The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - December 19, 2025

Starting point is 00:00:00 Howdy, folks, today is Friday, December 19th, 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, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and State Senator Angela Paxton agreed to unseal the records in their divorce case after multiple media organizations filed a formal motion to intervene to gain access to the filings. The Paxton's decision came the night before a December 19th hearing on whether the records would remain sealed. Angela Paxton filed for divorce on July 10th, listing adultery as the grounds for separation and shortly after filed to seal the records. On September 18th, eight media companies requested the records unsealed. Their filing read, quote, the media interveners are state, local, and national.

Starting point is 00:01:00 national news organizations with long-standing commitments to report on matters of significant public interest, including the conduct of public officials and the administration of justice, end quote. On November 18th, Ken Paxton filed a brief in opposition to the media requests, calling them intrusive and saying that the groups desired to, quote, invade and publicize the most sensitive aspects of the Paxton's marital and private lives, end quote. Next, the Supreme Court of Texas has agreed to hear a Tarrant County woman's case against her health care providers and counselors for their role in obtaining gender modification procedures for her as a child, including a double mastectomy, a procedure she later came to regret as an adult through coercion. After the Second Court of Appeals in Fort Worth rejected Sorin Aldaco's appeal in November 24, on the basis that her medical claim had expired, affirming the Tarrant County District Court's summary judgment, the Supreme Court accepted her petition for review on Friday and scheduled the case for oral arguments on February 11, 2026. Aldaco underwent a double mastectomy, the removal of both of her breasts, in the summer of 2021 after her counselor wrote a letter recommending.

Starting point is 00:02:17 the surgery as a gender-affirming procedure in February 2021. In July 23, Aldaco filed suit against the counseling group and other health care providers involved in her gender modification procedures after informing them two months prior of her intent to do so through filing health care liability claims. She sued them for $1 million. In other news, although the Texas Supreme Court added a comment to the Texas Code of Judicial Conduct, clarifying that a judge is protected from having to perform a same-sex ceremony based on his or her religious beliefs. The State Commission on Judicial Conduct is unpersuaded that this should impact existing disciplinary cases. The Supreme Court's comment issued on October 24, 2025, stated, quote, it is not a violation of these

Starting point is 00:03:06 canons for a judge to publicly refrain from performing a wedding ceremony based on a sincerely held religious belief. There are at least two cases in Texas where judges are suing the State Commission on Judicial Conduct over their right to decline to perform ceremonies for same-sex couples, McLennan County Justice of the Peace, Diane Hensley, and Jack County Judge Brian Keith Umphrus. Umphrus's case is currently awaiting a decision from the Supreme Court about a question certified to it from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Last but not least, Texas' highest civil court denied the city of Kima's attempt to thwart a state property rights lawsuit Friday, as the city scrambles to address another loss in a federal case that could result in millions and damages owed by taxpayers.

Starting point is 00:03:54 Kema property owner Veronica Crow sued the city in 2022 over allegations that her construction permits were revoked because city officials imposed a myriad of contradicting conditions that have prevented her from building on her property for the past four years. Both a district court judge and a state appeals court denied the city's motions to dismiss Crow's case in 23 and 2024, respectively. But the city's hired attorney, Bill Helphen of Lewis, Brisbois, Bisgard, and Smith successfully delayed the suit's progress by repeated requests for extensions and appeals. On Friday, the Texas Supreme Court denied Helton's petition for review, and now Crow's lawsuit may proceed to trial. The court also ruled that Crow's attorney may file a supplemental

Starting point is 00:04:40 brief that includes a U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling against the city in T&W Holding versus Kima. The Federal Appeals Court opinion issued last month stated that governments may not impose additional administrative hurdles before a resident or business owner may sue for constitutional violations. Thanks for listening. The next few episodes of the Daily Rundown will release on December 23rd and December 30th, giving you time to spend Christmas and New Year's with friends and family. Check back in on January 2nd for the next regularly scheduled episode of the Daily Rundown. 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.

The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - December 19, 2025

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