Ken Paxton vs. John Cornyn 33:22 – Jasmine Crockett Loses 41:36 – Unhinged James Talarico Connect with Sara on Social Media: https://twitter.com/saragonzalestx https://www.instagram.com/saragonzalestx http://facebook.com/SaraGonzalesTX ► Subscribe on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sara-gonzales-unfiltered/id1408958605 ► Shop American Beauty by Sara: http://americanbeautybysara.com Sara Gonzales is the host of Sara Gonzales Unfiltered, a daily news program on Blaze TV. Joined by frequent contributors & guests such as Chad Prather, Eric July, John Doyle, Jaco Booyens, Sara breaks down the latest news in politics and culture. She previously hosted "The News and Why It Matters," featuring notable guests such as Glenn Beck, Ben Shapiro, Dave Rubin, Michael Knowles, Candace Owens, Michael Malice, and more. As a conservative commentator, Sara frequently calls out the Democrats for their hypocrisy, the mainstream media for their misinformation, feminists for their toxicity, and also focuses on pro-life issues, culture, gender issues, health care, the Second Amendment, and passing conservative values to the next generation. Sara also appears as a recurring guest on the Megyn Kelly Show, The Sean Spicer Show, Tim Pool, and with Jesse Kelly on The First TV. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's Headlines: State Rep. James Talarico won the Democratic Senate primary with 53% over Rep. Jasmine Crockett and will face either Sen. John Cornyn or Attorney General Ken Paxton, who are headed to a May 26 GOP runoff after neither cleared 50%. Rep. Dan Crenshaw was primaried from the right by state Rep. Steve Toth, while several incumbents were pushed into runoffs amid redistricting chaos, including Democrats Al Green and Christian Menefee facing each other and Republican Tony Gonzalez battling gun YouTuber Brandon Herrera. In other news, the Justice Department admitted it withheld 47,635 Jeffrey Epstein files after the Wall Street Journal flagged missing records. The House Oversight Committee has subpoenaed Attorney General Pam Bondi and is seeking testimony from Epstein associates including Bill Gates and Leon Black. A federal judge ruled the IRS illegally shared taxpayer data with ICE in roughly 42,695 cases. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, already under scrutiny over a questionable $143 million DHS contract and internal leadership turmoil, faced more heat on Capitol Hill. ProPublica reports the Trump administration is loosening intelligence-sharing restrictions, aka making it easier to spy on us, without notifying Congress. Abroad, Iran's leadership transition is intensifying, with Mojtaba Khamenei emerging as a likely successor. President Donald Trump says the U.S. is “actively considering” its role after the conflict, as the Senate narrowly rejected a measure to require congressional approval for continued strikes. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: Axios: James Talarico wins US Senate Democratic primary in Texas, beating Crockett Axios: Brutal night in Texas points to trouble ahead for House members WSJ: There Are 47,635 Epstein Files Offline for Review, DOJ Says Axios: Republicans help Dems subpoena Pam Bondi in Epstein probe WSJ: House Asks Bill Gates, Leon Black and Goldman Lawyer to Testify on Epstein AP News: The IRS broke the law by disclosing confidential information to ICE 42,695 times, judge says NBC News: Trump administration live updates: Kristi Noem faces House grilling over DHS killings; Texas Senate GOP primary heads to runoff ProPublica: Trump Administration Moves to Allow Intelligence Agencies Easier Access to Law Enforcement Files NYT: Democrats Question Credentials of Armed Squad Created by Trump Ally WSJ: Son of Khamenei Is Top Contender for Supreme Leader WSJ: Iran War Live Updates: Trump ‘Actively Considering' U.S. Role in Iran After Conflict Ends Axios: Senate rejects bid to restrain Trump's war in Iran Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: ⁠⁠⁠betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's Headlines: The first 2026 primaries are done. In North Carolina, Democrat Roy Cooper and Republican Michael Whatley advanced to face off for retiring Sen. Thom Tillis' seat. In Arkansas, Sen. Tom Cotton cruised to renomination, while Democrat Hallie Shoffner won with 77%. Texas was a little more dramatic. After historic turnout, a Dallas judge extended voting hours over polling confusion. Attorney General Ken Paxton — who's on the ballot — asked the Texas Supreme Court to block it, and the court agreed. Paxton now heads to a GOP runoff with Sen. John Cornyn after neither hit 50%. Abroad, the Iran war intensified after drones struck the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh. President Donald Trump said Iran's air defenses were “knocked out” and promised “big-scale” strikes. Sen. Richard Blumenthal warned of possible “boots on the ground.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested U.S. strikes were preemptive ahead of Israeli action — then tried to walk that back. Israel also hit a meeting of Iran's Council of Experts during its Supreme Leader selection. Stateside, reports say some commanders framed the war to troops as “God's divine plan.” FBI Director Kash Patel fired counterintelligence officials who had worked Trump-related cases, including Iran matters, and now faces whistleblower claims over handling of an ICE shooting investigation. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem endured a bruising hearing, with Sen. Tillis suggesting she resign. House Oversight is expanding its Epstein probe to include Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and former Goldman Sachs counsel Kathy Ruemmler. Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron announced plans to expand France's nuclear arsenal, and Melania Trump chaired a UN Security Council meeting during the U.S. presidency rotation. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: AP News: Primary election live updates: Texas GOP Senate headed to a runoff Axios: Iran targets U.S. allies, hits American Embassy in Riyadh The Guardian: Rubio tries to backtrack after Israel comments later contradicted by Trump trigger criticism – as it happened | US news Axios: Israel bombs council choosing Iran's next supreme leader, official says Substack: U.S. Troops Were Told Iran War Is for “Armageddon,” Return of Jesus NYT: Macron Expands French Nuclear Arsenal and Vows Protection for Neighbors CNN: Kash Patel gutted FBI counterintelligence team tasked with tracking Iranian threats days before US strikes, sources say The Daily Beast: Sinister Reason Keystone Kash Halted ICE Killing Probe Revealed NYT: Noem Defends Describing Minneapolis Protesters' Actions as Domestic Terrorism Politico: Canceled contracts, a failed polygraph and personal disputes: Inside the turbulent tenure of Noem's former cyber czar NYT: Lutnick Agrees to Testify in House Epstein Investigation BBC: Melania Trump chairs UN Security Council meeting on children in conflict amid Iran strikes Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: ⁠⁠⁠betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Tuesday, voters in Arkansas, North Carolina and Texas voted in party primaries to elect candidates for federal, state, and local offices in the 2026 midterms. In the Texas Democratic Senate primary, state Rep. James Talarico defeated Rep. Jasmine Crockett, while Sen. John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton will head to a runoff in the Republican Senate primary. In North Carolina, former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley and former Gov. Roy Cooper (D) won their respective party's Senate primaries. Meanwhile, Sen. Tom Cotton (R) won renomination for a third term in Arkansas's Republican Senate primary and will face farmer Hallie Shoffner (D) in the general election. The rise of measles.Last month, we covered measles outbreaks in different states across the country, leading the United States to the brink of losing its elimination status with the disease for the first time in over two decades. For our latest YouTube video, Associate Producer Aidan Gorman takes a look into what's driving the rise in cases, and the role that vaccines have to play.You can watch the video here!Ad-free podcasts are here!To listen to this podcast ad-free, and to enjoy our subscriber only premium content, go to ReadTangle.com to sign up!You can read today's podcast⁠ ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠, our “Under the Radar” story ⁠here and today's “Have a nice day” story ⁠here⁠.You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Take the survey: Who do you think will win this year's Texas Senate election? Let us know.Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.This podcast was written by: Isaac Saul and audio edited and mixed by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Lindsey Knuth, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Starting the day off cloudy with a morning shower possible. A thunderstorm will roll into the area this afternoon with the possibility of flooding downpours, high winds and hail. There is also a possibility of an isolated tornado. The high will be 81. Those conditions will stick around into the evening with heavy rain, thunderstorm activity and damaging wind gusts possible. The overnight low will be 65. Sen. John Cornyn was leading the GOP field with Attorney General Ken Paxton close behind, but neither secured a majority, setting up a May rematch and weeks of renewed attacks. On the Democratic side, state Rep. James Talarico of Austin beat U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Dallas, after pushing rival strategies for a party shut out of statewide office for more than three decades. In other news, hundreds of voters were turned away from Dallas County polls Tuesday when they arrived at typically universal voting sites but were rerouted to their assigned polling place due to a switch prompted by the county Republican Party. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A change to when votes are counted in Travis County caused results on primary election night to be delayed for hours, leaving several local races uncalled late into Tuesday evening. In the heavily-watched race for the U.S. Senate nomination, State Representative James Talarico beat U.S. Representative Jasmine Crockett, and the top Republican vote-getters, incumbent John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton, will face a runoff.  Meanwhile, other polling changes across Texas created confusion and the slowdown of proclaiming a winner in many key statewide races. Host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by producers Elissa Castles and Eva Ruth Moravec to unpack what happened in local and state races, who came out ahead, and what the record-breaking voter turnout says about Travis County voters.  Want some more Austin news? Then make sure to sign up for our City Cast Austin newsletter..  And don't forget– you can support this show and get great perks by becoming a City Cast Austin Neighbor at membership.citycast.fm  Follow us @citycastaustin You can also text us or leave a voicemail.  Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE  If you enjoyed today's interview with Tess Rowser, the Marketing Manager of the Water Lantern Festival, learn more here. Learn more about the sponsors of this March 4th episode: Duer - get 15% off your first order Downtown Austin Alliance City of Austin Blanton Museum of Art

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:After an election night that saw chaos unfold in both Dallas and Williamson Counties due to Republican hijinks, including late interference by Attorney General Ken Paxton and the Republican Texas Supreme Court, Austin State Rep. James Talarico has officially won the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate: https://www.texastribune.org/2026/03/03/texas-jasmine-crockett-james-talarico-us-senate-democratic-primary/...Dallas Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett has graciously conceded, saying "Texas is primed to turn blue and we must remain united because this is bigger than any one person": https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/04/james-talarico-wins-texas-senate-primary-00811090...Many other races are decided - including Gina Hinojosa in the race for governor - but many others, including the races for AG and Lieutenant Governor - go to runoffs, to be decided in May: https://apps.texastribune.org/features/2026/primary-election-results-2026/Progress Texas is expanding into both broadcast radio - including a new partnership with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KPFT-FM in Houston⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - and into Spanish language media! Make a tax-deductible contribution to our radio initiative ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and to our Spanish expansion ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Find our web store and other ways to support our important work at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine held a press conference at the Pentagon on Wednesday. General Caine said the U.S. military will begin expanding ‘inland' and striking deeper into Iran. Caine added that their progress has let U.S. Central Command to gain ‘air superiority' with ‘overwhelming precision and firepower.'The 2026 midterm election season kicked off on Tuesday with several high-profile primary elections. In Texas, Senator John Cornyn has been pushed into a runoff against Attorney General Ken Paxton the state's Republican Senate primary. On the Democrat side, James Talarico was declared the winner over Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett. The November matchup for the U.S. Senate race in North Carolina is set, with Republican Michael Whatley and Democrat Roy Cooper facing off.Qatar's Defense Ministry said on Wednesday that an Iranian missile hit the Al Udeid U.S. airbase. Saudi Arabian state media is also reporting that the country intercepted and destroyed nine drones that entered its airspace. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also confirming an Iranian drone hit the U.S. consulate in Dubai. Rubio says all personnel are accounted for.

