The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - June 13, 2025

Episode Date: June 13, 2025

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Howdy folks, today is Friday, June 13th and you are listening to the Texans Daily Rundown. I'm the Texans Assistant Editor Rob Lauschis and here is the rundown of today's news in Texas Politics. First up, Israel launched a large-scale airstrike campaign against Iran on Thursday night, targeting its nuclear facilities and killing several high-profile Iranian military commanders, spurring on a plethora of largely supportive responses from Texas officials. Congressman Michael McCaul said the strike came after Iran refused to dismantle its nuclear

program. Governor Greg Abbott posted on X the morning following the news, quote, Israel was forced to defend itself and American interests from the Iranian regime that was hell bent on building nuclear weapons that would have endangered the globe. Abbott continued, quote, Texas stands with our ally taking necessary action to protect its people and restore global stability. McCaul, chairman emeritus of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, said in a press release on Friday morning, quote, President Trump gave Iran every chance to negotiate in good faith and to dismantle their nuclear program. Next, Senator John Cornyn announced that

he has secured $13.5 billion in President Donald Trump's one big, beautiful bill for Texas border wall reimbursement. Cornyn said, quote, No state did more to protect and defend the southern border during the disastrous Biden-Harris open border crisis than Texas. And I am proud that my provision to reimburse Texas taxpayers for the more than $11 billion spent on border security has been included in the Senate's One Big Beautiful Bill."

The senator, who is vying for his seat against 2026 primary challenger Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, has previously publicly advocated for the reimbursement of border wall funding, introducing legislation and saying he is working hand in glove with Governor Greg Abbott to get the appropriation across the finish line. Abbott first made the formal request for reimbursing Texas's border wall construction in January. In two letters, one to both Republican and Democratic leadership in the U.S. House and Senate, and the other directly addressing Texas's congressional delegation, he broke down the operating costs of Operation Lone Star under the Biden administration, which totals $11.1 billion. In other news, Tarrant County tried and convicted its first criminal under a new law passed in 2023

that increased the charges to murder for fentanyl trafficking that results in a person's death from overdose. County District Attorney Phil Sorrels took Jacob Lindsay, a 48-year-old man who delivered drugs laced with fentanyl that led to the fatal overdose of 26-year-old Brandon Harrison, to court, where he was charged and found guilty of murder by the jury. Lindsay was sentenced to life in prison. In late September 2023, Lindsay sold Harrison fentanyl laced methamphetamine. Harrison ingested the drugs, which led to his overdose and death on September 18th.

County investigators ascertained that Lindsay had sold the fentanyl laced drugs and he was subsequently indicted. This case was the first fentanyl murder case in the county and was handled by the then new district attorney narcotics unit which was created by Sorrell's to deal with fentanyl related and other important drug cases. Last but not least, the city of Dallas has a new inspector general whose job is to independently investigate and resolve

quote ethical issues within the city including those related to fraud, waste, abuse, public corruption, and official misconduct. Mayor Eric Johnson announced that Dallas had hired Timothy Manke as the new Inspector General on June 11th. The Office of Inspector General was first created in 2021 by the City Council. It was approved as an amendment to the city charter through an election held in November 2024. Originally, the Inspector General was part of the City Attorney's Office, but the charter amendment made it an independent office appointed by the City Council for a period of two years.

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