Progress Texas Podcasts

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

The spike in infant mortality relative to abortion restrictions in Texas lays bare the cruelty of hopeless pregnancies forced to term:

Brad Pritchett of Equality Texas weighs in on the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to consider laws barring transgender youth from medical care: https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-lgbtq-supreme-court-transgender-rights/3575310/

...Houston surgeon Eithan Heim directly violated his HIPAA training in releasing confidential patient records to a right-wing blogger, rather than filing official complaints about his suspicions of malfeasance: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/crime/2024/06/25/eithan-haim-texas-transgender-care-whistleblower-never-filed-complaint-houston-childrens-hospital/74197903007/

The Texas Rangers remain the only Major League Baseball team that doesn't host a Pride Night: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/state/2024/06/25/texas-rangers-only-mlb-team-without-lgbtq-pride-night/74203298007/

...The team's official statement, claiming to welcome all in the conspicuous absence of Pride recognition, coddles its most homophobic fans: https://apnews.com/article/rangers-pride-mlb-lgbtq-4671a9124b12cf2b67f1bfbf405af99b

...For example, former pitcher Derek Holland, who took to Twitter to defend the Rangers in an anti-Pride screed: https://www.si.com/mlb/rangers/former-texas-rangers-pitcher-takes-dig-at-pride-month-lgbtq-community

...Speaking of which, Pride Month continues! Check out the history of Pride and a full calendar of events happening across Texas throughout the month: https://progresstexas.org/blog/deep-heart-pride-celebration-pride-month-texas

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:

Vice President Kamala Harris, in a talk with Sheryl Lee Ralph, calls out the barbarity of Texas' abortion ban (index to 7:30): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GVaSFsHQuY

...Progress Texas runs down the two years since the Dobbs decision overturned Roe v Wade: https://progresstexas.org/blog/two-years-terror-pregnant-texans-after-roe-reversal

...Our official statement: https://progresstexas.org/blog/statement-healthcare-horror-stories-rise-dobbs-second-anniversary

...Post-Roe Texas has seen a dramatic rise in infant deaths and births with frequently-fatal congenital anomalies: https://www.sciencealert.com/texas-abortion-ban-linked-to-marked-increase-in-infant-deaths-study-finds

...Two new books detail the post-Roe world and the threats that lie ahead: https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/fall-of-roe-undue-burden-dobbs-anniversary-abortion-texas/

...While Ken Paxton's office celebrates "Sanctity Of Life Day", celebrating the state's encroachment on the basic bodily autonomy of half its population: https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-ken-paxton-celebrates-sanctity-life-day-second-anniversary-end-roe-v-wade

SCOTUS will consider a Tennessee ban on transgender care for young people, which could have implications for a similar law in Texas: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/06/24/tennessee-scotus-transgender-medical-care-texas/

GOP U.S. Reps Ronny Jackson and Wesley Hunt have been targeted by the Office of Congressional Ethics under suspicion of spending campaign funds illegally at Texas social clubs: https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4737858-ethics-office-wesley-hunt-ronnny-jackson-campaign-funds/

...While Republican U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls continues wearing a military medal that the U.S. Army confirms he did not earn: https://www.notus.org/house/army-confirms-troy-nehls-ineligible-combat-badge

PT board member Jason Smith spells out plain as day why Texans should vote for Democrats this fall: https://www.star-telegram.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/other-voices/article289439792.html

D/FW folks: TONIGHT'S the night! We hope to see YOU at our 14th Anniversary and Election Preview Fundraiser in Dallas on Tuesday June 25: https://act.progresstexas.org/a/2024anniversary

It's Pride Month! Check out the history of Pride and a full calendar of events happening across Texas throughout the month: https://progresstexas.org/blog/deep-heart-pride-celebration-pride-month-texas

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/.