Texas voters have delivered the first major primary results of the 2026 midterm season. State Rep. James Talarico secured the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate, defeating Rep. Jasmine Crockett. On the Republican side, Sen. John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton will face off in a runoff after neither reached the 50% threshold. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed with the latest news from a leading Black-owned & controlled media company: https://aurn.com/newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A bizarre “Jim Carrey clone” conspiracy erupted online after his César Awards appearance, fueled by a decades‑old decoy clip and a drag artist’s joking Instagram post claiming to impersonate him. In reality, Carrey was genuinely at the ceremony with family, and rumors spiraled only because some fans thought he looked “different” in footage from the event. A California flying‑EV startup has become the latest casualty of the state’s tech downturn, laying off 80% of its workforce as funding dries up and production stalls. The company’s collapse adds to a growing wave of job cuts hitting futuristic transportation firms struggling to turn bold concepts into sustainable businesses. Reese’s founder’s grandson says some newer Reese’s products no longer contain real milk chocolate or peanut butter, calling them “gross and waxy” and made mostly of vegetable oils. Hershey denies changing the classic Peanut Butter Cup recipe but acknowledges tweaks in certain seasonal and specialty items, sparking widespread consumer backlash. Republican Sen. John Cornyn is fighting for a fifth term, with state Attorney General Ken Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt both arguing it's time to change things up. Meanwhile, Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett and state Rep. James Talarico are competing in an expensive primary of their own, as they try to make the state competitive in the general election. Please Like, Comment and Follow 'Philip Teresi on KMJ' on all platforms: --- Philip Teresi on KMJ is available on the KMJNOW app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever else you listen to podcasts. -- Philip Teresi on KMJ Weekdays 2-6 PM Pacific on News/Talk 580 AM & 105.9 FM KMJ | Website | Facebook | Instagram | X | Podcast | Amazon | - Everything KMJ KMJNOW App | Podcasts | Facebook | X | Instagram See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A bizarre “Jim Carrey clone” conspiracy erupted online after his César Awards appearance, fueled by a decades‑old decoy clip and a drag artist’s joking Instagram post claiming to impersonate him. In reality, Carrey was genuinely at the ceremony with family, and rumors spiraled only because some fans thought he looked “different” in footage from the event. A California flying‑EV startup has become the latest casualty of the state’s tech downturn, laying off 80% of its workforce as funding dries up and production stalls. The company’s collapse adds to a growing wave of job cuts hitting futuristic transportation firms struggling to turn bold concepts into sustainable businesses. Reese’s founder’s grandson says some newer Reese’s products no longer contain real milk chocolate or peanut butter, calling them “gross and waxy” and made mostly of vegetable oils. Hershey denies changing the classic Peanut Butter Cup recipe but acknowledges tweaks in certain seasonal and specialty items, sparking widespread consumer backlash. Republican Sen. John Cornyn is fighting for a fifth term, with state Attorney General Ken Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt both arguing it's time to change things up. Meanwhile, Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett and state Rep. James Talarico are competing in an expensive primary of their own, as they try to make the state competitive in the general election. Please Like, Comment and Follow 'Philip Teresi on KMJ' on all platforms: --- Philip Teresi on KMJ is available on the KMJNOW app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever else you listen to podcasts. -- Philip Teresi on KMJ Weekdays 2-6 PM Pacific on News/Talk 580 AM & 105.9 FM KMJ | Website | Facebook | Instagram | X | Podcast | Amazon | - Everything KMJ KMJNOW App | Podcasts | Facebook | X | Instagram See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Democrats hope surging voter enthusiasm will turn Texas blue this fall, but candidate quality matters. On the Republican side, Sen. John Cornyn faces a stiff challenge from Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is loud but has liabilities. Democrats also have contrast of personalities in Jasmine Crockett vs. James Talarico. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Trump Administration says "Operation Epic Fury" is moving ahead of schedule in Iran after the U.S. and Israel launched military operations there, with over a thousand targets struck in the first 24 hours. From dismantling ballistic missile sites to neutralizing naval assets in the Strait of Hormuz, the objectives are clear—but can they be met in just one month? John Spencer, Executive Director of the Urban Warfare Institute and Chair of War Studies at the Madison Policy Forum, joins the Rundown to  discuss why this operation is unlike anything seen in modern warfare, and why he believes it can finally put an end to a 47-year conflict.The 2026 elections start today with the first primaries. Most of the focus is on Texas, where there are close contests in both parties for the U.S. Senate. For the Republicans, incumbent Senator John Cornyn is facing two challengers: Attorney General Ken Paxton and Congressman Wesley Hunt. Meanwhile, Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett and State Representative James Talarico are facing off to be the Democratic nominee in an attempt to flip Cornyn's seat blue. Daron Shaw—a Professor of Government at the University of Texas at Austin, a Republican pollster, and a member of the FOX News Decision Desk—breaks down the high-profile and bitter race for the Senate, other key primary contests, and how the conflict in Iran could impact the midterms. Plus, commentary by Brian Kilmeade, co-host of FOX News Channel's FOX & Friends. Photo credit: Mohsen Ganji Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Abby Livingston joins Peter Hamby to rap about the chaotic primary elections in Texas. The duo discuss the knock-down-drag-out fight for the Republican Senate nomination between Attorney General Ken Paxton and party-backed Senator John Cornyn. They also get into the unpredictable race for the Democratic nom, where 1.3 million votes have already been cast and James Talarico and Jasmine Crockett remain neck and neck. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Trump Administration says "Operation Epic Fury" is moving ahead of schedule in Iran after the U.S. and Israel launched military operations there, with over a thousand targets struck in the first 24 hours. From dismantling ballistic missile sites to neutralizing naval assets in the Strait of Hormuz, the objectives are clear—but can they be met in just one month? John Spencer, Executive Director of the Urban Warfare Institute and Chair of War Studies at the Madison Policy Forum, joins the Rundown to  discuss why this operation is unlike anything seen in modern warfare, and why he believes it can finally put an end to a 47-year conflict.The 2026 elections start today with the first primaries. Most of the focus is on Texas, where there are close contests in both parties for the U.S. Senate. For the Republicans, incumbent Senator John Cornyn is facing two challengers: Attorney General Ken Paxton and Congressman Wesley Hunt. Meanwhile, Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett and State Representative James Talarico are facing off to be the Democratic nominee in an attempt to flip Cornyn's seat blue. Daron Shaw—a Professor of Government at the University of Texas at Austin, a Republican pollster, and a member of the FOX News Decision Desk—breaks down the high-profile and bitter race for the Senate, other key primary contests, and how the conflict in Iran could impact the midterms. Plus, commentary by Brian Kilmeade, co-host of FOX News Channel's FOX & Friends. Photo credit: Mohsen Ganji Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

-- On the Show -- Senator John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton fight a divisive primary as Democrats James Talarico and Jasmine Crockett post competitive polling that forces Republicans to defend Texas -- Dr. Mehmet Oz praises Donald Trump's State of the Union as historically great while public reaction and polling show widespread disagreement -- New Jeffrey Epstein materials and statements from Congressman Robert Garcia intensify scrutiny of Donald Trump and the Department of Justice -- Senator Adam Schiff reveals that Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection approved $144 million in weapons purchases -- Former Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent Ryan Schwank alleges major training cuts and unconstitutional instruction at the ICE Academy -- Fox News host Jessica Tarlov confronts FBI Director Kash Patel over private jet hypocrisy and exposes inconsistent defenses on live television -- The Friday Feedback segment -- On the Bonus Show: Hillary Clinton testifies in Epstein probe and Benny Johnson manages to disrupt it, Jesse Watters thinks Trump has an attractive cabinet, and much more...

We are officially in the phase of a campaign where decency gets tossed aside and the opposition research file is emptied directly into a 30-second spot.One local ad targeting Cook County Commissioner Samantha Steele opens with footage from her DUI arrest and the now-infamous line, “I'm an elected official.” The ad's structure is ruthlessly efficient. Lead with the footage. Transition from self-importance to alleged abuse of power. Tie it together with a tagline about rules not applying to her. On the nasty scale, it earns high marks. It is disciplined, rhythmic, and unforgiving.Then there is the Texas Senate Republican primary, where the National Republican Senatorial Committee and Sen. John Cornyn are going directly at Attorney General Ken Paxton. Divorce. Allegations of infidelity. Wealth accumulation during scandal. Even insinuations about cultural issues designed to rile the base. It is the kind of ad that signals panic or confidence. Sometimes both.Politics Politics Politics is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Contrast that with Paxton's softer spot featuring his daughter speaking about him as a grandfather. It is the standard counterpunch to a scandal narrative: humanize, slow down, soften the edges. When campaigns spend that kind of money on family-centered messaging, it usually means they are trying to cover something sharp underneath.The larger point is simple. As we approach primary day, the gloves are off.Tariffs, Courts, and the $133 Billion QuestionBeyond campaign warfare, the Trump administration is wrestling with the fallout from the Supreme Court striking down its sweeping tariff regime. Roughly $133 billion in collected duties now sit in limbo.Officials are reportedly exploring ways to discourage refund claims, stretch out litigation, or even reimpose tariffs under new legal authorities. Trade lawyers argue the government previously committed to repayment with interest and that courts will scrutinize any attempt to sidestep that obligation.This is less about ideology and more about arithmetic. If companies want their money back, they are likely to get it. The administration may find voluntary compliance from firms seeking goodwill, but legally, the leverage is limited. This is the bargaining phase after a judicial loss.The Epstein Depositions BeginHillary Clinton was deposed behind closed doors in Washington as part of the House Oversight Committee's work on the Epstein files. She maintained that she had no knowledge of wrongdoing involving Jeffrey Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell.Democrats are pushing for a full, unedited transcript release to prevent selective leaks from shaping the narrative. Tensions flared when Rep. Lauren Boebert leaked an image of Clinton during the deposition, briefly halting proceedings.Next comes Bill Clinton. For those with long political memories, that sense of history repeating itself is unavoidable. Whether anything explosive emerges remains to be seen, but the optics alone ensure sustained attention.Transactional Politics in Real TimePerhaps the most revealing political maneuver of the week came from New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani. In an unscheduled trip to Washington, he reportedly presented President Trump with specific names of detained individuals and requested their release. One Columbia-affiliated detainee was subsequently freed.The broader lesson is something I have observed for years. With Trump, flattery and direct engagement can yield tangible results. Politics is transactional. If you give him a headline he likes or a symbolic win, you may get policy movement in return. Mamdani appears to understand that dynamic.Chapters00:00:00 - Intro00:03:27 - Nasty Political Ads00:10:52 - Interview with Kevin Ryan00:51:33 - Update00:51:47 - Tariffs00:53:13 - Clintons00:54:57 - Mamdani and Trump00:59:13 - Interview with Kevin Ryan, con't01:38:33 - Wrap-up This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.politicspoliticspolitics.com/subscribe

