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[MustReadTexas.com]([link removed]) – [@MustReadTexas]([link removed])
BY: [@MattMackowiak]([link removed])

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**FRIDAY** || 1/10/25

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**Good Friday morning.**
_Thank you for being a paid subscriber._

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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**

“**Dallas weather: Winter storm's snow, icy precipitation departing DFW,**” Dallas Morning News' **Lana Ferguson**, **Jamie Landers **and **Alex Nguyen **— “Drivers in North Texas [were cautioned to be extremely careful]([link removed]) Friday after the region was [blasted with wintry precipitation]([link removed]) and below-freezing temperatures overnight, according to the National Weather Service.

Caution should also be maintained throughout the day, as the area could see black ice in the evening and into Saturday morning. Any remaining water on roadways could refreeze when overnight temperatures are forecast to drop into the teens, the weather service said.

The National Weather Service in Fort Worth reported “one last batch of light snow and freezing drizzle” was moving through the area about 7:15 a.m. Friday.

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Several counties — including Collin, Dallas, Denton, Kaufman and Tarrant — are under a [winter storm advisory until midday Friday]([link removed]) when conditions are expected to improve and [the wintry precipitation is forecast]([link removed]) to move out of the region. The areas were previously under a winter storm warning, but it was changed to an advisory to account for lingering precipitation this morning." [DMN]([link removed]) ($)

“**550 flights through DFW, Love Field canceled Friday for winter storm,**” Dallas Morning News' **Sasha Richie **— “More than 550 flights departing or heading for DFW International Airport and Dallas Love Field have been canceled as of 9:20 a.m. Friday, according to FlightAware. An additional 100+ are delayed.

The cancellations are the result of the winter storm that swept through North Texas Thursday, leaving snow and icy roads in its wake. More than [1,800 flights through D-FW’s airports were canceled Thursday]([link removed]), while others were delayed or diverted.

Many of Thursday’s stranded flyers were rebooked onto flights Friday or Saturday, as airlines scramble to rework flight schedules to accommodate them. [It was a quiet, but chaotic scene]([link removed]) at DFW and Love Field on Thursday.

More than 300 of the flights canceled Friday are carried by American Airlines; nearly 800 of Thursday’s were as well. The Fort Worth-based airline [issued a travel notice earlier in the week]([link removed]) that goes through Sunday, allowing travelers to weigh their options, be it rescheduling or canceling their trips.

In a statement Thursday evening, a representative for the airline explained that, contrary to online rumors, the airline and DFW [had plenty of deicing materials]([link removed]). However, the solution American, and other airlines, uses to deice its planes is greatly reduced in effectiveness during freezing rain and sleet conditions, as were present Thursday. This left flights unable to depart from DFW.

However, crews at both DFW and Love Field worked overnight to continue treating runways and other airport property with deicer, according to representatives. A notice from the Federal Aviation Administration indicates that DFW is still deicing." [DMN]([link removed]) ($)

“**UT-Austin's presidency goes vacant amid growing challenges for Texas public university leaders,**” Texas Tribune's** Jessica Priest **— “Many were shocked Tuesday when University of Texas at Austin President **Jay Hartzell **announced he’d be [leaving]([link removed]) the 53,000-student public school to lead Southern Methodist University, a growing but smaller university in Dallas.

But not **Holden Thorp**.

Thorp [resigned]([link removed]) in 2012 as chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 2013, he accepted the role of provost at Washington University, which is also a smaller, private school. His departure came after he presided over an athletics scandal but he said not having to deal with lawmakers was another significant factor for his decision to leave UNC. He clashed with the North Carolina Legislature on issues such as creating gender-neutral student housing and immigration.

“The reward if I had stayed would have been that I would have had to do battle with this GOP legislature who was suspicious of me to begin with because I came from strong connections in Democratic politics, and so bailing made all the sense in the world,” said Thorp, who now serves as the editor-in-chief of the journal Science.

For Thorp and some public higher education observers, Hartzell’s departure is indicative of how difficult it has become to be a university president amid growing political pressures.

