Joe Biden made his first visit as President to Dallas last night to attend the wake of late Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson: https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/politics/national-politics/president-biden-members-congressional-black-caucus-bid-farewell-late-congresswoman-eddie-bernice-johnson-monday-wake/287-1198c86e-95ba-4783-b0e6-7e7dbd26d6c1

...After a disturbance at Love Field by pro-Palestine protestors resulted in over a dozen arrests: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2024/01/08/pro-palestine-rally-joe-biden-dallas/

Facing impeachment, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas visited Texas yesterday as well, to make his case at Eagle Pass: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/mayorkas-border-impeachment-18595978.php

U.S. Senate hopeful Colin Allred says abortion rights are the key issue for Democrats this year: https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/politics/inside-politics/texas-politics/in-bid-for-us-senate-democrat-colin-allred-says-he-expects-abortion-rights-issue-to-motivate-voters/287-47836750-e5d4-4008-9826-243cc89dcca9

...Allred leads polling among Democratic candidates, but all suffer from lacking name recognition with the general public: https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/politics/elections/2024/01/08/473505/congressman-colin-allred-leads-a-crowded-democratic-primary-field-seeking-to-challenge-senator-ted-cruz/

Officials at UT San Antonio continue struggling to accommodate new state laws against DEI while not abandoning their diverse student body: https://news4sanantonio.com/news/local/utsa-nixed-revamped-inclusion-offices-and-changes-inclusivity-statement-amid-sb-17

...While efforts are underway at historically-Black Huston Tillotson University in Austin to team up with the local school district to promote Black male teachers: https://www.kvue.com/article/news/education/more-black-male-teachers-program-austin-texas-hbcu/269-da341b02-045f-45f1-b494-dc3d1ddc0127

Homelessness among Texas veterans jumped an alarming 19% last year: https://www.ktsm.com/news/texas-politics/report-texas-homeless-veteran-population-rose-in-last-year/

...While winter weather approaches and grid worries resurface: https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/texas-grid-winter-2024/285-b01c91e1-e638-4ba0-a09c-17c9ba5f2d45

This episode features the full remarks of U.S. Representative Sheila Jackson Lee from last night's wake service for Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson - video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNhfEQoN5C4&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wfaa.com%2F&source_ve_path=Mjg2NjQsMjM4NTE&feature=emb_title

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

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Scott Braddock at Quorum Report predicts that retribution efforts by both Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton, the fight to unseat Ted Cruz, the border and, most importantly, abortion rights will be central to this huge election year: https://news.yahoo.com/texas-politics-2024-biggest-stories-005524497.html

...While Governor Abbott is rebuked by the editorial board of the Houston Chronicle for his "devious plot" of busing and flying migrants into northern cities: https://www.newsweek.com/greg-abbott-accused-sowing-chaos-largest-texas-newspaper-1858450

...And Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson calls Abbott's scheme "unconscionable, reckless, raggedy and evil-spirited": https://youtu.be/D9HhPqaSp_o?si=0jIZeDUjDPLtKTZb

Abortion rights will be the most important issue for progressive candidates this year, as the experience of problem pregnancies becomes more and more horrific: https://msmagazine.com/2024/01/04/pro-life-health-mother-fetus-baby-miscarriage-crime/

Houston's new Mayor and City Controller map out their paths forward: https://abc13.com/this-week-in-texas-houston-politics-news-john-whitmire/14292760/

Texas turns down millions of dollars in federal assistance in feeding kids this summer - because we can't figure out how to manage the program: https://www.kxan.com/news/texas/why-texas-turned-down-millions-for-child-hunger-assistance/

Republican candidates, accustomed to gullible voters, are having authenticity issues with Hispanic voters in Texas: https://www.tpr.org/government-politics/2024-01-05/mayra-flores-social-media-controversy-highlights-discord-among-south-texas-republicans

Services memorializing Texas icon Eddie Bernice Johnson begin today in Dallas: https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/funeral-services-begin-for-former-congresswoman-eddie-bernice-johnson/

Thanks for listening! Please check out our web store and support our ongoing work at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

The family of longtime Texas U.S. Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson, who died at 89 on New Year's Eve, alleges that she was neglected under the care of Baylor Scott and White's rehabilitation center: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/01/04/texas-eddie-bernice-johnson-lawsuit/

...We also have a correction on misreported details on her memorial services, happening early next week: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/legacyremembers/eddie-johnson-obituary?pid=206021389

