The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - July 1, 2024

Starting point is 00:00:00 Howdy folks, today is Monday, July 1st, 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, issuing the grand finale decision for its spring term, the Supreme Court of the United States sided in part with former President Donald Trump, finding that presidents enjoy immunity from criminal prosecution for their official acts, dismissing one indictment and remanding the remaining charges to the trial court to sift out the official and unofficial actions. Trump was indicted by special counsel Jack Smith on August 1st, 2023 on four felony charges relating to the 2020 election. The charges include Trump's conversations with the Department of Justice regarding the investigation of election fraud

Starting point is 00:00:56 and the potential replacement of the U.S. Attorney General. The others involve an allegation that Trump pressured former Vice President Mike Pence to unlawfully reject electoral votes, and that he conspired with state and party officials to overturn the election results by submitting false slates of presidential electors. He was also charged for public comments and social media posts he made during the January 6, 2021 riot in the U.S. Capitol building. In a 6-3 opinion authored by Chief Justice John Roberts, the court disagreed with Trump's assertion that presidents can only be charged after an impeachment. However, in a legal victory for Trump, they agreed that presidents enjoy total immunity from criminal prosecution for exercising their core constitutional functions. Next, SCOTUS has ruled unanimously in a case involving a 2021 Texas social media transparency law, sending it back to the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Starting point is 00:01:55 House Bill 20, which requires major social media platforms to be more transparent and prohibit viewpoint-based censorship, passed in the 87th legislature. It faced an immediate legal challenge, resulting in a temporary block by a federal district court. This decision was appealed to the Fifth Circuit, which temporarily lifted the block, allowing the law to take effect. Justice Elena Kagan delivered the opinion for SCOTUS, writing, quote, Texas has never been shy and always been consistent about its interest. The objective is to correct the mix of viewpoints that major platforms present, but a state may not interfere with private actors' speech to advance its own vision of ideological balance.

Starting point is 00:02:37 Netchoice v. Paxton was brought to SCOTUS in conjunction with a similar case from a lawsuit stemming from a Florida law. In other news, the Texas Supreme Court ruled 8-1 in favor of a Justice of the Peace from Waco who declined to perform wedding ceremonies for same-sex couples. Only Justice Deborah Lehrman dissented. Judge Diane Hensley received a public warning in November 2019 by the Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct for, quote, casting doubt on her capacity to act impartially to persons appearing before her as a judge due to the person's sexual orientation in violation of the Texas Code of Judicial Conduct. Hensley's office created a referral system for those seeking services for same-sex ceremonies,

Starting point is 00:03:21 including one just three blocks from her office for the same price that she charges. Represented by the First Liberty Institute, Hensley sued the commission under the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Last but not least, the Fort Worth City Council unanimously approved incentives to develop the second phase of the Fort Worth Heritage Project at its meeting on Tuesday, June 25th. Phase 2 is a $630 million overall expenditure that will develop the area between East Exchange Avenue, Stockyards Boulevard, and Packers Street. This area is north of the main body of the Stockyards. The incentive was awarded to Fort Worth Heritage LLC, Parker said in a statement,

Starting point is 00:04:15 quote, substantial long-term value and improvements to Fort Worth's only historical entertainment district. Furthermore, this project is projected to bring in over $425 million in net new taxes to our city, significantly bolstering our commercial base. Phase one of the Fort Worth Heritage Project was approved in 2014 and developed Mule Alley and the Hotel Drover. The city says that the development increased the stockyard's property value to $225 million and also helped grow tourism to the district. Visitors have increased from 3 million annually to 9 million over the last decade. Thanks for listening.

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The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - July 1, 2024

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