In Texas, navigating the state’s ban on diversity, equity and inclusion offices has been particularly challenging, with Texas GOP leaders criticizing universities of [not doing enough to enforce it]([link removed]) and students and faculty criticizing university administrators of [going too far]([link removed]) with its implementation.

In recent years, Texas public universities have been under constant pressure to correct what conservative leaders view as a liberal bias. In 2023, Texas GOP leadership threatened to end tenure after UT-Austin faculty reaffirmed their right to teach critical race theory, which was [banned in K-12 classrooms]([link removed]). Republican lawmakers have signaled a desire to draft legislation targeting faculty senates, curriculum and speech on college campuses during this year’s legislative session." [Texas Tribune]([link removed])

“**Exclusive: Border Patrol arrests former Russian mercenary near Roma,**” Valley Central's **Dave Hendricks **— “Border Patrol arrested a former Russian mercenary on Saturday, when he illegally crossed the Rio Grande near Roma.

**Timur Praliev** waded across the Rio Grande carrying two passports and $4,000.

“The defendant was also in possession of a drone in his backpack when he crossed into the United States,” Assistant U.S. Attorney **Amanda McColgan** said on Tuesday morning, when Praliev appeared before a judge at the federal courthouse in McAllen. “And he admitted, when interviewed, to being a member of the Wagner Group.”

Border Patrol arrested Praliev on Saturday.

When agents questioned him, Praliev said “he was a citizen and national of Kazakhstan,” according to a [criminal complaint]([link removed]) against him.

Praliev was carrying a Russian passport, a passport from Kazakhstan, $4,000 and 60,000 pesos.

In his backpack, agents discovered a drone.

Praliev said he’d worked for the Wagner Group, a paramilitary organization affiliated with the Russian government.

“Wagner has played a key role in Russia’s war in Ukraine and operates in multiple countries, particularly across Africa,” according to a report published by the Congressional Research Service.

The U.S. Treasury Department considers the Wagner Group a criminal organization.

“Wagner Group personnel have engaged in an ongoing pattern of serious criminal activity, including mass executions, rape, child abductions, and other brutalities” in Africa, according to a news release the Treasury Department published in January 2023.

It’s not clear what, exactly, Praliev did for the Wagner Group or why he crossed the border carrying a drone.

**Darrell Lee Bryan**, the federal public defender who represented Praliev, couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.

Border Patrol charged Praliev with illegally entering the United States, a federal misdemeanor. Praliev pleaded guilty.

McColgan, the federal prosecutor, requested a 15-day sentence.

“The government is concerned about safety of the community when this defendant is released,” McColgan said. “Because of his association with a group associated with political violence.”

U.S. Magistrate Judge **J. Scott Hacker **questioned whether Praliev’s affiliation with the Wagner Group could actually justify the length of his sentence for illegally crossing the border. Hacker also said that, rather than being released, Praliev would remain in some kind of federal custody after serving his sentence.

“They just did a pit stop here to lay a record,” Hacker said. “So that if there’s a second conviction for illegal entry, they can seek stronger punishment.”

Bryan, the public defender, requested a sentence of time served.

“They’re a defense contracting group,” Bryan said, referencing the Wagner Group. “I understand the U.S. may have issues with them, but they’re no different than Blackwater.”

Hacker explained the arguments to Praliev through an interpreter.

“I think the government is concerned of why you’re here to begin with. I don’t know, necessarily, why you’re here to begin with,” Hacker said. “The point is, I don’t think the punishment of time served versus 15 days is going to necessarily alter your decision of what you do in the future.”

Asked if he wanted to say anything, Praliev responded: “Nyet.”

Hacker [sentenced him]([link removed]) to time served.

“We’re going to remand you into custody. Buena suerte,” Hacker said, telling the interpreter: “You can translate Spanish to Russian.”" [Valley Central]([link removed])

“**Judge Aguilar was triple the legal limit of alcohol before fatal wreck,**” Houston Chronicle's **Nicole Hensley **— “A state district judge [who died in a fatal Houston wreck]([link removed]) after attending a Texans football game in September was nearly triple the legal limit for alcohol and not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash, medical examiner records show.

