The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - January 29, 2025

Starting point is 00:00:00 Howdy folks, today is Thursday, January 2nd, 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating an apparent terrorist attack on New Year's Day in New Orleans, Louisiana, where a native Texan and member of ISIS drove a rented truck through a crowd on Bourbon Street, killing 15 people and injuring dozens of others. The perpetrator was confirmed by the FBI as 42-year-old Shamsud Dean Jabbar, who opened fire at law enforcement after driving a Ford pickup truck over the crowd, injuring two police officers

Starting point is 00:00:45 before being fatally shot on the scene. New Orleans law enforcement and the FBI confirmed that Jabbar picked up the vehicle in Houston on December 30th, then drove to New Orleans on December 31st, posting videos, quote, proclaiming his support for ISIS. In one of the videos, Jabbar explained that he had originally intended to harm his family and friends, but changed plans as he was concerned the headlines wouldn't focus on, quote, the war between believers and non-believers. Jabbar was a member of the U.S. Army for 10 years, serving in Afghanistan in 2009. The Houston FBI began its search on Wednesday afternoon in North Houston

Starting point is 00:01:26 related to the January 1st New Orleans attack, but provided few details, quote, due to the ongoing nature of the investigation. In other news, an attempt to sanction a senior official in the Texas office of the Attorney General over a legal challenge to the 2020 presidential election has concluded, with the Supreme Court of Texas ruling that the state bar overstepped its authority while dismissing the case. First Assistant Attorney General Brent Webster played a central role in filing Texas versus Pennsylvania,

Starting point is 00:01:56 a lawsuit invoking the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of the United States to challenge the 2020 electoral college results in four key states between President Donald Trump and challenger Joe Biden. The lawsuit was unsuccessful, but in the aftermath, the state bar's Commission for Lawyer Discipline pursued complaints against Webster, alleging that he had engaged in conduct involving, quote, dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation, end quote, in filing the charge. Had the state bar succeeded,

Starting point is 00:02:26 Webster's license to practice law could have been jeopardized. Both Webster and the OAG have consistently maintained the disciplinary action was politically motivated lawfare. Last but not least, the 89th legislative session is less than a score of days away, and this year's is once again primed with intrigue. Visit thetexan.news for six questions to watch for during the looming 140-day sprint and all that may or may not come after. The first question everyone asks, and for good reason, is who will be the speaker? There is a raging proxy war unfolding over the House gavel. Factions at odds within the Texas GOP, like activists, operatives, and donors, fighting a turf war over the highest office in the chamber.

Starting point is 00:03:12 State Representatives David Cook and Dustin Burroughs are their own men with their own ideas for how to run the House, but they're also totems for the surrounding factions waging this overarching fight. Burroughs maintains that he has the votes, despite a handful of defections from his original list. Meanwhile, Cook has the Republican House caucus endorsement. House Democrats are about as fractured as the Republicans, with a chunk behind Burroughs and another chunk saying no to either candidate. Both candidates have intentions to change things up in the way the House runs, Cook substantially more than Burroughs, with the initial question being, will minority party chairs be appointed? Cook's a firm no on that, while Burroughs has indicated he'll leave it up to the House in a vote during the debate over the chamber's rules. Thanks for listening. To support The Texan, please be sure to visit

Starting point is 00:03:59 thetexan.news and subscribe to get full access to all of our articles, newsletters, and podcasts.

The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - January 29, 2025

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