Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

The ACLU has prepared a legal challenge to the new Texas immigration bill SB-4, which it will file immediately after Governor Abbott signs it into law: https://wsbt.com/news/nation-world/aclu-prepping-lawsuit-awaiting-abbott-approval-of-controversial-immigration-law-southern-border-migrant-crisis-border-security-initiatives-american-civil-liberties-union-rio-grande-floating-barrier

...Meanwhile Abbott's migrant busing effort has caused major problems in all of its destination "sanctuary" cities: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/texas-gov-greg-abbott-divided-democrats-immigration-migrant-busing-rcna128815

Republicans struggle with messaging difficulties surrounding abortion as a big election year looms: https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/17/politics/texas-abortion-case-republicans-2024/index.html

...While in Texas, our abortion ban appears to be working just as their authors intended: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/17/opinion/kate-cox-abortion-texas-exceptions.html

A Houston court determines that Texas' power companies cannot be held liable for injury or death due to power outages during Winter Storm Uri: https://www.kut.org/energy-environment/2023-12-15/texas-power-plants-have-no-responsibility-to-provide-electricity-in-emergencies-judges-rule

Travis County's Republican Party wants primary votes to be counted by hand - which may jeopardize countywide voting locations: https://www.kut.org/politics/2023-12-15/voting-centers-in-travis-county-could-be-eliminated-for-the-upcoming-2024-march-primary

A new graph from the Texas Tribune shows the most and least liberal members of the Texas Senate: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/18/mark-jones-texas-senate-special-2023-liberal-conservative-scores/

Thanks for listening! Please consider supporting Progress Texas with a holiday donation at https://progresstexas.org/donate.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Senator Ted Cruz, sensing the volatility of the issue, continues dodging questions about developments in Texas surrounding our abortion bans: https://newrepublic.com/post/177569/ted-cruz-does-not-want-talk-texas-abortion-case

...In fact, the entire Republican Party appears queasy about it: https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/republicans-struggle-defend-texas-abortion-law-cox-1234928770/

...The Texas business sector, normally steering clear of hot social issues, weighs in in a Zurawski amicus brief: https://thehill.com/business/4360255-texas-abortion-challenge-businesses-economy-bumble-amicus-brief/

..."Anti-abortion" and "pro-life" are seemingly no longer the same position: https://thehill.com/opinion/healthcare/4359376-texass-war-on-pregnant-women/

...Conservative political strategist Matthew Dowd relates a difficult pregnancy and its impact on his abortion views: https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/kate-cox-ken-paxton-texas-abortion-rcna129617

In spite of a fall full of worry, Governor Abbott and ERCOT officials are suddenly very confident that the lights and heat will stay on this winter: https://abc13.com/ercot-texas-weather-power-grid-in-2021-winter-freeze/14184473/

...While climate disasters in Texas have led to an insurance crisis: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/article/carriers-reduce-coverage-texas-home-insurance-18491266.php

And Iowa provides a clear example of why Governor Abbott's private school voucher scam won't play out well for middle and lower income Texans: https://www.kcrg.com/video/2023/12/05/private-schools-raising-tuition-costs-after-school-voucher-bill-passes/

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Which Texans inspired us with their tireless work to press progress forward in Texas this year - and which Texans did all they could to keep us in the olden times? The whole Progress Texas staff is in on this one, and we've got lots of love (and shade) to dish out as we wrap up another nutty year in Texas politics with the ten best - and ten worst - Texans of 2023.

See the blog and follow along: https://progresstexas.org/blog/top-10-best-and-worst-texans-2023

Join the worldwide Humans Against Ted Cruz movement at https://humansagainsttedcruz.com/.

And learn more about the ongoing struggle for reproductive justice in Texas at https://progresstexas.org/roevolution.

