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Good morning,

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

– Michael Quinn Sullivan

UPFRONT: Missing the Results

In yesterday's Texas Minute, I failed to include the One Click Survey percentages by which readers approve/disapprove of Donald Trump's cabinet picks. Overwhelmingly, readers approve of the appointments, with just 5.2 percent recording their disapproval.

DEI Quotas No Longer Flying at Southwest Airlines Dallas-based Southwest Airlines has announced it will end all diversity, equity, and inclusion hiring practices following a federal civil rights complaint filed by America First Legal. Brandon Waltens has the story [[link removed]].

In January, AFL filed complaints against three major airlines—Southwest, American, and United—alleging illegal racial and sex discrimination in the airlines’ hiring and promotion practices.

This week, Southwest Airlines agreed to discontinue its DEI practices, including quotas, benchmarks, and hiring preferences.

“On your next flight, would you rather be told that your pilot checks the right DEI boxes or that he was hired because he was the best of all competing candidates?” – Will Scolinos [[link removed]], America First Legal Texas and China Lotteries Share Gambling Platform In 2023, the Texas Legislature instructed the Texas Lottery Commission to stop online ticket sales. But, as Daniel Greer reports [[link removed]], not only has the state agency refused to enforce that directive, it is also allowing a company that administers a lottery in China to sell Texas Lottery tickets.

Texas has forbidden the sale of tickets online since the lottery’s founding more than 30 years ago, but the Lottery Commission changed its own rules in 2020 to circumvent state law.

The Lottery Commission, like China's Lotto, uses the Malta-based Lottomatrix and its web platform to handle online sales.

Two years ago, an international gambling syndicate rigged a Texas lottery game—winning the $95 million jackpot. The Lottery Commission has been criticized by the public and lawmakers alike for facilitating the win. Part of that syndicate was also based in Malta. School Superintendent Fired After Five Months on the Job Grand Prairie Independent School District is firing their suspended superintendent, Jorge Arredondo, just five months after hiring him. Erin Anderson reports [[link removed]] that parents and taxpayers in the district still don’t know why.

This week, trustees voted 5-2 to terminate Arredondo’s contract “for the reasons discussed by the board in closed session.” Arredondo started as superintendent on July 1 but has been on paid administrative leave since September 4. Specific reasons for his suspension have never been publicly disclosed.

The termination vote followed months of community complaints about Grand Prairie ISD trustees’ lack of transparency surrounding the superintendent’s suspension.

For his part, Arredondo has claimed in a federal lawsuit that he was wrongfully placed on leave and targeted for termination without being told the reasons. He further claims to have been the target of racial bias by the GPISD Board President Amber Moffitt and Trustee Emily Liles. Houston City Council Member Calls for Amendment to Labor Contract with Firefighters A member of the Houston City Council wants to renegotiate the recently adopted labor contract with the city's firefighters' union. Charles Blain has the details [[link removed]].

At issue is a rule setting the clock for addressing firefighters' misconduct. Under the new contract, an investigation, indefinite suspension, or termination of a firefighter guilty of misconduct must happen within six months of the date of the incident.

For other city employees, including the police, the six months start when the incident is reported. Tarrant County Wants State Funds for Mental Health Facility Emily Medeiros reports [[link removed]] that the Tarrant County commissioners have unanimously passed a resolution requesting that the State of Texas provide funding for a mental health facility for Tarrant County residents.

The commissioners say Tarrant County is the largest county in Texas without a state mental health facility. As a result, an average of 331 inmates are in the Tarrant County Jail waiting for competency restoration, which helps a defendant regain the legal capacity to stand trial after being found incompetent.

Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare told Texas Scorecard that, without state help to create a mental health facility, the county may be forced to consider a billion-dollar jail expansion to keep up with the growing population. Conservative Leader Award 2024 Tammy Warren of McKinney [[link removed]]

"Tammy Warren is the hardest working conservative I know. Goes to every event. Volunteers for every role, or helps recruit resources where needed," explained Wendy Corcoran. "Most importantly, she has built an impressive social network and is considered a valuable resource in the City of McKinney and Collin County."

Previously announced 2024 Award recipient...

Dr. Brooks McKenzie [[link removed]] of Clarksville 🔒 Donate to Texas Scorecard 🔒 [[link removed]] Number of the Day

268.2 Million

The number of cases of beer sold in Texas in 2022.

[Source: Park Street [[link removed]]]

Today in History

On Dec. 5, 1932, the 21st Amendment was ratified, repealing the 18th Amendment and bringing to an end the 12 years of Prohibition.

Quote-Unquote

"If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen." – Samuel Adams

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