Progress Texas Podcasts

Following the Paxton impeachment, you may have been ready for Texas politics to get a little more boring, at least for a little while - but that wasn't to be, especially if you live in Dallas. Friday saw the national announcement via an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal (!) of the defection of Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson from the Democratic Party - with whose support he had been re-elected just months ago - to a Republican Party fraught with infighting and anti-democratic goals. We've invited our good friend and Chair of the Dallas Democratic Party Kardal Coleman to share his insights on what's next in Big D - and we also welcome to the Progress Texas family veteran Texas political podcaster and activist Joe Deshotel, making his debut as a regular contributor to our podcasts at Progress Texas.

The Dallas Observer's primer on what it will take to recall Johnson: https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/how-to-recall-dallas-mayor-eric-johnson-17553987

Thanks for listening! Now more than ever, in tough times for independent progressive media, Progress Texas could use your help to continue our important work. Please consider joining forces with us at https://progresstexas.org/donate.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Former Ken Paxton AG's Office employees turned whistleblower will press their case forward: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/whistleblowers-paxton-lawsuit-18387875.php

...While their former boss is also seeking back pay from the impeachment period: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2023/09/25/texas-ag-ken-paxton-seeking-back-pay-for-time-suspended-while-under-impeachment/

...And a look at the rare Texas state provision that grants the AG power to upend the orders of state court decisions: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/09/25/texas-attorney-general-state-court-appeal/

The Biden Administration - and the environment - score a win from an unlikely source: https://www.newsweek.com/joe-biden-unlikely-legal-win-texas-judge-1829535

A 16th busload of migrants from Texas arrives in Los Angeles: https://www.dailynews.com/2023/09/25/sixteenth-bus-of-migrants-from-texas-arrives-in-los-angeles/

...While still more head for beleaguered New York City: https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/4219830-texas-sends-another-wave-of-migrants-to-new-york-city/

Texas ranks highest in the U.S. in the percentage of mass shootings that involve assault weapons and high capacity magazines: https://www.axios.com/local/san-antonio/2023/09/25/assault-weapons-mass-shootings-texas

...We also rank in the top 3 of U.S. states affected by expensive natural disasters: https://www.kxan.com/news/texas/texas-ranks-among-states-most-impacted-by-natural-disasters-study-says/

...While a toxic red tide algae bloom arrives at the Texas coast for the first time in four years: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/09/25/red-tide-algae-texas-coast/

With all that, need a drink? Texas craft brewers brought home 19 medals from last weekend's Great American Beer Festival in Denver: https://www.statesman.com/story/entertainment/local/2023/09/25/austin-breweries-lazarus-brewing-company-vacancy-win-19-medals-2023-great-american-beer-festival/70964940007/

El Paso's mayor says his city is nearing a "breaking point" with the continued heavy stream of migrants: https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/el-paso-texas-at-breaking-point-migrants-flood-border-mayor-says-2023-09-23/

Infighting within the Texas GOP appears to have passed a point of no return: https://www.khou.com/article/news/politics/texas-republican-fighting/285-eb96a95a-caaf-4a71-b20c-a4b67e314ef2

Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson switches parties to become a Republican: https://www.tpr.org/government-politics/2023-09-24/dallas-mayor-eric-johnson-announces-he-will-leave-office-as-a-republican-in-2027

The family of a Barbers Hill ISD student suspended over his cultural hairstyle sues Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton for allowing the district to break the CROWN Act: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/24/us/darryl-george-texas-lawsuit-crown-act.html

An Amarillo judge known for anti-choice rulings on reproductive freedom has now ruled against the rights of drag perfomers: https://apnews.com/article/texas-drag-show-ban-f78d60eed0a55fb81ec924f78ad0b6d4

TribFest coverage from the weekend:

State Reps disagree (shocker) on school vouchers: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/09/23/texas-school-choice-special-session-education/

Paxton prosecutors thought conviction was in the bag, now think they may have been naive: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/09/23/texas-ken-paxton-impeachment-prosecutors/

