The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - June 26, 2024

Episode Date: June 26, 2024

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Howdy folks, today is Wednesday, June 26th, 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, in a 6-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Murthy v. Missouri that the plaintiffs did not have the legal standing to seek an injunction against the Biden administration over its involvement with social media platforms. Multiple plaintiffs, ranging from epidemiologists to consumer and human rights advocates to academics, claimed that the various defendants, including numerous federal agencies and officials, engaged in censorship by targeting topics of conservative-leaning speech, such as voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election,

COVID-19 origins, mask and vaccine efficacy, and the Hunter Biden laptop story. The plaintiffs argued that the defendants used public statements and threats of regulatory action, such as reforming Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act to induce social media platforms to suppress content in alleged violations of the plaintiff's First Amendment rights. Next, the Texas Ethics Commission has sanctioned Harris County Judge Lena Hidalgo over comments she made at a press conference on county property last year, in which she lambasted District Attorney Kim Ogg and endorsed Ogg's Democratic primary opponent. The TEC order reads, "...credible evidence shows the respondent used public resources of Harris County for the press conference held in a county facility at her direction. Therefore, there is credible evidence

of violations of the election code. Hidalgo must pay a fine of $500. Filed by attorney Mark McCaig, the complaint to TEC stems from a press conference Hidalgo held on November 10, the day after news broke that the Texas Rangers would be executing new search warrants in relation to an $11 million COVID-19 vaccine outreach contract the county awarded to a highly connected Democratic strategist in 2021. McCaig told the Texan, quote, the order from the Texas Ethics Commission describes, in detail, how Lena Hidalgo's misuse of government resources for political purposes violated Texas law. In other news, the Texas A&M University system is among those selected to manage the Pantex facility in Amarillo that assembles and disassembles America's nuclear arsenal.

The system is one of four entities part of the Pantex's deterrence company selected to manage the facility. The other three are BWXT Technical Services Group, Fluor Federal Services, and SOC LLC. Worth up to $30 billion, or $1.5 billion annually. The contract's length lasts two decades that begins with an initial five-year run. There are three additional five-year options that may be exercised by the Department of Energy and its National Nuclear Security Administration. Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp said, quote, It is a privilege to be part of the management of another component of the country's nuclear deterrent. We take our national security responsibilities seriously, and we will bring the

same level of care and expertise to Pantex as we have done for the past several years to Los Alamos. Also, the Fort Worth City Council unanimously voted to approve a resolution removing a substitute municipal judge who is under a federal indictment for fraud. Thelma Anderson, who has worked as a part-time substitute judge in Fort Worth since December 13, 2022, was indicted in March on one count of wire fraud and two counts of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from unlawful activity, according to the Department of Justice press release. If convicted, Anderson faces up to 40 years in federal prison.

The Fort Worth City Charter, which provides that municipal judges may be removed for dereliction of duty, incompetency, incapacity to serve, misconduct, or conduct discrediting the position, allowed the city to terminate Anderson's appointment, a Fort Worth City spokesperson told the Texan. Last but not least, the Fort Worth City Council held a special called work session last week about its fiscal year 2025 budget. Opening comments were provided

by Deputy City Manager Mark McDaniel, followed by a presentation on human resources budget topics given by the city's director of human resources, Deanna Giordano. Members of the city's FW Lab finished the work session by presenting on revenue and proposals for fiscal year 2025. The budget is expected to be tight, more so than in other years. City officials will be working over the next 60 days to develop the city's next budget, which should be balanced. The preliminary budget will be working over the next 60 days to develop the city's next budget, which should be balanced.

The preliminary budget will be presented to the City Council in August, and the Council will vote on it in September. 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.