Judge **Frank Aguilar,** 66[,]([link removed]) who was in his second term as judge, while leaving the football game, was killed when his white Jeep Rubicon slammed into a roadside utility pole, according to police. He died soon after at a hospital, while a passenger in the vehicle survived the crash.

An autopsy found Aguilar died of multiple blunt force injuries, with a law enforcement expert noting the bulk of his broken bones and bruising was centered on his chest and neck — which commonly happens when someone isn’t wearing a seatbelt.

“He likely slammed into the steering wheel,” said **Jim Willis**, a former Houston police officer turned private investigator.

Investigators similarly found evidence that the driver was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the wreck, a Houston police spokesperson said Thursday.

An assistant medical examiner with the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences finalized the autopsy report Dec. 21 and concluded Aguilar’s death was accidental, records show. The final report includes the results of a wide-ranging toxicology panel from late November that checked for drugs and other chemicals that are rarely conducted in most death cases.

Willis, who reviewed Aguilar’s autopsy report, said the jurist was nearly triple the legal limit for alcohol in both tests used to determine ethanol levels — one involving a blood sample taken at the hospital and the other of body fluid taken after his death.

Determining the amount of alcohol Aguilar drank before his death would be difficult to determine without piecing together who saw him drink that day and how much, Willis said.

The medical examiner's report also highlighted scarring to Aguilar’s liver, suggesting he had a “history of heavy ethanol use.”

The judge’s death followed months of legal trouble stemming from Aguilar’s [December 2023 arrest on a domestic violence allegation]([link removed]). Galveston police officers suspected Aguilar was intoxicated at the time. The later misdemeanor charge, which prompted [his months-long suspension from the bench]([link removed]), was dismissed in July.

Gov. **Greg Abbott **has since appointed another judge to take over his 228th District Court." [Houston Chronicle]([link removed]) ($)

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* **#TXLEGE**

“**Texas GOP battle for House speaker intensifies. Why a lawmaker filed an ethics complaint,**” Austin American-Statesman's** John C. Moritz **— “A Republican state representative from East Texas has filed a formal complaint against the chairman of the state GOP, accusing the party chief of targeting House members who don't line up behind the group's preferred candidate for speaker.

State Rep. **Cody Harris** of Palestine alleged to the American-Statesman in an interview Thursday that Texas Republican Party Chairman **Abraham George's** promise to back primary challengers for any GOP House member who does not vote for the party's consensus candidate is illegal. The Legislature will convene Tuesday for its 2025 session and the House is expected to vote for its new speaker.

"In my opinion, if that doesn't satisfy (the legal definition of) legislative bribery, I don't know what does," Harris said.

In his complaint filed Wednesday with the Texas Ethics Commission, Harris accused George of trying to "intimidate members" who don't toe the party line.

George, in a mass email after the complaint was filed, said his actions in the race for speaker were guided by the Texas GOP platform, which states that Republican House members must vote for whichever candidate receives a majority in the party's caucus. He called Republican lawmakers who don't back the GOP-endorsed candidate an "elite, self-serving political class," and he accused Harris of wanting "to imprison me and all grassroots conservatives" who would hold GOP members accountable for straying from the platform.

The dust-up is the latest volley in the Texas Republican Party's internal strife over who should succeed GOP Speaker **Dade Phelan**, who late last year dropped his bid for a third term at the helm of the House. In a closed-door vote Dec. 7, a majority of the 88-member House Republican Caucus nominated Rep. **David Cook** of Mansfield for speaker, but that decision did not receive enough votes to assure his victory in the 150-member chamber, in which Democrats are far outnumbered. A candidate must receive at least 76 votes to become speaker.

Not long after the caucus had made its choice known, Rep. **Dustin Burrows**, a Phelan ally from Lubbock, announced that he had assembled a bipartisan coalition that would give him the gavel. Shortly afterward, however, some Republicans who had been part of that coalition asked that their names be removed from Burrows' list, putting the contest at a stalemate with neither candidate able to publicly show clearing a majority.

Phelan, a Republican from Beaumont, is returning to the House as a rank-and-file member and is backing Burrows as his successor as speaker.

