FED Economist Says #Texas Economy Primed To Come Roaring Back In 2021

[#TexasPolitics365] 

Texas employers are expected to create 518,000 new jobs this year, an eye-popping gain after one of the most volatile years in recorded history for the nation’s economy, the Dallas Morning News reports.

Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas economist Keith R. Phillips said Friday that Texas is likely to see economic growth accelerate in the second half of this year.

“As we go forward with more and more vaccinations, it could be a very strong second half,” Phillips told viewers during a Fed presentation.

Tweeting about the economist's report, Gov. Greg Abbott was gleeful.

"Texas’ most reliable economist expects ‘very strong’ recovery for state in second half of 2021. Count on it. The Texas economy is about to skyrocket."

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Beto O'Rourke Planning 2022 Run Against Gov Abbott

[#TexasPolitics365] 

Beto O'Rourke discussed Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, and a possible run for governor on an El Paso radio show, reported the El Paso Times.

KLAQ's Buzz Adams interviewed the El Paso native through Skype.

Toward the end of the interview, Adams asked O'Rourke about a possible run for Texas governor.

"It's something I'm going to think about," O'Rourke said. "This State has suffered perhaps more than any other in the midst of this pandemic."

He blamed Gov. Greg Abbott's poor leadership for El Paso's 1,600 Covid-19 deaths since March, 2020, and said Sen. Ted Cruz should resign because three state newspapers called on him to do so.

O'Rourke represented the 16th District in Congress from 2013 to 2019. He was defeated in his bid for the US Senate by incumbent Ted Cruz in 2018. He ran unsuccessfully for president in 2020, dropping out in November, 2019, just before Super Tuesday. 

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Democrat Raises $330k In Race Against AG Paxton

[#TexasPolitics365] 

Former Democratic Galveston Mayor Joe Joworski has raised $330,000 in his bid to unseat Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton next year.

The third-generation Galveston lawyer stated, “I am proud of our strong start to this timely campaign to restore integrity, ethics and support for the rule of law to the office of the Texas Attorney General. For too long Ken Paxton has defied the law and disrespected the citizens of Texas. That ends in 2022.”

If the name sounds familiar, it's because you might remember his grandfather, legendary Watergate Prosecutor Leon Jaworski.

He quotes his famous grandfather on his campaign page, saying, "No one - absolutely no one - is above the law."

The virtuous slogan takes on a political tinge, because it echoes what national Democrats have been touting since the capital siege on January 6th, that Trump, Congressmen, and rioters should all "be held accountable."

The one-term mayor, who says he lost his re-election bid after championing the rebuilding of storm-damaged subsidized housing in his city, believes he has a shot against Paxton, who is facing an FBI investigation but has not yet been charged with any crime.

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Four Democrat Congressmen Call On Biden To Lift His Drilling Ban

[#TexasPolitics365] 

Four Texas Democratic Congressmen I have written a letter to President Biden, asking him to recind his executive order halting

federal land being leased to oil and gas companies for energy, Townhall reports.

Reps. Vincente Gonzalez, Lizzie Fletcher, Henry Cuellar, and Marc Veasey – sent the letter to Biden Wednesday, asking him to rescind the order.

"Media reports indicate that the Administration plans to announce a new proposal to ban responsible energy leasing, including oil and gas leasing, from our federal waters and lands indefinitely," the letter stated. 

"A federal ban for any period of time will certainly imperil hundreds of thousands of jobs, entire communities, and billions of dollars in royalty revenues to the Federal Treasury and eliminate funding for important conservation programs such as the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF)."

Townhall says the order will result in a GDP loss of $700 billion and the federal government will lose its biggest revenue generator, the letter stated. One of the other concerns they share is America returning to dependence on foreign oil.

The four Texans also took time in their letter to stand up for our neighbor, New Mexico, which funds its school system largely from oil and gas tax revenue that goes into a reserve fund for that purpose.

"New Mexico, a small, poor state that receives a huge portion of their revenue for things like funding Albuquerque schools, will find this rule devastating," they wrote.

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#Texas Wins First Case Against Biden Administration, Halt Of Deportations Paused

[#TexasPolitics365] 

The first lawsuit in the country brought against a Biden Administration executive order has been won by Texas.

Attorney General Ken Paxton sued in Federal court to halt the deportation of immigrants here illegally for a hundred days.

The Biden Administration had argued that they needed the time to re-evaluate policies and procedures relating to immigration. They argued in court that one presidential administration could not bind future administrations with agreements made with the states.

