Good morning, 

This is the Texas Minute for Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

But First...

• Each year Texas Scorecard honors the real leaders in our Republic with the Conservative Leader Award. These are the men and women who step up in their local communities to advance self-governance.
         
• Other groups give out baubles and plaques to politicians… we present engraved swords to grassroots activists!
       
• If you know someone who selflessly serves their community, nominate them today!

Paxton Sues Bexar County Over Controversial Voter Registration Push

• Attorney General Ken Paxton announced yesterday that he is filing suit against Bexar County’s commissioners court and its elections administrator for approving an "unlawful program" that would send out voter registration applications. As Ian Camacho reports, the applications would go to residents whether or not they requested it... or are even eligible to vote.
      
• Paxton warned Bexar and Harris counties that a lawsuit would be imminent if such a program were approved. Harris County commissioners tabled their version, but Bexar County proceeded anyway—and is now being sued as a result.
      
• The attorney general said the program is "fundamentally illegal" because counties do not have the statutory authority to print and mail state voter registration forms. By the nature of the program being pursued by Bexar County, Paxton said the county "could induce ineligible people—such as felons and noncitizens—to commit a crime by attempting to register to vote."
       
• Bexar County commissioners voted to give $392,700 of taxpayer money to the Democrat-leaning CGS, which will use it to print and mail voter registration forms to individuals "based on targeting." According to CGS' parent company, "targeting" means finding individuals who will vote Democrat in the general election once registered.

RELATED NEWS

• Battleground Texas Engagement Fund is a leftist organization committed to electing Democrats around the state. The commissioner's decision to change county policy will allow them to register voters in county buildings.

MS-13 Gang Member Caught in Houston

• A Salvadoran fugitive and MS-13 gang member, who crossed the U.S. southern border illegally and was arrested this March in Houston, has been removed from the country. Valerie Muñoz reports the man was wanted in El Salvador for aggravated homicide, femicide, and other charges.
      
• MS-13 is a transnational criminal gang with ties to the Mexican Mafia.
       
• According to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, the man had previously entered the U.S. illegally in 2020 and was expelled the same day. It is unknown when he re-entered the country.

RELATED NEWS

High-Speed Rail Project Gets Federal Boost

• The Texas high-speed rail project linking Houston to Dallas has hit several roadblocks over the year. However, a recent grant of nearly $64 million from the Biden-Harris administration indicates the project is still moving forward. Charles Blain has the story.
       
• The high-speed rail project was initially overseen and managed by Texas Central, a private company that worked to raise initial funding from investors and obtain rights of way along the route, but recently, Amtrak has taken control.
        
• The original Texas Central project was estimated to cost $10 billion but is now estimated to run as high as $40 billion. A similar high-speed rail project in California had a starting price tag of $33 billion in 2008 and now is expected to exceed $100 billion.

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Quote-Unquote

"Texas is the finest portion of the globe that has blessed my vision."

– Sam Houston​

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