Good morning,

This is the Texas Minute for Thursday, July 11, 2024.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Biden Caught in Texas-Sized Lie

• President Joe Biden is now politicizing disaster relief. After granting the state's request for a major disaster declaration, he later claimed both Gov. Greg Abbott and Acting Gov. Dan Patrick had been “unreachable.” But, as Will Biagini reports, phone records prove that is not true.
       
• In fact, Patrick spoke with Biden on the phone for three minutes along with the Texas Department of Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd.
           
• Abbott was traveling in Asia as Hurricane Beryl struck the Texas coast, leaving Patrick in charge of the state's response. The governor's press secretary described Biden's comments "a complete lie."
          
• “To suggest that the president could not find me or the governor is ridiculous,” said Patrick, noting that the president has Abbott's direct line and Federal Emergency Management Agency officials had his own number. “The bottom line is this: I asked for a federal disaster declaration at the proper time without delay and the president agreed. Sadly, President Biden is attacking Gov. Abbott and me, trying to score political points, for reasons that make no sense. Mr. President, as you like to say, ‘C’mon, man!’”

Paxton Says Phelan's House Preparing Another Impeachment Attempt

• Attorney General Ken Paxton claims the Texas House General Investigating Committee is gearing up for another attempt to impeach him. Brandon Waltens notes that is the same committee that referred articles of impeachment against him last year.

         
• The previous impeachment effort failed during the Senate trial last September, with Paxton being exonerated on all counts.
        
• The General Investigating Committee, led by outgoing State Rep. Andrew Murr, is scheduled to meet at 11 am on Wednesday, July 17. As the committee did during its secretive proceedings ahead of the impeachment last year, it has not posted an agenda or announced what they are doing.
      
• Paxton told NewsMax last night he believes the committee is colluding with the Biden administration to bring a federal case against him or resurrect the failed impeachment.
       
• “Next week’s House General Investigating Committee meeting is yet another desperate attempt by the Republican establishment to impeach me. Their bitter obsession with taking me down knows no bounds, and they will stop at nothing to remove me from office. Just like Biden’s relentless attacks on President Trump, establishment Republicans in Texas have joined forces with Democrats to launch a full-force lawfare assault against me.” – Ken Paxton

Lawmakers Press for Action on Key Issues

• Two Republican lawmakers are pressing the Democrat who chairs the House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence to hold hearings on urgent matters that they believe are putting Texas in imminent danger. As Emily Medeiros reports, Speaker Dade Phelan's leadership team is refusing to address the issues.
             
• State Reps. Brian Harrison (R-Midlothian) and Nate Schatzline (R-Fort Worth) are urging Joe Moody (D-El Paso) to hold hearings on border security, potential child abuse and fraud at Texas Children’s Hospital, and President Joe Biden’s lawfare against whistleblowers. 
       
• Over the past several weeks, a growing group of Republican lawmakers have been calling for these investigations by the House, but Phelan has thus far ignored them.
        
• At a committee hearing earlier this week, Harrison and Schatzline pressed Moody to proceed with the hearings. He demurred, saying he would have to consult the committee rules before doing so. That sparked the formal letter they sent yesterday, urging action and citing chamber rules specifically allowing such hearings to proceed.
       
• “It will be interesting to see if a Democrat takes swifter action to protect Texans than the entire ‘Republican’ House leadership team has so far.” – Brian Harrison

Illegal Alien Wanted by Spain Entered U.S. Through Texas

• An illegal alien who is wanted by Spanish authorities has been captured in Boston after entering the U.S. through Del Rio back in 2022. Holly Tkach has the story.
      
• The Columbian national has not been named by federal officials, who say he is wanted in Spain on drug trafficking charges.
     
• He was arrested by the Massachusetts State Police for driving an unregistered vehicle without a license.

Cruz Pushes ‘No Tax on Tips’ Act

• U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz’s No Tax on Tips Act seeks to amend the Internal Revenue Code by exempting cash tips from federal income tax. Debra McClure reports the measure has the backing of the National Restaurant Association.
         
• Cruz's legislation comes as Donald Trump has made this an issue on the campaign trail.  
        
• Currently, receiving more than $20 in tips a month is treated as taxable income. Cruz's legislation would exempt “cash” tips, including “cash, credit and debit card charges, and checks,” from federal income tax.
       
• “This common-sense, pro-worker legislation allows millions of tipped workers—including bartenders, waiters, and beauty professionals—to keep more of their hard-earned paycheck.” – Ted Cruz

Losing Lawmaker Sues Creator of Opposition Website

• Defeated State Rep. Frederick Frazier (R-McKinney) has filed a defamation lawsuit against Paul Chabot, a past primary rival who created the website FireFrazier.com. Erin Anderson has the background.
      
• The lawsuit alleges that Chabot’s website and social media posts made “false claims about Mr. Frazier to rally and mobilize voters against Mr. Frazier.”
      
• Frazier lost his May 28 GOP primary runoff to challenger Keresa Richardson by a 2-1 margin, earning only 32 percent of the vote.
        
• In the wake of scandalous behavior, Frazier pleaded guilty in December 2023 to criminal mischief and was dishonorably discharged from his job at the Dallas Police Department. Frazier is claiming it was Chabot's website that “impaired” his re-election campaign.
          
• In fact, it seems the only thing impairing Frazier's re-election was his criminal activities.

Quote-Unquote

"There is a certain enthusiasm in liberty, that makes human nature rise above itself, in acts of bravery and heroism."

– Alexander Hamilton​

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