Pride Month 2024 sees an incredible expansion of Pride celebrations and activism across the state - much of that in rural and small-town Texas, which until just recently, was near-unthinkable. As we know, over the past few sessions, Texas has also set new standards for legislative bigotry and cruelty towards its LGBTQ+ community. So, the push for equality and equity has never been stronger - while the opposition has never been more hateful. We welcome two of the community's most determined advocates to talk Texas Pride, both returning to the pod: Ricardo Martinez, CEO of Equality Texas, and Jeff Strater, DNC Member-Elect, Democratic/SDEC Committeeman and former president of Texas Stonewall Democrats.

Learn more about Equality Texas at https://www.equalitytexas.org/.

Learn more about Texas Stonewall Democrats at http://www.stonewalldemocrats.us/texas.

Thanks for listening! Learn more about Progress Texas and how you can support our ongoing work at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

The second anniversary of the 2022 Dobbs decision at SCOTUS sees the almost-complete eradication of abortions in Texas - at least those that are legal or safe: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/06/24/abortion-dobbs-anniversary-pregnancy-complications/

...The Texas Medical Board provided minor and largely useless new reporting guidelines on medically-necessary abortions for doctors on Friday: https://apnews.com/article/abortion-texas-exceptions-doctors-a14839a308b3d7779b83677b1be7fa1c

...While a new horror emerges in forced C-section operations for stillborn fetuses: https://www.reckon.news/family/2024/04/from-forced-c-sections-to-delayed-miscarriage-care-here-are-5-ways-abortion-bans-are-changing-pregnancy-care.html

Over the two years since the Robb Elementary School massacre in Uvalde, Texas DPS has gone to extraordinary lengths NOT to release any data to the press: https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/politics/yall-itics/uvalde-shooting-dps-data-evidence-lawsuit/287-4a840e02-4d87-436a-9529-12deb00c0134

SCOTUS counters the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, deciding that allowing domestic abuse suspects to keep their guns is a bad idea after all: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/06/21/supreme-court-guns-domestic-violence-rahimi/

Robert Morris' 2005 book acknowledges he left the ministry for two years, but glosses over the reason, which was the complaint from his child sexual assault victim - while new legislation extending the statute of limitations on child sex crimes may be coming next year: https://www.wfaa.com/video/news/crime/287-62013cc8-9fcc-45a6-b2a3-8cc90bc58905

D/FW folks: Come see us TOMORROW at our 14th Anniversary and Election Preview Fundraiser in Dallas on Tuesday June 25: https://act.progresstexas.org/a/2024anniversary

It's Pride Month! Check out the history of Pride and a full calendar of events happening across Texas throughout the month: https://progresstexas.org/blog/deep-heart-pride-celebration-pride-month-texas

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:

Audio captured during a Gateway Church staff meeting, called to announce the resignation of Pastor Robert Morris, includes a board member calling accepting the resignation as a "difficult" decision: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/gateway-church-leader-announces-robert-morris-resignation-audio-rcna158026

...Due to Texas' statute of limitations, Morris is unlikely to be charged - and efforts to change that statute have met resistence from Republican lawmakers: https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/north-texas-victims-rights-attorney-fighting-to-change-statute-of-limitations-for-exploited-women/

...While another church-related sex abuse scandal involving children pops up in Granbury and Lubbock: https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/texas/texas-youth-pastor-arrested-child-sex-assault-charge/287-8e44bf40-b821-49b1-8e20-816f7cab8c93

More Texas-related pending SCOTUS cases include one of a Castle Hills City Councilwoman who charges that she was arrested out of retaliation on trumped-up charges: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/20/us/politics/supreme-court-sylvia-gonzalez-arrest-free-speech.html

...While a North Texas man's case pushing for allowances under the 2nd Amendment for people under protective order restrictions to keep their guns is being considered by SCOTUS as well: https://www.kxan.com/news/texas-politics/scotus-to-rule-on-a-texas-mans-second-amendment-challenge-of-law-protecting-domestic-violence-victims/

Austin U.S. Rep. Greg Casar writes in an op-ed that while GOP culture wars must be resisted, they are also meant to distract progressives away from other nefarious conservative agenda items: https://www.austinchronicle.com/columns/2024-06-21/opinion-the-right-wing-is-attacking-queer-and-trans-americans-to-distract-from-their-bigger-agenda/