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

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

The U.S. Supreme Court, dominated by conservative Trump appointees, is set to review a Texas judge's revoking of the FDA approval of the common abortion drug mifepristone: https://www.keranews.org/government/2023-12-13/u-s-supreme-court-to-consider-limits-on-abortion-medication-mifepristone

...The prospects of the SCOTUS review are "grave": https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/news/2023-12-13/supreme-court-to-hear-case-determining-access-to-abortion-drug/

...Democrats rally around abortion rights as 2024's election looms: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/13/us/politics/abortion-texas-elections.html

...While Ted Cruz would rather talk about anything else: https://www.vanityfair.com/news/ted-cruz-kate-cox-texas-abortion

...Kate Cox is featured by the New York Times on The Daily podcast: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/14/podcasts/the-daily/texas-abortion-ban.html

...And the entire Texas Supreme Court is featured in a rogue's gallery - pay attention to John Phillip Devine and Jimmy Blacklock, both up for re-election next year: https://www.click2houston.com/news/politics/2023/12/14/who-are-the-texas-supreme-court-justices-who-ruled-against-kate-cox-in-abortion-case/

Southeast Texas U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls spills the obvious beans that the Biden impeachment inquiry is not about wrongdoing by Biden, but about re-electing Donald Trump: https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/troy-nehls-biden-impeachment-inquiry-donald-trump-2024-1234927472/

...While U.S. Rep Joaquin Castro joins other Latino lawmakers to urge caution while the Biden administration discusses border reforms with Congress: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/13/texas-border-mexico-senate-white-house-foreign-aid/

A Dallas-area mailer criticizing U.S. Rep. Colin Allred's position on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict was produced by a conservative activist group and designed to divide progressives:

A new movie depicts a dystopian future in which Texas and California have seceded from the U.S. and joined forces - that's nuts, right? Trailer too: https://www.ktvu.com/news/new-movie-has-social-media-scratching-heads-over-texas-and-california-alliance

Thanks for listening! Please consider supporting Progress Texas' ongoing and important work at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

The entire country is stunned over recent developments regarding abortion care for women with problematic pregnancies in Texas: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/what-does-texas-supreme-court-ruling-emergency-abortions-mean-patients-2023-12-12/

...The Texas Supreme Court regards Cox's legal plea as evidence she doesn't qualify for exception to the ban:

...The reassuring language from the Court is a "trap" for Texas healthcare providers:

...Legal experts interpret Ken Paxton's "extraordinary" threats against Texas doctors as his continued "enforcement through fear": https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/dec/12/texas-abortion-ken-paxton-kate-cox

...One especially anti-choice Texas Supreme Court Justice, John Phillip Devine, is up for re-election in 2024: https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2023/12/kate-cox-nonviable-pregnancy-judicial-control-abortion-texas.html

...Both Ted Cruz and John Cornyn dodge the issue altogether: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/ted-cruz-john-cornyn-avoid-questions-kate-cox-abortion-case-rcna129407#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&aoh=17024320640662&csi=0&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcnews.com%2Fpolitics%2Fcongress%2Fted-cruz-john-cornyn-avoid-questions-kate-cox-abortion-case-rcna129407

The U.S. Supreme Court clears the use of a Galveston voting map a lower court had found drawn on racist lines - a threat to the national Voting Rights Act: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/12/12/galveston-texas-voting-map-supreme-court/

ERCOT CEO Pablo Vegas warns of impending power problems related to a lack of "investment in infrastructure": https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/energy/article/ercot-blackout-pablo-vegas-18547148.php

Media Matters has sued Ken Paxton over his investigation into their coverage of X/Twitter: https://www.thedailybeast.com/media-matters-sues-texas-ag-ken-paxton-over-retaliatory-investigation

Craig Watkins, Dallas' first Black district attorney, has died at 56: https://www.keranews.org/news/2023-12-12/craig-watkins-dallas-countys-first-black-district-attorney-has-died

The Texas Democratic Party will host a virtual conversation today (Wed 12/13) at 12:30 PM with Emily's List and Planned Parenthood Texas Votes on recent abortion developments and their implication for next year's election: https://www.instagram.com/texasdemocrats/?hl=en