Speaker races over the decades have been settled behind the scenes in a members-only affair and the outcome announced only when one candidate has locked down the necessary support — typically bipartisan. Much of the political battle this round, however, has been waged out in the open.

In late 2023 when Phelan still hoped to win a third term as speaker, Lt. Gov. **Dan Patrick**, the Senate's presiding officer, took the unusual step of jumping into the fray. Patrick's frustration with some of his prized legislation being ignored in the House had boiled over and he publicly called on Republican primary voters to select House candidates who promised to unseat the speaker.

Republican Attorney General **Ken Paxton**, seething over the Phelan-backed impeachment seeking to drive him from office, joined Patrick's call to oust the House's chief. [Paxton also directly campaigned]([link removed]) for Phelan's Republican challenger in House District 21, and he came within a whisker of pulling off an upset.

The GOP's public fight has escalated even as the clock ticks toward the session's opening day. Paxton and George, with some pro-Cook House Republicans, have held campaign-style rallies urging grassroots conservatives to keep up the pressure on GOP members who have not committed to voting for the party's choice in the race." [AAS]([link removed]) ($)

“**Austin again finds itself in crosshairs of the Texas Legislature. Here's what's at stake,**” Austin American-Statesman's** Ella McCarthy **and** John C. Moritz **— “For several years, the Republican-dominated Texas Legislature has worked to erode the power of the state's increasingly left-leaning metropolises.

But Austin, a longtime liberal bastion and seat of state government, has found itself in the conservative crosshairs for far longer — so long that locals have a nickname for the phenomenon: "Austin bashing."

That looks to be no different during this year's legislative session with a variety of bills on the docket that could severely hamstring the capital city.

Republicans have again filed bills that would turn Austin into something of a [stepchild of the state]([link removed]) — and hamper its ability to hire lobbyists to promote its interests. Austin officials also are bracing for the re-emergence of a bill that would kneecap the city’s multibillion-dollar light rail plan known as Project Connect.

“The Legislature always decides that Austin doesn't know best about Austin,” said state Rep. **Donna Howard**, a Democrat who has represented the area for years and worked to combat past legislative efforts to undermine the city's power.

Austin Mayor **Kirk Watson**, who served in the state Senate as a Democrat for more than 13 years following his first stint as Austin mayor, said he is well-positioned to protect the city’s interests while promoting measures to ensure that Austin remains a vibrant and growing city, and the master of its own house.

"I'm always going to defend the values of Austin, Texas, and work with people at the same time," Watson told the American-Statesman in a Jan. 2 interview in the Mayor's Ceremonial Office on the second floor of City Hall.

In the interview, Watson, who was reelected in November, described a measured and pragmatic defensive strategy, saying it’s possible to defend Austin’s values without creating “unnecessary enemies.”

“You focus on those things that you can work on, things you do agree on, and you try to make change there,” Watson said." [AAS]([link removed]) ($)

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* **STATE GOVERNMENT**

“**Ken Paxton files second lawsuit against TikTok for exposing minors to explicit content,**” Texas Tribune's** Ayden Runnels **— “Texas Attorney General **Ken Paxton** on Thursday sued TikTok for the second time in recent months, accusing the social media company of violating deceptive trade law by downplaying its addictiveness and exposing children to explicit material.

The suit argues that TikTok, a short-form video app, violated the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act by listing itself on app stores as appropriate for children and not enforcing its community guidelines effectively. The Apple App Store lists TikTok as rated for those 12 and older, while the Microsoft and Google Play Stores list the app as appropriate for users who are 13 and older.

The 66-page filing, which has several redactions, details several TikTok posts containing inappropriate material that seemingly violate the guidelines and ways the app can circumvent parental controls on smartphones through an in-app browser. At one point, the lawsuit states the inappropriate material also included child sexual abuse content, although that section of the suit is largely redacted.

“TikTok actively worked to deceive parents and lure children onto their app despite the presence of an overwhelming amount of profane and illicit material,” Paxton said in a statement Thursday. “Companies may not jeopardize the health and wellbeing of Texas children by blatantly lying about the products they provide.”

