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MustReadTexas.com – @MustReadTexas
BY: @MattMackowiak
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TUESDAY || 11/19/24
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“If something of importance is known in Texas, Matt knows it. With a decline in the number of credible news organizations, the Must Read Texas morning email is indispensable for anyone that wants to continue to be informed.” – Former U.S. Senator Phil Gramm (R-TX)
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TOP NEWS
“Tony Buzbee sued for extortion in L.A. by mysterious 'John Doe',” Houston Chronicle's John Lomax V — “Tony Buzbee, the prominent Houston attorney representing more than 100 people in a suit against Sean "Diddy" Combs, has been sued in California for allegedly extorting "high profile" individuals, according to court documents filed in Los Angeles County Court.
The lawsuit, which was filed in L.A. Monday by an unnamed individual identified only as "John Doe," accused Buzbee and his firm of threatening to publicize "entirely fabricated and malicious allegations of sexual assault — including multiple instances of rape of a minor, both male and female." The suit claimed Buzbee weaponized allegedly baseless accusations in a bid to extort money from the unidentified plaintiff.
Attorneys from Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP are representing the plaintiff. The firm is one of the largest in the world with more than 1,000 attorneys and 35 offices in countries across the globe.
"Buzbee has established a pattern of leveling baseless, fabricated and malicious allegations at high profile individuals and threatening to name them publicly if they fail to pay exorbitant sums of money," the firm stated in a Monday release. "Buzbee then uses this money to fund his lavish lifestyle. He has deployed these threats in letters, statements to the press, his website and on social media in recent months to try to shake down well known individuals."
The complaint filed against Buzbee alleged the Houston attorney employed a "clear playbook" for extorting celebrities. According to the unidentified plaintiff's attorneys, Buzbee would fabricate allegations and then send a letter demanding payment. If those targeted did not pay, Buzbee would turn to various media outlets as a means to apply public pressure, according to the complaint.
While the plaintiff's identity remains uncertain, the lawsuit accused Buzbee of employing a scheme to obtain payment from individuals associated with Combs.
"With Combs behind bars, and payment unlikely to be forthcoming any time soon, Defendants devised a scheme to obtain payments through the use of coercive threats from anyone with any ties to Combs — no matter how remote," the complaint alleged. "Defendants specifically targeted high-profile individuals who would suffer immeasurable loss from being publicly accused of committing sex crimes, including drugging and raping minors, even if those allegations are false."
In a statement to the Houston Chronicle, Buzbee dismissed the claims, saying they were without legal merit and "laughable."
"We won’t allow the powerful and their high-dollar lawyers to intimidate or silence sexual assault survivors," Buzbee said. "It is obvious that the frivolous lawsuit filed against my firm is an aggressive attempt to intimidate or silence me and ultimately my clients. That effort is a gross miscalculation. I am a U.S. Marine. I won’t be silenced or intimidated."
Buzbee said that, on behalf of two clients alleging sexual assault, he sent a standard demand letter to a New York lawyer who represented a potential defendant. The letter was a routine part of the legal process and included no threats or requests for compensation, Buzbee said.
"The letters were sent seeking a confidential mediation in lieu of filing a lawsuit. No amount of money was included in the demand letters. No threats were made. The demand letters sent are no different than the ones routinely sent by lawyers across the country in all types of cases," he said." Houston Chronicle ($)
AP: “Texas A&M official picked to lead University of Arkansas system” AP
REUTERS: “Trump plans to watch SpaceX launch in Texas, source says” Reuters
SAEN: “Holt Cat seeks San Antonio aid on tax breaks for $9.75M expansion” SAEN ($)
