Good morning,

Should prospective foster parents be required to affirm gay lifestyles? The Biden administration thinks so, but we want your opinion in this week's One Click Survey.

You will find that at the bottom of today's Texas Minute.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 
Monday, Dec. 18, 2023

Thousands of ‘Special Interest Aliens’ are Entering the US

• According to recently revealed internal data from Customs and Border Protection shows, agents have apprehended more than 70,000 special interest aliens between the ports of entry over the last two years. Sydnie Henry has the details.
        

• "Special interest" illegal are described as individuals from countries identified by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as having conditions that promote or protect terrorism or potentially pose some national security threat to the U.S.
         

• For example, at least 30,830 from Turkey have crossed illegally into the U.S. and 15,594 from Mauritania. Apprehensions have also included 13,624 from Uzbekistan and 6,386 from Afghanistan.
            
• “The Biden administration’s failure to secure the southern border has jeopardized our national security, as terrorists from war-torn countries in the Middle East continue [to] breach our southern border.” – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz

Lawmakers Demand Answers After House Paid PR Firm in Paxton Impeachment

• Four members of the Texas House want to know why taxpayer dollars were used to fund a public relations firm as part of the chamber's failed impeachment of Attorney General Ken Paxton. Brandon Waltens notes newly released records reveal that the House General Investigating Committee gave $32,000 to New West Communications.
        
• The firm is headed by a former reporter for the Austin American Statesman who later worked for disgraced former House Speaker Joe Straus of San Antonio. The payments were made from June through October, before and after the trial.
      
• State Reps. Brian Harrison (R–Midlothian), Nate Schatzline (R–Ft Worth), Steve Toth (R–The Woodlands), and Tony Tinderholt (R–Arlington) want an explanation for the expenditures.
       
• “The monthly budget during session for a Member’s entire House Office – including rent and all staff members – is $19,250, yet the [General Investigating Committee] appears to have forced taxpayers to spend almost twice that amount purely on public affairs to shape the narrative regarding the impeachment of Attorney General Ken Paxton,” they wrote in a letter to the committee chairman, Andrew Murr (R-Junction).

Colony Ridge Finances Reveal Possible Conflicts

• The developers of the controversial illegal alien housing development, Colony Ridge, have awarded more than $16 million in taxpayer dollars to a paving company with close ties to board members. Emily Medeiros has the latest.
      
• A recent investigation by The Daily Wire shows that the paving company, Liberty Paving LLC, likely has a direct connection to the managing board members, developers, and their family members. 

Pro-Palestine Demonstrators Demand Austin City Council Support a Ceasefire

• Pro-Palestine protestors demanded city council members in Austin condemn Israel and called for a ceasefire. As Will Biagini reports, the protest was organized by the "Party for Socialism" and "Liberation Austin."
       
• Whatever you think of the situation in the Middle East... since the Austin City Council cannot curb crime within the city, it seems foolish to think a resolution accomplishes anything but giving comfort to terrorists.

Phelan Ally Wilson Gets GOP Challenge

• Janine Chapa is challenging four-term State Rep. Terry Wilson of Georgetown in the March 2024 Republican primary to represent the state’s House District 20 in Central Texas. Erin Anderson has the story. 

       
• Wilson is a retired Army officer who was first elected to the legislature in 2016. Since then, he has never faced a primary opponent. Wilson is a close ally of House Speaker Dade Phelan and was among the 60 House Republicans who voted with 61 Democrats to impeach Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
      
• Chapa is a retired insurance executive who said she is “tired of seeing go-along-get-along politicians refuse to fight for our way of life here in Texas.”

Quote-Unquote

"When you want to help people, you tell them the truth. When you want to help yourself, you tell them what they want to hear."

– Thomas Sowell​

Today In History

On Dec. 18, 1860, a group of Texas Rangers under the command of Lawrence Sullivan Ross attacked a Commanche camp. Among those in the camp was Cynthia Ann Parker, who had been captured by the Comanche as a young girl in 1836.

ONE CLICK SURVEY

A rule proposed by the Biden administration would require foster parents to "affirm" LGBTQ lifestyles. This is being seen as a direct assault on Christian foster parents and faith-based placement organizations.

Should foster parents be required to affirm homosexual and queer lifestyles?

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