Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

El Paso State Rep. Claudia Ordaz, theorized to be on her way back to the Capitol, says she is in full support of the quorum break as she undergoes medical treatment: https://www.ktsm.com/local/texas-dps-shows-up-for-el-paso-lawmaker-rep-ordaz/

...Texas Republicans are pulling out all the stops against the quorum breakers - with the Trump agenda at stake, their zeal for retribution is in overdrive: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/12/texas-republicans-redistricting-political-power-courts-quorum-break/

...Texas DPS troopers, rather than doing their primary job of keeping Texans safe, have been reassigned to the task of staking out the homes of the Democratic quorum breakers - who will later be charged with related expenses: https://www.statesman.com/news/politics/article/dustin-burrows-quorum-break-dps-20812253.php

...Governor Abbott has thrown cold water on the idea that the Dems can stop redistricting for the 2026 election by delaying past the December 8 filing deadline - he says he'll re-draw them mid-election: https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2025/08/11/texas-gov-will-push-for-controversial-redistricting-map-beyond-election-deadline-as-democrats-remain-out-of-state/

...Governor Abbott also believes that should blue states including California respond to Texas' gerrymandering with their own, that he can and will eliminate as many as 10 Democratic congressional districts: https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5447180-texas-gop-redistricting-threat/

The Texas Public Utility Commission is suing the Texas Attorney General's office to keep information about cryptocurrency mining power demand in Texas, claiming fears that releasing it will provoke terrorism (!): https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/11/texas-public-utility-commission-cryptocurrency-mining-power-lawsuit/

Former Texas Governor Rick Perry, an advocate for the therapeutic use of the hallucinogen ibogaine, describes in detail a 12-hour trip he took on the drug in the New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/11/us/politics/rick-perry-drug-psychedelics-ibogaine.html

Back to school parents, be sure to peep into your kid's classroom on the first day to see the Ten Commandments displayed by state law for the first time: https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/education/ten-commandments-on-display-in-texas-classrooms/287-c04332c1-4ee4-44df-9053-e472790199f8

Tickets are on sale now for our live podcast taping with legendary Austin FC goalkeeper Brad Stuver on September 15 at Hopsquad Brewing in Austin! Tickets are limited and are available here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/allstaractivism_2025⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

...The Brad Stuver interview will be co-hosted by Landon Cotham of the Austin FC podcast Moontower Soccer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.moontowersoccer.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Progress Texas' financial reserves have dropped to about 3 months worth of funding. Help us avoid going on a permanent vacation this summer by becoming a sustaining member: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org/join-pt-summer-vacation-membership-drive⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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