Dr Mary Talley Bowden joins The Jeff Dornik Show to break down her legal battle against the Texas Medical Board after it issued a public reprimand for her good faith effort to administer Ivermectin to a dying COVID patient under a court order. The Board ignored medical expert testimony, disregarded due process, and punished her despite her reliance on judicial authority and legal counsel. Attorney General Ken Paxton has now intervened to defend Dr Mary Talley Bowden's constitutional rights and refuse representation of the Texas Medical Board in her case. The discussion also examines RFK Jr's first year leading HHS, the reality of MAHA, and the continued presence of COVID shots on the market amid reports of disease, disability, and death without accountability.SPONSORSupermassive Black Coffee is crafted from organic, gourmet beans fire-roasted in an antique Victorian-era roaster, delivering the rich, smooth, non-acidic taste that reminds you this is how coffee was always meant to be. Use code JEFF50 for 50% off your first order. https://supermassiveblackcoffee.com/?ref=JEFFFollow Dr Mary Talley Bowden on Pickax - https://pickax.com/mdbreatheFollow Jeff Dornik on Pickax - https://pickax.com/jeffdornikTune into The Jeff Dornik Show LIVE daily at 1pm ET on Rumble. Subscribe on Rumble and never miss a show. https://rumble.com/c/jeffdornikPickax is officially live, and we are building what Big Tech refused to build, a platform where creators own their voice, their audience, and their future without algorithms manipulating reach or silencing truth. Download Pickax today in the Google Play Store and Apple App Store and join a movement where technology serves people, freedom, and real human connection. https://pickax.com/?referralCode=y7wxvwq&refSource=copy

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:Establishing a new tradition, Houston Congressman Al Green was booted from the Trump State Of The Union address last night in response to his protests for the second consecutive year: https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2026/02/24/trump-state-of-the-union-address-2026/al-green-escorted-out-00797132...Texas Reps Veronica Escobar and Greg Casar both skipped the SOTU, opting instead to appear at the "People's State Of The Union" event on the National Mall: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-live-democratic-lawmakers-join-peoples-state-of-the-union-rally-during-trumps-addressMired in an adulterous scandal involving the suicide of his married mistress, Republican Congressman Tony Gonzales says he'll not step down or quit his run for reelection: https://www.texastribune.org/2026/02/24/tony-gonzales-resign-texas-staffer-suicide-texts/Shocker! Attorney General Ken Paxton appears to have been less than truthful in his refusal to defend the Texas Medical Board, who are in a legal battle with a doctor they reprimanded for prescribing ivermectin to a patient at a Texas hospital at which she didn't have privileges: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/health/article/texas-medical-board-ken-paxton-bowden-21906911.phpNew San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones is facing a rare censure vote on Friday by her City Council over a scrape with Council Member Sukh Kaur, in which an independent investigator has found the mayor violated codes of conduct: https://www.sacurrent.com/news/san-antonio-news/san-antonio-city-hall-source-mayor-jones-threatened-councilwoman-during-confrontation/Early voting in the March primary is underway! Research your ballot here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://apps.texastribune.org/features/2026/texas-march-2026-primary-ballot/?_bhlid=7d8eca3d2a16adc7c9b44185414443fa32be6d84⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠All about voting in Texas can be found at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GoVoteTexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Progress Texas is expanding into both broadcast radio - including a new partnership with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KPFT-FM in Houston⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - and into Spanish language media! Make a tax-deductible contribution to our radio initiative ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and to our Spanish expansion ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Find our web store and other ways to support our important work at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

A quiet extradition deal. Military at the border. Cartel kingpins facing U.S. justice. Today we break down the escalating crackdown on Mexican cartels, the reported extradition of nearly 100 high-ranking traffickers, and what this means for the U.S.-Mexico power dynamic. Is this just border enforcement — or a full-scale geopolitical reset? ⚡ PRIMARY TALKING POINTS President Donald Trump escalates cartel crackdown Nearly 100 cartel figures extradited to the U.S. Cartels labeled Foreign Terrorist Organizations The role of Ken Paxton in early border warnings Texas vs. federal government border standoff during Joe Biden administration Militarization of the southern border Intelligence cooperation with Mexico Cartel power structure and internal violence Human trafficking crisis and missing migrant children Political implications heading into major election cycles

Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton have threatened sanctions against students and schools that facilitate walkout protests. Texas officials have threatened to strip funding from districts, decertify teachers and replace elected trustees with a state-appointed board of managers. In other news, what didn't air on CBS may be doing more for James Talarico than if it had. Late-night host Stephen Colbert said his interview with the Democratic Senate candidate was blocked Monday; a Collin County jury has sentenced a father of six to life in prison for repeatedly physically abusing and starving his children; and the Dallas Mavericks announced Wednesday morning that guard Kyrie Irving will not return to play this season as he continues his recovery from ACL surgery. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this special emergency edition of The Right Idea, TPPF's Brian Phillips, Robert Henneke, and Mandy Drogin react to the recent wave of student walkouts protesting immigration enforcement.Hundreds of students — including middle schoolers — left campuses during school hours, with some districts allegedly facilitating or failing to stop the disruptions. Governor Greg Abbott, the Texas Education Agency (TEA), and Attorney General Ken Paxton have launched investigations, threatened funding cuts, and warned of educator accountability for enabling these actions.0:00 – Intro: Massive Texas student walkouts protesting ICE1:00 – Gov. Abbott, TEA & AG response: Funding threats & investigations2:12 – Rob Henneke: First Amendment rights vs. school discipline rules4:55 – Why schools MUST enforce rules — no "protest exception"6:49 – Mandy Drogin: As a parent — terrified & furious at the dangers7:52 – Indoctrination in schools: Low civics scores & Marxist influences10:52 – What school leaders SHOULD do: Enforce consequences immediately13:11 – Kids unsupervised downtown — safety failures exposed16:47 – Abuse of power by administrators facilitating walkouts19:40 – Investigations: Holding teachers & districts accountable22:39 – Where is the line between neutrality & active support?26:09 – Planned in advance — prior warnings ignored31:02 – Consequences needed: Funding cuts & license revocations34:49 – Parents: File complaints with TEA Inspector General37:33 – Fight back: 90th Legislative Session & parent empowerment39:21 – School choice explosion — alternative to failing districts42:40 – It's not too late for parents to act & protect kids47:16 – Rob's closing: Join the parent army to retake education

