INSIDER
Biden is dangling border security money to try to get billions more for Israel and Ukraine
Read full article: Biden is dangling border security money to try to get billions more for Israel and UkrainePresident Joe Biden is trying to sweeten his pitch for more money for Ukraine by mixing in billions of dollars for securing the U.S.-Mexico border.
U.S. House speaker hopefuls seek Texas GOPās blessing
Read full article: U.S. House speaker hopefuls seek Texas GOPās blessingTexas has by far the largest Republican delegation in the House, and gaining their support would be a major boost for any candidate as the conference meets to pick new leaders next week.
Texas Republicans stuck with Kevin McCarthy, but it wasnāt enough to save him
Read full article: Texas Republicans stuck with Kevin McCarthy, but it wasnāt enough to save himIn January, some Republican Texans led the charge to challenge McCarthyās leadership bid. But this time, all Texas Republicans who were present voted to save McCarthy and every U.S. House Democrat voted to remove him.
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn wants the U.S. to train Mexican troops to fight drug cartels
Read full article: U.S. Sen. John Cornyn wants the U.S. to train Mexican troops to fight drug cartelsThe Republican from Texas introduced the legislation after meeting with Mexicoās president and calling for more cooperation between the two countries.
U.S. House passes border bill shaped by Texas Republicans as Title 42 ends
Read full article: U.S. House passes border bill shaped by Texas Republicans as Title 42 endsThe Secure the Border Act would resume construction of the border wall, limit asylum eligibility and require asylum-seekers to wait in Mexico. It faces tough going in the Senate.
Afghan soldier says he will live the āAmerican dreamā after being released from immigration detention center
Read full article: Afghan soldier says he will live the āAmerican dreamā after being released from immigration detention centerU.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Leeās office mounted pressure on several federal agencies earlier this month leading up to Abdul Wasi Safiās release on Tuesday.
More Texans give away campaign donations from Sam Bankman-Fried and other FTX affiliates
Read full article: More Texans give away campaign donations from Sam Bankman-Fried and other FTX affiliatesIn November, The Texas Tribune reported that Beto OāRourke had given back a $1 million donation that Bankman-Fried had donated to his campaign.
New Congress will feature few leadership roles for the many Texans in the U.S. House
Read full article: New Congress will feature few leadership roles for the many Texans in the U.S. HouseTexans will chair some powerful committees in the House, but their roles in top leadership elections last week were more often as anti-establishment voices than contenders.
GOP Congressman Dan Crenshaw says election deniers know theyāre lying
Read full article: GOP Congressman Dan Crenshaw says election deniers know theyāre lyingThe representative from Houston said fellow Republicans admitted behind closed doors that the 2020 election wasnāt stolen, and he warned that such messaging could dangerously mislead voters.
Republican Texas Congressman Dan Crenshaw takes aim at his own partyās āwoke rightā for stoking division
Read full article: Republican Texas Congressman Dan Crenshaw takes aim at his own partyās āwoke rightā for stoking divisionIn an interview at The Texas Tribune Festival, Crenshaw harshly criticized extremists at both ends of the political spectrum.
CNN management intent on changing perception of the network
Read full article: CNN management intent on changing perception of the networkThe first steps toward change at CNN have been slow and incremental ā at least until the network cancelled its long-running media criticism show āReliable Sourcesā and cut loose its host, Brian Stelter.
āDo something!ā Biden is urged as he leaves Uvalde church
Read full article: āDo something!ā Biden is urged as he leaves Uvalde churchFacing yet another community grieving after a mass shooting, the president replied, āWe will.ā But Congress hasnāt managed to change gun policy for decades.
NRA speakers unshaken on gun rights after school massacre
Read full article: NRA speakers unshaken on gun rights after school massacreOne by one, speakers took the stage at the National Rifle Associationās annual convention in Houston and denounced the massacre of 19 students and two teachers at an elementary school across the state.
NRA stages big gun show in Texas days after school massacre
Read full article: NRA stages big gun show in Texas days after school massacreThe National Rifle Association begins its annual convention in Houston on Friday, and leaders of the powerful gun-rights lobbying group are gearing up to āreflect onā -- and deflect any blame for -- the deadly shooting earlier this week of 19 children and two teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.
House GOP voting remotely more often after initial scorn
Read full article: House GOP voting remotely more often after initial scornJust seven Republicans, along with most Democrats, used remote voting in the House when voting-from-somewhere-else was first allowed two years ago as the pandemic erupted.
Only 13 Texas GOP congressional candidates say Biden won, reports say
Read full article: Only 13 Texas GOP congressional candidates say Biden won, reports sayA published report says that only 13 of the 143 Texas Republican candidates for Congress say they believe Democrat Joe Biden's election as president was legitimate.
Texas GOP U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw causes uproar after warning of "grifters," liars inside his party
Read full article: Texas GOP U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw causes uproar after warning of "grifters," liars inside his partyCrenshaw, who mentioned the House Freedom Caucus while making the criticism, sought to clarify later that he largely was not referring to the group.