But Paxton had argued, in a letter sent to the Homeland Security Department, that agreements made between the Department of Homeland Security and the state of Texas required consultations that were not done in this case.

Texas U.S. District Judge Drew Tipton temporarily blocked an executive order Tuesday, issuing a restraining order that blocks the Biden policy nationwide for 14 days, reported the Epoch Times.

Paxton hailed the victory, saying on Twitter, 

“Texas is the FIRST state in the nation to bring a lawsuit against the Biden Admin. AND WE WON.”

“Within 6 days of Biden’s inauguration, Texas has HALTED his illegal deportation freeze. *This* was a seditious left-wing insurrection, And my team and I stopped it."

David Pekoske, acting Homeland Security secretary, issued a memorandum Jan. 20 directing authorities to focus on national security and public safety threats, but halting most deportations of illegal aliens for 100 days.

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Legislators Murmuring About US Census Delay Causing Redistricting Special Session

[#TexasPolitics365] 

Call this one "analysis" on this blog's part, informed by confidential sources that we are going to call "Armadillos."

The Texas state legislature was already pressed for time, given that they meet only once every two years, and legislators are handling well over 1,500 pieces of legislation as well as a multi-billion-dollar budget. Legislators have also been sent home early already due to the risk of exposure to covid-19.

But this year, the year after a US Census, they also are tasked with the often complicated, highly political task of redistricting the state.

With a heavy workload as well as delayed data from the US Census Department in Washington, legislators are already murmuring about a special session being  this summer.

Here's why:

In early December, the Census Bureau reported to Congress that it had discovered some processing anomalies, causing delays in reporting the census results to Congress at the end of the year, as was expected.

Details on the anomalies have not been publicly released, but the bureau says it is working to resolve the issues, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. While the bureau has not officially announced any data delays, news reports indicate that additional time to process the census data will be needed, perhaps as late as mid-February.

In all states, a delay in the release of data would compress legislator's timeline for redistricting, says the legislative Association.

In Texas, it was already going to be tight scheduling redistricting, which would come late in the 140-day, once-in-two-years session, which began less than two weeks ago.

We have been unable to confirm thus far if a special session will be necessary, but given that serious delays from Washington are all but certain, we can deduce that Gov. Abbott will be compelled to call one.

State representatives and state senators would probably be well-advised to delay their vacations.

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Planned Parenthood In Texas Can't Participate In State Employee Paycheck Fundraiser

[#TexasPolitics365] 

Planned Parenthood affiliates in Texas have been told they can no longer receive charitable donations directly from state employee paychecks, reports Austin's KUT 90.5 public radio.

For at least the past decade, state employees could donate to the chain of women’s health care clinics through the State Employee Charitable Campaign, which automatically deducts the money from their paychecks.

Officials with the campaign asked Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton if Senate Bill 22, which prohibits local governments from contracting with abortion providers or their affiliates, disqualifies Planned Parenthood from getting donations.

In a January 2, 2020 memo (link opens PDF) Attorney General Ken Paxton had written his opinion that, "The Policy Committee's approval of abortion providers or affiliates as charitable organizations eligible to participate in the [fundraising] Campaign constitutes a taxpayer resource transaction. Section 2272.003 of the Government Code thus prohibits the Policy Committee from approving abortion providers or affiliates as eligible charitable organizations for the Campaign."

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Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying Ban Is Topic Of Two Bills

[#TexasPolitics365] 

James Quintero of the Texas Public Policy Foundation speaks to the North Austin Republican Club, Jan. 22

Two bills before the legislature would ban taxpayer-funded lobbying by communities and organizations throughout Texas.

James Quintero, Policy Director for the Texas Public Policy Foundation, says cities, counties, school districts, and special districts spent approximately $41 million of taxpayers' dollars on outside firms and individuals to lobby the statehouse in 2017.

Houston alone will spend $1 million, and Austin will spend upwards of $700,000 this year, he said.

Speaking to the North Austin Republican Club this week, Quintero called it, "a dubious system that's drowning out the voice of the average person." And, he said, it almost always means "lobbying for a big government agenda."

That has two pieces of legislation, Senate Bill 234 (sponsored by Senator Bob Hall of Edgewood) and House Bill 749 (sponsored by Mayes Middleton of Wallisville) on the foundation's radar.

Both bills would require lobbyists to register, meaning they could not receive public funds. Membership organizations would also no longer be allowed to use paid lobbyists.

Quintero admits that if taxpayer-funded lobbying is banned, municipalities could simply use in-house lobbyists, who would already be on the city or county payroll. 