Allen, Rosemary, and Yolanda, joined by Matthew Stead, discuss Vestas’ Q4 earnings beating competitors but disappointing investors, and the latest on the Wind Energy O&M Australia 2026 conference in Melbourne. Plus the European Commission opens a subsidy investigation into Goldwind, Texas sues over 3,000 dumped wind turbine blades, and Muehlhan Wind Service acquires Canadian AC883. Sign up now for Uptime Tech News, our weekly newsletter on all things wind technology. This episode is sponsored by Weather Guard Lightning Tech. Learn more about Weather Guard’s StrikeTape Wind Turbine LPS retrofit. Follow the show on YouTube, Linkedin and visit Weather Guard on the web. And subscribe to Rosemary’s “Engineering with Rosie” YouTube channel here. Have a question we can answer on the show? Email us! The Uptime Wind Energy Podcast brought to you by StrikeTape, protecting thousands of wind turbines from lightning damage worldwide. Visit strike tape.com. And now your hosts.  Allen Hall: Welcome to the Uptime Wind Energy Podcast. I’m your host Alan Hall, and I’m here with Rosemary Barnes, Yolanda Padron. Matthew Stead down in Australia. So welcome Matthew.  Matthew Stead: Great to be here. Thank you, Alan.  Allen Hall: We have a number of articles and interesting topics this week. Top of the list is Vestus. Vestus announced their Q4 numbers, and although the the revenue is great, uh, they, they had a profit of about 580 million euros. It was below what analysts expected, so the shares dropped about 6% on the news. But the CEO of Vestus is saying, uh, full speed ahead. They’re, they’re willing to make some concessions. Vestus, as it sounds like, in terms [00:01:00] of thinning out the company a little bit, which I, that’s been a, a, a complaint from investors for a little while. But in, in terms of, uh, going forward in renewable energy, Vestus is still going to pursue that. The offshore wind business looks like it’s gonna be profitable in 2027. And as we all know, and we, we see wind turbine prices, uh, quite a bit in each of our positions. Vestas is the most expensive one on the block, but they’re still winning a whole bunch of orders. And, and Matthew, uh, Vestas globally. I would say is the leader right now, if you look at Siemens GAA and GE Vestas is really winning a lot of the orders. Matthew Stead: Yeah, I think a very strong reputation for quality. Um, I have to say, I’ve got some Vestas turbines behind me, so, um, all paid for by myself. They’ve always been well regarded for their, um, you know, quality of [00:02:00] product. And when I first got into wind, um, you know, probably 15 years ago, you know, they were, they were the leaders at that point in time. And so, you know, quality. Reduces future o and m cost. I think  Rosemary Barnes: it’s not just about like the simple o and m, either it’s the risk that something really bad goes wrong and you’re just stuck with, you know, like a, a whole a hundred turbines that can’t be fixed or, you know, at least a large, a large chunk of them. The more that I work in, in o and m, the more you see, like on occasion when you do have those serial issues that mean, you know, like. Sometimes all the blades in the wind farm have to be replaced or sometimes all the generators or you know, even if it’s not replaced, if you’ve gotta take them all out and do something and put ’em back in, it is just such a massive cost. And, um, reducing the chance that that’s gonna happen is actually really valuable for insurance. And yeah, all sorts of other financial reasons.  Yolanda Padron: And even as an FSA customer, I feel like Vestus has a lot more transparency as to what actually is going on, [00:03:00] on site and more able to, to collaborate on, on like a site to site basis, which is very obviously helping them in getting a lot of return customers. Allen Hall: Yeah. One of the key revenues for Vestus has been the FSA, where almost every project I’ve seen over the last couple of years has had a 2030 year FSA attached to it. Rarely do you see. Order without that, and that’s a long-term revenue stream. The, the thing about Vestus and the complaints that are happening, uh, around vestus are odd because if you look at Siemens Cab Mesa, they’re really struggling to be profitable. And then GE Renova, which is really, really struggling to be profitable and they’re losing several hundred millions of dollars a year. Vestas is bringing in a profit, and, and yet the investors are wanting even more. I, I guess, is, is this just a relationship to the. Where you can invest money today. The stock market going up so high, gold and silver prices are at record highs. Rosemary Barnes: Haven’t they just [00:04:00] crushed?  Allen Hall: They have a little bit. They’ve, they’ve rescinded some, but they’re still at really high numbers, right? So Gold Cross, what? $5,000 and ounce and then, uh, it was it 2000 a year ago? So the, the rise in the value of, of, uh, rear metals is crazy. Is there a plan you think Vestas is changing the way they’re gonna operate? ’cause uh, they’re talking about thinning out the ranks and they do seem to be becoming more vertically integrated with the acquisition of the TPI factories down in Mexico. GPI in India  Rosemary Barnes: before we make it sound too much like a paid segment from investors, I have to say I disagree that they’re like just crushing it with the, the FSAs. I think that the full service agreements are across the board. Perform badly in Australia, at least I think it’s different elsewhere. Um, maybe it’s a good segue into, uh, talk about our event that we’ve got coming up to talk [00:05:00] about, um, the difficult operating conditions in Australia. But I, I think that best as, like everybody else has been surprised at how many things can go wrong in an Australia and wind farm. And, um, I don’t, I I would’ve put them up on a pedestal for. Particularly noteworthy, um, brilliant service with the FSAs. I think, yeah, across the board everyone’s doing a little bit less than they should be, and I have no doubt that they’re also making a whole lot less money on those agreements than what they spent or spending a lot more than what they’re expecting. So I don’t wanna be too harsh in my judgment.  Yolanda Padron: That’s fair. The bar is very low.  Rosemary Barnes: But what I do notice when I go to international events, um, and I, you know, I talk to, I’ve got a lot of ex-colleagues that’s still working in the industry and vest. Stands out as still investing a lot in r and d. And that doesn’t mean like crushing out a new platform every single year or every two years. It’s not that. But they are investing in a lot of new technologies that are more incremental. They’re [00:06:00] looking at bigger technology leaps and um, you know, still investigating stuff like that. Like I think if I was to go back working for an OEM, that’s the kind of work I’d like to do. And investors does seem like it’s the main company that’s still doing a whole lot of that. With the exception of, of the Chinese manufacturers, which are obviously doing like tons and tons of new development. But, um, I don’t have the insight into them like I do with the European ones.  Allen Hall: As you’re listening to this podcast, most of the people on this podcast are traveling to Melbourne, Australia for Woma 26. That’s Wind Energy and M Australia. Big event. Matthew, the numbers are impressive. I’m getting a little bit scared. Run out of food and uh, seats because there is a massive influx in the last 24, 48 hours, which is great to see, but wind energy in Australia. Is huge, and the o and m aspect is one of those key pain points. Matthew Stead: Yeah. I think, uh, thanks to Rosie and Alan, your argument, [00:07:00] um, a little while ago, your argument, which spurred the whole, um, the reason for the conference. Um, you know, the, the lack of, uh, Australian content, the lack of, um, poor. Conferences in Australia. I think unless you’d have that argument, um, this event wouldn’t, wouldn’t be there. Allen Hall: Rosie did bring up that she had been to a number of conferences and so had I that were pretty much useless in terms of take home. What could we be able to use in the world and, and make the world just slightly better from our knowledge and. With all the policy talk and uh, discussion about sort of global warming things that it’s not really useful necessarily in making your operations run more efficiently. And this was what Woma is all about is. Sharing information. Not everybody runs their operations the same. And you can learn from that of the way, uh, others do it. And at the same time, we’re bringing in experts from around the world to talk about some of [00:08:00] those really critical issues. One of them being leading edge erosion. And Rosie’s been doing a lot of work in Australia on leading edge erosion and the complexities around that. Rosie, the leading edge erosion discussion and the panel involved in the people are gonna be on the panel are impressive. What are you looking forward to?  Rosemary Barnes: I’m looking forward to, um, getting the international perspective because leading edge erosion, I mean, there’s heaps of aspects of wind turbine operation that I think are just dramatically different in Australia, but I think leading edge erosion is the one that like really, really jumped out at me. When I was, um, when I moved back to Australia and started looking at inspection reports for wind farms that were like one or two years old, and you see 90, 99% of turbines that have significant erosion like within a couple of years. It’s like, this is, this is not. Like, I’ve never, I’ve never seen this before. It’s clear that no one is designing these products that are gonna peel off [00:09:00] within a couple of years. Um, and so that was what kind of got me thinking, you know what, like Australia is really different. Climatically and in terms of the weather. Um, and so we need to start not just getting our information from overseas, but also relating it back to Australia. So I think that that’s what we’re trying really hard with the conference to do, is to like really ground it on Australian problems and solutions that have worked in Australia, but then draw on, you know, we don’t need to invent every single new product ourselves. Although there will also be. I, I’m very confident that, that we do need new products developed specifically for Australia. Um, but you know, there are a lot of things out there we can really accelerate how quickly we can solve our Australian problems if we know what’s worked overseas in, you know, different places and just get ideas about how things work. So I think that’s a really good mix of, of local and international. Matthew Stead: Yeah, as [00:10:00] we were talking before about, um, registrations, so we had. Definitely over 200 now. Um, and, um, I, I think we just need to warn people that we might need to cap it out. Um, so the venue’s told us two 50 maximum, so getting in quick  Allen Hall: and if you haven’t registered, you need to do so today. Go to WMA 2020 six.com. It’s very easy to do. It’s an inexpensive conference and full of great information. And the one thing you wanna register for also when you’re there is the free Lightning workshop. On the Monday, so this, it will be February 16th. It’s a lightning workshop in the afternoon, and then the, the full event begins Tuesday the 17th, and running through Wednesday the 18th. So you have two and a half full days of o and m. Knowledge sharing.  Matthew Stead: Don’t, don’t forget the workshops. There are two sessions of workshops with three, um, parallel sessions. And also don’t forget the chance to catch up with your buddies. So, uh, on the Monday [00:11:00] night, um, after the Lightning Masterclass, there’s, um, an event, you know, food and wine and drinks, et cetera. And then also on the, the Tuesday after the first day, there’s also a chance to catch up  Allen Hall: and you’ll go to Wilma 2026. Com and register. Now.  Speaker: Australia’s wind farms are growing fast, but are your operations keeping up? Join us February 17th and 18th at Melbourne’s Pullman on the park for Wind energy o and m Australia 2026, where you’ll connect with the experts solving real problems in maintenance asset management and OEM relations. Walk away with practical strategies to cut costs and boost uptime that you can use the moment you’re back on site. Register now at WM a 2020 six.com. Wind Energy o and m Australia is created by Wind professionals for wind professionals. Because this industry needs solutions, not speeches,  Allen Hall: the European Commission [00:12:00] has a message for Chinese wind turbine manufacturers. We are watching. Uh, Brussels just opened an in-depth investigation into Goldwind, that’s one of China’s biggest turbine makers. The concern is really straightforward. European regulators believe Goldwin may have received government subsidies that given it unfair advantage. Over European competitors such as Vestus and Siemens, GOMESA, Nordics, and others, grants preferential tax treatment and below market loans are all on the table. And if confirmed, the EU could impose corrective measures under its foreign subsidies regulation, which is a tool designed to keep the playing field level for everyone doing business in Europe. This has led to a number of heated exchanges in the press between China and the eu. China has, uh, said, Hey, eu, calm down. It’s not that big of a deal. We, and we don’t really do this. And if you wanna point [00:13:00] fingers, uh, the EU has given a lot of money and resources to the wind turbine operations in the eu. So it’s a, a, a bunch of back and forth, which is an odd thing at the moment because China is really trying to penetrate the EU market and the UK market for that matter, offshore in particular. Uh, Matthew, when you watch this go on and, and China obviously being the largest player in wind turbines, uh, there is some. Protection isn’t going into this. China has protected themselves from European manufactured turbines for the most part. Uh, it does seem like the EU has a leg to stand on and saying, Hey, if you’re gonna protect your borders, we’re gonna protect our borders. How does this end up? Does this end up with, uh, China making turbines or getting turbines shipped into EU or. There’s just gonna be a prohibition.  Matthew Stead: Uh, actually, I’m a little bit surprised that this hasn’t happened already. [00:14:00] I mean, there’s obviously plenty of European investigations and I’m a little bit surprised it didn’t happen earlier. Um, I, I guess my expectation is that, you know, this will be done and dusted and we can just move, move forward. Um, you know, my, my guesstimate is that it’ll be showing that, you know, this is all fine and, uh, yeah, just continue as per normal. Um, yep. Maybe, maybe critically. Um, I actually think a bit more competition in the industry is a good thing. Um, and so I think the whole, you know, global industry can, can, can benefit.  Allen Hall: And when we’re talking about, uh, the construction of wind farms in the eu, the Chinese manufacturers always come up because they tend to be somewhere between 30 and 40% less expensive than the European counterparts for basically the same turbine. What is the, the real linchpin there, because it does seem like operators and sted uh, evidently had a project going on where they’re looking at Chinese [00:15:00] turbines, but hasn’t made any decisions about it. There’s not a lot of history on the Chinese turbines. You can’t go back and pull, uh, o and m records. You can’t see reliability rates. You can’t see what their insurance rates have been. And Rosie, I think you’ve talked about this quite a bit. It does seem like the manufacturing capability in China is quite good, but then we see things on LinkedIn quite often. We’re uh, there has been some really massive failures there. How is the EU thinking about this? Is it really a competitive issue at this point, or is it a technology issue? What is the real. Uh, linchpin that it, it is, it everybody is trying to get at.  Rosemary Barnes: Yeah. Well I think Europe would be crazy to not support their wind industry because China is so big and has, um, you know, so many wind turbine manufacturers now that if Europe doesn’t specifically try to, you know, compete and survive, then I can [00:16:00] imagine no. non-Chinese manufacturers in 10 years time, um, or you know, at least 20, which I think would be a shame because there is a huge, long history of really good engineering, um, in Europe. Yes. Uh, every country supports their manufacturers. China do it in many, maybe most of their export industries. Everybody knows that. Chinese solar panels are subsidized most countries and regions, except that steel is heavily subsidized in, um, in China. And so there are in many countries restrictions on Chinese made wind turbine towers or tariffs on them. Because of that reason, it’s like pretty. It is pretty uncontroversial. Like it’s pretty obvious, right? That um, if you don’t fight, then um, you say, yeah, we’ll accept all these cheap products then, um, you know, because that’s beneficial for our economy to have them cheap. That’s like a short term thing. It’s [00:17:00] a lot easier in a country like Australia where we don’t have competing industries for many of these, um, many of these products, it’s a bit easier to say, yes, we would love cheap solar panels and cheap wind turbines and cheap electric vehicles and cheap batteries. But I mean, even Australia is trying to regain some of some of that, um, manufacturing capability.  Matthew Stead: But Rosie to, I guess Rosie to challenge you there. I mean, it won’t, it to improve the world’s, you know, position if we, you know, continue to drive prices down and drive a bit of innovation.  Rosemary Barnes: Yeah. If we drive prices down, but not if we drive, um, all competition out of business. And then you’re left with just one country that controls the supply chain for absolutely everything, which they’re already very largely. Do in terms of, you know, like, yeah, batteries, EVs, uh, solar panels, um, heaps of the raw materials, you know, like rare earths and a lot of other critical, um, critical [00:18:00] minerals. But I do think it’s a little bit different for Europe with wind because, um, if that, if that dies, it’s a big chunk of, um, just engineering knowledge that will just. Die with it. I would definitely, especially the countries like Denmark, where it is a, a significant industry for them, I have been a little bit surprised that they haven’t been supporting more the industry through some hard patches. But yeah, let’s, um. It’ll be an interesting next few years. Speaker 6: Delamination and bottomline failures and blades are difficult problems to detect early. These hidden issues can cost you millions in repairs and lost energy production. C-I-C-N-D-T are specialists to detect these critical flaws before they become expensive burdens. Their non-destructive test technology penetrates deep to blade materials to find voids [00:19:00] and cracks. Traditional inspections completely. Miss C-I-C-N-D-T Maps. Every critical defect delivers actionable reports and provides support to get your blades back in service. So visit cic ndt.com because catching blade problems early will save you millions. Allen Hall: Well, occasionally the wind industry has a recycling problem and down in Texas this has come to a head, uh, an Attorney General Ken Paxton. We as the Attorney General of Texas has sued global fiberglass solutions and affiliated companies for illegally dumping more than 3000 wind turbine blades in Sweetwater, Texas. Uh, the company was hired to break down and recycle the blades many years ago. Instead, it stockpiled them at two unpermitted disposal sites. The attorney General is seeking civil [00:20:00] penalties, complete removal of the waste and full cleanup costs paid to the state. And Yolanda, you have seen this facility, I’ve seen this facility down by Sweetwater. It is not a small site. It is massively large and has been there for a number of years. I, I guess there hasn’t been anybody willing to do it, and Global Fiberglass Solutions hasn’t stepped up to even start from what I understand. To take care of the problem. Is there a happy outcome of this? Does anybody else step into the, the fray and, and try to clean up these 3000 blades? Yolanda Padron: We were talking a little bit about this offline, but Rosie you mentioned there’s so many companies that can recycle in general, right? We know just in Texas, there’s a lot of smaller companies. That could take on at least part of, of what’s going on here. And I think, I mean, it’s, it’s something that is [00:21:00] affecting the people that are living there. It’s not just an eyesore. I mean, it’s just, I mean, nobody wants their home to be just this big dumping ground. It’s like a graveyard for blades. And it’s so sad to see that this is really affecting people and just their, how they view wind in the area because. Texas does really, really well with wind in general and that area gets a lot of money in. It’s very oftentimes rural areas that don’t get a lot of funding that are getting a lot of funding for schools are getting a lot of funding for hospitals are, are making sure that their roads are paved. Just in general, a lot of jobs are coming into town and it’s, it should be a really great win-win and it’s just really sad to know that it’s come to this point after years and years where it just, all of the pros are outweighed by a huge calm that is a [00:22:00] huge dumping site in the middle of people. General homes,  Rosemary Barnes: are they saying that it’s they’re storing the blades or did they just pretend that they recycled them and actually landfill them? What’s the Or? It’s unclear.  Allen Hall: They didn’t landfill them. I mean, in a sense, they didn’t bury them. They’re just sitting on the surface.  Yolanda Padron: Piled up.  Rosemary Barnes: I think a lot of this comes down to what, what does recycling mean? What’s your definition of it? Um, and it, depending on what your definition is, there absolutely are plenty of, um, companies, you know, like all over. And I’m sure that there are many more in Texas than there would be in, um, yeah, in the Australian regions I’ve looked at. But there’ll be companies that. Um, already a shredding waste of, from multiple sources and putting it into products like concrete for non-structural applications like, um, footpaths or sidewalks, stuff like that. Um, asphalt is another one. And then a little bit more high tech. You get, um, plastic products that [00:23:00] again, aren’t super duper structurally, um, demanding. So like, um. Decking materials or outdoor furniture, or even I saw one company who’s using recycled material in, um, rainwater tanks. I just really feel like any decent project manager could actually given enough money, like I’m, I’m not saying it’s an economic thing to do, like it’ll always be cheaper to landfill them, um, than to do something with them. But if you’ve been given money to recycle them enough money. Any decent project manager could make that happen?  Allen Hall: Well, just down the road is ever Point Services. And Rosemary, I don’t know if I’ve introduced you to ever Point Services, Tyler Goodell, Candace Woods, uh, they are recycling blades in a totally different way. They’re, they’re grinding them down, but they’re end use product is totally different than anything you have seen and all, although that is just getting ramped up from what I understand so far. The product they’re delivering has a [00:24:00] decent commercial value. It’s helping out in other industries. So it’s not just getting mixed with asphalt necessarily. Those 3000 turbine blades have value. They really do. And ever point, I think if they were involved, would turn them into something really useful. So there is the opportunity to recycle these blades by grinding them down in different, in different ways. But there are new markets. For this product and I’m, I’m just a little shocked that no one’s really stepped forward to say, Hey, I, I’ll take those blazes, but because it’s in a lawsuit, I assume that’s the problem. No wants to walk into there and say. Take responsibility for this thing that’s been hanging around for several years at this point.  Rosemary Barnes: I don’t know. I think I would disagree when, when you say those blades have value, I would be highly surprised if someone would just take them and make a profit from them. I would expect if I had 3000 blades in my backyard, I would expect to pay somebody to take them off my hands. Um. That should have been covered by the fee that they were paid for this [00:25:00] recycling, right? So if that money’s gone now, then there is gonna be a challenge in, um, doing something with it. Because I just want to you reiterate that like recycling is not the economic thing to do with wind turbine blades. Now it’s not even the best thing to do in terms of an energy or environmental or climate change, um, consideration. But if you are sure that you don’t want, um, to deal with the physicality of 3000 blades, um, then. You know, you and you’re prepared to pay to get rid of them, then there are definitely things that you can do.  Matthew Stead: Uh, I think this makes me like super angry because really if we look at it more from a social perspective, um, this is. These pictures are shown all over the world, and whenever I talk to someone and say, Hey, yeah, I’m in the wind industry, they say, oh yeah, what about all those blades in Yeah, and the, the stockpile, blah, blah, blah. So really this, this incident has really screwed up the whole global industry. So it may have destroyed parts of Texas, but it’s also destroyed part of [00:26:00] the global industry. Rosemary Barnes: I agree and it’s, it’s crazy because wind turbine blade waste is five to 10% of global composite waste. So the boats and cars and airplanes, um, and other composites are. They’re not piled up in a recognizable form. And so nobody is absolutely outraged that people are, you know, um, disposing of fiberglass boats every year. Um, so yeah, I mean, that, that, that es me too. I have, um, I’ve spent a long time being annoyed about that fact, and I’ve kind of come around to the, the fact that universally people absolutely hate. Wind turbine blades to be wasted and it just needs to be solved. For that reason, it’s not, it doesn’t need to be solved because of the economics. It doesn’t need to be solved because of the environment. It doesn’t need to be solved because of climate change, but it does really need to be solved because of the social perception.  Allen Hall: Well, as North American Wind Farms age, the companies that keep them running. Keep getting bigger. [00:27:00] And Mohan Wind Service, which if you haven’t worked with them, is a Danish turbine service provider. Uh, and they’ve acquired the operating assets of Canada based AC 8 83. And our friends at AC 8 83 have been evidently working behind the scenes to make that deal go through, which is. Awesome. Actually, uh, the deal gives Mulan a local platform for blade repair and turbine services across Canada and the United States, uh, with more than three. Thousand certified technicians in over 35 countries. Muhan says it is confident the long-term growth in North American market will, uh, continue to prosper. So Muhan come in and saying to AC 83 and others, uh, that they’re, uh, gonna be a, a real powerhouse in terms of a service provider in Canada and the United States and acquiring AC 83 is, is one of the good moves. And we know Lars Benson, [00:28:00] who’s run that business, and Yannick Benson who operates that business today. This is a big deal for both of them and the company.  Matthew Stead: Yeah, I mean, uh, Lars is a great guy and I, I think this is wonderful that you get more economies of scale by, you know, these companies growing and it has to be, has to be great for the industry. O obviously, you know, it’s a good thing for, for Lars and, um, Yanick. Um, but yeah. Yeah. Good on them for, for doing this. And you, we need more companies that are larger and able to operate across different industries. I know the seasonality might, might play into it. I don’t know. Maybe not. Um, but, and the more that companies can work across different regions, the better. Allen Hall: Well, it just gives a C 83 a lot of operating power. So as a sort of a small, medium sized business, that’s one of the problems that you try to scale is just a lot of detail. Human resources, all the legal aspects, and. Uh, international travel people coming back and forth all the time. It is just a lot to operate. Muhan gives them all that infrastructure support. So, [00:29:00] uh, the brain powers that lie at AC 8 83 to do great work can do that work. And they have the muhan to come underneath and provide the support and the, the financial stability. Matthew, as you point out, the season is pretty short up in Canada, uh, to make this thing go. So this is really great news and we’re, I think we’re gonna see more. Of this type of structure happen where the companies that have grown and have shown value to the wind industry, regardless of where they’re located at, are gonna become prized possessions and, and larger companies are gonna want to come in and, and acquire them to expand their portfolio at the same time. And there’s value there. I, I think a lot of ISPs around the world have shown themselves to be profitable, even in some really tough economic times. Uh, they’ve had. Done a good job. And it does seem like the industry is rewarding. Those companies that have put the effort in and have shown themselves to be the professionals that AC 83 is. So this, [00:30:00] this is a really great development. And do we see this happening, uh, through 26 and 27? Because I think, I think that’s where the industry’s headed. But I talk to a lot of my counterparts who say, oh, there is no. Everything’s gloomy and doomy, and none of this is gonna happen, and these companies are gonna just fade away. Where do you think this is headed at Matthew?  Matthew Stead: I think, um, we, we’ve done a little bit of work and we’ve been looking at the industry and I think, uh, if you compare it to, you know, construction or, you know, automotive or whatever, I, I think the, there is a, a strong opportunity for the industry to have some consolidation amongst companies. So I think, um, you know, the industry is still a bit of a baby. You know, maybe whatever, 30 years there is still opportunity, um, for consolidation. You know, much like a few of the other more mature industries, like I said. Um, so I, I, I think there’ll be more of this, um, going on the next few years.  Allen Hall: That wraps up another episode of the Uptime Wind Energy Podcast. If today’s [00:31:00] discussion sparked any questions or ideas. We’d love to hear from you. Reach out to us on LinkedIn and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode. And if you found value in today’s conversation, please leave us a review. It really helps other wind energy professionals discover the show for Rosie, Yolanda and Matthew. I’m Alan Hall, and we’ll see you here next week on the Uptime Wind Energy Podcast.