A spokesperson for TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Several times the suit references an investigation conducted by the state that found videos which contained depictions of drug use, self-harm and sexually explicit acts. In December, Paxton’s office [announced]([link removed]) it would investigate several social media platforms’ privacy and safety practices for children, however the office did not clarify in its announcement Thursday whether the investigation mentioned in the lawsuit was related.

But depending on a ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court, TikTok may not be accessible to anyone in the country for much longer. The platform has stated it would pull all activity from the U.S. on Jan. 19 if the Supreme Court does not strike down a bipartisan law mandating its parent company, ByteDance, sell TikTok.

The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments Friday on the law, which makes it illegal for providers like Apple to have applications available that are owned by foreign adversaries. ByteDance is based in China, and the law was primarily aimed at forcing the TikTok sale. ByteDance is also named in the lawsuit Paxton filed Thursday.

This is the second lawsuit Paxton has filed against TikTok in just over three months, as the attorney general’s office [filed a suit]([link removed]) accusing the company of violating the new Securing Children Online through Parental Empowerment Act. [The SCOPE Act]([link removed]), which has received its own legal challenges, forbids companies from selling a minor’s personal information without parental approval, and the October lawsuit claims TikTok circumvented the law several times. The new lawsuit was filed in the same Galveston federal district as the first suit, and dozens of other lawsuits against social media platforms have been filed across the country in recent years." [Texas Tribune]([link removed])

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* **LOCAL GOVERNMENT**

“**Why officials are willing to spend tax dollars on Spurs arena,**” San Antonio Express-News'** Molly Smith **— “California taxpayers aren’t on the hook for any of the $2 billion it took to build the Intuit Dome, which opened in August and is the NBA’s newest arena.

Los Angeles Clippers owner and billionaire** Steve Ballmer** paid for the 18,000-seat facility in the Inglewood suburb out of his own pocket, making it the second privately financed modern sports arena. The first, the Golden State Warriors’ 18,800-seat Chase Center in downtown San Francisco, opened in 2019 at a cost of $1.4 billion.

A [proposed downtown home]([link removed]) for the San Antonio Spurs at Hemisfair will not be among the NBA’s privately financed facilities. In fact, it likely won’t become reality without the city and county contributing tax dollars to cover a large portion of the yet-to-be-identified cost.

Los Angeles’ and San Francisco’s wealth, large populations, thriving professional sports industries, statuses as top television markets and global cultural cachet — and San Antonio’s lack of the same — account for the difference.

Teams want to be in Los Angeles and San Francisco, even if that means paying for a new facility themselves because California voters and elected officials have little appetite for spending public dollars on sports facilities.

“That’s just not the philosophy in San Francisco, so knowing we’re gonna build in San Francisco, we knew that would be the case,” then-Golden State Warriors President **Rick Welts** [told Business Insider in 2019]([link removed]).

The state’s team owners also may decide it’s more lucrative to build facility on their dime and timetable than spend years haggling with officials over a financing deal.

“There’s no place as attractive as San Francisco or Los Angeles, so what it means is that the owners of the Clippers and the Lakers and the Warriors are willing to forgo a half a billion to a billion dollars in public subsidies in order to play in an extremely lucrative market,” said **Roger Noll**, a Stanford University professor emeritus who specializes in the economics of sports.

Just look at the valuations of the NBA’s 30 franchises: The Golden State Warriors top the list with a value of $9.14 billion, according to a [recent ranking by Sportico]([link removed]), a digital news outlet that covers the sports industry. The Clippers came in fifth ($5.68 billion) while the Spurs landed at twentieth ($3.79 billion).

Though San Antonio may be the nation’s seventh-largest city, the population of its surrounding metropolitan statistical area lags that of other big cities. Nearly 18% of San Antonio’s population [lives in poverty]([link removed]) — well above the 11.5% national average — meaning the Spurs can’t charge as high ticket prices as the Clippers or Warriors.

The average ticket price for Warriors fans was $285 in the 2022-23 season, while Spurs fans spent $75 per ticket on average, according to [Forbes magazine’s 2024 ranking]([link removed]) of NBA team valuations.

