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Good morning,

In the latest edition of his show, Luke Macias examines the dynamics in the Texas House speakership race amid waffling lawmakers and disinformation campaigns. You can find links to his show—and the rest of the Texas Scorecard lineup—down below.

This is the Texas Minute for Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Fraudulent Texts Spark Controversy in House Speakership Race

• Questions are being raised about a fraudulent mass text message attacking a Republican challenger to House Speaker Dade Phelan. As Brandon Waltens reports, the perpetrators could face criminal charges.
       
• Just as people were enjoying a respite from the flood of political fundraising text messages, a blast was sent around the state purporting to come from a group called “Texans for Conservative Leadership” against State Rep. David Cook (R–Mansfield), who is currently challenging Phelan to lead the House in the next session with the backing of reform-minded lawmakers.
     

• The text aimed at Cook’s vote to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton, stating: “Texans can’t afford to have an untrustworthy Speaker.”
      

• A reporter for the Austin-based outlet The Texan quickly shared the text on X, asserting that it came from “the Tim Dunn-funded Texans for Conservative Leadership.” Formed earlier this year, the TCL PAC spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on conservative elected officials—including those supporting Cook.
        

• The PAC's treasurer quickly dismissed the accusation, noting that her group did not send the text and that The Texan had not contacted her before levying the accusation. The fraudsters also established a fake website using the PACs name. 
       

• Tony McDonald, the PAC’s lawyer, said the case has been referred to the attorney general’s office for investigation because of the “criminal implications.” Phelan did not respond to a request for comment on whether his campaign was behind the deception effort.

State Board of Education Votes to Keep Biblical References in New Educational Materials

• A preliminary vote of the State Board of Education will keep Biblical references in new instructional materials, known as the Texas Bluebonnet Learning. Addie Hovland has the details.
      
• The Texas Education Agency describes the new instructional materials as Open Education Resources, which means they are owned by the state, free to everyone, and can be modified over time.
   
• SBOE members voted 8-7 to keep the new curriculum, with its references to Biblical stories, on the materials list that could be used for the 2025-26 school year. Three Republicans on the board joined with the four Democrats in opposing the program.
       
• The SBOE’s final vote on the curriculum is set for Friday.

New Legislation Would Allow Death Penalty for Sex Crimes Against Children

• Valerie Muñoz reports an incoming Republican lawmaker is proposing to increase criminal punishment for trafficking and sexual offenses against children to include the death penalty.
       
• State Rep.-elect Andy Hopper's legislation would allow execution as a possible punishment for sex crimes against children 14 years old and younger.
        
• Laws that establish the death penalty as punishment for child sex abuse are in effect in both Florida and Tennessee.

Buckingham Offers 1,402 Acres in Starr County for Deportation Facilities

• Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham has offered President-elect Donald Trump a large section of state-owned land in Starr County for the construction of deportation facilities. Will Biagini has the details.
   
• Located 25 miles west of McAllen, the 1,402-acre ranch was acquired by the General Land Office in October 2023. Shortly afterward, Buckingham granted the Texas Facilities Commission permission to use it to construct a border wall.
      
• Buckingham said her office is prepared to cooperate with the federal government to utilize the plot of land to facilitate the mass deportation of illegal aliens.
      
• “As Texas Land Commissioner and steward of over 13 million acres, it’s been my promise to all Texans since assuming my role at the GLO to use every tool at my disposal to gain complete operational control of our southern border.” – Dawn Buckingham

Abbott Accepts Mexico’s Offer to Send Water to Rio Grande Valley

• Gov. Greg Abbott has directed the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to accept Mexico’s offer to transport water from the San Juan River to the Rio Grande Valley.
       
• Abbott’s direction is in accordance with the terms of a 1944 Water Treaty with the U.S. that requires Mexico to deliver 350,000 acre-feet of water to the Rio Grande Valley, while the U.S. is to provide 1.5 million acre-feet of water to Mexico from the Colorado River. Mexico has been failing to fulfill its obligations, creating hardship in the RGV.
       
• “Water is essential for Texans along the Rio Grande Valley to grow crops and support local communities and businesses,” said Abbott. “Mexico’s blatant abuse and disregard of water obligations under the 1944 Water Treaty must not be allowed to continue.”

Quote-Unquote

"Government can't do anything for you except in proportion as it can do something to you."

– William F. Buckley, Jr.​

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