New polling suggests Rep. Wesley Hunt is emerging as a serious contender in the Texas U.S. Senate Republican primary, narrowing the gap with Attorney General Ken Paxton and Sen. John Cornyn. The data highlights shifting dynamics among MAGA voters and raises questions about whether Paxton's lead can hold in a crowded race. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed with the latest news from a leading Black-owned & controlled media company: https://aurn.com/newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:The Texas House Democratic Committee reports a record $2.2 million fundraising windfall in 2025, fueled largely by the summer Democratic House quorum break: https://www.texastribune.org/2026/01/15/texas-house-democratic-caucus-2-2-million-fundraising/New Emerson College polling shows a nine point lead for Austin State Rep. James Talarico over Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett in the Democratic race for Senate, while incumbent Senator John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton remain in a low-scoring virtual tie: https://emersoncollegepolling.com/texas-2026-poll/...Congresswoman Crockett put on a masterclass in destroying conspiracy theories yesterday, taking on January 6th types: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyHS28RsmQU...While Rep. Talarico appeared this week on the New York Times' Ezra Klein Show: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/13/opinion/ezra-klein-podcast-james-talarico.htmlThe special election runoff for the Texas Senate in Tarrant County's Senate District 9 is increasingly seen as a bellwether for the following primary and general midterm elections: https://fortworthreport.org/2026/01/14/a-bellwether-election-tarrants-texas-senate-runoff-draws-national-attention/Local resistance in Hutchins, Texas is rising in relation to a massive planned "human warehouse" being developed there by Donald Trump's ICE. Initial report: https://baptistnews.com/article/trump-preparing-to-warehouse-immigrants-like-cargo/...And an update: https://baptistnews.com/article/update-on-proposed-human-warehouse-in-texas/Early voting in the March primary starts in mere weeks, on February 17 - the time to research your ballot is right now: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://apps.texastribune.org/features/2026/texas-march-2026-primary-ballot/?_bhlid=7d8eca3d2a16adc7c9b44185414443fa32be6d84⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠See the full list of 2026 races and candidates, courtesy of Lone Star Left, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Check out our web store, including our newly-expanded Humans Against Greg Abbott collection: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://store.progresstexas.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Progress Texas is expanding into both broadcast radio - including a new partnership with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KPFT-FM in Houston⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - and into Spanish language media! Make a tax-deductible contribution to our radio initiative ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and to our Spanish expansion ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Thanks for listening! Our monthly donors form the backbone of our funding, and if you're a regular, we'd like to invite you to join the team! 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:As more and more confrontations between regular citizens and ICE pop up on our screens, it's important to understand your rights - and how ICE is likely to violate them: https://www.star-telegram.com/news/state/texas/article314293265.html...The difference between the power ICE has over you, and that of local police or sheriff's department officers, is getting a lot harder to define: ⁠https://thedailytexan.com/2026/01/12/texas-law-enforcement-required-to-work-with-ice-by-end-of-year/⁠...Lone Star Left reminds us that while the focus lately has been on Minnesota, the lion's share of ICE arrests since Trump's crackdown began have happened in Texas: https://www.lonestarleft.com/p/history-will-name-this-momentThe Texas House Democratic Caucus has demanded that Attorney General Ken Paxton take several steps to counter the child porn generating capabilities of Elon Musk's Grok AI chatbot in Texas: https://drive.google.com/file/d/14PaMYsCsjRqcLnT_4jBnwNhzKEWqMuvH/view...On the heels of that scandal and while visiting Texas and Space X, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the Pentagon is about to integrate Grok into their data systems: https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-pentagon-hegseth-musk-7f99e5f32ec70d7e39cec92d2a4ec862The Funky East Dallas Democrats (the FEDDs!) will host an online meet and greet TONIGHT with a bunch of Democratic statewide candidates, including Senatorial candidates Jasmine Crockett and James Talarico: ⁠⁠https://www.fedds.org/eventinfo/jan1326statewide⁠⁠Early voting in the March primary starts in mere weeks, on February 17 - the time to research your ballot is right now: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://apps.texastribune.org/features/2026/texas-march-2026-primary-ballot/?_bhlid=7d8eca3d2a16adc7c9b44185414443fa32be6d84⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠See the full list of 2026 races and candidates, courtesy of Lone Star Left, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Check out our web store, including our newly-expanded Humans Against Greg Abbott collection: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://store.progresstexas.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Progress Texas is expanding into both broadcast radio - including a new partnership with ⁠⁠⁠⁠KPFT-FM in Houston⁠⁠⁠⁠ - and into Spanish language media! Make a tax-deductible contribution to our radio initiative ⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠, and to our Spanish expansion ⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠.Thanks for listening! Our monthly donors form the backbone of our funding, and if you're a regular, we'd like to invite you to join the team! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Attorney General Ken Paxton joins the show for a candid conversation on defending ICE agents, immigration enforcement, Big Tech data‑privacy battles, fluoride safety agreements, and his clashes with Texas’ political establishment. Michael also dives into local crime stories, teen violence in Baytown, and the cultural shifts shaping today’s Texas.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Dallas County Republican Party abandoned plans Tuesday to hand-count tens of thousands of ballots on primary day, March 3, saying it could not recruit enough workers to carry out the manual tally. In other news, three weeks after immigration officers detained Maher Tarabishi, his son was rushed to the emergency room with life-threatening sepsis and pneumonia; an all-Republican state appeals court on Tuesday unanimously upheld a previous judicial order that put the brakes on Attorney General Ken Paxton's efforts to rein in “rogue” prosecutors in Texas' most urban areas; and former Dallas Cowboy greats Jason Witten and Darren Woodson were named among the 15 Modern Era finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced Tuesday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock is asking Attorney General Ken Paxton for legal cover to exclude private schools with ties to CAIR or China from the state's new private school voucher program: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/paxton-islamic-schools-vouchers-21257343.phpThe recently-unsealed divorce records between Paxton and his soon-to-be-ex-wife State Senator Angela Paxton reveal full blame for the divorce from the Senator upon the AG, and his insistence that she receive "nothing" in the settlement: https://www.chron.com/politics/article/ken-paxton-divorce-records-unsealed-21254129.phpThe San Antonio Express editorial board suggests that Texas voters "flush" Ken Paxton over his "creepy" new tipline soliciting photos of alleged bathroom bill violators: https://www.expressnews.com/opinion/editorial/article/ken-paxton-transgender-bathroom-politics-21252847.phpTed Cruz is said to be formulating a 2028 run for President, setting up a clash with Trump VP J.D. Vance: https://azat.tv/en/ted-cruz-president-2028-vance-maga/See the full list of 2026 races and candidates, courtesy of Lone Star Left, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Check out our web store, including our newly-expanded Humans Against Greg Abbott collection: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://store.progresstexas.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Thanks for listening! Our monthly donors form the backbone of our funding, and if you're a regular, we'd like to invite you to join the team! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Matthew Wilson, political science professor at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, sets up the fierce primaries, Democratic and Republican, for the Senate in Texas.  Incumbent Republican John Cornyn is facing a battle from his right from state Attorney General Ken Paxton, and firebrand liberal Rep. Jasmine Crockett is challenging James Talarico for the Democrats.  No Democrat has won a Texas Senate race since 1988. And Rob Christensen, a former political journalist with the Raleigh News & Observer, remembers Jim Hunt, the former four-term governor and a giant in North Carolina politics, who died last week. PLUS:  The Epstein Files are released (not), Elise Stefanik plans to stay and fight (not), and Trump gives his respects to Rob Reiner (not). Music in this Episode:  Gimme Some Truth by John Lennon U Can’t Touch This by M.C. Hammer A Well Respected Man by The Kinks The post Episode #427: Jasmine Crockett, Arriving; Jim Hunt, Departed. appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.

