Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

The chief judge of the Northern District of Texas says his court will not follow new rules from the Judicial Conference designed to curb "judge shopping": https://www.commondreams.org/news/judge-shopping-texas

A Starr County woman has sued the Starr County prosecutor's office over false murder charges they pressed upon her over a self-induced abortion in 2022: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/30/us/texas-abortion-murder-charge-lawsuit.html

Severe emotional trauma for an East Texas family whose matriarch was forced to carry a baby with a fatal brain anomaly to term by Texas' draconian abortion limits: https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2024/03/health/texas-abortion-law-mother-cnnphotos/

A Rockwall Southern Baptist Convention pastor is under fire over a misogynistic joke he told at Lakepointe Church recently: https://www.chron.com/culture/religion/article/texas-sbc-pastor-marriage-joke-19376274.php

Our state's own data shows that immigrants are less likely to commit homicide than citizens: https://www.latintimes.com/how-us-media-coverage-contributes-polarization-immigration-debate-across-country-552552

Seeking to solidify gains among Latino voters in Texas, a group of Hispanic GOP lawmakers has founded a new caucus: https://www.chron.com/politics/article/texas-hispanic-republicans-19375625.php

Progress Texas invites progressive candidates to share their views with us - which we'll then share with our statewide audience - via our Certified Progressive questionnaire: https://progresstexas.org/blog/progress-texas-certified-progressives-2024-progressive-values-questionnaire

Instagram users: be sure to enable political content on that platform, which has begun opting users out: https://x.com/ProgressTX/status/1771276124498100667?s=20

Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work this election year at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

On Good Friday, we join reminders to President Biden of his campaign pledge to end capital punishment in America: https://www.newsweek.com/president-biden-should-follow-through-ending-death-penalty-opinion-1883271

On Easter Sunday, we also observe this year's Trans Day Of Visibility, and encourage a renewal of kindness and protection for that valued segment of our Texas family: https://glaad.org/tdov/

Fort Worth grandmother Crystal Mason, sentenced to five years for voting in the 2016 election while banned from doing so, has had her five-year prison sentence thrown out: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/mar/28/crystal-mason-texas-woman-acquitted

...The ACLU of Texas has been in Mason's corner all along: https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/texas-second-court-of-appeals-reverses-crystal-masons-conviction-in-major-voting-rights-victory

...While Ken Paxton is targenting several school districts across the state for daring to encourage people to vote: https://progresstexas.org/blog/ag-ken-paxton-sues-isds-encouraged-voting

A California urologist points out the danger pregnant people in Texas face every day by refusing to travel here while pregnant: https://www.tpr.org/news/2024-03-28/urologist-refuses-to-come-to-san-antonio-for-annual-conference-because-of-texas-abortion-laws

H-E-B Chairman Charles Butt is the latest relatively-conservative but also generally normal public figure targeted by Texas Republicans for being insufficiently nutty: https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/texas-gop-heb-chairman-charles-butt/

Dallas U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett is featured on the latest episode of Pod Save America: https://crooked.com/podcast/a-tale-of-two-campaigns/

Temps are expected to hit 100 about two weeks ahead of "normal" along the Rio Grande Valley over the holiday weekend: https://www.expressnews.com/san-antonio-weather/forecast/article/triple-digit-texas-early-next-week-19373899.php

Progress Texas invites progressive candidates to share their views with us - which we'll then share with our statewide audience - via our Certified Progressive questionnaire: https://progresstexas.org/blog/progress-texas-certified-progressives-2024-progressive-values-questionnaire

Instagram users: be sure to enable political content on that platform, which has begun opting users out.

Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work this election year at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

A Christian Nationalist group, with support from current elected officials, calls for women who have sought abortion care to be charged with murder: https://twitter.com/MrsAMartini/status/1773160427981070620?t=KYb98_RSF5BTJKpKpBe0pw&s=19

Rep, James Talarico's talk on Christian Nationalism: https://youtu.be/Blph_2RSBno?feature=shared

Governor Abbott has issued an executive order equating pro-Palestinian protest with anti-semitism, ordering Texas universities to crack down: https://www.chron.com/politics/article/abbott-antisemitism-texas-colleges-19371821.php

...While students at UT find the new lack of DEI support discouraging: https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/28/us/university-of-texas-austin-anti-dei-law/index.html

...And in incredible timing, a new right-wing institute has opened at UT: https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/news/2024-03-27/right-wing-funded-civitas-institute-is-almost-up-and-running-at-ut-austin/

In a small win for capital punishment opponents, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has re-sentenced an intellectually-disabled death row inmate to life in prison: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/27/randall-mays-death-penalty-intellectual-disability/

As Women's History Month winds down, check out a great talk with the longest-standing members of both the Texas Senate and the Texas House, both of whom are women: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/happy-hour-149-womens-history-month-with-sen-judith/id1552998795?i=1000650551946

Thanks for listening! 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 expected, felony securities fraud charges delayed by a decade for Ken Paxton were dropped in a deal with prosecutors yesterday - but why? https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/ken-paxton-fraud-deal-19369122.php

...But our AG's legal troubles are far from over: https://www.kvue.com/article/news/politics/ken-paxton-legal-battles/269-ceefcfd0-3ebb-4cff-8bf5-b7e5b7030ce7

...Still, we learn yet again that justice is not equal in Texas: https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/editorials/2024/03/27/this-is-ken-paxtons-texas/

...PT Advocacy Fellow Tatum Owens weighs in: https://progresstexas.org/blog/statement-paxton-deal-joke%E2%80%99s-texas

SCOTUS judges considering the Texas case against mifepristone seemed pretty skeptical of the argument against the abortion medication yesterday: https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2024-03-26/supreme-court-argument-abortion-pills-justices-skeptical

...While the nation's highest court may consider a case challenging a Texas law that only allows older voters full access to voting by mail: https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2024/03/supreme-court-texas-mail-in-voting-case.html

Republican U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls of the southern Houston suburbs is under investigation by the House Ethics Committee: https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4557719-texas-republican-under-investigation-by-house-ethics-committee/

As Women's History Month winds down, check out a great talk with the longest-standing members of both the Texas Senate and the Texas House, both of whom are women: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/happy-hour-149-womens-history-month-with-sen-judith/id1552998795?i=1000650551946

Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work at https://progresstexas.org/.

As we continue observing Women's History Month this March, it may come as a surprise - and considering over-arching political circumstances in Texas, perhaps ironic - that the senior members of BOTH the Texas Senate and the Texas House of Representatives are women. We are honored to be joined by State Representative Senfronia Thompson - known to her colleagues, constituents and fans as "Ms. T" - and Senator Judith Zaffirini, a trailblazer both for women and Hispanic Texans, for a deep dive into their experiences as actual participants in women's history in Texas. Have a look at the good old boys' club they've had to confront (and dominate) as women have taken their rightful place in the leadership of the Texas Democratic delegation - much experience and wisdom to be gained in this terrific conversation.

Find Senator Judith Zaffirini at https://judithzaffirini.com/.

Find Representative Senfronia Thompson at https://senfroniathompson.com/.

Thanks for listening! Find our awesome web store and all the great stuff we do - and ways to help us keep doing it - at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

The public comment period has begun on the Texas Medical Board and their timidity on specifics regarding abortion ban exceptions in Texas - make your voice heard here: https://progresstexas.org/blog/protect-abortion-rights-provide-public-comment-texas-medical-board

More from the Center for Reproductive Rights: https://twitter.com/ReproRights/status/1771262245562945696

Ken Paxon appears set to sign a deal allowing him to escape prosecution on nine-year-old felony securities fraud charges today: https://abc13.com/ken-paxton-securities-fraud-texas-attorney-general-to-reach-deal-dismissing-charges/14570216/