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

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

The Texas Supreme Court ruled against Dallas-area mother Kate Cox, denying her emergency emergency care, forcing Cox to leave Texas to receive it: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/public-health/2023/12/11/kate-cox-flees-state-to-get-abortion-after-supreme-court-decision/

...Proving that the "exceptions" Texas law provides are really not intended to help Texas mothers: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/11/opinion/texas-abortion-ban.html

...And serves as the ironic "pro-life" protection of a doomed pregnancy at the cost of future children for Cox: https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/09/opinions/texas-abortion-laws-kate-cox-ziegler/index.html

The filing deadline for the 2024 election yesterday finds U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee squaring off with former Houston City Council member Amanda Edwards for the U.S. House: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/11/sheila-jackson-lee-reelection-house/

...And State Rep. Victoria Neave Criado challenging State Senator Nathan Johnson: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2023/12/11/texas-rep-victoria-neave-criado-to-challenge-state-sen-nathan-johnson-in-march-primary/

...And a crowded field to face Ted Cruz, still dominated by U.S. Rep. Colin Allred and State Senator Roland Gutierrez: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2023/12/11/in-march-5-texas-primaries-down-ballot-contests-have-more-lone-star-spice/

Meanwhile, both Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton attack members of their own party out of retribution: https://www.kltv.com/2023/12/12/gov-abbott-endorses-opponents-east-texas-lawmakers-who-voted-against-school-vouchers/

MOVE Texas unveils a $4 million effort to mobilize young voters of color in Texas: https://themessenger.com/politics/move-texas-to-invest-4-million-to-mobilize-young-texas-voters-for-2024-exclusive

A new study finds the deterioration of Texas weather accelerating: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/weather/2023/12/11/its-not-your-imagination-texas-weather-is-getting-hotter-and-more-extreme-study-finds/

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Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

On Friday, the Texas Supreme Court stayed a lower court order that would have allowed Dallas mother Kate Cox to terminate a doomed pregnancy that threatens her health: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/texas-abortion-ban-supreme-court-hold-kate-cox/

...Drawing national attention to the contrast of approaches to reproductive freedom between Democrats and Republicans: https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/4351771-five-things-to-know-texas-abortion-fight/

...Setting the stage for one of the primary issues that will decide next year's election: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/democrats-biden-campaign-condemn-blocking-emergency-abortion-texas-woman-2023-12-09/

...And providing a preview of what will happen if Trump and the Republicans prevail: https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2023/12/10/texas-abortion-case-judge-permission-healthcare-decisions/71851981007/

Longtime Democratic Texas State Senator John Whitmire wins the race for Houston Mayor, raising important decisions for U.S. Representative Sheila Jackson Lee: https://rollcall.com/2023/12/10/after-loss-in-mayors-race-jackson-lee-faces-decision/

...While Chris Hollins wins his run for Houston City Controller: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/houston/article/houston-controller-runoff-results-18534780.php

...And Ken Paxton impeachment attorney Tony Buzbee's run for Houston City Council ends in defeat: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/09/tony-buzbee-houston-city-council-attorney-mary-nan-huffman/

While Ted Cruz and John Cornyn hold U.S. aid to Ukraine hostage, a top Russian lawmaker suggests that by his country's recent example, Texas should be returned to Mexico: https://www.newsweek.com/russia-guyana-venezuelan-mironov-alaska-texas-1851004

A black eye for Texas as Elon Musk reinstates Alex Jones to Twitter: https://apnews.com/article/alex-jones-x-account-elon-musk-90cfc990631dec5e8f337167fbe16372

Filmmaker Rob Reiner will release a new documentary on Christian Nationalism in February: https://www.al.com/life/2023/12/rob-reiner-drops-trailer-for-documentary-on-christian-nationalism.html

