The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - April 7, 2026

Starting point is 00:00:04 Howdy folks, today is Tuesday, April 7th, and you're listening to The Texans Daily Rundown. I'm the Texans managing editor Rob Lauchess, and here is the rundown of today's news in Texas politics. First up, the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service plan to issue clarifying guidance on the application of the Johnson Amendment to religious groups. After a federal judge in the Eastern District of Texas declined to approve a settlement between the National Religious Broadcasters and two churches and the IRS. The Johnson Amendment to the U.S. Tax Code was passed in 1954 and limits the political activities of nonprofit organizations that qualify for tax-exempt status.

Starting point is 00:00:49 It states in part that the organization may, quote, not participate in or intervene in, including the publishing or distributing of statements, any political campaign on behalf of, or in opposition to any candidate for public. public office. The plaintiffs alleged in their lawsuit that the Johnson Amendment causes them to self-censor certain content, and that it violates their First Amendment speech and free exercise rights, as well as the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The suit was originally brought under the Biden administration. Under the Second Trump administration, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent agreed to a resolution with the plaintiff religious groups and asked the court to enter a consent decree. Next, a journalist known for

Starting point is 00:01:34 reporting on Texas law enforcement has won a federal lawsuit against Fort Ben County over a 2021 arrest, and U.S. District Court Judge George Hanks has enjoined the county from discriminating against non-traditional media. Independent journalist Justin Pulliam told the Texan, quote, I think the big core of this case is that either we have a government-controlled media or we have a free press, and that free press means everyone can report, no matter who they are, no matter if they're institutional, independent, on social media, or a licensed TV station, end quote. Pollyam has been reporting on police activity since 2018 and uses YouTube to publish his videos and interactions with officers, but his critical view often puts him at odds with local law enforcement.

Starting point is 00:02:22 In 2021, Fort Bend County Sheriff Eric Fagan had him removed from a press conference in a public park and told subordinate officers that he was, quote, not part of the local media. In other news, the Texas Education Agency has placed former Sanger Independent School District police officer Israel Demelo on its do-not-hire registry, after revelations of his criminal charges related to child sex abuse. Demello was arrested in January and booked at the Denton County jail with at least a $225,000 bond, according to court records. On November 20th, Sanger ISD Superintendent Tommy Hunter told parents that a district police officer had been accused of inappropriate conduct with a secondary student. Demello was immediately placed on leave. The TEA said in a March 31st press release, quote,

Starting point is 00:03:14 According to our records, DeMello was arrested on charges including improper relationship between educator and student, sexual assault of a child, sexual performance by a child, and indecency with a child by sexual contact. It added, quote, all charges are classified as second-degree felonies. Following an investigation conducted in coordination with Sanger ISD and the Sanger Police Department, Demello was placed on the Do Not Hire Registry. Last but not least, potential visitors to Big Bend National Park in far west Texas have some good news and some bad news about expected renovations. The good news is that the Chisos Basin area of the park, one of the most popular sections, will not not be closed for two years as was previously expected due to a major renovation project of the lodge. However, the bad news is that the lodge reconstruction will not proceed as planned.

Starting point is 00:04:11 According to a National Park Service announcement, the facility improvements scheduled to begin in May will not move forward due to unforeseen challenges such as design complexities and rising construction costs. The project was initially approved in 2019, but since then, costs for it have grown to such a degree that the budget is no longer adequate to complete the project. The Park Service says it is reevaluating the construction plans and will solicit contracts for rehabilitating the water system, but not reconstructing the lodge and other facilities. Thanks for listening. To support the Texan, please be sure to visit the Texan. News and subscribe to get full access to all of our articles, newsletters, and podcasts.

Starting point is 00:05:00 Thank you.

The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - April 7, 2026

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