Without Trumpās endorsement, Jake Ellzey pushes for upset in TX-6 special election runoff against Susan Wright
Read full article: Without Trumpās endorsement, Jake Ellzey pushes for upset in TX-6 special election runoff against Susan WrightEllzey and Wright are vying to succeed her late husband, U.S. Rep. Ron Wright, R-Arlington, in the 6th District in North Texas. Early voting for the runoff started Monday and ends Friday.
No, frozen wind turbines aren't the main culprit for Texas' power outages
Read full article: No, frozen wind turbines aren't the main culprit for Texas' power outagesāTexas is a gas state,ā said Michael Webber, an energy resources professor at the University of Texas at Austin. AdWhile Webber said all of Texasā energy sources share blame for the power crisis, the natural gas industry is most notably producing significantly less power than normal. We didnāt run out of natural gas, but we ran out of the ability to get natural gas. At least they show us where idiots live.āWhile wind power skeptics claimed the week's freeze means wind power can't be relied upon, wind turbines ā like natural gas plants ā can be "winterized," or modified to operate during very low temperatures. Natural gas power plants usually donāt have very much fuel storage on site, experts said.
Texas politicians united in pleading for calm as Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol
Read full article: Texas politicians united in pleading for calm as Trump supporters stormed the U.S. CapitolāI like many people voted for President Trump in the 2020 election and hoped for a different result,ā tweeted U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Austin. Over the ensuring hour, scenes emerged of Trump supporters storming barricades, breaching the Capitol and even reaching at least one of chambers. The Capitol building has been breached and both chambers are locked down,ā wrote U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso. Texas Democrats, meanwhile, were explicit in linking the harrowing scene to Trumpās refusal to accept the election outcome and belligerent rhetoric. āThis is what Trump wanted,ā tweeted U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin.
COVID-19 exhausting Texas ICU beds as hospitalizations soar
Read full article: COVID-19 exhausting Texas ICU beds as hospitalizations soarA medical staff exits the COVID-19 intensive care unit (ICU) on New Year's Day at the United Memorial Medical Center on January 1, 2021 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Go Nakamura/Getty Images)AUSTIN, Texas ā Coronavirus cases are exhausting the availability of intensive-care unit beds in parts of Texas as hospitalizations with COVID-19 continue to soar to record levels, state health statistics showed on Tuesday. In all, the state estimated 314,465 COVID-19 cases were active. All ICU beds at hospitals in the Abilene and Bryan-College Station areas are full, while only two are available in the Laredo area with three in the Paris-Texarkana area. For seven days in a row, COVID-19 patients have filled in 15% of the Houston region's hospital beds, according to state health statistics.
More Texas Republicans in Congress are acknowledging Joe Bidenās victory, but many holdouts remain
Read full article: More Texas Republicans in Congress are acknowledging Joe Bidenās victory, but many holdouts remainUpon Joe Biden securing 306 electoral votes during Monday's meeting of the Electoral College, The Texas Tribune polled all Texans in Congress with the question: "With a majority of the Electoral College voting for Biden today, do you accept Joe Biden as the president-elect?" Credit: REUTERS/Al DragoA growing number of Texas Republicans are moving toward the reality that in a little over a month, former Vice President Joe Biden will become president of the United States. But a large number of GOP members of the Texas delegation still have not acknowledged Biden's victory. Upon Biden securing 306 electoral votes during Monday's meeting of the Electoral College, The Texas Tribune polled all Texans in Congress with the question: "With a majority of the Electoral College voting for Biden today, do you accept Joe Biden as the president-elect?" Until the Monday ceremonial vote, many Republicans resisted the idea of a Biden victory.
Texas politicians flock to Georgia to aid in fight for U.S. Senate majority
Read full article: Texas politicians flock to Georgia to aid in fight for U.S. Senate majorityNo candidate cleared 50% of the vote in the respective races, and Georgia law requires a runoff in such cases. Earlier this week, Castro, the former U.S. housing secretary and San Antonio mayor, spent two days in Georgia stumping with both Ossoff and Warnock. Another high-profile Texas Republican, Crenshaw, has already visited the state and plans to return before the end of the month. The state party has been mobilizing volunteers on its Mighty Texas Strike Force to head to Georgia, with the largest deployment expected to happen after Christmas. In a sign of how the political world has gone all in on Georgia, the campaigners from Texas have not gone unnoticed by other out-of-state surrogates.
Watchdog faults VA chief over handling of sex assault report
Read full article: Watchdog faults VA chief over handling of sex assault reportāThe response of Secretary Wilkie and senior VA officials to the veteranās complaint of sexual assault was troubling,ā Missal said in a statement. āThe tone set by Secretary Wilkie appears to have influenced aspects of the initial VA police investigation and the conduct of other VA employees,ā the report said. On Thursday, Biden said he will nominate Denis McDonough, who served as President Barack Obamaās White House chief of staff, to be VA secretary. VA officials did not examine the information, the report said. A study released by the VA last year found 1 in 4 female veterans using VA health care reported inappropriate comments by male veterans on VA grounds.