The new federal lawsuit against Texas over SB-4 is likely to eventually be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court: https://www.fox7austin.com/news/texas-border-lawsuit-immigration-sb-4

...While New York City sues the bus companied hired by Governor Abbott to dump migrants there for $700 million - and Abbott's response may be problematic for Republican-led counties in Texas seeking to limit interstate travel by abortion seekers: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/2024/01/04/new-york-city-is-suing-charter-bus-companies-for-transporting-migrants-from-texas/

...And Dallas Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett counters assertions by House Speaker Mike Johnson that federal border authorities don't want the additional funding that the GOP is now blocking: https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4389021-texas-democrat-crockett-blasts-johnson-border-funds/

...And Houston-area U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls confirms what we all know, which is that Republicans prioritize their own power over good policy for the country: https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/border-policies-gops-nehls-says-quiet-part-loud-rcna132223

ERCOT is underway with plans to connect to an outside power source in Mississippi, but its capacity is not especially significant: https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/efforts-underway-to-connect-ercot-to-power-grids-outside-of-texas/3425919/

And a piece on the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals and its recent conservative leanings provides even more reason to mobilize against a second Donald Trump term: https://factkeepers.com/the-fifth-circuit-court-of-appeals-is-now-the-handmaids-court/

Thanks for listening! Please visit our web store and consider supporting our important work at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Health officials in the D/FW area are watching a spike in both COVID and flu-related hospitalizations - a good time to be sure vaccinations are up to date: https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/flu-and-covid-19-cases-continue-to-increase-across-texas/3424962/

The Biden Department of Justice has sued the state of Texas over SB-4: https://www.reuters.com/legal/us-justice-dept-sues-texas-over-immigration-law-2024-01-03/

...While U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson leads a congressional field trip cosplay at Eagle Pass: https://apnews.com/article/congress-border-security-ukraine-migrants-texas-mexico-909cfb700eafef95196f97906dc16ae1

...And the New York Times checks the facts: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/03/us/politics/republicans-immigration-border-fact-check.html

...And that El Paso family violently targeted by DPS recently gives an interview to NPR: https://www.npr.org/2024/01/03/1222600892/u-s-citizens-have-been-accidentally-caught-up-in-the-texas-crackdown-on-migrants

Lawmakers in Washington detail pre-emptive legislation designed to resist Texas' overreach in regard to transgender patient records:

A shameful caving to conservative threats over a New Year's Eve drag show by a Grapevine restaurant: https://www.chron.com/food/article/texas-drag-show-cancelled-18584958.php

A Washington Post op-ed on the current abortion rights fight highlights the importance of the 2024 election: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/01/03/abortion-texas-5th-circuit-emergency/

Texas is dead last among U.S. states in personal freedom - except for campaign finance freedom, where we're #1: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/2024/01/03/states-freedom-texas-tax-marijuana-school-choice-incarceration-abortion-laws/71936221007/

Thanks for listening! Please consider making a contribution to help Progress Texas continue our important work at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that federal guidance does not compel doctors in Texas to provide abortion care, even if that care is the best treatment for a problematic pregnancy: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/02/us/texas-emergency-abortion-ban-appeal.html

...While the Biden administration asks the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene in a 5th Circuit decision stopping federal border agents from removing razor wire placed on the border by Operation Lone Star: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/biden-administration-asks-us-supreme-court-intervene-texas-border-row-2024-01-02/

...And New York City officials mull sending the NYPD to intercept buses of migrants sent from Texas to clandestine dropoff locations in New Jersey: https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/n-y-n-j-working-together-to-thwart-bus-operators-trying-to-circumvent-nycs-rules-on-asylum-seekers/

San Antonio school districts are preparing to go deep in to deficits in order to provide teacher and staff pay raises: https://www.kens5.com/article/news/education/texas-teacher-raises-legislature-school-districts-san-antonio/273-c660013b-28ce-4166-b508-bd055bf888db

...While San Antonio scores Gold Medal City status from CityHealth rankings: https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2024/01/02/san-antonio-only-gold-medal-city-in-texas-according-to-cityhealths-rankings-of-public-health-policy/

Dallas honors former U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, a major political force in North Texas and an iconic groundbreaker for both women and Black Texans, who passed away on New Year's Eve: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2023/12/31/eddie-bernice-johnson-who-broke-barriers-represented-dallas-in-long-house-career-dies/