Paxton's attempts to gain the records of PFLAG National on how they've helped transgender kids with medical care have hit a legal block, for now: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/politics/state/2024/03/25/texas-judge-blocks-ag-paxton-demands-gender-affirming-care-records-transgender-minors-privacy/73095581007/

President Biden is shattering fundraising records in Texas, while his opponent's support from the donor class appears to be wilting: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/election/2024/article/biden-fundraising-haul-19367682.php

Natural water springs across Texas are going dry at an alarming rate: https://www.kxan.com/news/local/hays/study-shows-that-texas-has-nearly-3-times-more-dry-springs-than-50-years-ago/

The Texas State Board of Education's divestment from Blackrock is dumb on multiple levels: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/columnists/tomlinson/article/texas-schools-oil-banks-esg-law-19367323.php

March is Women's History Month! See a new analysis of what that month really means in Texas: https://progresstexas.org/blog/inspire-inclusion-celebrating-international-womens-day-2024-texas

Thanks for listening and have a great weekend! All about all we do, and several fun ways to support our work, can be found at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Attorneys for Ken Paxton appear close to cutting a deal with prosecutors that would bring the nine-year-long felony securities fraud charges against him to an end: https://abc13.com/texas-attorney-general-ken-paxtons-fraud-charges-could-be-dismissed-security-case-communnity-service-tribune/14559450/

There's a hearing on all of this set for tomorrow: https://www.fox26houston.com/video/1430473

A large march featuring dozens of social justice organizations was held in downtown Dallas yesterday: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/texas/2024/03/24/hundreds-march-through-downtown-dallas-sunday-in-protest-of-texas-senate-bill-4/

Are all those billions of dollars Governor Abbott has spent on Operation Lone Star making any difference? https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/23/us/texas-abbott-border.html

Could Democrats in Texas end up winning over SB-4? https://thehill.com/latino/4550696-texas-democrats-see-political-opportunity-in-hardline-immigration-law/

Will Biden stand up to Abbott - with investigators and lawyers? https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/22/opinions/biden-texas-border-immigration-law-downes/index.html

ERCOT admits underestimating San Antonio's growth - and has left the grid exposed to failures as a result: https://www.expressnews.com/business/article/ercot-admits-texas-grid-faces-risk-cascading-19363129.php

...While a new solar and battery storage facility is underway near Dallas: https://electrek.co/2024/03/22/texas-installs-another-big-solar-battery-storage-project/

March is Women's History Month! See a new analysis of what that month really means in Texas: https://progresstexas.org/blog/inspire-inclusion-celebrating-international-womens-day-2024-texas

Thanks for listening and have a great weekend! All about all we do, and several fun ways to support our work, can be found at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

A large group of desperate migrants pushed through border fortifications at El Paso yesterday, highlighting the humanitarian crisis being created by Republican policy: https://www.keranews.org/texas-news/2024-03-21/migrants-on-texas-southern-border-breach-wire-barriers-erected-under-operation-lone-star

...U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, on a diplomatic mission to Guatemala, calls SB-4 "unconstitutional": https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/u-s-homeland-security-secretary-mayorkas-calls-texas-immigration-law-unconstitutional

...While officials in Mexico continue adamantly opposing the new law, predicting the discrimination and criminalization its citizens are likely to face: https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/mexico-fears-discrimination-strained-us-relations-under-new-texas-immigration-2024-03-21/

President Joe Biden wrapped up a two-day fundraising visit to Dallas and Houston yesterday: https://www.khou.com/article/news/national/president-joe-biden-houston-texas-campaign-trail/285-e10b6875-71f5-41e6-939b-4e800c70a45e

Is the U.S. Supreme Court giving a green light to state leaders like Governor Abbott to turn their states into far-right dictatorships? https://www.salon.com/2024/03/21/grants-gov-greg-abbotts-wish-to-turn-texas-into-a-far-right-dictatorship/