“You can substitute for San Antonio, but you can’t substitute for Los Angeles,” Noll said. “As a result, the San Antonios of the world are going to end up subsidizing their teams, whereas the Los Angeleses of the world are not.”" [SAEN]([link removed]) ($)

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* **BUSINESS NEWS**

“**Tesla recalls some Model 3, Model S, Model X and Model Y vehicles over rear-view camera issue,**” via Reuters** **— “Tesla said on Friday it was recalling about 239,000 vehicles over an issue that could cause the rear-view camera to not display an image, but it could be resolved by an over-the-air software update.

The development comes days after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened a probe into 2.6 million Tesla vehicles in the U.S. over reports of crashes involving a feature that allows users to move their cars remotely.

In a small number of affected vehicles, a reverse current may occur during power-up, potentially causing a short circuit on the car’s computer board, which could result in the rear-view camera becoming inoperative, the automaker said.

Tesla said it was investigating to determine whether any affected vehicles have experienced stress that could result in a shorting failure.

If a vehicle’s component has faced such an issue or has shown signs of stress before the installation of a specific software update, Tesla will replace the car’s computer, free of charge, it said.

The issue affects 2024-25 Model 3 and Model S vehicles and 2023-25 Model X and Model Y, it said.

Tesla had the most number of recalls in the U.S. with 5.1 million vehicles affected, but all issues can be addressed through a software update, recall management firm Bizzycar said in a report.

Advanced vehicle technologies led to a spike in electrical system recalls last year, affecting 6.3 million vehicles in 2024, according to the report." [Reuters]([link removed])

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* **TEXANS IN DC**

“**Texas' senators plan to support Trump's Cabinet picks,**” Texas Tribune's** Matthew Choi **— “Texas’ two senators plan to support President-elect** Donald Trump’s** Cabinet picks, including some of his most controversial choices, and are urging their peers not to delay the confirmation process.

“My attitude, about nominations generally, is that President Trump won this election decisively,” Sen. **John Cornyn** said Thursday after a meeting with **Robert F. Kennedy Jr**., Trump’s pick for Health and Human Services secretary. “He's entitled to his team because that's the team that will help him follow through on the promises that he made on the campaign trail, and then those people will then be accountable to him to accomplish the goals that he has set out for them.”

Several of Trump’s picks for top positions have given members of Congress pause for their past comments or unconventional résumés. Even some Republicans gave criticism to some of the picks’ past comments.

Kennedy has questioned the efficacy of vaccines, drawing [rebukes]([link removed]) from members of both parties as he seeks to lead the agency in charge of the nation’s drug regulation. Former Democratic

Former U.S. Rep. **Tulsi Gabbard**, who was named to lead the U.S. intelligence community, [alarmed national security-focused lawmakers]([link removed]) due to her past comments sympathizing with ousted Syrian President **Bashar Al Assad** and Russian President **Vladimir Putin**.

**Kash Patel’s** selection to head the FBI concerned Democrats, who view him as an ideologue set on dismantling the agency he was chosen to lead.

Fox News host **Pete Hegseth’s** nomination to run the Defense Department nearly faltered following allegations of sexual abuse and alcoholism. He has denied any disqualifying impropriety and met with Republican senators individually to make his case.

Sen. **Ted Cruz **has been supportive of all of Trump’s Cabinet picks who are still in the running, expressing confidence they will all be confirmed.

“Under the Constitution, the Senate has a responsibility to advise and consent. But I believe at the end of the day, that all of the Trump Cabinet nominees are going to be confirmed,” Cruz said in a [December interview]([link removed]) with Dallas’ WFAA.

In a statement after meeting Hegseth last month, Cruz called Hegseth a “strong pick to help President Trump carry out his vision.” Cruz has also called Patel a “very strong nominee,” citing his work as a staffer on the House Intelligence Committee and on the National Security Council during the first Trump presidency. Cruz has also said he was impressed with Gabbard’s service as a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army and said she was “smart” and “serious.”