The two primary hopefuls for the chance to depose Ted Cruz differ in their views on bipartisan compromise: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/09/23/texas-democrats-allred-gutierrez-cruz-senate/

With GOP in conflict, Texas Dems don't appear exactly aligned either: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/09/23/house-democrats-special-session-school-vouchers/

And Texas U.S. Reps discuss the looming threat of a federal shutdown: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/09/23/texas-house-democrats-describe-government-chaos/

...Which one Texas Republican U.S. Representative essentially guarantees will happen: https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/politics/inside-politics/texas-politics/north-texas-republican-federal-government-shutdown/287-e86c693d-5813-444e-bf5a-751c2bde699c

Required Reading Part 1 - Texas is on the brink of executing a man convicted on junk science and garbage evidence: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/24/texas-death-row-robert-roberson-supreme-court-shaken-baby-syndrome

Required Reading Part 2 - American democracy is threatened by three rich Texas men pushing a theocratic agenda: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/opinion/editorials/article/dunn-wilks-paxton-texas-theocracy-democracy-18380689.php

And a chunk of an asteroid, collected by a NASA space probe, is Texas-bound: https://www.space.com/nasa-osiris-rex-asteroid-sample-return-next-stop-texas

An unusual surge in migrant crossings at the U.S./Mexico border continues and remains without a pinpointed cause: https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/21/us/migrant-crossings-eagle-pass-state-of-emergency/index.html

...The effects of the surge are being felt in San Antonio: https://www.expressnews.com/news/article/migrants-surge-resource-center-18380326.php

Ken Paxton, exonerated (pardoned?) by fellow Republicans, goes on the attack against...his fellow Republicans: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/2023/09/20/ken-paxtontucker-carlsontexasjohn-cornynimpeachment/

...While Lt. Governor Dan Patrick finds suspicion over his $3 million donation from a pro-Paxton growth silly: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/09/21/dan-patrick-donation-ken-paxton-pac-impeachment/

An Anti-Defamation League report on extremism in Texas is an alarming read: https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/texas/extremists-in-texas-2023/285-f71d6f03-bf1f-4136-84b9-a9c3867ec674

ERCOT CEO Pablo Vegas gives his organization an "A" grade for its performance over the summer: https://abc13.com/ercot-electric-reliability-council-of-texas-summer-tested-power-grid-will-hold-in-winter/13811292/

...While Texas tops rankings of both energy production AND energy consumption: https://www.kxan.com/investigations/texas-produces-and-consumes-the-most-electricity-in-the-us/

Texans who've been ticketed by officers from the recently-disbanded Coffee City Police Department want their tickets dismissed: https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/coffee-city-police-18380508.php

Former El Paso County Commissioner Vince Perez is running for the House: https://kfoxtv.com/renderer/kfoxtv/amp/news/local/former-el-paso-county-commissioner-vince-perez-announces-run-for-texas-house-district-77-politics-el-paso-lina-ortega

As complaints mount about driverless cars in Austin, even more are on the way: https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/complaints-continue-to-mount-as-austin-finds-itself-unable-to-regulate-driverless-rideshares

Thanks for listening! Please consider supporting Progress Texas in our important work by joining our ongoing membership drive: https://progresstexas.org/

An unusually large wave of migrants has crossed into and is now crowding Eagle Pass: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/20/us/texas-border-eagle-pass-migrants.html

...While escalated inspections of incoming cars and trucks have again caused major backups of international shipping traffic: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/2023/09/20/texasbordereagle-passimmigrationgreg-abbott/

Several GOP Senators were primed to vote to convict Ken Paxton in his recent impeachment, but were spooked into switching their votes over worries of backlash from the right: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/09/20/ken-paxton-senators-dan-patrick-vote-impeachment/

...And the phrase "there are no coincidences in Austin" has an interesting history: https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/are-there-coincidences-in-austin/

Barbers Hill ISD officials seek a court's insight into whether they have violated the CROWN Act in suspending a student over his cultural hairstyle: https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/20/us/darryl-george-barbers-hill-court-lawsuit/index.html