Thanks for listening! Please consider supporting our important work at Progress Texas at https://progresstexas.org/donate.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Dallas-area mother of two Kate Cox is granted a temporary restraining order allowing her to terminate a dangerous and hopeless pregnancy: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/texas-abortion-ban-kate-cox-emergency-fetus-trisomy-18-judge-maya-guerra-gamble/

...While Attorney General Ken Paxton threatens legal action against any doctor who provides abortion services in Texas: https://www.reuters.com/legal/texas-judge-allows-woman-get-emergency-abortion-despite-state-ban-2023-12-07/

...Which we agree, is "ghoulish": https://newrepublic.com/post/177398/texass-attorney-general-ghoulish-new-abortion-stance

Meanwhile, Paxton is failing to fully disclose his extensive real estate holdings in financial disclosure reports: https://www.kut.org/politics/2023-12-07/ken-paxton-texas-attorney-general-personal-finance-reports

Texas DPS's own inspector general concludes that while troopers did indeed mistreat migrants at the border as reported, those incidents didn't violate the law or agency policy: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/dps-migrant-report-18539662.php

Pale Horse Strategies, the consulting firm that started the Texas GOP's Nazi scandal, is undergoing a rebranding: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/07/pale-horse-strategies-west-fort-worth-management-nick-fuentes/

ERCOT says they're ready for winter - experts aren't so sure: https://www.austinchronicle.com/news/2023-12-08/how-ercot-and-the-city-are-preparing-for-the-next-winter-storm/

Let's Get Busy Houston! The runoff election for mayor, city controller, and several at-large City Council seats is Saturday: https://www.axios.com/local/houston/2023/12/08/election-runoff-jackson-lee-whitmire

Our annual Ten Best And Worst Texans ranking is up - and THANKS for your input: https://progresstexas.org/blog/top-10-best-and-worst-texans-2023

Thanks for listening! Please consider helping Progress Texas continue our important work at https://progresstexas.org/.

Progress Texas has endorsed longtime U.S. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee in her run for mayor of Houston, which will be decided on Saturday in that city's very important runoff election, which will also determine Houston's next city controller (a race in which we've endorsed Chris Hollins) and several at-large City Council seats. Congresswoman Jackson Lee took a few minutes during a busy campaign day on the last day of early voting on Tuesday to tell us about her vision of the future Houston and how she plans to make that vision reality.

Find Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee at https://www.sheilaforhouston.com/.

Thanks for listening! Please consider supporting our ongoing work with a donation at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Abortion rights plaintiff Kate Cox's case will receive a temporary restraining order hearing this morning at 9am in the Austin court of judge Maya Guerra Gamble: https://www.youtube.com/live/0oCALdrAefY?si=HnOo90di5qICHhI0

...ABC News provides a good summary of the Cox case: https://abcnews.go.com/US/woman-suing-texas-abortion-bans-mother/story?id=105420503

Ken Paxton follows the right wing conspiracist narrative into a new lawsuit against the U.S. State Department: https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/texas-claims-us-state-department-funds-tech-that-censors-conservative-news-2023-12-06/

State officials think they may have found a way around ludicrous election fraud lawsuits that threaten to delay the enactment of voter-approved constitutional amendments, including pension raises for retired teachers: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/06/greg-abbott-constitutional-amendments/

Both Ted Cruz and John Cornyn have voted down support for Ukraine, Taiwan and Israel as the GOP holds those commitments hostage over border concessions: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/06/ted-cruz-john-cornyn-texas-ukraine-israel-border/

An active-duty U.S. Air Force Reserve officer has been arrested in Dallas over his participation in the January 6 insurrection: https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/crime/article282753693.html

An alarming wave of live music venue closures strikes D/FW: https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/music-venues-across-dfw-announce-abrupt-closures-over-the-last-week/287-ed2fe45e-0ab3-4257-a761-aba3b6eeb0cc

Which Texas lawmakers were the best pushing for progress, and which were the worst in holding it back? Share your opinion: