The Texan Podcast

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The Texan’s Weekly Roundup brings you the latest news in Texas politics, breaking down the top stories of the week with our team of reporters who give you the facts so you can form your own opinion. Enjoy what you hear? Be sure to subscribe and leave a review! 

Got questions for the reporting team? Email [email protected] — they just might be answered on a future podcast. 

This week, the team discusses the biggest hits of the 88th Legislative Session, including the impeachment of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, where political priorities like school choice and border security stand after sine die, and the start of the first special session of summer 2023.

At 1:00 PM today, May 27, the Texas House is scheduled to begin consideration of articles of impeachment against Attorney General Ken Paxton.

Ahead of the proceedings and vote, The Texan Senior Editor McKenzie DiLullo and senior reporters Brad Johnson and Hayden Sparks give you a rundown on the developments in the events leading up to today.

This podcast was first broadcast during a live Twitter Spaces segment, so be sure to follow @TheTexanNews so that you don't miss future updates.

Related coverage:

• Paxton Calls on Phelan to Resign Amid House Probe into Whistleblower Settlement Payment
• Texas House Investigative Committee Runs Through Probe of Attorney General Paxton
• Ken Paxton’s Impeachment Recommended by Texas House Investigative Committee
• Texas House to Vote on Ken Paxton Impeachment Saturday Afternoon
• Paxton Calls for Supporters to Assemble ‘Peacefully’ at House Impeachment Vote

Be sure to support The Texan  in providing objective journalism by subscribing for unlimited access.

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The Texan’s Weekly Roundup brings you the latest news in Texas politics, breaking down the top stories of the week with our team of reporters who give you the facts so you can form your own opinion. Enjoy what you hear? Be sure to subscribe and leave a review! 

Got questions for the reporting team? Email [email protected] — they just might be answered on a future podcast. 

This week on The Texan’s Weekly Roundup, the team discusses: 

• The Texas House’s investigation into Attorney General Ken Paxton
• U.S. House Republicans passing a border security bill as the Title 42 order came to an end
• The Senate passing a House education bill after tacking on school choice proposals
• The House passing a bill to ban the state from adopting ESG policies just minutes before a legislative deadline
• The House passing a ban on state public universities having DEI offices
• Texas House Democrats defeat a measure to require U.S. citizenship to vote in Texas
• The Senate approving a substitute for the House’s bill to replace the expired Chapter 313 program
• The House moving forward with a bill to increase state control over Harris County’s elections
• Harris County considering legal action over the House’s actions over its elections
• The Senate passing a bill to remove explicit materials from public school libraries
• The Senate passing a bill to create a state border force and increase penalties for human smuggling
• Bills to address gun crime and bail policies dying on the House floor as deadlines roll in
• The Senate adding grid priorities to the Public Utility Commission as insurance against the House
• The House passing a b

Get a FREE “Fake News Stops Here” mug when you buy an annual subscription to The Texan: https://go.thetexan.news/mug-fake-news-stops-here-2022/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=weekly_roundup 

The Texan’s Weekly Roundup brings you the latest news in Texas politics, breaking down the top stories of the week with our team of reporters who give you the facts so you can form your own opinion. Enjoy what you hear? Be sure to subscribe and leave a review! 

Got questions for the reporting team? Email [email protected] — they just might be answered on a future podcast. 

This week on The Texan’s Weekly Roundup, the team discusses: 

• The House passing a ban on biological males competing against women in intercollegiate sports
• The House’s version of the Senate’s property tax plan, featuring major changes 
• Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis sending state officers to Texas to address the border crisis
• Gov. Greg Abbott threatening a special session to pass school choice 
• The release of the Legislature’s conference committee on the state budget
• The Senate taking up a House bill to prohibit banks from specially tracking firearm purchases
• A Houston Democratic club censoring a lawmaker after she voted to ban child gender modification
• The Legislature sending its local government preemption bill to the governor’s desk
• Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick saying the Senate will not consider legalizing casinos and sports betting
• House members pushing forward an alternative plan to subsidizing natural gas power plants
• A bill to expand state surveillance on jewelry purchases criticized by civil liberties groups
• Texas lawmakers turning to procedural “points of order” to kill each other’s bills as session comes to close

See the full interview exclusively at The Texan: https://thetexan.news/video-daniel-perrys-defense-attorney-on-right-to-self-defense-trial-and-pardon-likelihood/

Doug O’Connell, the defense attorney for Daniel Perry, joined The Texan senior reporter Hayden Sparks to discuss Perry’s recent trial and sentencing of Perry to 25 years in prison for the murder of Garrett Foster.

At a crowded July 2020 protest in downtown Austin, Perry shot Foster with a handgun. Foster was attending the protest armed with an AK-47, and O’Connell argued during the trial that Perry was acting in self-defense.

However, the jury rejected Perry’s defense and he was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

In a portion of the interview exclusively available at The Texan,  O’Connell also discussed what this case could mean for the right to self-defense, the likelihood of a pardon, and what Texans can take away from this extraordinary trial.

Watch the full interview here: https://thetexan.news/video-daniel-perrys-defense-attorney-on-right-to-self-defense-trial-and-pardon-likelihood/

Get a free month subscription: https://thetexan.news/register/?level_id=1&coupon=9535

Get a FREE “Fake News Stops Here” mug when you buy an annual subscription to The Texan: https://go.thetexan.news/mug-fake-news-stops-here-2022/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=weekly_roundup 

The Texan’s Weekly Roundup brings you the latest news in Texas politics, breaking down the top stories of the week with our team of reporters who give you the facts so you can form your own opinion. Enjoy what you hear? Be sure to subscribe and leave a review! 

