Good morning, 

This is the Texas Minute for Purple Heart Day—Wednesday, August 7, 2024.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Abbott Predicts GOP Will Gain Three Texas House Seats

• Gov. Greg Abbott is bullish on the November election. As Adam Cahn reports, the governor predicts the GOP will gain three state house seats in November.
      
• "The reality is Republicans are going to pick up several Democrat House seats in this election cycle," said Abbott, explaining that will aid his effort to pass a school choice program into law.
     
• Specifically, Abbott believes the GOP will pick up House Districts 34 (Corpus Christi), 70 (Plano), and 80 (Uvalde), currently held respectively by Democrats Abel Herrero, Mihaela Plesa, and Tracy King.
       
• Republicans currently hold a 22-seat majority, 86 to 64, in the 150-member chamber. The General Election will take place on Tuesday, November 5.  Early voting runs from Monday, October 21, to Friday, November 1.

Paxton Racks Up Another Win Against Big Tech

• Four years after Attorney General Ken Paxton led the charge against Google, a U.S. District Court has ruled that the Internet giant's business practices illegally stifled competition. Will Biagini has the details.
       
• The court concluded that Google maintained an illegal monopoly over two spheres of internet activity in the United States: general search services and general text advertising. Penalties and remedies could be determined in the next phase of the case, which is set to start in September.
       
• “Google engaged in anticompetitive trade practices to monopolize internet search engines and advertisements,” said Paxton. “I’m proud to lead this case and deliver another major win against Big Tech.” 
       
• Paxton announced the case in October 2020 and was joined by the Trump administration's Department of Justice and 10 other states. 

Dallas' Mark Cuban Endorses Harris

• Billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban has joined a list of venture capitalists supporting Vice President Kamala Harris in her presidential bid. Daniel Greer reports this puts Cuban out of touch with Texans.
       
• It is worth noting the Dallas businessman had been backing Joe Biden’s reelection before it was torpedoed following the first presidential debate. Cuban has praised Biden's border czar, Kamala Harris, speaking approvingly of her commitment to putting open border policies into practice.
       
• Meanwhile, public polling in Texas has consistently featured border security and illegal immigration as voters' top concerns. 

Carroll ISD Won't Negotiate with U.S. Department of Education

• Faced with an investigation from the U.S. Department of Education, the Carroll Independent School District is refusing to negotiate without more information. As Valerie Muñoz reports, four students have complained they were discriminated against on the basis of their race and “LGBTQ+” identity.
      
• They claim other students aimed racial slurs at them and want all district staff and students to be subjected to mandatory diversity training.
      
• The district notes that the federal agency has not provided written findings in the case, denying district officials the opportunity to address the claims.
       
• In a letter to the U.S. Secretary of Education, U.S. Rep. Beth Van Duyne wrote that the department should answer questions about the merit of the investigation. “Based on recent actions by the Biden administration, we fear your Department will weaponize federal resources to intimidate parents who disagree with the policies of this administration.”

Lone Conservative on Austin City Council Tries to Avoid Property Tax Hike

• Mackenzie Kelly, the lone conservative on the Austin City Council, wants her colleagues to adopt a budget that doesn't raise taxes. Debra McClure reports the city manager is looking to bump the tax burden by nearly six percent.
        
• Kelly explains that with revenue growth from various sources such as new development and sales tax, the city already has more than $45 million in new revenues without having to raise taxes. She has identified more than $51 million in possible budget savings.
      
• Meanwhile, the city manager wants the council to adopt a record-setting $5.9 billion budget.
        
• “When my constituents tell me they are struggling to make ends meet, I believe them and take it seriously.” – Mackenzie Kelly

Quote-Unquote

"Let it be known that he who wears the military order of the purple heart has given of his blood in the defense of his homeland and shall forever be revered by his fellow countrymen."

– George Washington​

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