Good morning,

In today's One Click Survey, we'd like to know which chamber of the Texas Legislature you think has been more responsive to conservatives.

But first... here is the Texas Minute for Monday, June 12, 2023.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Republican Chairman Slams GOP House Members

• After the 88th Session of the Texas Legislature failed to produce results on several conservative priorities, Republican Party of Texas Chairman Matt Rinaldi is calling out House Republicans who sided with Democrats this session. Emily Wilkerson has the story.

      
• Rinaldi said the GOP-dominated House watered down conservative bills and refused to vote with the party’s principles in mind. He made those comments on the Salcedo Storm podcast hosted by Texas Scorecard.
      
• The party chairman said that because of state representatives' poor performance, Gov. Greg Abbott was being forced to call multiple special sessions, "spoon-feeding" them to-do lists. Rinaldi also criticized the House's impeachment of Attorney General Ken Paxton as a "shame" and a "disgrace."
      
• "They didn’t allow witnesses, they didn’t take any direct evidence whatsoever. They didn’t allow anybody to interview or cross-examine witnesses. They didn’t place witnesses under oath." – Matt Rinaldi 
       
• He said between now and the GOP primary in March 2024, the party will be working to "educate the voters" about which lawmakers have been working with Democrats to thwart the Republican agenda.

Buoy Border Barriers

• Gov. Greg Abbott has announced plans to implement a wall of security buoys in the Rio Grande River. Matthew DeLaCruz reports the devices will be placed across a 1,000-foot stretch of the river near Eagle Pass by the beginning of July.

       
• While the buoys are designed to be difficult to cross over, the director of the Texas Department of Public Safety was unable to explain how the system would deter anyone who simply swims under them.
     
• “Ultimately, static barriers alone will not solve the problem of crossings between ports of entry,” said Chris Russo, the president of Texans for Strong Borders. “If Gov. Abbott deploys state personnel to directly repel crossings in addition to this, it could prove an effective solution.”

Teacher Aide Arrested for Distributing Homemade Child Porn

• An elementary school teacher’s aide from Henrietta is accused of using Snapchat to create and distribute homemade child pornography showing himself assaulting a very young boy. Erin Anderson reports the perpetrator was arrested late last week.

       
• Blaine Tyler Frost, 19, who works with children in Henrietta Independent School District, was charged with indecency with a child by exposure, indecency with a child by sexual contact, and possession with intent to promote child pornography. All are second-degree felonies punishable by two to 20 years in prison.
     
• In one Snapchat video, Frost allegedly exposed himself to a male victim about 3-5 years old and then assaulted the child. Authorities believe the assault took place in February 2023, a month after Frost became certified to teach.
       
• He is currently being held in the Clay County Jail on a $1 million bond.

Jacksboro Teacher Terminated for ‘Improper Relationship’ With Student

• Police in Jacksboro notified the public last week that an unnamed high school teacher was fired back in April after school administrators reported an “incident” involving the educator and an "adult student." It is unclear if any charges have been filed.
       
• Police waited seven weeks before informing the public.
       

• The release included the subject line “Improper Relationship Between Educator/Student,” which is a felony that is specific to school teachers and staff.
        

• The Texas Penal Code defines an “improper relationship” as a primary or secondary school employee engaging in either sexual contact with a student of any age or sexually explicit communication with anyone younger than 17.

Texas Rangers Refuse to Celebrate Gay ‘Pride' Month

• Even as corporations and organizations promote the LGBT agenda through June under the “Pride Month” celebration, Soli Rice reports the Texas Rangers remains the only Major League Baseball team refusing to participate.

        
• Back in 2003, the Rangers attempted to host an “informal gay night,” where, without officially marketing the event, they invited several LGBT groups to the stadium. That event was met with heavy protest. Since then, the team has not hosted another “Pride” celebration.
        
• Despite complaints from homosexual pressure groups, the Rangers have no plans to go to bat for the LGBT agenda.

Today In History

On June 12, 1987, President Ronald Reagan urged the Soviet Union's leader – Mikhail Gorbachev – to tear down the wall imprisoning people within East Germany.

ONE CLICK SURVEY

The chairman of the Republican Party of Texas is out with a strong rebuke of the GOP-dominated Texas House for what he described as watering down conservative priorities.

Overall in 2023, which chamber of the Texas Legislature has so far been more responsive to conservatives?

Once you’ve clicked an answer, reply to this email with any thoughts you’d like to share!