Supporters of Texas secession are threatening to sue the state GOP following the rejection of a ballot item petition: https://www.expressnews.com/news/texas/article/texit-activists-threaten-lawsuit-against-state-gop-18577064.php

Governor Abbott is taking heat over the lackluster results of his supposed "largest property tax cut in history": https://www.newsweek.com/greg-abbott-faces-rebellion-over-texas-property-taxes-1857033

Calls rise for Ted Cruz to be banned from key championship sporting events as his apparent curse helps doom the Texas Longhorns to defeat in the College Football Playoff: https://www.newsweek.com/ted-cruz-banned-texas-sports-games-curse-longhorns-1857011

A Texas bishop takes the New York Times to task for a horrifying misunderstanding of "taco sauce": https://www.dallasnews.com/news/2024/01/02/texas-episcopal-bishop-schools-the-new-york-times-taco-sauce-is-not-tex-mex/3

Happy New Year and thanks for listening! Please consider making a contribution to support our important work at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

The closed-door meeting with top Mexican officials and representatives of the Biden administration is said to have been productive: https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/mexico-leader-urges-us-invest-people-not-walls-ahead-blinken-meeting-2023-12-27/

...While the mayors of several Democratically-led U.S. cities plead with the federal government with help handling migrants dumped in their metros by Governor Abbott: https://www.westhawaiitoday.com/2023/12/28/nation-world-news/democratic-mayors-renew-pleas-for-federal-help-and-coordination-with-texas-over-migrant-crisis/

A look at the current battle lines in the abortion fight, which include much more public exposure for those leading the struggle than in years past: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2023/12/26/1221587212/abortion-year-in-review-2023-jane-roe-kate-cox

Texas college kids on winter break will return to their campuses in a few days to find all diversity offices closed: https://www.ksat.com/news/texas/2023/12/28/diversity-offices-on-college-campuses-will-soon-be-illegal-in-texas-as-30-new-laws-go-into-effect/

Other states have new laws firing up in the new year too - including Michigan's new common-sense gun safety measures: https://www.cbsnews.com/detroit/news/a-look-at-gun-laws-set-to-take-effect-in-2024/#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&aoh=17037575143283&csi=0&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbsnews.com%2Fdetroit%2Fnews%2Fa-look-at-gun-laws-set-to-take-effect-in-2024%2F

Also in the new year - which Democrat will face Ted Cruz? Colin Allred leads the fundraising race by a long shot: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/allred-gutierrez-ted-cruz-senate-race-18549975.php

Happy New Year and thanks for your support of Progress Texas in 2023! The Daily Dispatch returns on January 3, 2024. Please consider helping us continue our important work into '24 with a donation at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

A team of U.S. officials led by Secretary of State Antony Blinken are scheduled to meet with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on border and immigration issues: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/27/us/politics/blinken-mexico-migrant-caravan.html

...While a scary interaction with Operation Lone Star agents experienced by an El Paso family provide a preview of likely outcomes of SB-4 should it be allowed to take effect in March: https://elpasomatters.org/2023/12/22/operation-lone-star-mistaken-stop-on-border/

...And the elimination of DEI offices at state public universities is creating new challenges to DACA recipients: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/2023/12/26/how-texas-dei-ban-is-tripping-up-efforts-to-help-undocumented-students/

The Texas economy faces "mixed signals" as a new year approaches: https://www.dallasnews.com/business/2023/12/26/mixed-signals-texas-economy-exists-in-two-realities-heading-into-2024/

A lawsuit against a bitcoin mining company based in Channing, Texas provides insight into clandestine Chinese investment in that industry: https://www.businessinsider.com/bitcoin-mine-texas-lawsuit-links-to-chinese-investors-2023-12

The skirting of federal environmental regulations, under the gaze of TCEQ, has become common practice in Texas: https://houstonlanding.org/major-problem-in-texas-how-big-polluters-evade-federal-law-and-get-away-with-it/

And news of a robot attack at Tesla's Austin-area Gigafactory seems all too fitting in the universe of Elon Musk: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/tesla-engineer-robot-attack-texas-factory-b2469777.html

Thanks for listening! Please consider helping Progress Texas continue our important work into the new year with a donation at https://progresstexas.org/donate.

As we shut down what's been a year brimming with crazy in Texas politics - and steel ourselves for a 2024 likely to take the cake - we present the holiday wishes of our guests at our two 2023 holiday parties in Austin and Dallas! As progressives in Texas, what would we like to receive as gifts this holiday? We firmly believe that if we stay the course and persist, all of our dreams will come true. All of us at Progress Texas wish you a merry, memorable, and safe holiday - and a prosperous and progressive new year! Thanks for being part of our family.