Cornyn kept his opinions on several Cabinet picks private until he had met with them individually, scheduling meetings throughout December and January in his Capitol Hill offices. After having meetings with Patel, Hegseth and Kennedy, Cornyn said he planned to support each of them. He initially** **offered a more vague assessment after meeting with Gabbard, saying he found her “impressive” and looked forward to her confirmation hearing. Cornyn sits on the Senate Intelligence Committee. Cornyn said Thursday that absent extraordinary circumstances, he would support all of Trump's nominees, including Gabbard.

Cornyn and Cruz advocated for an expedient confirmation for Trump’s picks. Speaking after his meeting with Kennedy on Thursday, Cornyn bemoaned that extended background checks by the FBI were [delaying confirmation hearings]([link removed]).

“Democrats are not entitled to sabotage this president by denying him his Cabinet, and I intend to do everything I can to see that they are speedily confirmed,” Cornyn said. “It's unacceptable for the FBI or anyone else to basically sabotage President Trump's ability to get his Cabinet and his team in place.”" [Texas Tribune]([link removed])

“**Cruz backs Trump bid to acquire Greenland,**” San Antonio Express-News'** Rhyma Castillo **— “President-elect **Donald Trump** said he won't rule out using military force in his drive to make Greenland — a mineral-rich and strategically located Danish territory — a part of the United States.

Sen. **Ted Cruz** has chimed in with his support for that goal, though he did not respond to an Express-News request for comment on whether he would rule out using military force to achieve it.

In a [Wednesday episode]([link removed])** **of his podcast, "Verdict with Ted Cruz," the senator said acquiring Greenland is "a very, very good idea," citing national security, expanded trade routes and mineral resources as potential advantages for the United States.

"Will there be some resistance there? Absolutely. Will the Greenlanders ultimately want to do this? I don't know," Cruz said. "You'd have both Denmark and Greenland to contend with, but I will say, from America's perspective, there would be enormous advantages to Greenland becoming an American territory."

Greenland is a semi-sovereign European territory with about 56,000 residents, many of whom are part of the Arctic island's indigenous Inuit communities. Greenland officially became [part of the Kingdom of Denmark in 1953]([link removed]).** **The Danes ruled over it as a colony until home rule began there in 1979.** **It remains an autonomous region of the kingdom.

Cruz said the United States would likely aim to purchase the territory, comparing the potential move to America's history with the Louisiana Purchase and the acquisition of Alaska.

"I don't know what a purchase price would be, we'd have to see," Cruz said in his Wednesday podcast release. "It is certainly possible and in fact even likely that Greenland would do that."" [SAEN]([link removed]) ($)

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* **NEWS FROM AROUND THE STATE**

> TX TRIB: "**Will Republican control of Congress lead to updated ag laws? Texas farmers hope so.**" _[TX TRIB]([link removed])_
_ _> TX MONTHLY: "**Ken Paxton Takes Time Off Work to Help Take Over the Texas House**" _[TX MONTHLY]([link removed])_
_ _> HOU CHRON: "**Texas prisons are scrambling to fix a staffing crisis: 'Getting out of hand'**" _[HOU CHRON]([link removed])_
_ _> TX TRIB: "**‘I follow the law:’ El Paso doctor responds to Ken Paxton’s lawsuit over alleged transgender care**" _[TX TRIB]([link removed])_
_ _> HOU CHRON: "**'We’re going all-in.' UH elects to fully fund revenue sharing in first year**" _[HOU CHRON]([link removed])_
_ _> TX MONTHLY: "**A San Antonio Teenager’s Nonprofit Assists Doctors a World Away**" _[TX MONTHLY]([link removed])_
_ _> HOU CHRON: "**Claiming conspiracy, Republican Steven Hotze seeks to block start of civil trial**" _[HOU CHRON]([link removed])_
_ _> MY RGV: "**Editorial: State crackdown on hemp goes against national trends, could cost Valley opportunities**" _[MyRGV.com]([link removed])_
_ _> DMN: "**JCPenney merging with retail powerhouse to form a new company based in Plano**" _[DMN]([link removed])_
_ _> THE TEXAN: "**BlackRock, Major Banks Leave Climate Net-Zero Alliances After Pressure from Texas, Other Red States**" _[THE TEXAN]([link removed])_
_ _> DMN: "**Cotton Bowl still on schedule despite winter storm in Dallas area**" _[DMN]([link removed])_
_ _> DMN: "**Photos removed from Fort Worth museum as police investigate child pornography allegations**" _[DMN]([link removed])_
_ _> THE TEXAN: "**New 'Remain in Mexico' Bill Filed by Texas Congressman**" _[THE TEXAN]([link removed])_
_ _> HOU CHRON: "**Why Tilman Ferttita and Landry's are taking another Landry to court**" _[HOU CHRON]([link removed])_