But, he said, that wouldn't be a bad thing, necessarily. "They would be more accountable, and have better transparency," he said.

And with cities and counties no longer relying on paid lobbyists, Quintero believes it would make elected officials more involved in the legislative process in Austin.

"Getting rid of that contract lobbyist will get those mayors to pick up their phones and talk with their elected officials," he said.

He stresses that both bills that are currently  before the legislature will still allow elected officials to come to the Capitol and testify on legislation, and even be reimbursed for the trip, a concern raised by some elected officials.

In the last legislative session, a similar bill, 

HB 29, lost in a House vote, 58-85. 

Quintero said that while the bill had ambiguities and loopholes, the experience  wasn't all bad. "At least got it debated, publicly. We enter the debate this time a little better prepared. And we have an educated public now who really understands the issue."

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Legislator Proposes Freeze On Home Repos For Delinquent Property Taxes

[#TexasPolitics365]

State Rep. Terry Wilson (R - Marble Falls) is proposing a bill this legislative session to freeze seizures of a person's primary home for delinquent property taxes.

The bill, House Joint Resolution 43, proposes a constitutional amendment providing that, "a residence homestead is not subject to seizure or sale for delinquent ad valorem taxes."

If passed, it would add language to Texas law that states that, "A residence homestead is not subject to seizure or sale for the payment of delinquent taxes or penalties. The Legislature by general law may define residence homestead for purposes of this subsection."

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Democrats Renew Battle In Legislature To Remove Confederate Symbols

[#TexasPolitics365]

Two state lawmakers are trying to do away with the holiday honoring Confederate General Robert E. Lee, and remove Confederate statues from State Capitol, reports Spectrum News 1.

The Confederate icon's official state holiday fell on the day after one honoring civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In fact, the state's "Confederate Heroes Day" celebrates Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis, and other Confederate soldiers.

While previous attempts to end the holiday and remove statues honoring the Confederates from state Capitol ground have fallen short, backers of the new legislation feel there is new momentum in the wake of the deadly siege at the U.S. Capitol where one rioter was seen carrying a Confederate flag.

State Rep. Jarvis Johnson (D-Houston) filed one of two bills to abolish the holiday this legislative session and introduced it in years past.

“The Confederate flag was carried into the United States Capitol, as it was stormed by domestic terrorists. While the Civil War abolished slavery, the Confederate culture based upon white supremacy has persisted,” he said 

Another Democrat, Rep. Shawn Thierry (D-Houston) filed a second bill.

"It's just mind-blowing to me that we have the gall to call them heroes. It really defies logic,” he said.

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AG Paxton Threatens To Sue Over Biden Administration's "Pause" Of Illegal Alien Deportations

[#TexasPolitics365] 

As expected, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is wasting no time in issuing legal challenges to policies coming from the Biden Administration.

Yesterday, Paxton put the Department of Homeland Security on notice for allegedly breaching agreements it had with the state of Texas by implementing a 100-day freeze on deporting nearly all illegal aliens. 

The agency says it is taking the action to review policy in the new Biden Administration.

But in a letter to acting DHS Secretary David Pekoske, Paxton called it a "complete abdication of the Department of Homeland Security’s obligation to enforce federal immigration law," and said it was, "unlawful and will seriously and irreparably harm the State of Texas and its citizens."

Pekosky's January 20th memorandum  (opens PDF) directed the DHS to impose “an immediate pause on removals of any noncitizen with a final order of removal for 100 days to go into effect as soon as practical and no later than January 22, 2021.” The memo listed several exceptions to the pause in deportations, among them National Security concerns and terrorism.

It also stated that the 100-day pause on certain removals would, "enable focusing the Department’s resources where they are most needed. The United States faces significant operational challenges at the southwest border as it is confronting the most serious global public health crisis in a century."

In response, Paxton argued that if this directive was left unchallenged, "DHS could attempt to renew that directive indefinitely or issue a similar directive for an even longer period of time. That would allow the Biden Administration to grant blanket amnesty to the vast majority of the illegal aliens in this country with the stroke of a pen and without congressional approval."

Texas has agreed to cooperate with the federal government in its execution of immigration enforcement. Paxton said DHS's pause in deportations, "violates our Agreement in multiple ways," among them being the failure to consult with Texas State officials.

Paxton ends his letter by threatening to take the Federal government to court to stop the pause with an injunction.

"We require an immediate response or we will seek relief to enjoin your order," he writes.