Attorney General Ken Paxton and his wife, Angela, have agreed to unseal their divorce case after media organizations pressed to make the records public as Paxton campaigns for the Senate. In other news, East Dallas sports bar High Fives will close in early January after serving cocktails for more than a decade near a fast-changing Henderson Avenue. High Fives' Dallas-based parent company is focused on growing the Burger Schmurger restaurant brand; American Airlines is in the midst of a consequential transformation and executives at Skyview, the Fort Worth carrier's headquarters, are aware of the need for urgency; and WFAA meteorologist Mariel Ruiz, who revealed a breast cancer diagnosis in July, has been recovering from surgery. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Texas' so-called Bathroom Bill is now in ⁠full effect⁠ and enforcement of this law remains murky. Still, this week Attorney General Ken Paxton launched a ⁠tip line⁠ to encourage residents to report suspected violations. Host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by executive producer Eva Ruth Moravec and Hey Austin newsletter editor Kelsey Bradshaw to discuss the ⁠bill's effects⁠ and how the city is ⁠fighting back⁠. Plus, why is Texas collecting a list of names of people who have tried to change the ⁠gender marker on their ID⁠? And later in the episode, the team breaks down the latest developments around Texas State University's decision to ⁠cancel a Black History Month⁠ exhibit, reflects on the five-year anniversary of a ⁠mysterious disappearance⁠, and pays tribute to the ⁠businesses Austin lost⁠ this year.  Want some more Austin news? Then make sure to sign up for our ⁠Hey Austin newsletter⁠.  And don't forget– you can support this show and get great perks by becoming a City Cast Austin Neighbor at ⁠membership.citycast.fm⁠  Follow us ⁠@citycastaustin⁠ You can also ⁠text us or leave a voicemail⁠.  Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info ⁠HERE⁠  Learn more about the sponsors of this December 19th episode: ⁠DUER⁠ - Get 15% off at ⁠shopduer.com/ccaustin⁠ ⁠The SAFE Alliance⁠