D/FW folks: Come see us at our 14th Anniversary and Election Preview Fundraiser in Dallas on Tuesday June 25: https://act.progresstexas.org/a/2024anniversary

It's Pride Month! Check out the history of Pride and a full calendar of events happening across Texas throughout the month: https://progresstexas.org/blog/deep-heart-pride-celebration-pride-month-texas

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:

Members of the state's Maternal Morbidity Review Committee express concern that the addition of a vocal anti-choice OB/GYN presents unfavorable optics for the entire committee: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/06/18/texas-maternal-deaths-committee-changes/

The Texas Department of Agriculture, after a year with a blatantly trans-phobic office dress code, remains on thin legal ice: https://www.texasobserver.org/sid-miller-transphobic-dress-code-emails/

Ted Cruz is on blast from his fellow Senators after mucking up the process of legislation providing subsidies for internet access improvement for low-income Americans: https://thehill.com/policy/defense/4728744-cruz-blocking-bipartisan-spectrum-bill/

See the most recent episode of the Y'all-itics podcast for a solid explainer of how ERCOT and the Texas power grid place profits over people: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/greed-and-the-grid-texas-energy-experts-theory-about/id1486881900?i=1000659160601

...While the Texas Supreme Court sides with the PUC, who set power prices to the maximum level allowed during the 2021 Winter Storm Uri energy crisis: https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/texas/electricity-prices-winter-storm-texas-supreme-court-ruling/269-b337a5a5-fd61-400a-a04a-c7572e66604b

D/FW folks: Come see us at our 14th Anniversary and Election Preview Fundraiser in Dallas on June 25: https://act.progresstexas.org/a/2024anniversary

It's Pride Month! Check out the history of Pride and a full calendar of events happening across Texas throughout the month: https://progresstexas.org/blog/deep-heart-pride-celebration-pride-month-texas

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:

For the fourth year, today sees Juneteenth celebrated nationwide as a federal holiday: https://apnews.com/article/what-is-juneteenth-celebration-ideas-federal-holiday-2f7116be4418065cd954b6dbf98c62b8

...The history of Juneteenth is one of the advance of freedom and progressive solidarity: https://www.splcenter.org/hopewatch/2024/06/18/juneteenth-national-celebration-history

...A history and listing of today's Juneteenth events statewide: https://progresstexas.org/blog/juneteenth-road-freedom

...Dallas' Fair Park will host Opal Lee's Walk For Freedom today: https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/opals-walk-for-freedom-set-to-take-place-in-dallas/3570880/

The disgraceful scandal at Gateway Church in Southlake develops: https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/robert-morris-gateway-church-19520887.php

...Robert Morris' victim, Cindy Clemishire, has been trying to get the attention of church leaders for almost 20 years:

Should they obey Governor Greg Abbott's instructions to ignore new Title IX revisions protecting LGBTQ+ students, Texas universities risk losing billions in federal funding: https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/4728053-texas-risks-losing-billions-in-federal-funds-over-abbott-lgbtq-directive-say-democrats/

D/FW folks: Come see us at our 14th Anniversary and Election Preview Fundraiser in Dallas on June 25: https://act.progresstexas.org/a/2024anniversary

It's Pride Month! Check out the history of Pride and a full calendar of events happening across Texas throughout the month: https://progresstexas.org/blog/deep-heart-pride-celebration-pride-month-texas

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:

Robert Morris, pastor of Gateway Church in Southlake, is out after the public revelation that he sexually abused a young girl for four years in the 1980's: https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/i-was-a-12-years-old-woman-accuses-gateway-church-founder-of-molesting-her-as-a-child/

...Morris is chummy with both Governor Greg Abbott and Senator Ted Cruz: https://x.com/MrsAMartini/status/1802917597286969565?t=JFcQSbPuXFhQJ88EB1trcg&s=03

Texas surgeon Eithan Heim, accused of leaking the private medical records of young transgender patients at Texas Children's Hospital to Ken Paxton's office, pled not guilty to four federal charges of HIPAA violations yesterday: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/health/article/houston-doctor-accused-illegally-obtaining-child-19518067.php