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More Democrats Used Mail-in Ballots In 2020

[#TexasPolitics365] 

Democratic voters in Texas were more likely to cast their ballots by mail than Republican voters in the last election, reports the Texas Tribune.

Absentee ballots, which only certain groups of Texans are eligible to use, have traditionally been a tool utilized by the GOP, and in 2016, counties reported that higher percentages of Republican voters cast absentee ballots than Democratic voters.

Experts and political operatives note that Pres. Donald Trump spent months attacking the credibility of mail-in voting to his Republican base while national and state Democrats launched their largest-ever push to support the method as a safe option to vote in the pandemic.

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#Texas Officials Prepare Torrent Of Lawsuits Against #Biden's Expected Regulation Tsunami

[#TexasPolitics365] 

As Joe Biden takes over as president today, he has big plans for America. 

But Texas is almost certain to fight him every step of the way, reports the San Antonio Express-News. 

The state is about to be back on the front lines battling against the federal government, a long tradition for its Republican leaders, from former Gov. Rick Perry to Gov. Greg Abbott — who as the state’s attorney general famously said, “I go into the office, I sue the federal government and I go home.”

Abbott is likely to follow in his footsteps with this new Democrat president, preparing a blizzard of lawsuits against the expected tsunami of new Biden administration regulations and Federal mandates. This weekend, he tweeted: 

"Texas will take action whenever the federal government encroaches on state's rights, or interferes with constitutionally rights, or private property rights or the right to earn a living."

The paper notes the fight for National Healthcare mandates, and the incoming Biden administration's expected championing of green energy and illegal alien's rights will be heavily contested, and not just by the Abbott administration.

The conservative Texas Public Policy Foundation — which filed the Obamacare challenge that Paxton joined and is now before the Supreme Court — is gearing up to start grinding out challenges to a slew of White House priorities regarding immigration, energy and taxes.

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Gov. Abbott Denounces "Vetting" Of #Texas National Guard In DC

[#TexasPolitics365] 

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is criticizing Federal officials over reports that the Department of Defense, assisted by the FBI, is vetting members of the National Guard assigned to provide security during the inauguration this week.

In a tweet Monday evening that included a link to a Paywalled article from The Washington Post, Abbott called the joint effort by the Pentagon and FBI "offensive." 

"This is the most offensive thing I've ever heard. No one should ever question the loyalty or professionalism of the Texas National Guard. @TexasGuard. I authorized more than 1,000 to go to DC. I'll never do it again if they are disrespected like this."

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Bill Would Mean Tougher Rules For Above-Ground Storage Tanks

[#TexasPolitics365] 

Two bills, one from state Rep. Mary Ann Perez, D-Pasadena, and another from Sen. Nathan Johnson, D-Dallas, would task the state’s environmental agency with creating tougher rules on the structural integrity of above-ground tanks at chemical plants, refineries, electric power plants or other large storage facilities.

The bills would instruct the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to create more stringent standards for tanks in areas prone to flooding, storm surges and hurricanes, reports the Katy Times.

But the legislation largely leaves the specifics up to the TCEQ — a move that Democrats hope will ward off the most vigorous industry opposition, but is less palatable to environmentalists who have often criticized the TCEQ for being too industry friendly.

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Fort Worth Legislator Wants Police To Take "Implicit Bias" Course

[#TexasPolitics365] 

Fort Worth Democratic state legislator Nicole Collier is proposing a bill that would require police officers in Texas to take a course in implicit bias within two years of their licensure.

According to the language of House Bill 312, the course, which would be developed by the Department of Education, would include four hours of classroom instruction that would, "critically examine common stereotypes and cultural assumptions often held by communities and officers who serve those communities. 

It would further, "examine a training program participant’s perception of other individuals, other individuals' perception of the participant, and the impact those perceptions have on officer effectiveness and safety."

The Fort Worth lawyer's bill defines "implicit bias" as, "thoughts and feelings about social groups that can influence the individual's perceptions, decisions, and actions."

While committee assignments in the house have not yet been made for this session, in the last session of the legislature Collier chaired the House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee.

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Tarrant County Tea Party Group Opposes GOP Rep. Who "Normalizes" Gays

[#TexasPolitics365] 

A Tarrant County tea party group won’t be attending a February dinner for the local Republican Party, sharing an article that promotes the idea the event’s keynote speaker is “trying to force-feed the normalization of homosexuality within the party.”

The excerpt, titled, "Tarrant GOP Taps Homosexuality Promoting Millennial for Keynote Speaker," was from the conservation online paper, "Current Revolt."