...While an East Texas high school principal is arrested after paddling a female student: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/09/19/texas-principal-corporal-punishment/

...And Katy ISD adds "nudity" as a book banning criterion, adding 14 titles to its blacklist: https://www.axios.com/local/houston/2023/09/20/katy-isd-bans-books-texas

U.S. News and World Report adjusts its college ranking methodology, resulting in upgrades for several Texas universities: https://www.star-telegram.com/news/state/texas/article279527189.html

...While "McCarthyism Rides Again" on Texas campuses: https://www.texasobserver.org/mccarthyism-texas-am-journalism-freedom/

A "brain drain" is gaining momentum in Texas over excessive conservative policies: https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2023/09/20/brain-drain-in-texas-is-real-and-it-can-endanger-our-prosperity/

...While Dr. Peter Hotez releases a new book on the dangers of the anti-science movement: https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/peter-hotez-book-antiscience-deadly/

...And new COVID vaccines drop: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/09/20/free-covid-19-tests-updated-vaccine/

New studies show the continued rise of extremist groups in Texas: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/09/21/texas-hate-crimes-extremists/

Thanks for listening! Please consider supporting Progress Texas and our ongoing, important work as our membership drive continues. Learn more at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Education in the spotlight, as Governor Greg Abbott promises special session after special session - and threatens primary challenges for Republican resistors - in his quest for school vouchers: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/2023/09/19/texas-gov-abbott-threatens-special-sessions-even-primary-battles-to-pass-school-choice/

...While school districts across the state are already struggling to survive: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/09/19/texas-san-antonio-plano-school-districts-closures/

...Fort Worth and Plano ISD's join a growing number of districts joining a lawsuit over rating metrics against TEA: https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/education/growing-number-texas-school-districts-suing-tea-heres-why/287-db7a905d-cd88-4b5f-a6a9-2cc274a4d877

...A federal judge issues a formal written order undermining the new "Reader Act" law: https://www.chron.com/culture/article/judge-ruling-texas-book-rating-law-18376394.php

...And Texas Senator Borris Miles weighs in on a Houston-area high school junior's ongoing suspension over his hairstyle, an apparent violation of the new CROWN Act: https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/barbers-hill-isd-student-suspended-hair/285-6d1cd9b0-8959-443e-b1ec-917018fefb6c

CROWN Act co-author Rep. Rhetta Bowers has announced a run to replace Colin Allred in the U.S. House: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2023/09/19/texas-rep-rhetta-bowers-changes-course-launches-congressional-bid-to-replace-colin-allred/

Texas National Guard troops may have violated U.S. law yesterday by ordering migrants to cross back into Mexico through the Rio Grande: https://www.elpasotimes.com/story/news/2023/09/19/texas-national-guard-order-asylum-seekers-at-border-back-into-mexico/70903227007/

A 14th busload of migrants from Texas arrives in Los Angeles: https://abc7.com/texas-migrants-los-angeles-asylum-seekers/13803043/

And apparently, even in the cooler fall weather, ERCOT cannot fully guarantee reliable electricity for Texas: https://www.khou.com/article/news/investigations/ercot-report-rotating-power-outage-scenarios-2023/285-7dc74070-318e-434a-91d4-623444670bac

Thanks for listening! Please consider supporting Progress Texas and our ever-more-important work by joining our ongoing membership drive: https://progresstexas.org/.

Following his acquittal from impeachment, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton faces even more serious state and federal charges: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/18/us/texas-ken-paxton-legal-problems.html

...While Republicans who voted to convict him face problems from within their own party: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/09/16/ken-paxton-impeachment-kelly-hancock-robert-nichols/

...Former President Trump takes credit (of course) for Paxton's acquittal: https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/4210367-trump-says-he-saved-paxton-from-being-convicted-in-texas-impeachment-push/

...And Senator Angela Paxton spins the affair (no pun intended) into an opportunity for anti-feminist religious manipulation: https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/angela-paxton-ken-impeachment-biblical-womanhood/

