Good morning, 

That cackling sound you heard earlier this week was Kamala Harris visiting Texas. Surely the Biden Border Czar visited the border, right?

This is the Texas Minute for Thursday, June 22, 2023.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

UPDATE: Texas Scorecard reported this week on "witchcraft" courses being offered at two taxpayer-funded universities. Following our coverage of the story, and citizens demanding action, one of the universities – Texas Tech – has now apparently canceled the course. Watch the website for more updates.

Texans Asked to Conserve Electricity

• With many areas of the state experiencing record-high triple-digit temperatures, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas has asked citizens to “voluntarily reduce electricity use.” Katy Marshall has the story.

     
• ERCOT issued a “Voluntary Conservation Notice” earlier this week, calling for Texans to monitor their electricity usage and use less power if safe to do so. The directive comes as citizens face a week-long heat wave, with some parts of the state reaching 116 degrees.
       

• The notice also asked all government agencies, including city and county offices, to “implement programs to reduce energy use at their facilities.”
       

• Although ERCOT said Texans should not expect disruptions to their electricity supply, the power grid has already surpassed its peak demand record this June.
       

• Unreliable energy sources and ERCOT’s dependability came under fire in February 2021 after a winter storm blasted Texas. Gov. Greg Abbott implored lawmakers to investigate and reform ERCOT, which led to the resignation of four board members and the firing of the quasi-governmental entity's CEO.

Central Texas Community Wants Divisive ‘Pride’ Flags Off County Buildings

• Responding to community calls to keep “Pride” flags and other divisive displays off of government buildings, commissioners in Bell County have proposed a policy limiting such displays to the U.S., Texas, and county flags. Erin Anderson has the story.

       
• The Bell County Commissioners Court was set to consider changes to the county’s building and grounds use policy during their meeting yesterday, though consideration was delayed until the county attorney could conduct a review.
   
• Earlier this month, commissioners rejected a proposal to declare June as “LGBT Pride Month” in Bell County.

City of El Paso Institutes 'DEI' Board

• After a city council meeting this week, El Paso is now the first city in Texas to approve a taxpayer-funded diversity, equality, and inclusion board. Matthew DeLaCruz has the details.
         
• This action was taken shortly after the city council approved a plan promoting the LGBT political and social agenda. The council voted to "deprioritize" both the enforcement of "drag show restrictions" and restrictions on physicians mutilating children to achieve a gender appearance.

Democrat Johnson Announces Run For Congress

• Democrat State Rep. Julie Johnson of Farmers Branch has announced she will be giving up her seat in the Texas House to seek the congressional seat being vacated by Colin Allred. As Brandon Waltens notes, Allred is giving up that seat to challenge Ted Cruz's re-election to the U.S. Senate.

         
• Johnson's nascent campaign has already garnered support from leftist groups such as the American Federation of Teachers and the Human Rights Campaign.
       

• Having served in the Texas House since 2019, Johnson has been one of the chamber’s most liberal members—earning a 20 on the recently released Fiscal Responsibility Index.

      

• Republican House Speaker Dade Phelan empowered Johnson this last session by making her the vice-chair of the Committee on Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence.

DeSantis to Visit Eagle Pass on Campaign Tour

• Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will visit Eagle Pass next week as part of his “Great American Comeback” presidential campaign tour. Valerie Muñoz reports DeSantis has sent 800 National Guard troops from the Sunshine State to aid Texas in securing the border.

      

• The Eagle Pass event follows a trip to Cochise County, Arizona, one of the country’s hottest spots for drug trafficking on the southern border. DeSantis cited the success of the new Florida strike force that has been essential in capturing criminals engaging in drug smuggling and human trafficking.

Kamala Harris Targets Texas In Fundraising Push

• As President Joe Biden gears up for a potentially contentious 2024 presidential election, Vice President Kamala Harris has embarked on a fundraising tour that included a stop this week in the Lone Star State. Although Harris’ visit to Dallas did not feature any public appearances, the vice president sat down for an interview about abortion with MSNBC’s Joy Reid.
      

• Despite being the Biden administration's "border czar," Harris has no plans to stop at the southern border during her June 2023 Texas fundraising trip.
      

• Critics note this isn't the first time Harris made a trip to Texas while ignoring the border. 
      

• “The only place ‘Border Czar’ VP Kamala Harris should be visiting in Texas is the disaster-area formerly known as the US-Mexico border,” said U.S. Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas) back in 2021. 

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