The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - December 9, 2024

Episode Date: December 9, 2024

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Howdy folks, today is Monday, December 9, and you're listening to the Texans Daily Rundown. I'm the Texans Assistant Editor Rob Lausches, and here is the rundown of today's news in Texas politics. First up, the Speaker's race is over, Chairman Dustin Burroughs announced at the Capitol on Saturday, following a tumultuous day of gridlock during which State Representative David Cook secured the Texas House Republican Caucus endorsement. Burroughs was joined by about 20 of his Republican colleagues in the room. It was a brief announcement in which Burroughs said he had secured a bipartisan majority of the chamber, promising the list would be released soon. No questions were taken. The list was

released to the Texans shortly after the press conference, showing the names of a bipartisan 76 member list of those supporting Burroughs. 38 of those are Republicans, and 38 are Democrats. Cook then released his list of 56 in support from the caucus meeting. At least five members appeared on both lists, and some began stating they did not join the borough's list, such as House District 80 Representative-elect Don McLaughlin. Earlier in the day, Cook won the Republican caucus endorsement after a standoff in the middle of voting. Cook told press following that vote, quote, This race is not over. We will continue to work with every member of the Republican caucus, and I look forward to having conversations with the Democrats with any issues as a minority party.

He added, quote, We want to respect the rights of a minority party. Next, the U.S. Attorney's Office has released a criminal complaint alleging three Texas-based U.S. Army soldiers were involved in, quote, a conspiracy to smuggle undocumented non-citizens. U.S. Border Patrol, according to the Department of Justice press release, approached a vehicle while it was in Presidio carrying undocumented non-citizens. It was stopped by law enforcement after attempting to flee and striking another vehicle, leading to the apprehension of the passengers and the driver fleeing on foot. U.S. Border Patrol, according to the Department of Justice press release, approached a vehicle while it was in Presidio carrying undocumented non-citizens. It was

stopped by law enforcement after attempting to flee and striking another vehicle, leading to the apprehension of the passengers and the driver fleeing on foot. The incident occurred on November 27th. Emilio Mendoza-Lopez, Angel Palma, and Enrique Jaregui are the three individuals alleged to have been involved in the conspiracy. All three are soldiers in the U.S. Army Fort Cabasos post in Killeen. In other news, among the bills introduced ahead of Texas's 89th legislative session regarding illegal immigration and justice is State Senator Joan Huffman's Senate Bill 552, which would ban convicted illegal aliens from receiving early termination of their probation through serving community time. According to its definition of illegal aliens, SB 552 proposes that they be ineligible for, quote, judge-ordered or jury-recommended community

supervision, or, quote, deferred adjudication community supervision. One defendant in Harris County charged in 2024 with acts involving indecency with a child with sexual conduct and indecency with a child with exposure was found to be an illegal immigrant from Mexico who had been deported on multiple occasions. Judge Natalia Cornelio of the 351st District Criminal Court awarded said defendant, Isidro Andablo Martinez, with early termination of probation. According to the Texas Penal Code, criminals are not eligible to serve community time if sentenced to serve more than 10 years in prison, but it does not mention citizenship status requirements. Last but not

least, residents and property owners who filed a lawsuit claiming the Denton Central Appraisal District, or DCAD, violates the Texas Tax Code and Texas Constitution in the way it conducts mass appraisals have now filed an appeal with the Second Court of Appeals in Fort Worth. The suit, filed against DCAD and its chief appraiser Don Spencer, was dismissed after DCAD filed a plea to jurisdiction, which challenges the authority of the court over the subject matter of the lawsuit. Mitch and Catherine Vexler and Jim and Gloria Selinsky filed the lawsuit in October 2023, claiming that, quote, DCAD has been brazenly and recklessly increasing the value of Denton

County properties for years, unchecked and without accountability. The Vexlers and the Solinskys contend that DCAD is not operating its mass appraisal system according to the tax code and the uniform standards of professional appraisal practice, which require the appraisal system according to the tax code and the uniform standards of professional appraisal practice, which require the appraisal to be, quote, based upon the individual characteristics that affect the property's market value and all available evidence that is specific to the value of the property shall be taken into account in determining the property's market value. Thanks for listening. To support The Texan, please be sure to visit thetexan.news and subscribe to get full access to all of our articles, newsletters, and podcasts.