Close out the year with an easy feel-good - a small donation to Progress Texas! Find out more at https://progresstexas.org/donate.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Officials expected to enforce SB-4 and their observers see it as not only impossible, but rife with ethical and justice-related hazards: https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/texas-sb-4-immigration-18568738.php

SB-4 is a "middle finger" to the United States and its Constitution: https://newrepublic.com/article/177725/texas-immigration-law-federal-government-constitution

New York City is watching closely as immigration policy here directly impacts quality of life there: https://www.nydailynews.com/2023/12/20/state-of-disorder-greg-abbotts-latest-demagoguery-on-migrants/

...While Abbott's providing of free trips to New York may be encouraging more migration: https://nypost.com/2023/12/22/news/us-bound-migrants-pouring-over-texas-border-looking-for-better-life/

...And with the feds held off for now, Texas National Guard troopers are hard at work putting in more razor wire at the border: https://www.wkbn.com/news/exclusive-new-concertina-wire-fencing-being-added-to-south-texas-border/

A children's hospital in Seattle has filed suit to resist orders from Ken Paxton to turn over the records of transgender Texans it has provided transition care: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/21/texas-attorney-general-trans-seattle-childrens/

A new editorial shows how every pregnant person in Texas could easily find themselves in the same situation as Kate Cox: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/columns/2023/12/20/texas-abortion-law-ban-kate-cox-lawsuit-supreme-court-ruling-pregnancy/71936050007/

Gillespie County Republicans have chosen to leave County elections infrastructure behind and hand-count their primary votes in March - an enormous, if not impossible task: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/21/texas-republicans-hand-count-votes-election-2024/

Thanks for listening! The Daily Dispatch will be off until Wednesday December 27. Please consider helping Progress Texas continue our important work into the new year with a donation at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Local law enforcement, especially in border communities, are not prepared to enforce SB-4 when it lands in March: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/sb4-texas-immigration-law-enforcement-migrant-crisis/

...While Governor Abbott takes to the skies in his ever-expanding theater of migrant cruelty: https://www.axios.com/2023/12/21/texas-governor-charters-migrant-flight-chicago-border-protest-biden

...And federal authorities target Colony Ridge, previously targeted by right wing conspiracists, for predatory practices against Hispanic home buyers: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/20/us/colony-ridge-texas-builder-prosecution.html

A new strain of misinformation regarding trisomy 18, the condition afflicting the pregnancy of Kate Cox, is debunked: https://www.factcheck.org/2023/12/scicheck-post-spreads-misleading-information-about-texas-abortion-case/

...While new polling on abortion rights sheds light on why Republicans are desperate to change the subject: https://news.yahoo.com/poll-texas-abortion-case-is-a-warning-sign-for-republicans-193548558.html

Ken Paxton sues the U.S. Department of Transportation over new vehicular emissions rules: https://www.washingtonpost.com/transportation/2023/12/20/texas-lawsuit-fhwa-greenhouse-gas-rules/

...While an Austin judge says Paxton and his aides must testify in that whistleblower suit brought by his former staffers: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/politics/state/2023/12/20/texas-attorney-general-ken-paxton-must-testify-in-whistleblower-case/71975188007/

A major new study finds over-reliance on natural gas-powered backup generators was key to the Winter Storm Uri disaster of 2021: https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/texas-grid-over-relies-natural-gas-restore-power-after-blackouts-study-2023-12-19/

...While a new winter outlook from ERCOT is full of inaccurate climate statements that echo the talking points of climate change deniers: https://www.factcheck.org/2023/12/scicheck-post-spreads-misleading-information-about-texas-abortion-case/

U.S. Rep. Colin Allred of Dallas extends his polling lead in the race to challenge Ted Cruz next year for the Democrats: https://www.kxan.com/news/your-local-election-hq/allred-widens-lead-over-gutierrez-in-texas-senate-poll-cruz-leads-both-democrats/

...While Ted Cruz dominates the U.S. Senate in the number of tweets he sent this year - but still trailing bullshit fountain Chip Roy in the House: https://www.sacurrent.com/news/ted-cruz-chip-roy-tweet-more-than-anyone-else-in-congress-33364950

Thanks for listening! Please consider making a donation to help Progress Texas continue our important work at https://progresstexas.org/.