Good morning,

We asked readers who they thought won the Donald Trump-Kamala Harris debate this week on ABC. Find the answers below.

This is the Texas Minute for Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Texas 'Speech Police' Granted Exclusive Power Over Campaign Violations by Court Ruling

• With just 55 days until the General Election, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ruled yesterday that the Texas Ethics Commission—often referred to as the “secret speech police”—must first review and investigate any complaints about campaign law violations before even local prosecutors can file criminal charges. Attorneys specializing in election law are calling the decision “insane.”
       
• Brandon Waltens reports this ruling is at direct odds with the CCA's 2021 ruling that stripped prosecutorial power in election matters from the Office of the Attorney General, saying that authority resided solely with local prosecutors. The CCA is the state's highest court on criminal matters.
     
• Rather than any duly elected officials having the power to prosecute such cases, the CCA's 6-3 decision now places that power in the hands of an unelected board consisting of half Republicans and half Democrats.
      
• The decision was authored by Michelle Slaughter, who was defeated in the March primary. The campaign against her centered principally around her role in stripping the A.G.'s office of prosecutorial power in election cases. Slaughter was heavily supported by the Austin lobby group “Texans for Lawsuit Reform.”
       
• Mitch Little, an attorney who represented Attorney General Ken Paxton in the impeachment trial last year and is an incoming member of the Texas House, called the decision “absolute madness.” He accused Slaughter and others of “just getting in one final jab to our election system on the way out.”
       
• In other words, we do not—functionally—have an enforceable election code heading into the General Election. What could possibly go wrong?!

Hotel Sued Over Criminal Activity, Alleged Venezuelan Gang Presence

• A hotel in El Paso and its owner face a temporary injunction and restraining order from the El Paso County Attorney for alleged criminal activity and suspicions of housing Tren de Aragua gang members. Valerie Muñoz has the details.
      
• The first documented instance of a possible gang member was in June when police were called after a suspect shot a handgun in the air and made threats of violence. Police later noted tattoos consistent with the gang Tren de Aragua on inhabitants of the hotel on several occasions while investigating calls of disorderly conduct and fire code violations.
      
• One video cited in the suit shows individuals “partying” on the third floor with one gun being shot, men holding knives, and another holding a hatchet he allegedly used to assault individuals and cause damage to the hotel.
       
• Mexican authorities previously warned the U.S. of the violent gang Tren de Aragua moving to enter the U.S. through El Paso. These gangs are also suspected to be a part of oil, diesel fuel, and copper wire thefts on West Texas oilfield sites.

RELATED NEWS

• As Will Biagini reports, the administration alleges that Texas “has altered the flow of the Rio Grande by engaging in activities on Fronton Island” without the federal government's approval.
      
• Until the state took action, evidence has shown that violent transnational criminal cartels reigned over the area and utilized it to terrorize communities.
     
• In response to the administration's demand, Abbott attacked the Biden-Harris administration's attempts to undo Texas’ border security initiatives.
      
• “I will not cede state land to transnational criminal cartels smuggling people, weapons, and drugs.” – Greg Abbott

U.S. House Moves to Slash Funding to Universities Aligned with CCP

• A new measure aimed at universities that have relationships with Chinese government institutes has passed the U.S. House of Representatives.
       
• Put forward by Texas Republican August Pfluger, the proposed law would block the Department of Homeland Security funds from going to universities that host a Confucius Institute or other “Chinese entity of concern.” Funding would only be restored once the university terminates the relationship.
       
• Confucius Institutes are one of the most blaring examples of Chinese infiltration of the American higher education system. For decades, they have played the role of the CCP’s catalysts to inject communist-sympathetic dogma into American institutions.
      
• H.R. 1516 must now pass the Senate before it can go to the president for enactment.

Harris County GOP Announces Opposition to School Bond Push

• Charles Blain reports the Harris County Republican Party unanimously adopted a resolution opposing Houston Independent School District’s proposed $4.4 billion bond at its recent executive committee meeting.  
      
• The Harris County GOP resolution is entitled “Bonds Create Bondage.”
      