It was shared in a Jan. 3 post on True Texas Project’s Facebook page in reference to U.S. Rep. Madison Cawthorn, a 25-year-old Republican who recently won a North Carolina House seat.

Cawthorn is the keynote speaker for the Tarrant County Republican Party’s Lincoln Day Dinner on Feb. 6. In a recent interview with Fox News, Cawthorn said he wanted the Republican Party defined as the “Freedom Party.”

Last week, Cwthorn called those who participated in the Capitol riot, "disgusting and pathetic."

The Tarrant County tea party organization recently changed their name to True Texas Project as part of a rebranding effort.

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Beaumont State Rep. Tests Positive For Covid-19 Four Days Into Session

[#TexasPolitics365] 

A Texas House member tested positive for the coronavirus after being on the chamber floor for three straight days, giving lawmakers an early indication of the dangers of governing during the pandemic, reports the Texas Tribune.

State Rep. Joe Deshotel, D-Beaumont, told The Texas Tribune he tested positive Thursday — three days after lawmakers gaveled in for this year’s legislative session. The Democrat said he received a rapid test outside the Capitol because it was “free and quick” as he was heading home Thursday afternoon.

He has “no idea” how he contracted it, said Deshotel, who is currently quarantining and reported minor symptoms. “I don’t know where it came from. 

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Texas State Senator Proposes $3 Billion State Agency To Fund Disease Research

[#TexasPolitics365]

 

Texas state Sen. José Menéndez, (D-San Antonio) has proposed the creation of a state agency to provide grants for research into emerging infectious diseases and development of vaccines and other treatments for them. 

The Austin American-Statesman reports that the new agency would be funded up to $3 billion, in increments over several years. Issuance of bonds to pay for the agency's grants would require voter approval.

His proposal – detailed in Senate Bill 264, which he filed in advance of the state legislative session that began this week – would create an agency called the Texas Research Consortium to Cure Infectious Diseases, or TRANSCEND for short, based loosely on its initials. 
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Crenshaw, Roy, McCaul Condemn Trump, Oppose Impeachment

[#TexasPolitics365] 

Texas Republican Congressmen Dan Crenshaw and Chip Roy released a statement Wednesday condemning President Trump's behavior leading up to the Capitol riot last Wednesday, but opposing the Democrats' move to impeach him in the House during the last days of his administration.

Crenshaw tweeted:

"We can’t ignore the President’s behavior leading up to the violence in the Capitol last week. He bears enormous responsibility for it. But impeachment is not the answer. We all need to deescalate, lower the temperature, and move forward together as a country."

He also posted a graphic of a larger statement, signed by him, Chip Roy, and two other Republican congressmen, Nancy Mace of South Carolina and John Curtis of Utah, condemning the president's actions on the day of the riot, but calling on Congress not to impeach the president.

The statement is likely to please no one, antagonizing Republican voters at home, while not appeasing Democrats in the House, seeking vengeance on the president and all Republicans for the events of January 6.

Houston area congressman Mike McCaul released a similar statement Wednesday that also condemned the president but stop short of supporting impeachment.

"I strongly condemn the president's rhetoric and his behavior," said McCaul, admitting that, "there very well may have been impeached offenses committed leading up to, and on, that tragic day."

As a threat of impeachment loomed large over the president Wednesday, Trump issued a statement condemning violence.

He called on Americans to “ease tensions and calm tempers."

“In light of reports of more demonstrations, I urge that there must be NO violence, NO lawbreaking and NO vandalism of any kind,” Trump said. “That is not what I stand for, and it is not what America stands for.”

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Gov. Abbott Signals Support For Permanent To-Go Alcohol Sales

[#TexasPolitics365] 

What started as a way to keep struggling businesses afloat during the pandemic may actually become the new normal.

Back in March, Governor Greg Abbott signed a waiver that allowed restaurants to sell alcohol to-go with food purchases, including beer, wine and mixed drinks. He later hinted in a tweet in April that he wanted to make to-go alcohol sales permanent.

The governor made his position official during his opening remarks on the first day of the 2021 legislative session on Tuesday, promising to keep alcohol-to-go sales in Texas, according to mysanantonio.com.

He also tweeted, "Let's make alcohol-to-go an official law in Texas." 

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Legislative Session Begins, Tasked With Writing $113 Billion Two-Year Budget

[#TexasPolitics365]

 

Texas State Legislators assemble in the Capitol building in Austin today to hash out a 2-year budget and examine hundreds of proposals for legislation.