Got questions for the reporting team? Email [email protected] — they just might be answered on a future podcast. 

This week on The Texan’s Weekly Roundup, the team discusses: 

• A midnight deadline looming in the Texas House
• Republicans attempting to salvage a border protection unit bill lost to point of order
• The Texas House making sweeping changes to the Senate’s school choice plan
• A bill raising the age to purchase certain rifles approved in a House Committee
• A House chairman halting the consideration of Senate bills alleging legislative deadlock
• A newly amended version of the bill to prevent children’s exposure to sexualized performances
• Daniel Perry sentenced to 25 years in prison after the jury rejects his self-defense claim
• The Texas House voting to expel one of their colleagues just one day after his resignation
• The COVID-era Title 42 order authorizing rapid expulsions of illegal immigrants expiring
• Border Cities issuing disaster declarations over the border surge 
• Constitutional amendments for casinos and sports wagering clear their first hurdles 
• Allegations that ERCOT illegally allowed a company with ties to the CCP access to the power grid

See the full interview exclusively at The Texan: https://thetexan.news/video-sen-brandon-creighton-on-school-choice-public-university-tenure-local-preemption/

Sen. Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe), the chairman of the Senate committees on Education and Higher Education, joined The Texan reporter Cameron Abrams to discuss the status of major policies as the legislature nears the end of the regular session.

“Even members of the House that may have voted for that amendment to the budget — so for it, and against school choice — I think that there are some open minds and open hearts on the concept of school choice among many of those members, but they need to see the deal,” said Creighton.

Creighton discussed major pieces of legislation, including efforts to pass a major school choice policy, the dynamics between the House and Senate, and a bill to end tenure at public universities.

In a portion of the interview exclusively available at The Texan, Creighton also discussed the possibility of the governor calling a special session and his support of a broad local government preemption bill that was approved by the House and is now being considered in the upper chamber.

Watch the full interview here: https://thetexan.news/video-sen-brandon-creighton-on-school-choice-public-university-tenure-local-preemption/

Get a free month subscription: https://thetexan.news/register/?level_id=1&coupon=9535

Get a FREE “Fake News Stops Here” mug when you buy an annual subscription to The Texan: https://go.thetexan.news/mug-fake-news-stops-here-2022/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=weekly_roundup 

The Texan’s Weekly Roundup brings you the latest news in Texas politics, breaking down the top stories of the week with our team of reporters who give you the facts so you can form your own opinion. Enjoy what you hear? Be sure to subscribe and leave a review! 

Got questions for the reporting team? Email [email protected] — they just might be answered on a future podcast. 

This week on The Texan’s Weekly Roundup, the team discusses: 

• Protestors escorted out of the Capitol after disrupting consideration of the House’s child gender modification ban
• After a days-long manhunt with an $80,000 reward, an illegal alien arrested on suspicion of murdering five people in Cleveland
• Democratic Congressman Colin Allred announcing his campaign to unseat Republican Sen. Ted Cruz
• Former President Donald Trump weighing in on Texas’ appraisal reform debate
• Attorney General Ken Paxton investigating COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers for deceptive trade practices
• The Save Women Sports’ Act receiving contentious testimony in a House committee
• A Palestine city councilwoman running for mayor prompts a new ordinance with candidacy-threatening deferred taxes
• Political controversy in Palestine as mayoral candidates defend themselves from criticism
• Power grid regulators send a message to the Legislature that more dispatchable power is needed
• A border security rally at the Texas Capitol complete with a Ted Nugent performance
• The Senate approving a standard policy for “human sexuality instruction” in classrooms
• The House passing a bill to raise standards on law enforcement for civil asset forfeiture

See the full interview exclusively at The Texan: https://thetexan.news/video-rep-dustin-burrows-on-school-safety-bill-local-preemption-and-appraisal-cap-battle/

Rep. Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock), the chairman of the House Calendars Committee, joined The Texan senior reporter Brad Johnson to discuss the status of major policies as the legislature enters its final month of the regular legislative session.

“I try not to compare sessions. They all have a very different feel and flow,” said Burrows. “But we’re getting into the good part of session where a lot of the conservative victories are about to be accomplished.”

Burrows discussed two of his major bills: a broad local government preemption bill and legislation to require school districts to maintain armed security at each of their campuses.

In a portion of the interview exclusively available at The Texan, Burrows also discussed the likelihood of school choice legislation passing the Texas House during this legislative session and the current battle between the House and Senate over appraisal caps. 

Watch the full interview here: https://thetexan.news/video-rep-dustin-burrows-on-school-safety-bill-local-preemption-and-appraisal-cap-battle/

Get a free month subscription: https://thetexan.news/register/?level_id=1&coupon=9535

• The beginning of early voting in the May elections for local officials and bonds
• The $26.6 billion in local bonds on the May ballot, over 90 percent of which are from school districts
• The U.S. Supreme Court temporarily allowing an abortion drug to remain on the market amid its legal case
• A House committee considering eliminating franchise and business personal property taxes
• Border numbers from March as Title 42 is still in effect
• The Senate creating a new Office of School Safety and Security in response to school shootings
• The House passing a bill to to require armed guards on school campuses
• The House formalizing the legislative redistricting maps drawn in 2021
• The Senate sending the House its plan for reforming the state’s ERCOT energy market in the wake of the 2021 blackouts
• The Senate passing priority legislation to end professor tenure at public universities
• A bill to increase online protections for children regarding content and user agreements
• Free speech advocates accusing certain legal reforms of weakening free speech protections
• The Senate passing a bill to make doctors who provide gender modification treatment liable for the lifetime health of their patients