Jasmine Crockett's launch ad did exactly what it was designed to do: dominate the conversation. It's a sparse spot — just Donald Trump's voice calling her “low IQ” while she slowly turns to camera and smiles—but the message is unmistakable. She's positioning herself as the fighter, the foil to Trump, the progressive star ready-made for the national stage. Whether you think the ad is brilliant, asinine, or somewhere in between, the confidence behind it is unmistakable. This is a politician who believes the moment belongs to her.And the moment may actually be hers. Crockett's entrance triggered the first major domino: Colin Allred is out. Allred saw exactly what was coming: a three-way field in which he was slowly slipping into fourth place, with poll numbers showing Crockett and state representative James Talarico dramatically outpacing him. In politics, you can bow out early or you can be forced out late. Allred chose the former and retreated to a reelection bid for his House seat. It was one of the rare cases of a politician reading a bad hand correctly before the stakes got worse.Politics Politics Politics is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.That leaves the primary as a one-on-one: Crockett versus Talarico. And Talarico's opening move — a polite welcome video directed at Crockett — landed with a thud. If Crockett walks into a room like a lightning bolt, Talarico walked in like a guidance counselor. He cannot afford to make this a personality contest. Crockett thrives in personality contests. If he wants to win, he has to make this about message, not magnetism. The question haunting Texas Democrats for years — can a centrist survive a primary built to reward progressives? — will finally get an answer.Democrats dreaming of flipping Texas understand the trap. Yes, Crockett is electrifying. Yes, she's a rising star. But statewide politics in Texas is still shaped by a conservative-leaning bloc of independents who view her as too far to the left. Early polling from the University of Houston and Texas Southern University shows both Crockett and Talarico losing to Attorney General Ken Paxton. Paxton, who was impeached by his own staff, dogged by scandal, and widely regarded as too extreme even by many Republicans. Yet he leads both Democrats by narrow margins.That tells you everything about the strategic stakes. If Democrats nominate a progressive firebrand, even a wounded Republican like Paxton becomes viable. And the fear for Democratic strategists is simple: the moment Crockett wins the nomination, a large number of center-right independents will default to whoever the GOP nominates. That's the shadow hanging over her rise. Her path to the nomination is the clearest. Her path to victory in November may be the hardest.Republicans: A Primary That Shouldn't Be Close, But IsOn the Republican side, the Senate primary is turning into its own demolition derby. For months, John Cornyn seemed secure: the senior statesman, the institutional favorite, the known quantity. But recent polling shows Cornyn clinging to a razor-thin lead over Paxton, with Representative Wesley Hunt sitting as a serious third-place contender. Hunt's entry infuriated the Cornyn team, and with good reason — Hunt is young, popular, and ideologically aligned with the party's post-Trump base in ways Cornyn simply isn't.Paxton, meanwhile, remains the wildcard. He survived impeachment by leaning entirely on his loyalty to Trump, and the MAGA base has rewarded him for it. Trump is widely expected to endorse Paxton, and the only mystery is whether he gives Hunt a co-endorsement. Either way, Cornyn is not getting Trump's blessing, and if you are a Texas Republican trying to win a statewide primary without Trump's blessing in 2026, you are playing football with no helmet.As filing deadlines pass and the field locks in, Republicans now find themselves with the one candidate Democrats most want to face — and simultaneously the only candidate who might actually beat them.If both primaries break the right way, Texas could get the most entertaining political matchup in modern state history: Jasmine Crockett versus Wesley Hunt. Two young, charismatic Black lawmakers representing opposite poles of America's political identity, both natural performers, both eager brawlers. They could fill AT&T Stadium for a debate. They might try. And I would pay to see it.But beneath the spectacle is the deeper truth: Texas politics is in flux. Both parties are being reshaped by their loudest wings. Both are terrified of nominating the wrong candidate. Both primaries could create general-election vulnerabilities neither side fully understands yet. We're watching political identity evolve in real time.And for once, Texas isn't just a red state or a blue target. It's the center of the storm.Chapters00:00:00 - Intro00:02:19 - Texas Senate Races Heats Up00:17:29 - Update00:19:29 - Republican Healthcare Bill00:22:22 - Ghislaine Maxwell Record Release00:24:03 - Tariff Bailouts00:26:07 - Bill Scher on Dems' 2026 Outlook and More00:58:23 - Wrap-up This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.politicspoliticspolitics.com/subscribe

High-profile Democratic Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett launches her campaign for the U.S. Senate. We'll look at how she'll compete in a crowded field against primary opponent State Rep. James Talarico and prospective general election foes incumbent Sen. John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton.Last month Texas voters approved funding for a dementia prevention and research institute. […] The post With Crockett in, Texas Democrats mull Senate race strategy appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: Respected judge on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, Jerry Smith, says of the ruling blocking Texas Congressional redistricting: “If this were a law school exam, the opinion would deserve an F.” Smith called the action of district court judges Brown and Guaderrama “outrageous conduct.” Smith said of the three judge panel that it was the worst he has ever seen in a case in which he was involved and accused Brown of “pernicious judicial misbehavior.”It wasn't just the terrible legal opinion, Brown and Guaderrama appear to have short circuited the judicial process with an attempt to derail Judge Smith's dissenting opinion. Judge's scathing dissent casts redistricting ruling as ‘judicial activism' Dissenting Judge Slams Colleagues for Blocking Texas Congressional Map ‘Nobel Prize for Fiction': Federal Judge Issues Fiery Dissent to Texas Congressional Redistricting Ruling Judge in Texas redistricting case slams move to strike down new map In addition, this is a must read: SCOTUS must save Texas from meddling liberal judges, by Mike Davis.Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Lt. Gov. Patrick spitting nails over a lawsuit filed over the creation of his favored new bureaucracy, the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas.Attorney General Ken Paxton gets a win for law and order over Harris County's Soros-style soft on bail policies.TX19: Republican Abraham Enriquez announces campaign for Congress in Texas' 19th District.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

Five people have pleaded guilty to providing material support to terrorists in connection with a July 4 attack outside an immigration detention center that left an Alvarado officer shot. In other news, the Council on American-Islamic Relations filed a federal lawsuit Thursday against Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton after Abbott issued a proclamation declaring the group a foreign terrorist organization; two military fighter jets buzzed over North Texas earlier this week for unknown reasons — shaking some residents — before visiting Dallas Love Field and taking off again; and do you earn enough to live comfortably in the Metroplex? Not if you're making less than six figures, according to a report published Tuesday — even if you don't have children to support. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Gov. Greg Abbott has asked North Texas district attorneys and Attorney General Ken Paxton to investigate what Abbott called “Sharia tribunals masquerading as legal courts.” In a letter sent to the officials on Wednesday, Abbott pointed to the Islamic Tribunal, launched in Dallas in 2014. In other news, one person is dead and two others were wounded Wednesday afternoon after gunfire erupted at a Lake Highlands Walmart; a Curious Texas question from a reader asked: With the population increasing in North Texas, why are so many school districts closing schools? Experts point to declining enrollment and budget strains. Public schools are struggling to fill their seats as competition with other modes of schooling — charter, private and home schooling — escalates; nd NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal is bringing his electronic music festival back to Fort Worth for a third year. Shaq's Bass All-Stars Festival will return to Panther Island Pavilion on March 21. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Republican party's effort to gerrymander Texas to give them five additional seats in Congress took a blow this week when a federal court threw out their map. A federal judge said there was substantial evidence that the map was drawn to hurt minority voters. Attorney General Ken Paxton said he would appeal.