They will have more leeway than expected and their 2-year budget, with the state treasurer saying that it must come within the realm of $113 billion, which is better than feared at the depths of the pandemic this summer, reports the Texas Tribune.

Texas State Comptroller Glenn Hegar also announced a nearly $1 billion deficit for the current state budget that lawmakers must make up, again, a significantly smaller shortfall than the $4.6 billion one Hegar expected over the summer. 

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Bill Seeks To Give College Athletes Financial Control Of Their Names And Likeness

[#TexasPolitics365] 

Texas legislators are joining the national push to enact laws giving college athletes rights to cash in on their name, image and likeness just in case the NCAA fails to move forward, reports Hookem.com.

House Rep. Matt Krause (R-Fort Worth) has filed legislation for the upcoming session that would allow athletes at Texas, Texas A&M and any other institution in the state to work with an agent and sign legal contracts.

Legislators in California and Michigan are already advancing similar bills. 

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Non-Discrimination Bill Would Protect LGBTQ Texans

[#TexasPolitics365] 

Rep. Jessica Gonzalez (D-Dallas) has filed a statewide non-discrimination bill that would protect LGBTQ Texans in employment, housing, and public accommodations, reports OutSmart Magazine. 

“Most people don’t know that LGBTQ people can legally be fired from their jobs. They can be denied housing because of who they love, and be denied services for the same reason,” Gonzalez said. “That’s just unfair, and most Texans don’t believe in that.” 

More than 60 percent of Texans don’t believe in discrimination against LGBTQ people, according to a 2019 analysis by the Public Religion Research Institute. 

Gonzalez said that if passed, it would be the first non-discrimination law in Texas history.

Gonzalez’s bill already has bipartisan support. Rep. Todd Hunter (R-Corpus Christi), who helped kill a bathroom bill in 2017, has agreed to co-author the proposal. 

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Texas Elected Officials React to Wednesday's Violence at the Capitol in DC

[#TexasPolitics365] 

When violent protesters entered the US Capitol building on Wednesday to express their outrage over what they viewed as a stolen election, their violence received no sympathy from the Texas legislative delegation, even from those who shared their viewpoint.

Sen.Ted Cruz, who led the charge in the Congress to decertify the Electoral College votes several states had cast for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, tweeted at 2:07 pm, during the breech of the Capitol building,  "Those storming the Capitol need to stop NOW. The Constitution protects peaceful protest, but violence—from Left or Right— is ALWAYS wrong. And those engaged in violence are hurting the cause they say they support."

But former Congressman Beto O'Rourke responded to Cruz's comments, laying the blame for the violence on Cruz.

"It is your self serving attempt at sedition that has helped to inspire these terrorists and their attempted coup."

Congressman Dan Crenshaw of Texas was even more blunt than Cruz, tweeting around the same time,"Stop this bullshit right now."

In a video released on Twitter by a KHOU TV reporter, Crenshaw later challenged President Trump to come to the Capitol building with a bullhorn and urge protesters to abandon their violence and leave the area. "You've got to man up, you've got to man up. They're not reading your tweets. They're breaking into the capitol. They're not stopping and pulling out their phones and reading tweets."

Former President George W Bush called the violence on Capitol Hill, "sickening and heartbreaking," going on to say, " To those who are disappointed in the results of the election: our country is more important than the politics of the moment."

Dr. Michael Burgess, congressman from the 26th Texas congressional district praised Capitol Police.

"I want to thank Capitol Police for their bravery and for keeping those on Capitol grounds safe. Violence is never an acceptable answer."

Rep. Chip Roy of Austin spoke eloquently on the House Floor Thursday night.

"History will judge this moment. Let us not turn the last firewall for liberty we have remaining on its head in a fit of populous rage for political expediency."

Republican Congressman John Carter of Round Rock also condemned the violence.

"Peaceful protests are a fundamental right in the United States, but violence is absolutely unacceptable. Respect our law enforcement officers’ orders. Vacate the Capitol and let the process unfold. Anyone committing violent acts should be immediately arrested."

Democratic Congressman Marc Veasey of Dallas-Fort Worth tweeted during the siege and blaming Pres. Trump for the violence.

"President Trump’s assault on our democracy has caused the violence that is happening outside the US Capitol right now. My staff and I are safe and we thank the Capitol Police for protecting us. Now is the time to come together—not fan the dangerous flames of division.

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Commission Proposed By Sen. Cruz Was Used In 1876 Disputed Election

[#TexasPolitics365] 

In his opposition to the counting of electoral votes for President-elect Joe Biden on Wednesday, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) suggested Congress "follow the precedent" of another disputed election.