A Houston man was sentenced to 33 months in prison over several violent threats he made in 2022 against California Congresswoman Maxine Waters: https://westsidetoday.com/2024/06/17/texas-man-sentenced-to-33-months-for-threatening-u-s-rep-maxine-waters/

The notoriously conservative U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas has adopted a new rule to prevent civil cases from being taken out of its jurisdiction: https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/texas-court-favored-by-conservatives-pause-transferring-cases-elsewhere-2024-06-17/

Lawyers with Ken Paxton's office argued yesterday in El Paso for the shutdown of Annunciation House, whom they accuse of human smuggling: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/06/17/texas-el-paso-migrant-shelter-hearing-annunciation-house/

...While Operation Lone Star troops have taken to firing mace-laced "pepper balls" at migrants crossing the border: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/06/18/texas-national-guard-border-migrants-pepper-ball-guns/

UT Austin, facing multiple political and PR crises, has laid off two dozen employees working in its communications and marketing departments: https://www.kut.org/education/2024-06-17/university-of-texas-communications-staff-pro-palestinian-campus-protests-anti-dei-law

D/FW folks: Come see us at our 14th Anniversary and Election Preview Fundraiser in Dallas on June 25: https://act.progresstexas.org/a/2024anniversary

It's Pride Month! Check out the history of Pride and a full calendar of events happening across Texas throughout the month: https://progresstexas.org/blog/deep-heart-pride-celebration-pride-month-texas

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/.

Young voters - those under 25 - represent a huge percentage of the electorate in Texas, large enough to make decisive differences in electoral outcomes in upcoming elections, most notably at present the one we're working towards in November. But - are we reaching them effectively? Have established progressive political entities done a good job in communicating with and activating this all-important voting bloc? That's a difficult question to answer - and to try to answer it, Progress Texas Advocacy Associate Tatum Owens and Digital Associate Haley Smith have assembled three Texas advocates who have been active in organizing and motivating their fellow young voters: we welcome Gracie Israel, Regional Program Coordinator for Texas Rising's efforts in north Houston, College Station and Prairie View, Jeffrey Clemmons, Organizing Manager for Planned Parenthood Texas Votes, and Alexis Kosloski, a Dallas-based advocate who works alongside multiple voter outreach organizations.

Learn more about Texas Rising at https://txrising.org/.

Learn more about Planned Parenthood Texas Votes at https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/planned-parenthood-texas-votes/elections.

Thanks for listening! Learn more about Progress Texas and support our ongoing mission at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Austin gun store owner Michael Cargill's lawsuit opposing the federal ban on bump stock devices that allow semi-automatic rifles to be fired like machine guns succeeds, putting those devices back on the market: https://www.reuters.com/legal/us-supreme-court-backs-challenge-federal-ban-gun-bump-stocks-2024-06-14/

Abortion opponents will NOT rest following SCOTUS's call last week not to rule on a challenge to the FDA's approval of the abortion drug mifepristone: https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/15/politics/abortion-judge-matthew-kacsmaryk-supreme-court-mifepristone/index.html

Longtime Republican activist, Southern Baptist leader, and accused sexual predator Paul Pressler has died at 94: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/06/15/paul-pressler-dead-southern-baptist-convention/

A federal judge has blocked the liquidation of the Austin-based parent company of Alex Jones' Infowars network, potentially allowing it to keep operating while a $1.5 billion judgement against Jones in the Sandy Hook case is pursued: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/alex-jones-infowars-assets-bankruptcy-sandy-hook-conspiracy/

Efforts to set up a separate stock exchange in Texas come with warnings to potential investors that our state has become known for interfering in business over political matters: https://www.ft.com/content/191394f1-ef8e-423e-b2b3-b8db6b620d05

D/FW folks: Come see us at our 14th Anniversary and Election Preview Fundraiser in Dallas on June 25: https://act.progresstexas.org/a/2024anniversary

It's Pride Month! Check out the history of Pride and a full calendar of events happening across Texas throughout the month: https://progresstexas.org/blog/deep-heart-pride-celebration-pride-month-texas

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/.