Army secretary says wreath-laying event at Arlington back on
Read full article: Army secretary says wreath-laying event at Arlington back onWASHINGTON ā Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy has reversed the COVID-related cancellation of an annual wreath-laying event at Arlington National Cemetery next month, following criticism on social media and pleas to the White House. President Donald Trump said later Tuesday it was he who had reversed āthe ridiculous decisionā to cancel the event. Each year, volunteers around the country place wreaths on the tombstones and markers of veterans as part of Wreaths Across America. The tradition began in 1992 when a Maine wreath maker donated 5,000 wreaths to Arlington. On Monday, Arlington National Cemetery announced that it was āwith great regret,ā cancelling the Wreaths Across America event scheduled for Dec. 19, due to COVID-19.
Texas Republicans fighting off Democrats in battleground congressional races
Read full article: Texas Republicans fighting off Democrats in battleground congressional racesTexas Democrats are hoping to flip several congressional seats held by Republicans on Election Day. At least five Republican incumbents whom Democrats targeted cruised to reelection, according to races called by Decision Desk HQ. Similarly, U.S. Rep. Van Taylor, R-Plano, also held off a challenge from Democrat Lulu Seikaly in Collin County's 3rd Congressional District. Three new members-elect in safe Republican seats also won their races, according to Decision Desk HQ. In the 4th Congressional District that covers the northeastern part of the state, State Sen. Pat Fallon will replace John Ratcliffe, who is now director of National Intelligence.
U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw calls expanding mail-in voting āplaying with fireā despite rareness of voter fraud
Read full article: U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw calls expanding mail-in voting āplaying with fireā despite rareness of voter fraudRepublicans and President Donald Trump have repeatedly tried to sow doubt over the reliability of voting by mail, alleging it allows for widespread fraud. During the interview with Politicoās Tim Alberta, Crenshaw raised concerns about voting practices in Pennsylvania and Nevada, falsely saying that Pennsylvania was sending unsolicited ballots to voters. Crenshaw suggested in the interview that he worried that some ballots might be mailed to the wrong addresses, inviting fraud. Just 372 possible cases of double voting or voting on behalf of dead people were identified, the Post reported. āItās no secret that in the suburbs and especially amongst women, that theyāre simply turned off by Donald Trump,ā Crenshaw said, later adding, āThey have a personal dislike for him.ā
Texas Republicans had light presence at national convention amid debate over stateās battleground status
Read full article: Texas Republicans had light presence at national convention amid debate over stateās battleground statusAfter a Democratic National Convention that raised questions about its limited roles for Texans, the stateās Republicans kept a light footprint at their national gathering this week ā and seemed just fine with it. Dan Patrick, who chairs President Donald Trump's reelection campaign in Texas, said the lack of Texas speakers showed Republicans were not worried about the state. While every recent public survey shows a tighter race, Patrick's prediction reflected the confidence that Trump's Texas allies are voicing at least publicly ahead of November, when their challenges stretch far below the top of the ticket. Texas was clearly on Trump's mind as he delivered his first set of remarks at the convention Monday morning. Four years ago, one of the defining storylines of the national GOP convention involved Texas.
Dan Crenshaw will make a prime time appearance at the RNC Wednesday. Hereās what you need to know about the Houston Republican.
Read full article: Dan Crenshaw will make a prime time appearance at the RNC Wednesday. Hereās what you need to know about the Houston Republican.U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw will take the stage at the Republican National Convention Wednesday night as the sole GOP elected official from Texas with a prime time speaking slot. Heāll appear alongside New York Rep. Elise Stefanik before an address by Vice President Mike Pence. Crenshaw and Stefanik, both 36, are the youngest Republicans members of the House. But this November, he is facing a challenge from Houston attorney Sima Ladjevardian in a race thatās drawing attention from national Democrats. Hereās what you need to know about the Houston Republican:
WHAT TO WATCH: Pence, Conway and protest pushback at RNC
Read full article: WHAT TO WATCH: Pence, Conway and protest pushback at RNCPence, whose future political aspirations could hinge on November, has campaigned aggressively for the president. Pence has helped steer the White House response to the coronavirus, leading a task force and frequently working with the nations governors. The GOP convention has mentioned the virus far less than Democrats did last week, but Pence could throw it back into focus if he speaks about the work hes led. Conway, whose husband has become an outspoken Trump critic, says she is stepping away to spend more time with her family. Clarence Henderson, a civil rights activist from the 1960s, is expected to speak on the true meaning of peaceful protest."
TribCast: Hurricane Laura, coronavirus on campus and the RNC
Read full article: TribCast: Hurricane Laura, coronavirus on campus and the RNCU.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Houston, at The Texas Tribune Festival on Sept. 28, 2018. Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune(Audio unavailable. Click here to listen on texastribune.org.) In this week's TribCast, Matthew speaks with Ross, Alex and Patrick about the incoming hurricane, the first week of college classes and the Republican National Convention.