But his idea was immediately shot down by a bipartisan group of senators, in the wake of violence that claimed the lives of four people at the Capitol building, reported Yahoo News.

In 1876, Democratic Governor Samuel Tilden of New York won the popular vote but not the electoral vote. In the South, which was still under Republican Party and military control following the Civil War, four states sent duplicate, contested electoral votes to Congress, hoping they would be certified for the Republican candidate, Hayes, instead of the Democrat electors pledged to Tilden.

After months of wrangling, Congress set up a commission to decide who would get the electoral votes. (Luckily, inaugurations were held in March in those days.)

Eventually the commission was composed of eight Republican members and seven Democrat members, who voted along party lines to elect Rutherford B. Hayes president. The move led to Hayes being labeled "Old 8 to 7" and many in his day viewed his presidency as illegitimate as a result.

To prevent another civil war, Hayes agreed to pull US troops out of the South, marking an end to Reconstruction and the beginning of the Jim Crow laws.

Cruz suggested today's Congress follow 1877's lead, at least in regards to the commission.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) attacked Cruz's suggestion, questioning why Cruz wasn't also disputing the elections of dozens of House members elected on the same ballots. 

Despite supporting and campaigning for Trump, Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA) a Republican from a swing state Biden won, also opposed to the idea of a commission, questioning just how much good it would do for the Electoral College count.

In recent days, Cruz has taken the lead role in defending the president and in opposing the electoral vote count that elected Biden and Harris.

While a civil war is not imminent at this point over this election oh, the political violence of Wednesday has had an effect on the political climate. 

Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, who lost her bid for re-election in the runoff Tuesday, was originally going to oppose certification of several States electoral vote counts for Joe Biden. abruptly changed her mind following the political scuffles in the Capitol building and said she would not contest them.

Senators planned to meet today to finish the certification of the electoral votes that would elect Joe Biden president and Kamala Harris vice president.

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Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price Won't Seek Sixth Term

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Fort Worth 5-term Mayor Betsy Price announced yesterday she will not seek a sixth term after a decade in the office, reports the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Price made the announcement that she wouldn’t run for an unprecedented sixth term Tuesday at City Hall. 

The announcement is likely to create the most contested race for mayor since she ran in 2011. Campaign filing opens Jan. 13. Five candidates are reportedly going to vie for the position.

The ten-year tenure of Price, 71, makes her the longest serving mayor in Fort Worth history.

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Constitutional Carry Bill On Hunt County State Legislator's Agenda

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A Hunt County Republican Legislator plans to introduce a constitutional carry bill in this legislative session reports the Greenville Herald-Banner.

Rep. Bryan Slaton, the recently elected representative for Texas House District 2. “I will oppose all gun control laws as well as any laws that will lead to more government harassment of gun owners.”

Slaton made the announcement on his Facebook page Wednesday.

The 87th Texas legislature opens its session on January 12th.

Slaton, R-Royse City, defeated longtime incumbent Rep. Dan Flynn of Van and Dwayne “Doc” Collins of Ben Wheeler in the GOP primary, then defeated Democrat Bill Brannon to win the race for Texas House District 2 in November. House District 2 includes Hunt, Hopkins and Van Zandt counties.

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State Rep. Swanson Files Bill To Recognize Pornography As A Public Health Hazard

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A state legislator has filed a bill that would recognize pornography as a “public health hazard.”

The bill, filed by State Rep. Valoree Swanson (R-Spring), calls for a push for education and research to deal with the onerous influences of pornography.

House Concurrent Resolution 2 says Texas citizens are “exposed to sexually explicit content through a wide range of media” every day in the state. It also adds that some people who are exposed to porn are not yet teenagers.

"Besides promoting unhealthy sexual expectations, the adult entertainment industry produces media that objectify

women and children as well as depict rape and abuse; by associating violence with sexual gratification, these materials perpetuate the demand for sex trafficking, prostitution, child pornography, and

sexual abuse images," reads the resolution.

Swanson submitted a bill with nearly the same language is the last Legislative session. House Bill 781 but it died in the public health committee without going to a floor vote.

Swanson won a third term in the House in November, 2020. As of June 2017, She was a member of the Texas Freedom Caucus, a conservative legislative caucus in the state House. 

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#Texas #GOP Congressman's Lawsuit Against VP Pence Tossed

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Politico reports that a lawsuit aimed at empowering Vice President Mike Pence to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election has been thrown out by a federal judge.