DMN: “$630 million Bitcoin mining to data center project in D-FW underway” DMN ($)
TX TRIB: “Gov. Greg Abbott issues executive order targeting Chinese government operatives in Texas” Texas Tribune
AAS: “Texas State Board of Education weighs Bible-infused materials, vote expected this week” AAS ($)
KPRC: “'She's been voted out': County Lina Hidalgo says DA Kim Ogg is falsely targeting ex-HCPH executive director” KPRC
HOU CHRON: “Houston Housing Authority president resigns amid investigation” Houston Chronicle ($)
DMN: Editorial: “Dallas' debt rating is about to get shot in the foot” DMN ($)
FW REPORT: “Landmen celebrate premier of new Taylor Sheridan drama: 'No one knows what we do'” FW Report
TX TRIB: “As Trump administration takes shape, Texas takes a back seat” Texas Tribune
TX TRIB: “Tony Gonzales, Chip Roy clash over mass deportation plans” Texas Tribune
NEWS FROM AROUND THE STATE
> TX TRIB: "UNT faculty slam university for removing references to race and equity in course names" TX TRIB
> HOU CHRON: "Texas A&M Space Institute will provide testing grounds for the moon and Mars" HOU CHRON
> AP: "Texas proposal would give schools the option to use Bible teachings in lessons" AP
> DMN: "Civil trial against Amber Guyger for Botham Jean murder begins with ex-cop in absentia" DMN
> SA REPORT: "As temperatures climb, Texas must mitigate methane emissions" SA REPORT
> FWST: "Dallas man exonerated in 2000 ‘shaken baby’ conviction, district attorney says" FWST
> FWST: "Crime ring accused of stealing $10 million of merchandise from North Texas warehouses" FWST
> FWST: "Civil trial for former Dallas cop Amber Guyger, a convicted killer, began Monday" FWST
> DMN: "Trump confirms deportation strategy to include national emergency, U.S. military" DMN
> MRT: "Pfluger to lead largest conservative caucus on Capitol Hill" MRT
> SA REPORT: "Texas is being overrun by data centers. Can the state’s electric grid handle it?" SA REPORT
> MY RGV: "Trump appears to be planning to attend SpaceX ‘Starship’ launch scheduled for Tuesday in Texas" MY RGV
> AAS: "Trump to declare emergency, use military for mass deportation" AAS
> THE TEXAN: "The 40: Time for Thune, Cornyn's Consequences, and If Trump Says Jump" THE TEXAN
> DMN: "Dallas County man exonerated for 2000 conviction based on ‘shaken baby syndrome’" DMN
> THE TEXAN: "Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick Announces Texas Dementia Research Institute as Legislative Priority" THE TEXAN
> VALLEY CENTRAL: "Man indicted on murder charge for 2023 fentanyl overdose" VALLEY CENTRAL
> TPR: "Civil trial begins over former Dallas police officer Amber Guyger's killing of Botham Jean" TPR
> COMMUNITY IMPACT: "200-acre life sciences hub to reactivate Legacy’s anchor campus in Plano" COMMUNITY IMPACT
> COMMUNITY IMPACT: "Planning commission OKs hotel, retail additions inside The Railhead in Frisco" COMMUNITY IMPACT
EXTRA POINTS
Last night's Texas sports scores:
> NFL: Houston 34, Dallas 10
> NBA: Milwaukee 101, Houston 100
> NHL: Anaheim 4, Dallas 2
> NCAAM: Tarleton State at #12 Baylor
> NCAAM: #19 Wisconsin 87, UT-RGV 84
> NCAAM: SMU 110, Prairie View A&M 69
> NCAAM: Texas Tech 98, AR Pine Bluff 64
> NCAAM: McNeese 68, North Texas 61
Tonight's Texas sports schedule:
> 7pm: NCAAM: UT-Arlington at Missouri State (ESPN+)
> 7pm: NCAAM: Alcorn State at TCU (ESPN+)
> 7:30pm: NBA: New Orleans at Dallas
> 7:30pm: NCAAM: Rice at Louisiana (ESPN+)
> 8:30pm: NBA: Oklahoma City at San Antonio (TNT)
DALLAS COWBOYS / HOUSTON TEXANS: "Cowboys' reputation takes another hit with home loss to Texans" DMN ($)
DALLAS COWBOYS / HOUSTON TEXANS: Cowlishaw: "Cowboys-Texans report card" DMN ($)
DALLAS COWBOYS / HOUSTON TEXANS: "Houston Texans: C.J. Stroud offense shake second-half slump" Houston Chronicle ($)
DALLAS COWBOYS / HOUSTON TEXANS: "Texans fans make presence felt as visitors in Cowboys' AT&T Stadium" Houston Chronicle ($)
DALLAS COWBOYS: "Piece of metal falls to AT&T Stadium field ahead of Cowboys-Texans" DMN ($)
TEXAS FOOTBALL: Golden: "Texas football and Texas A&M are on a collision course, but wait ..." AAS ($)
TEXAS FOOTBALL: "Could Quinn Ewers return for Texas football in 2025? What Longhorns QB said about his future" AAS ($)
SAN ANTONIO SPURS: "Business as usual as Spurs; Mitch Johnson runs his first practice" SAEN ($)
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