House Candidates Spar Over 2019 Immigration Tweets, Ethics

[#TexasPolitics365]

 

A State House race in the Capitol City is turning ugly, with accusations and counter accusations between two Republican runoff candidates.

Former Austin city councilor Ellen Troxclair has uncovered a series of tweets from her opponent, Justin Berry, in which he seemingly sympathizes with illegal immigration.

"I cannot say one way or another if there truly is a crisis as I have seen both Trump, Obama, Clinton, and Schumer all make statements about a border crisis with regards to illegal immigration," Berry said, in a January 2019 tweet. "I have seen 1st hand the problems those who are here illegally suffer due to lack of access to the same services you and I take for granted daily. I've seen my friends be separated from their family members, and others unable to achieve gainful employment."

Troxclair, who is seeking the house district 19 seat, posted a link and screenshot to this and other responses in the 2019 thread, noting, "Was just sent this and I have to say…this thread is very troubling to see from someone running for the @TexasGOP nomination."

Berry responded with a tweet calling Troxclair a liberal:

"Funny and sad story. My liberal opponent, Ellen Troxclair, who previously joined the far left Austin City Council to defund police - just had her team file a false ethics complaint against me yesterday, which was then swiftly dismissed by the Texas Ethics Commission today!"

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Abbott-Endorsed Lubbock State House Candidate Accused Of Supporting Critical Race Theory

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In the Republican primary runoff for State House district 84, a new TV ad from David Glasheen accuses his opponent Carl Tepper of supporting "woke critical race theory."

The ad comes out just one day after Republican Gov. Greg Abbott endorsed Tepper, saying, "Carl Tepper is a trusted conservative leader who served in the Gulf War and back home as Republican Chairman. We can count on him to fight for lower property taxes & to secure our border. I urge voters to elect Carl Tepper as their next state representative."

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Non-Profit Accused Of Violating Campaign Finance Laws

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As Democratic voters prepare to pick their party’s nominee for one of the nation’s most closely watched congressional races, a Rio Grande Valley nonprofit is being accused of violating federal campaign finance law for how it has backed one of the candidates.

Michelle Vallejo faces Ruben Ramirez, a former candidate for the seat, in the May 24 Democratic primary runoff for South Texas’ 15th Congressional District. Vallejo’s backed by LUPE Votes, the political arm of a nonprofit founded by the famed labor-rights activists César Chávez and Dolores Huerta.

The nonprofit failed to disclose its spending in the primary until over a month after it ended, missing deadlines for disclosure, including some that fell before the March 1 contest.

(Full story HERE.)
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Fully Vaxxed, Boosted O'Rourke Tests Positive For Covid-19

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Despite being fully vaccinated and boosted, Texas candidate for governor Beto O’Rourke has tested positive for COVID-19, and is showing mild symptoms.

“In addition to being fully vaccinated and boosted, I regularly test for COVID-19 while traveling the state for town hall meetings,” he wrote. He said he tested negative Sunday but positive Monday.

(Full story HERE.)
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O'Rourke Attacks Abbott Over Property Taxes

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Texas gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke is pointing the finger at his opponent, Gov. Greg Abbott, over inflation and rising property taxes in the state.  

“He’s the single greatest driver of inflation in the state of Texas and it’s causing real pain to our fellow Texans right now,” O’Rourke told reporters on Wednesday, according to WFAA, an ABC affiliate in Texas.

“In the ninth largest economy on the planet and the wealthiest country in the world. It is not for lack of resources. It is for lack of political will,” O’Rourke added, according to the Palestine Herald-Press.

Abbott’s campaign responded to O’Rourke in a tweet, calling O'Rourke a "serial flip-flopped" and saying the governor, “has reduced property taxes for Texans by over $18B since taking office, while Beto has an established track-record of increasing property taxes while serving on the city council in El Paso.”

(Full story HERE.)
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O'Rourke Says Abbott Border Inspections "Hurting Economy" Abbott Campaign Says Beto Is "In Denial" Over Border Crisis

[#TexasPolitics365]

Democrat candidate for governor Beto O’Rourke has seized on the trade stoppage at the state’s Southern border to blame Gov. Greg Abbott for hurting the state’s economy with what O’Rourke has labeled a “political stunt.”

Abbott said the order for Texas Department of Public Safety troopers to conduct enhanced inspections was in preparation for the lifting next month of Title 42, a pandemic-era rule used to quickly expel migrants.

In an email to media, Abbott campaign spokesperson Mark Miner said that O’Rourke was in “denial” of what is happening on the border.

“Beto O’ Rourke is completely out of touch with the border crisis that his friend President Biden created."

(Full story HERE.)
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O'Rourke Criticizes Biden For Ending Title 42 "Without A Plan"

[#TexasPolitics365]

 

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke knocked the Biden administration for failing to give border communities a plan for dealing with the number of migrants at their doorstep before saying he’ll end the pandemic-era emergency health order that allows federal officials to turn people away at the border next month.

“It does not make sense to end this until there is a real plan and the capacity in place to handle those and address those that come over,” O’Rourke said, in a media interview.

He has previously criticized Title 42, saying it is ineffective at stopping migrants at the border.

(Full story HERE.)
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Harris County Judge Faces Criminal Probe Over Contract

[#TexasPolitics365]

 

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, a rising star Democrat who is widely seen as a future statewide candidate, is embroiled in an ethics scandal as she campaigns for a second term.