The judge contended that the plaintiffs - Republican Texas Congressman Louie Gohmert of Tyler, along with 11 Arizona Republicans who would have been electors for Donald Trump - lacked standing to sue.

U.S. District Court Judge Jeremy Kernodle, a Trump appointee based in Tyler, said the suit, which was filed against Pence, couldn’t be brought by an individual member of Congress, since it alleged an injury that would apply to the entire House and Senate.

The Electoral Count Act of 1887 requires Pence to introduce electors alphabetically by state, and it sets out a process for House members and senators to challenge disputed electors.

On Thursday, Pence asked the judge to intervene and throw out the case. Pence and Justice Department lawyers argued in a filing with the court that Gohmert argument wasn't with the vice president, but with the house and the Senate.

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#Texas #GOP Executive Committee Member Threatens Romney Over Facebook Post

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Texas State Republican Executive Committee member Terry Harper has called for U.S. Mitt Romney of Utah to be executed, saying he "should be introduced to our friend Mr. Guillotine."

The post, which apparently comes from Facebook, no longer appears on his Facebook page. But a screenshot of the post is seeing wide distribution on Twitter.

Many Twitter users commented that Harper should receive a visit from the FBI for threatening a sitting United States Senator.

Harper was responding to Romney's comments on Facebook about some Republican congressman and senators who plan to challenge Electoral college votes of several States on January 8th, when Electoral college votes are counted in the Senate.

Romney, who in recent years has become increasingly critical of President Trump, posted his comments Saturday.  His comments towards the president have been condemned by conservative Republicans.

In his post, Romney called the attempt to reject electors, "an egregious ploy," that, "dangerously threatens our Democratic Republic."

His Facebook post drew well over 181,000 comments and 121,000 reactions, 53,000 negative.

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#Texas Supreme Court Ends Austin's Curfew

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The Texas Supreme Court acted Friday to block the Austin and Travis County orders that required dine-in beverage and food service to stop from 10:30 p.m. to 6 a.m. from New Year's Eve through the 3rd of January.

Attorney General Ken Paxton sought an emergency stay from the Supreme Court of Texas, urging the court to halt enforcement of the orders, signed by Austin Mayor Steve Adler. A Travis County judge went along with the orders, making a mandatory in the county as well.

An obviously relieved Paxton tweeted about the victory Friday night.

"Breaking: WE WON! Texas Supreme Court stops Mayor Adler’s illegal order shutting down restaurants and bars. #AustinTx #COVID19 #victory"

Austin City councilor-elect Mackenzie Kelly join former city councillor Ellen Troxclair at the iron cactus for a press conference about the restrictions. Kelly reacted to the Court's ruling on Twitter:

"Proud to have stood w/these leaders yesterday in support of businesses. @aaron_reitz @EllenTroxclair - thank you for the work that you did."

Troxclair also reacted to ruling:

"Data clearly shows restaurants are NOT responsible for the spread of #Covid & they shouldn’t be political scapegoats. A huge sigh of relief the hospitality industry!"

KVUE TV reported Travis County Judge Andy Brown's statement about the Texas Supreme Court's decision.

“I am disappointed by the Texas Supreme Court decision as it limits our ability to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community."

The TV station also reported widespread disobedience of the curfew on New Year's Eve. On Sixth Street, station photographers reported that there were long lines to get into the bars downtown. and some bartenders were seeing not wearing masks.

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Judge Sides With Austin Over Four-Day 10:30 PM Curfew, Abbott Defiant

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A Travis County district judge has sided with the City of Austin to keep the New Year holiday restrictions on dine-in services at Austin-Travis County bars and restaurants. 

The Attorney General's Office says they will appeal the ruling.

KHOU reported that District Judge Amy Clark Meachum denied the requests for temporary restraining order and temporary injunction filed by the State of Texas, saying "the State has not demonstrated a probable right to the relief sought nor imminent and irreparable harm."

Gov. Abbott remained defiant, tweeting New Year's Eve:

To Texas restaurants. A formal statement. “The Governor’s statewide executive order allows food establishments to be open for in-person dining on New Years Eve as authorized by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission.  They should remain open. Happy New Year!” Cheers!"

Anecdotally, the order itself seemed to be met with mass disobedience in Austin. An Uber driver posted a message to Facebook New Year's Day, noting that he was driving until 2:30 in the morning New Year's Eve. 

"Drove Uber til 2:30 AM. Austin was hopping last night! Nothing seemed to be closed after 10:30. Lots of ppl are livid with Adler (aka, Cabo San Doofus😂)....even the libs."

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