Governor Greg Abbott spews Epoch Times falsehoods about a Texas public school district in advance of the special session on vouchers: https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/news/2023-09-18/greg-abbott-casually-spreads-misinformation-about-leander-isd/

A North Texas sheriff, previously connected to the Oath Keepers, is convicted of unlawfully detaining two citizens in his jail: https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/oath-keeper-sheriff-convicted-violating-inmate-rights-1234827432/

...While Texas DPS head Steve McCraw gets a raise that puts his salary at several times that of the typical Texas LEO: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/dps-mccraw-raise-operation-lone-star-18329377.php

A Barber Hills High junior is suspended from school over his hairstyle for a second time, in spite of the new CROWN Act: https://www.businessinsider.com/texas-school-suspend-black-student-locs-hair-lawyer-2023-9

A list of the books that have been banned by Texas schools (so far) makes a handy shopping list for parents: https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/list-of-texas-banned-books-shows-state-has-most-in-us-17480532

Colorado U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert is off the schedule for the conservative Texas Youth Summit following hanky-panky in a Denver theater: https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/texas/lauren-boebert-beetlejuice-texas-youth-summit/285-92fbdc2f-9e82-4b1e-a8b9-5f026e5873e3

And not only driverless cars, but driverless TRUCKS will soon be a feature of Texas roadways: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-09-13/driverless-trucks-leave-california-for-texas-over-new-laws

Thanks for listening! Please consider helping Progress Texas continue our important work by becoming part of our ongoing membership drive, at https://progresstexas.org/. Thank you!

The acquittal of Ken Paxton is anything but a surprise to progressives in Texas: https://www.star-telegram.com/opinion/nicole-russell/article279427534.html

...More entertaining is the escalation of GOP infighting: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/politics/state/2023/09/18/texas-legislature-senate-house-split-deepens-attorney-general-ken-paxton-acquittal/70885735007/

...Lt. Governer Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dade Phelan are at severe odds over the impeachment: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/09/16/ken-paxton-impeachment-dan-patrick/

...The GOP civil war is not going well at present for the moderate side: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/17/us/texas-republicans-paxton-impeachment.html

...But, the disarray could work in favor of opponents of school vouchers: https://www.reformaustin.org/texas-legislature/texas-lawmakers-hold-their-ground-voucher-deals-face-skepticism/

...And Paxton still faces serious legal peril beyond mere political theater: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/09/16/texas-ken-paxton-attorney-general-legal-cases-securities-fbi/

Dallas ISD's Superintendent believes controversial school ratings changes at TEA are designed to help the argument for vouchers: https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/carter-in-the-classroom/dallas-isd-superintendent-says-new-grading-method-for-texas-schools-is-connected-to-school-voucher-debate/3339554/

...While hundreds of thousands of Texas school kids are suddenly without health coverage: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/texas-schools-and-families-struggle-as-hundreds-of-thousands-of-kids-lose-medicaid-amid-unwinding

Cooler weather notwithstanding, we mustn't forget that Texas is in the midst of an existential climate crisis: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/09/07/texas-hottest-summer-2023/

...As a cotton farming advocacy group continues to doubt climate change, while worrying about threats to their government subsidies: https://www.bigcountryhomepage.com/news/climate-change-the-future-of-cotton-production-in-west-texas/

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Ken Paxton defense lead Tony Buzbee calls four friendly witnesses - all current Texas AG Office employees - before resting: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/politics/state/2023/09/14/texas-attorney-general-ken-paxton-impeachment-trial-live-updates-coverage-day-eight/70836056007/

Donald Trump weighs in - while admitting he doesn't think President Biden is too old to server: https://www.axios.com/2023/09/14/trump-biden-age-2024-election

Senator John Cornyn voices support for the Biden impeachment inquiry, contradicting his own prior views: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/09/14/john-cornyn-biden-impeachment-inquiry/

Near-hopeless Republican Presidential candidate Ron DeSantis will be in Midland on Wednesday: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-09-14/desantis-to-detail-energy-policy-during-texas-visit-next-week