A federal court has blocked Texas' 2025 congressional map, ruling that the redistricting plan unlawfully weakens voting power for Black and Latino communities. Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton have appealed to the Supreme Court, but tight election deadlines loom. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed with the latest news from a leading Black-owned & controlled media company: https://aurn.com/newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Day in Legal History: Pennsylvania Coal Co. v. MahonOn this day in legal history, November 14, 1922, the Supreme Court heard arguments in Pennsylvania Coal Co. v. Mahon, a foundational case in American property law. At issue was a Pennsylvania statute—the Kohler Act—that prohibited coal mining beneath certain structures to prevent surface subsidence. The Pennsylvania Coal Company had previously sold the surface rights to a parcel of land but retained the right to mine the coal beneath. When the state blocked their ability to do so, the company sued, arguing that the law had effectively stripped them of valuable property rights without compensation. The case reached the Supreme Court, where Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. delivered the majority opinion.In his decision, Holmes introduced the now-famous principle that “while property may be regulated to a certain extent, if regulation goes too far it will be recognized as a taking.” This line marked the birth of the regulatory takings doctrine, which holds that government actions short of full appropriation can still require just compensation under the Fifth Amendment. Holmes emphasized that the economic impact of a regulation on the property owner must be weighed, not just the public interest it serves. In this case, the regulation was deemed too burdensome to be considered a mere exercise of police power.The Court sided with the coal company, holding that the Kohler Act, as applied, amounted to an unconstitutional taking. The dissent, penned by Justice Brandeis, warned against undermining states' ability to protect public welfare. Despite being a 5–4 decision, Mahon has had lasting influence on land use, zoning, and environmental regulation. It reframed the boundaries between public regulation and private rights, signaling that not all public-interest laws are immune from constitutional scrutiny. Today, Mahon remains a cornerstone case for litigants challenging regulations that significantly diminish property value.A Texas judge is set to hear arguments on Attorney General Ken Paxton's request to block Kenvue from issuing a $398 million dividend and from marketing Tylenol as safe during pregnancy. Paxton sued Kenvue in October, accusing the company of hiding risks linked to prenatal Tylenol use, including autism and ADHD—a claim not supported by the broader medical community. The lawsuit follows public comments by Donald Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. promoting the same unproven theory. Kenvue and Johnson & Johnson, which previously owned Tylenol, maintain the drug's safety and argue the state has no authority to interfere in federal drug regulation or corporate dividends.The companies also say the dividend will not impair Kenvue's solvency and warn that Paxton's effort could undermine both the First Amendment and the credibility of Texas courts. Paxton, however, argues that the public interest justifies intervention, citing potential future liabilities from Tylenol and talc-related lawsuits. He contends that misleading commercial speech can be regulated, and that the dividend should be halted to preserve cash in the face of those risks. The case could have broader implications, particularly for Kimberly-Clark's $40 billion acquisition of Kenvue, announced shortly after the lawsuit. Kenvue has vowed to appeal any injunction.Judge to weigh if Texas AG can block Kenvue dividend over Tylenol claims | ReutersSierra Leone has reached a tentative settlement with U.S. law firm Jenner & Block to resolve a dispute over $8.1 million in unpaid legal fees. The law firm sued the West African nation in 2022, claiming it was still owed money for representing Sierra Leone in a high-stakes case against Gerald International Ltd., which had sought $1.8 billion in damages over an iron ore export ban. Jenner argued the legal work was more extensive than initially expected and said it had only been paid $3.6 million by the end of 2021.Sierra Leone pushed back, disputing the existence of a valid contract and asserting that no further payments were owed. The country also tried to claim sovereign immunity, but a federal judge rejected those arguments in January, allowing the lawsuit to proceed. U.S. Magistrate Judge G. Michael Harvey announced the settlement in principle last week, although specific terms were not disclosed. Neither party has commented publicly on the resolution.Sierra Leone, law firm Jenner & Block reach settlement over $8 million legal tab | ReutersMcDermott Will & Emery has become the first major U.S. law firm to publicly confirm that it is considering private equity investment, signaling a potential shift in how Big Law might operate. The firm's chairman acknowledged preliminary talks with outside investors, a move that stunned the legal industry, where non-lawyer ownership has long been resisted due to ethical and regulatory restrictions. McDermott is reportedly exploring a structure that would separate its legal services from administrative operations by creating a managed service organization (MSO) owned by outside investors, allowing the firm to raise capital without violating professional conduct rules.This model has gained traction among smaller firms, but McDermott's adoption could legitimize the MSO approach for large firms. Proponents argue it would free lawyers to focus on client work while upgrading support systems through external funding. Critics caution that it involves relinquishing control of critical firm functions and raises concerns about maintaining ethical standards, particularly regarding fee-sharing with non-lawyers. While still early, industry experts say other firms are beginning to explore similar paths to stay competitive, especially in jurisdictions like Arizona that allow non-lawyer ownership.McDermott's Outside Investor Talks Augur Big Law TransformationThe Trump administration has filed suit against California over its recently approved congressional redistricting maps, which were adopted through a ballot initiative known as Proposition 50. The measure, passed by voters last week, allows temporary use of new district lines that could give Democrats up to five additional U.S. House seats. The Justice Department joined a lawsuit initially filed by the California Republican Party and several voters, alleging that the redistricting plan was racially motivated and unconstitutional.U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi called the maps a “brazen power grab,” accusing California of using race to unlawfully boost Hispanic voting power. California Governor Gavin Newsom dismissed the lawsuit, framing it as retaliation for California's resistance to Trump's broader political agenda. Newsom also argued that the new maps are a necessary corrective to Republican-led gerrymandering efforts, like those in Texas, where civil rights groups have sued over alleged dilution of minority voting power.The lawsuit claims California's map violates the U.S. Constitution by improperly using race in the redistricting process. The outcome could impact the balance of power in the House and add fuel to ongoing legal battles over partisan and racial gerrymandering nationwide.Trump administration sues California over new redistricting maps | ReutersThis week's closing theme is by Ludwig van Beethoven, a composer of some note.This week's closing theme is the first movement of Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 8 in F Major, Op. 93 – I. Allegro vivace e con brio, a work that balances classical clarity with Beethoven's unmistakable wit and rhythmic drive. Composed in 1812 during a period of personal turmoil, the Eighth is often described as a cheerful outlier among his symphonies, compact and effervescent despite being written amid deteriorating health and emotional strain. It was premiered in 1814, but it was a revival performance on November 14, 1814, in Vienna that helped solidify its reputation and gave the public a second opportunity to appreciate its lightness and humor in contrast to the more dramatic works surrounding it.Unlike the grand scale of the Seventh or Ninth, the Eighth is shorter and more classical in form, often drawing comparisons to Haydn in its wit and economy. Yet Beethoven infuses it with his unique voice—syncopations, dynamic extremes, and abrupt harmonic shifts abound, particularly in the first movement. The Allegro vivace e con brio opens with a bold, playful theme, tossing melodic fragments between the orchestra with cheerful assertiveness. It's less stormy than many of Beethoven's first movements, but no less commanding.Critics at the time were puzzled by the symphony's restraint and humor, expecting more overt heroism from Beethoven. But modern listeners often recognize the Eighth as a masterwork of compression and invention. The first movement in particular plays with rhythmic momentum, frequently disrupting expectations just as they form. There's a confidence in its restraint, a knowing smile behind the forceful accents and offbeat rhythms. It's music that's both technically impressive and viscerally enjoyable, which is perhaps why Beethoven held it in especially high regard.As we close out the week, we leave you with that November 14 revival spirit—a reminder that even a “little Symphony” can land with enduring force.Without further ado, Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 8 in F Major, Op. 93 – I. Allegro vivace e con brio, 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

The Supreme Court is gearing up for what could be one of the most significant cases of the November term, and it directly involves President Donald Trump. Just last month, on September 9th, the Court made the unusual decision to grant certiorari and expedite a case involving the Trump administration, consolidating it with another related matter. The case, officially docketed as number 25-250, pits Donald J Trump, President of the United States, against V.O.S. Selections, Inc. and other parties.What makes this particularly noteworthy is the speed at which everything is moving. The Supreme Court rarely fast-tracks cases, but they've done exactly that here, setting oral arguments for Wednesday, November 5th, 2025. That's less than three weeks away. The case originated from the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which issued its decision on August 29th. Within days, Trump's legal team filed a petition for certiorari and immediately requested expedited consideration. The Court granted both the motion to expedite and the petition on September 9th, consolidating it with case number 24-1287.The briefing schedule has been incredibly compressed. Respondents in the consolidated case and petitioners had to file their opening briefs by September 19th. Amicus curiae briefs, those filed by interested parties not directly involved in the case, were due by September 23rd. The response briefs from the petitioners and respondents were due tomorrow, October 20th, with supporting amicus briefs due by October 24th. Reply briefs must be filed by October 30th, just days before the oral arguments begin.Meanwhile, in Texas, Attorney General Ken Paxton secured a victory in the Fifteenth Court of Appeals on October 15th against what he called a radical, open borders group that allegedly illegally told people not to vote for President Trump. This development adds another layer to the ongoing legal battles surrounding the Trump administration.The Supreme Court has allocated one hour for oral argument in the consolidated cases, which is standard for cases of significant importance. The Court has already received the record electronically from the Federal Circuit and from the United States Court of International Trade, making everything available through PACER, the federal court electronic records system.What remains unclear from the public docket is the specific nature of the questions presented, though the involvement of V.O.S. Selections and the routing through both the Court of International Trade and the Federal Circuit suggests this may involve trade or tariff issues. Multiple amicus briefs have been filed, including one from Advancing American Freedom and various state respondents, indicating broad interest in the outcome.With oral arguments set for November 5th, we're likely to see intense preparation from both sides over the next two weeks. The Court's decision to expedite and consolidate these cases signals their recognition of the urgency and importance of the issues at stake.Thank you for tuning in, listeners. Be sure to come back next week for more updates on this developing story and other important legal matters. This has been a Quiet Please production. For more information, check out Quiet Please dot A I.Some great Deals https://amzn.to/49SJ3QsFor more check out http://www.quietplease.aiThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

The leading Democratic candidate for Texas’ U.S. Senate seat isn’t even in the race yet – and it might not be who you think. Plus, where things stand on the Republican side as U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt joins the field against incumbent Sen. John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton.Another delay in the Robert Roberson […] The post Why a Texas appeals court halted Robert Roberson's execution appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: As expected the Republican Party of Texas executive committee did not vote to ban anyone from the ballot in the big meeting this weekend. The committee did concur with local censure resolutions of five state legislators and did not do so for five others.Also in a development for the RPT, Attorney General Ken Paxton has joined Texas Republicans, as A.G., in urging the court to allow the party to conducted closed primary elections. This leaves the Secretary of State to fight to keep legislator control of Texas GOP primary elections.Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Texas oil and gas rig count plunges.Texas State Teachers Association parent union, NEA, sends three million members map that completely ‘erases' Israel. “The email also linked to shocking material that defended Hamas' depraved Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people and led to another 250 being kidnapped to Palestine, according to NAVI.”Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

Attorney General Ken Paxton has issued a press release regarding a new escalation his office plans to execute against "transgenderism and Antifa", long on right-wing belligerence and short on actual facts: https://www.keranews.org/news/2025-10-07/ag-ken-paxton-announces-undercover-operations-of-leftist-terror-cellsHouston friends! Join Progress Texas in The Heights on Monday October 20 for our H-Town Hits Back live podcast taping event! Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available now: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/houston2025event⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Thanks for listening! Our monthly donors form the backbone of our funding, and if you're a regular, we'd like to invite you to join the team! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: Texas Supreme Court, tentatively, set to peel back the Leftwing American Bar Association's control over legal education in the state. “The court itself would determine which law schools are “approved” under the state's lawyer admissions rules, according to the preliminary order,” Reuters reports.This is very good and a long time in coming. The private, Left-leaning group has no business deciding who can sit for the bar exam in Texas.Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Attorney General Ken Paxton's Cold Case and Missing Persons Unit Helps Make Critical Development in 1991 Austin Yogurt Shop Quadruple Homicide Case. Austin yogurt shop murders cold case suspect identified after 34 years. Austin yogurt shop murders: How authorities solved the cold case. HBO documentary dives into Austin's Yogurt Shop murders 30 years after – worth watching. There is much to learn from all angles on this case, especially now that we are mostly certain of who was the guilty person.Texas' oil and gas rig count jumped up 4 last week.Dallas Fed: Texas manufacturing still growing but slower than in August.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com 

Veteran Texas political reporters Gromer Jeffers of the Dallas Morning News and John Moritz of the Austin American-Statesman join host Jeremy Wallace to break down the suddenly red-hot 2026 primaries, including the clash between Sen. John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton plus the budding rivalry between Colin Allred and James Talarico. They also dive into a major upheaval in the state's congressional delegation and tell you the latest on what Democrat Jasmine Crockett and Republican Wesley Hunt are planning. Finally, Jeffers, Moritz and Wallace all explain their origin stories and have advice for campaigns, academics and legislative staffers on how to get into stories, TV appearances, podcasts and newsletters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Remember the Democratic walkout this summer over Texas redistricting? Attorney General Ken Paxton's lawsuit accusing Beto O’Rourke of bribery and other charges for supporting the walkout continues – but O’Rourke appears to have the upper hand. Recovery funds are finally on the way for many in Houston who suffered damage during Hurricane Beryl and last […] The post A history of the Texas Civil Rights Project appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

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

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