The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - January 3, 2025

Episode Date: January 3, 2025

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Howdy folks, today is Friday, January 3, 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 U.S. House of Representatives voted to retain Speaker Mike Johnson as the chamber's leader for the 119th Congress on Friday, electing him on the first round of votes. Johnson received 218 of the 434 votes cast. Initially, Johnson appeared to come up short and be headed to a second ballot. But two members, one of them Texas Congressman Keith Self, changed their votes after speaking with President-elect Donald Trump. During the first voice vote, nine members were silent, including Texan congressmen Chip Roy and Michael Cloud. After the first vote was tallied and the names of previously silent members had been called,

a long break ensued as Johnson joined holdouts Self and Representative Ralph Norman in the back of the chamber, resulting in both members switching their votes and leading Johnson to victory. As reported, President-elect Donald Trump was a factor in Norman and Self's decision to flip votes, as he reportedly weighed in with the representatives after their defection, leading to their votes for Johnson. Next, Republican state lawmakers called for the termination of Texas Medical Board Director Dr. Robert Brett after court documents in a lawsuit between TMB and Dr. Mary Talley Bowden disclosed Brett's present employment at Planned Parenthood since 2011. Brett currently holds the position of Laboratory Medical Director at Planned Parenthood South Texas Laboratory in San Antonio, while leading TMB as medical director since 2012. The lawsuit between TMB and Bowden,

a Houston-based ear, nose, and throat specialist, involved TMB's formal complaint against her for prescribing ivermectin treatments for COVID-19 and deposing her employer, Houston Methodist Hospital, for its vaccine mandates. Bowden rejected TMB's disciplinary compromise proposal that would have required an admission of guilt as well as various fines and training requirements. State Representative Briscoe Cain sent a letter to TMB on December 30th demanding that Brett be terminated from his role at TMB, stating that the doctor's role at Planned Parenthood, quote, raises serious concerns about his ethics and ability to maintain the impartiality and integrity required of his role. State Representative Brian Harrison followed up Kane's initiative a day later,

writing a letter to Governor Greg Abbott also urging the termination of Brett's position at TMB, which consists of 16 members appointed by the governor. In other news, Governor Abbott announced the arrest of four Trende Aragua gang members by the Texas Department of Public Safety nearly four months after declaring the group a foreign terrorist organization. Texas DPS encountered 22 illegal immigrants in Valverde County on Christmas Eve, 11 of whom were arrested for criminal trespassing. The remaining 11, including family units, were sent to the U.S. Border Patrol for processing. Out of the 11 arrested,

four Venezuelan men were determined to be members of TDA after interviews with DPS and phone searches. Abbott said one of the members, quote, had tattoos on his shoulders indicating he may hold rank or leadership within the gang. Last but not least, the Supreme Court of Texas has left a matter pending regarding religious practices in a case where members of the Lipan Apache Native American Church sued the city of San Antonio, alleging its actions have prevented the performance of religious ceremonies. Gary Perez and Matilda Torres sued San Antonio, claiming that the city's plans to develop Bracken Ridge Park interfered with their ability to carry out religious ceremonies.

They argued this violated their rights under the First Amendment, the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act, and the Texas Constitution. Perez and Torres asked the court to require the city to allow them access to the park for religious ceremonies, limit the removal of trees, and allow birds to nest in the trees near the park. After a hearing, the district court ordered the city to allow religious ceremonies in the area, but refused to block the city's plans to remove trees or manage the bird population. Perez and Torres then appealed to the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, which concluded that the plaintiffs failed to demonstrate a likelihood of success on their claims under federal or state law. The case was then certified to the Texas Supreme Court to

address unresolved issues under the Texas Constitution, which protects religious services from government interference. 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.