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo will depart in-patient care for clinical depression and plans to return to duty on October 2: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/09/14/harris-county-lina-hidalgo-mental-health-leave/

Mitchell and Goliad Counties have implemented local ordinances that allow vigilantes to sue people they suspect of driving through those counties on their way to out-of-state abortion care: https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/texas-abortion-trafficking/285-31f15a6c-dcf1-4711-a02b-2686ce9f7552

Dallas ISD joins several other districts in a lawsuit against the Texas Education Agency over a new school rating system they say will artificially degrade scores: https://thehub.dallasisd.org/2023/09/14/dallas-isd-joins-other-texas-districts-in-tea-lawsuit/

In a Democrat vs. Democrat conflict, Hays County sees the first test of a new state law allowing for the removal of county DA's who refuse to prosecute select state laws: https://www.kxan.com/news/local/hays/hays-county-district-clerk-files-petition-to-remove-da-citing-new-texas-law/

Rosie Cuellar announces a run for the open House seat representing District 80, including Uvalde: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/09/14/henry-rosie-cuellar-texas-house-uvalde/

Coffee City, which made the news for its oversized police department largely staffed with officers who had been fired from other departments due to misconduct, fires its police chief and disbands its PD: https://www.kltv.com/2023/09/11/coffee-city-council-fires-police-chief-deactivates-police-department-wake-investigation/

And you're not exaggerating - Texas officially has the worst drivers in the country: https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2023/09/14/texas-has-worst-drivers-in-the-country-report-says/

Thanks for listening! If you're enjoying our podcasts, we'd appreciate your support as we continue our membership drive - join the fun officially at https://progresstexas.org/donate.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Anticipation that Ken Paxton's alleged mistress might testify in the ongoing impeachment trial is for naught: https://www.star-telegram.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article279286904.html

...As former Paxton aide Drew Wicker is grilled over that infamous kitchen remodel: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/09/13/ken-paxton-impeachment-trial-drew-wicker/

...And House managers commit an unforced (and almost catastrophic) error: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/09/13/ken-paxton-impeachment-trial-laura-olson-drew-wicker/

Republicans maneuver to block the Biden administration's plans for immigrants to "remain in Texas": https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2023-09-13/republicans-biden-families-remain-in-texas

...While the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services re-opens a troubled housing facility for migrant teens at Pecos: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/migrant-children-housing-facility-reopens-pecos-texas-spike-border-arrivals/

The new Texas law designed to criminalize drag performances is blocked for another two weeks: https://www.kxan.com/lgbtq/texas-drag-performance-law-blocked-from-taking-effect-again/

Ted Cruz gets crosswise with the U.S. Secretary of Education over a masking plan for a kindergarten class in Maryland fighting a COVID outbreak: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2023/09/13/education-sec-cardona-ted-cruz-wrong-to-oppose-masking-in-classroom-with-covid-outbreak/

San Antonio's local energy boss says ERCOT has not prepared the Texas grid for the oncoming winter: https://www.expressnews.com/business/article/ercot-grid-gas-supply-ready-winter-cps-energy-18362209.php

...While battery storage is hailed as a possible solution to Texas' power grid woes: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/energy/article/ercot-grid-battery-solar-enel-texas-18350609.php

...And a Chinese solar panel company moves forward with a $200 million new production plant near Dallas: https://www.dallasnews.com/business/real-estate/2023/09/11/chinese-company-plans-200-million-solar-panel-manufacturing-plant-in-wilmer/

Continued population growth remains a the core of continued economic growth in Texas: https://www.businessinsider.com/texas-population-state-economic-growth-housing-2023-9

And for the second day in a row, a female police officer in Texas is recognized: https://www.12newsnow.com/article/news/local/vidor-officer-named-officer-of-the-year-by-texas-law-enforcement-association/502-584740d8-6ffa-4d12-8420-7d69ad75d565

Thanks for listening! If you're a regular, please consider joining forces with Progess Texas during our ongoing membership drive - learn more at https://progresstexas.org/.