A criminal investigation into how her office awarded — and later canceled — an $11 million contract for a COVID-19 vaccine outreach program to a Democratic consulting firm to which she has ties, threatens to tarnish her carefully cultivated image as an ethically minded public servant.

(Full story HERE.)
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Democratic Party Chair Race Rocked By Allegations That Challenger Assaulted Staffer

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The race for Texas Democratic Party chair is being rocked by allegations that challenger Kim Olson, shoved the party’s top staffer during a bus tour in 2018.

Olson denies the allegations, which her opponent, incumbent Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa, has publicly amplified and used to argue she is unfit to lead the party.

(Full story HERE.)
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Bush Portrays AG Paxton in Orange Prisoner Jumpsuit In Facebook Video

[#TexasPolitics365]

Land Commissioner George P. Bush, in his campaign to become attorney general, again attacked his runoff opponent, incumbent Attorney General Ken Paxton, in a Facebook video Friday afternoon.

Standing in front of the Williamson County courthouse next to a half-size cardboard cutout portraying Paxton wearing an orange jumpsuit, Bush brought up the ongoing investigation into Paxton, Bush said he faces three felony counts that could result in 90 years in prison in Harris county, where the charges were leveled.  

"It's been seven years that he's been avoiding trial. If he was as innocent as he proclaims, then he would sit down right now in front of a jury of his peers... But he is guilty and he knows the best way to stay out of jail is to get reelected and to do whatever it takes and say whatever it requires in order to get reelected."

(Full story HERE.)
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Abbott Announces New Border Enforcement Efforts

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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has announced new border enforcement efforts in the wake of the federal government's repeal of Title 42. He made the comments at a news conference in Weslaco Wednesday.

Abbott called the border situation "unprecedented" and "dangerous," citing estimates that up to 18,000 people could be illegally crossing the border each day in May, after Title 42 is repealed.

New strategies announced by Abbott at the news conference include:

- A zero tolerance policy for vehicles smuggling drugs and people across the border, resulting in increased inspections at the border

- Abbott says the state will provide charter buses to communities in which the Biden administration has dropped illegal immigrants to transport them direcly to Washington DC

- the state will create boat blockades and continue the use of shipping containers along the Texas-Mexico border, along with razor wire in low-lying areas to deter illegal crossings

- the border region will be lit at night in high traffic areas

(Full story HERE.)
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Lt. Gov. Patrick Is "Done With Disney," Will Back Ban On Sexual Instruction In Elementary Schools

[#TexasPolitics365]

Saying he is "Done with Disney, Let. Governor Dan Patrick said in a campaign email he would support legislation similar to the one past in Florida that prevents the teaching of overt sexual contact in the very early grades of elementary school.

"At first, I was angry at their over-the-top radical resistance to a Florida law that simply says schools cannot sexualize children in elementary school. I will make this law a top priority in the next session."

He went on, laying into the company, whose stock he has recently sold.

"Parents trusted the Disney brand, all while Disney was undermining parents who believed Disney was a quality and good company."

(Full story HERE.)
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Democrat Railroad Commissioner Candidate Uses Ice Storm issue To Gain Traction

[#TexasPolitics365]

The Democrat nominee for railroad commissioner hopes to use the 2021 ice storm to gain traction with voters in the fall.

“We’re the energy capital of the world,” said Luke Warford, during an interview on Spectrum cable's Capital Tonight. “Texans shouldn’t have to live in fear every time it gets cold.” 

(Full story HERE.)
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Border Congressman Retires Early To Take Lobbying Job

[#TexasPolitics365]

 

As expected, Texas Democrat U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela Jr., retired Thursday night from Congress early, which will prompt a special election for his heated seat representing the South Texas border.

U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, a Democrat from Texas who currently represents the neighboring congressional district, is running for Vela’s seat in November.

Republican nominee Mayra Flores was upset about the early retirement during a time of economic and security crisis on the South Texas border.

“Filemon Vela is abandoning us while we have a crisis on our border and families can’t afford groceries and gas because prices are so high," she said.

(Full story HERE.)
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Texas Congressmen Warn of New "Explosion" Of Immigration After Biden Rule Change

[#TexasPolitics365]

As the Biden administration prepares to end Title 42 in May, senior Department of Homeland Security officials are warning the agency could see an explosion of migrants at the border.

Members of the Texas Congressional Delegation sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra — urging the administration to keep Title 42.  They argued it prevents Texas cities from becoming overwhelmed by migrants.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said Texas is already overwhelmed by the influx of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border.

“The numbers are up threefold from when the Trump administration was there just a little over a year ago.

(Full story HERE
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Family of Slain Teen Asks Democrat Candidate to Stop Using His Name

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The family of Botham Jean, the Dallas man slain by an off-duty police officer in 2018, has asked congressional candidate Jasmine Crockett to stop using his name for political gain.

“Botham’s name is not an endorsement you can parade, and his legacy is not a sound bite you can use to garner media coverage,” the family wrote in an open letter. “As a result, we have requested our family’s legal team to issue a cease-and-desist letter.”

(Full story HERE.)
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Texas Rangers Investigate TX House Candidate's Sign Stealing Incident

[#TexasPolitics365]

 

A Texas House of Representatives candidate headed for a contentious May runoff was the focus of an investigation conducted by the Texas Rangers stemming from a February campaign sign-stealing allegation from his opponent. 

The investigation is now being reviewed by a special prosecutor in Hopkins County to determine if any charges should be filed against Republican Texas House District 61 candidate Frederick Frazier for theft and impersonating a public servant.

(Full story HERE.)
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