• The resolution notes that Houston ISD has been “rife with corruption,” including bribery, pay-to-play schemes, and kickbacks from contractors to decision-makers. The GOP also noted the district's history of “poor management.”
       
• “It’s the largest school bond in Texas history. Conservatives do not trust Houston ISD—with its long history of financial mismanagement and malfeasance—to administer such a massive project without cost overruns and other shenanigans. HISD needs to go back to the drawing board, focus on essentials, and come back to the voters with a pared-down request.” – Rolando Garcia

RELATED NEWS

• The city has until October 28 to set a tax rate.

Yes, Texas Scorecard Needs Your Support!

We don’t take government grants or corporate sponsorships, and we don’t put our content behind a paywall. Your support makes Texas Scorecard possible!

Quote-Unquote

"To be free is better than to be unfree—always. Any politician who suggests the opposite should be treated as suspect."

– Margaret Thatcher​

Y'All Answered

Yesterday, we asked readers about this week's presidential debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. Specifically, we wanted to know who readers thought "won" the evening.

Just over 52 percent of readers gave the win to Trump, while 16.1 percent said it was Harris. Significantly, 31.5 percent said neither candidate "won" with their performance.

Here is a sampling of the responses I received from those who participated in the survey...

• “The needle was not moved. If you are for Harris, you continue. If you are for Trump, you continue. No doubt the moderators were for Harris. Their bias was obvious. Still, it accomplished nothing.” – Glenda Piacenti
      

• “Last night was not a great night for Trump, but Harris was fake but articulate.  I doubt this will move the election at all.” – Pat Clonan
       

• “This was not a debate, but a scripted production for Harris and ABC.” – Terrie Newman
      

• “Even though it was three against one, Trump—I believe—delivered his message. Unless, of course, you follow the 'alphabet' MSM news sources.” – John R. Makow
      

• “Harris won.  Trump allowed her (and the moderators) to get under his skin and control the debate.  I’m glad I’m voting for the platform, not the person as all Christians should be.” – Sandie McCarrie
      

• “I am not sure who won—but the biggest loser was ABC and the moderators.” – Steve Sullivan
      

• “When you consider DJT was debating three people and two of them allowed non-stop lies to be spewed from the mouth of the third while throwing in their own jabs, President Trump handled it quite well.” – Tina Bartley
      

• “I hate to say it, but Kamala won. Not because of substance, or delivery, or debate skill, but because the uninformed voters who are going to decide this election watched Honey Boo Boo and The Kardashians and then flipped over to the debate and said, ‘I think she's qualified to run the country.’” – Chris Breaux
      

• “I think Trump won because he did not need to prove himself. We all know what he did for the country.” – Cathy Blake
      

• “Kamala Harris did not answer even one question put to her. Instead, she responded to each question with a memorized response that did not answer the specific question put to her, and the ABC moderators never followed up asking for a specific answer as they frequently did with President Trump. President Trump took on Harris and both ABC moderators and emerged unscathed.” – Ronny Keister
      

• “Only winners from the debate were people who didn't watch.” – Adam Cahn
       

• “There was no 'winner' in last night's 'debate,' since it was not a true debate.  It was orchestrated by a biased media, hoping to introduce the new 'Kamala' to the 'uninformed.'  There was nothing in last night's performance that would change an informed voter's mind.” – Richard Heizer
      

• “Kamala stuck to her carefully rehearsed script, and DJT was pulled off-track.” – Marsha Cooper
      

• “She told so many untruths that it was unbelievable.  Particularly with regard to abortion and the border invasion!” – George McClure
       

• “Harris won the debate because she was so well rehearsed, seeming to know the questions in advance. Sympathetic ABC moderators helped her out. However, Taylor Swift's endorsement of her will probably move the needle for her more than the debate.” – Tom Rhodes
      

• “Harris did way better than I expected, but she had a lot of help and told a lot of lies.” – Heather Hunter
      

• “The ‘debate’ was more of a tag team smack down. But President Trump still came out the victor! His constant message really needs to be, Are you better off today than four years ago?” – Bob Davis

Directory of Your Current U.S. & Texas Lawmakers

This information is automatically inserted based on the mailing address you provide to us. If you'd like to update your contact information, please visit our subscriber portal.