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* **EXTRA POINTS**

Last night's Texas sports scores:
> NBA: **Houston **119, Memphis 115
> NBA: **Dallas **117, Portland 111
> NHL: **Dallas **4, Philadelphia 1
> NCAAM: **Texas State **74, Troy 73
> NCAAM: **Tarleton State **74, Southern Utah 66
> NCAAM: Utah Tech 74, **UT-Arlington **62
> NCAAM: Liberty 76, **Sam Houston State **68

This weekend's Texas sports schedule:
Fri
> 6:30pm: NCAAM: #8 Ohio State vs. #5 **Texas **(ESPN)
Sat
> 1pm: NCAAM: #3 Iowa State at **Texas Tech** (ESPN)
> 1pm: NCAAM: BYU at **TCU** (ESPN2)
> 2pm: NBA: **Houston **at Atlanta
> 2pm: NCAAM: **Texas State **at Southern Miss (ESPN+)
> 2:30pm: NCAAM: Florida International at **Sam Houston State** (ESPN+)
> 3pm: NCAAM: Georgia Tech at **SMU** (ESPN2)
> 3pm: NCAAM: Wichita State at **UTSA** (ESPN+)
> 3:30pm: NCAAM: **Texas Southern** at AR Pine Bluff (SWAC)
> 3:30pm: NCAAM: **Incarnate Word **at **Houston Christian** (ESPN+)
> 3:30pm: NCAAM: **UT-RGV **at **Texas A&M-Corpus Christi** (ESPN+)
> 5pm: NCAAM: #1 Tennessee at **Texas** (ESPN)
> 5pm: NCAAM: #12 **Houston** at Kansas State (ESPN+)
> 6pm: NHL: **Dallas **at Montreal (ESPN+)
> 6pm: NCAAM: **Stephen F. Austin **at **Lamar** (ESPN+)
> 6pm: NCAAM: **Prairie View A&M **at Mississippi Valley State (SWAC)
> 7pm: NCAAM: #5 Alabama at #10 **Texas A&M** (ESPN)
> 7:30pm: NCAAM: **UT-Arlington **at Southern Utah (ESPN+)
> 8pm: NCAAM: **Tarleton State **at Utah Tech (ESPN+)
> 8:30pm: NCAAM: **Baylor **at Arizona State (ESPN+)
> 9:30pm: NBA: **San Antonio **at LA Lakers
Sun
> 2pm: NBA: Denver at **Dallas**
> 4pm: NHL: **Dallas **at Ottawa (ESPN+)

**TEXAS FOOTBALL**: Bohls: "UT football: The Longhorns are good. But Ohio State is better" [Houston Chronicle]([link removed]) ($)

**TEXAS FOOTBALL**: "Texas QB Quinn Ewers embracing pressure ahead of Ohio State showdown" [DMN]([link removed]) ($)

**DALLAS COWBOYS**: "After 3 days of meetings, Cowboys' future with Mike McCarthy still hangs in the balance" [DMN]([link removed]) ($)

**HOUSTON ROCKETS**: "Sengun has 32 points and 14 rebounds as the Rockets beat the Grizzlies 119-115 in Morant's return" [AP]([link removed])

**HOUSTON ASTROS**: "Houston Astros: Eight players reach salary agreements" [Houston Chronicle]([link removed]) ($)

**TEXAS WOMEN'S BASKETBALL**: "Booker leads No. 5 Texas to 84-40 win over No. 18 Alabama" [AP]([link removed])


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