13th Court of Appeals abates mask mandate appeal
The 13th Court of Texas Appeals has placed on hold a challenge by Gov. “Accordingly, we ABATE this appeal and remove it from the Court’s active docket until such time as the Texas Supreme Court issues its opinion in the direct appeal on one of the aforementioned cases. After that opinion issues, we direct appellants to promptly file a motion to reinstate this appeal,” the justices wrote. The appeal that the 13th Court of Appeals abated on Wednesday was in response to the temporary injunction issued by the 444th. Once the Supreme Court rules in the Dallas, San Antonio or Houston cases, Wednesday’s order directs the appellants and appellees to promptly notify the court.
myrgv.comAppellate court hits pause on Abbott, Point Isabel mask mandate challenge
The 13th Court of Texas Appeals has placed on hold a challenge by Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton of a lower court ruling that overrode Abbott’s authority during the pandemic to nullify a mask mandate by the Point Isabel Independent School District.
myrgv.comTwo years after Texas’ voting rights showdown gripped the nation, lawmakers again push dozens of elections bills
State policymakers have mapped out familiar territory early in the legislative session, with Democrats seeking to expand voting access and Republicans pledging to make elections more secure.
The fringe ideology of “constitutional sheriffs” is attracting believers within Texas law enforcement
Some 50 Texas sheriffs and numerous elected officials have attended trainings on the unsupported notion that sheriffs can single-handedly overrule state and federal law. The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, which offered state peace officers credit for the seminars, is now investigating.
Letter: Abbott’s many abuses
What consciousness endorses Abbott’s charade as a remotely good idea? Abbott’s farther removed — literally and figuratively — from that of the three magi greeting the Christ Child in unseemly manger hay. His charitable spirit isn’t that of a Tyrian shekel compared to those in NGOs helping ameliorate horrible border migrant conditions. In Socratic dialogues, a good person may not be a good citizen and vice versa. The contrast between Abbott’s disservice to constitutional rule of law and due process and life of Jesus is palpable.
myrgv.comHow Texans helped plot, foment and carry out the Jan. 6 insurrection
From those who planted the seeds of Trump’s strategy to try to challenge the election, to others who sowed doubt and anger by spreading baseless election-fraud conspiracy theories, Texans played major roles in the deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol two years ago.
Abbott, Paxton punish innkeeper in Bethlehem
For two government leaders, whose political sleeves proudly display their Christian faith, there is a screeching dissonance with how they, Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton, appear to practice that faith with regard to immigrants. Abbott cynically has spent $14 million Texas tax dollars to inhumanely physically “relocate” some 12,000 asylum seekers across the country — not out of benevolence, but for political theatrics. Politicians have kicked the immigration can down the road for decades, and it has doubled back on us. Nor should politicians do the dirty work of undercutting organizations and church groups that take Scriptures’ commands seriously and to heart.
myrgv.comTexas Creates Chilling Registry of 16,000 People Who Changed Genders on Their Driver's Licenses
Earlier this year, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s (R) office requested the state Department of Public Safety to compile a list of transgender residents in the state, a DPS official confirmed to the Washington Post in a Wednesday report. A spokesperson for DPS told the Post that Paxton’s office made “a verbal request” calling for the total number of Texans who had changed the gender on their driver’s licenses or in other government records within the past two years.
news.yahoo.comReport: Texas AG sought driver license data on gender change
AUSTIN (AP) — The office of Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton this summer sought data on how many people had changed the gender information on their driver's license, according to a newspap[San Marcos, TX] [Hays County news] News San Marcos News, San Marcos Record [Texas State]
sanmarcosrecord.comLetters: Common sense can save lives
It’s a precious life that is about to see life in the world for the first time. Just keep in mind that each and every heinous criminal activity will never be hidden from the eyes of God. It doesn’t take facts and figures to know that abortions can be prevented in greater numbers if the child-bearing individual practices common sense all the time. So as an alternative to man-made laws or in lieu thereof, the use of common sense will always save a life, one child at a time. Without a doubt, declaring war on fossil fuels was one of the major causes of this mess we are in!
myrgv.comThese Texans were trying to help run elections. Then Ken Paxton’s office launched criminal investigations.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton hasn’t just been pursuing supposed voter fraud. His office has also criminally investigated at least 10 election workers, in a harbinger of potential post-midterm turmoil.
sacurrent.comAll election results in Texas, San Antonio area for general midterm election on Nov. 8, 2022
Find all Texas races, including statewide offices like governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, comptroller, land commissioner, ag commissioner and railroad commission; as well state legislative seats in the Texas House and Texas Senate; Congress and local San Antonio-area races, including Bexar County Judge, District Attorney, judicial seats and more.