Abbott says he's just two House votes short of making private school vouchers a reality in Texas: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/20/greg-abbott-tppf-vouchers-primary-runoff/

Ted Cruz gets schooled by a former Harvard Law classmate: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ted-cruz-law-school-hated_n_65fbddd0e4b0d2a3e7775421

A top executive at Blackrock implores the Texas State Board of Education to reconsider pulling over 8 billion dollars from its management, as that's not a wise move financially: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/blackrock-dismayed-8-5-billion-194252592.html?guccounter=1

The Texas Observer publishes a poignant response to Richard Linklater's new documentary on the death penalty in Texas: https://www.texasobserver.org/death-penalty-god-save-texas/

March is Women's History Month! See a new analysis of what that month really means in Texas: https://progresstexas.org/blog/inspire-inclusion-celebrating-international-womens-day-2024-texas

Thanks for listening and have a great weekend! All about all we do, and several fun ways to support our work, can be found at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals was not successful in reaching a decision yesterday regarding whether to allow SB-4 to take effect while being considered by the courts: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-68613083

...Texas sheriffs appear enthusiastic about SB-4 but are inconsistent about their views on enforcing it: https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-migrant-arrests-texas-8e232b8a0c2979943c87c7309652ed34

...Dallas House Rep. Victoria Neave Criado calls SB-4 "extreme, terrible legislation": https://www.msnbc.com/deadline-white-house/watch/-extreme-terrible-legislation-texas-gop-immigration-law-set-to-spark-national-controversy-207222341926

...Republican-led states, starting with Iowa, are lining up to mimic SB-4: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/20/us/texas-immigration-republican-states.html

...The ACLU of New Mexico is warning Hispanic travelers heading to Texas to be ready for racial profiling: https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/aclu-renews-warning-for-new-mexicans-traveling-to-texas/

...A nice flyover graphic of Eagle Pass and Shelby Park by the New York Times is worth studying: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/03/20/us/abbott-immigration-texas-border.html

The Texas Medical Board is set to discuss possible clarification of guidelines regarding exceptions to Texas' near-complete abortion ban: https://www.star-telegram.com/news/state/texas/article286741925.html

The U.S. Supreme Court is considering the case of a Bexar County City Council Member who claims she was arrested out of retaliation for criticizing the Castle Hills City Manager: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/20/supreme-court-castle-hills-sylvia-gonzalez/

President Joe Biden is in Texas for three fundraising events: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/20/joe-biden-texas-visit-dallas-houston/

Texas U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions is named in testimony on a group of Republicans who have worked to dig up dirt on President Biden and his family: https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2024/03/20/ron-johnson-did-russias-bidding-on-biden-lev-parnas-tells-congress/73043736007/

March is Women's History Month! See a new analysis of what that month really means in Texas: https://progresstexas.org/blog/inspire-inclusion-celebrating-international-womens-day-2024-texas

Thanks for listening and have a great weekend! All about all we do, and several fun ways to support our work, can be found at https://progresstexas.org/.

These days, it seems that Facebook, Instagram and other major social media platforms would much rather deal in cat videos than politics - perhaps political talk is too much trouble to moderate, or maybe too intellectually challenging to be much fun for much of their attention-addled audiences. In this second of two full panel discussions from this year's Unified Jam in Austin, Unified Head of Partnerships Brian Smith discusses the current collision between politics and social media with two power players in the digital political messaging space: Shaniqua McClendon is VP of Politics for Crooked Media, the producers of Pod Save America, Lovett Or Leave It and a whole array of great progressive podcasts and digital products, and Kyle Tharp is Managing Director of the political news platform Courier Newsroom and the author of the popular weekly "FWIW" newsletter.

Find out more about Unified at https://www.joinunified.us/.

Thanks for listening! Learn more about what we do at Progress Texas and how to support our important work at https://progresstexas.org/.