These Texans were trying to help run elections. Then Ken Paxton’s office launched criminal investigations.
In at least two of the cases, Paxton’s office unsuccessfully tried to indict election workers, attempts that were first reported by the Austin American-Statesman. It’s not clear how many cases Paxton’s office attempted to prosecute. Over the last two years, roughly one-third of Texas’ election administrators have left their posts, according to the Texas secretary of state. She filed a complaint with Paxton’s office about the election, records show, prompting the attorney general to open a criminal investigation into the county elections administrator. At least three suspects in Paxton’s investigations were the top election officials in their counties, but his probes have also ensnared volunteers.
mysanantonio.comWatch: Abortion isn’t on the ballot, but here’s how your vote could impact access in Texas
Texans are headed to the polls for the first time since the procedure was essentially banned across the state. Texas Tribune women’s health reporter Eleanor Klibanoff explains how each ballot cast influences the future of abortion policy.
Voter fraud charges dismissed against Hervis Rogers, Houston man who waited hours to vote in 2020
Attorney General Ken Paxton pursued charges against Rogers, who was on parole when he voted in the 2020 primary election. But a judge tossed the case after a higher court said Paxton can’t unilaterally prosecute election crimes.
Greg Abbott widens lead over Beto O’Rourke with likely voters in latest UT poll
The 11-point margin is one of the wider advantages Abbott has registered among likely voters in a public survey yet. Abbott had a smaller 5-point advantage in the last UT poll, which was done in August, though that was among registered voters.
Dreamers: Which side are GOP candidates on?
For years, Texas’ Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton has led the legal charge to end DACA. Ending DACA and deporting Dreamers is not the only extremist position the friends of Texas border GOP congressional candidates Flores, Garcia and De La Cruz have taken. In our campaign Dime Con Quién Andas/Show Me Your Friends, America’s Voice exposes the ties between Republican candidates and extremists and white nationalists. Unless Republican candidates actively and publicly stand up to their friends, they too are responsible for Trump Republicans’ dangerous and racist rhetoric. It is time Texas border GOP congressional candidates Monica De La Cruz, Mayra Flores and Cassy Garcia come clean and tell Texas voters which side they are on.
myrgv.comTexas Attorney General Ken Paxton sues Google for compiling Texans’ biometric data
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against Google, claiming the internet giant is violating state law by amassing facial and voice recognition data on Texans without their knowledge[San Marcos, TX] [Hays County news] News San Marcos News, San Marcos Record [Texas State]
sanmarcosrecord.comKen Paxton, Texas’ election denier-in-chief, closes in on third term
That Paxton is so close to securing his reelection this November as the state’s chief legal officer is raising alarms from election experts about the impact he could have on future contested elections, particularly if Donald Trump runs for president again in 2024.
Democratic candidates talk abortion rights in town hall meeting
Vallejo and Garza — the Democratic nominees for Texas’ 15th congressional district and Texas Attorney General, respectively — held a town hall meeting that brought abortion rights, reproductive rights and health care to the forefront. “Right now, I’m not going to mince words about where we’re at, there is no access to abortion care,” Garza said. Vallejo and Garza also touched on the general health care needs of the Rio Grande Valley. “A lot of people in our region don’t have access to specialists, so health care is critically important,” Garza said. “The question that should be on our minds is, what is Ken Paxton going to do on November 9,” Garza said.
myrgv.comCapital Highlights — State sends resources to Florida
Texas has deployed state resources to Florida to assist in response and recovery efforts in the aftermath of the devastation caused last week by Hurricane Ian, one of the most powerful storms to hit t[San Marcos, TX] [Hays County news] News San Marcos News, San Marcos Record [Texas State]
sanmarcosrecord.comLetter: Ballot inspection raises concerns
The Republican “Big Lie” for Texas is now being orchestrated in Texas. Votebeat reported that a legal opinion by indicted Attorney General Ken Paxton allows anyone to examine ballots right after the election. This clearly destroys the custodial and preservation period required by Texas law for our ballots and opens the window for potential criminal exposure to election officials. Remember the 2020 election recount in Arizona’s largest county by Republicans that revealed absolutely no wrongdoing? Has the Texas Republican Party now become the party of chicanery and chaos?
myrgv.comTexas AG says counties can spend COVID relief funds on extra pay for elected officials without public notice
The nonbinding legal opinion states local elected and appointed officials can receive up to $25,000 for work done during the COVID-19 pandemic on top of their regular salaries. Unlike other pay raises, these “premium pay” bonuses don’t need to be declared to the public ahead of time.
Supreme Court climate ruling could impact nuclear waste case
The Supreme Court’s landmark ruling on climate change could have implications for a range of other issues, including a case involving nuclear waste storage and a proposal requiring companies to disclose how climate risk affects their businesses.