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MustReadTexas.com [ [link removed] ] – @MustReadTexas [ [link removed] ]
BY: @MattMackowiak [ [link removed] ]
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FRIDAY || 4/4/2025 & SATURDAY || 4/5/2025
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AUSTIN NEWSLETTER LAUNCHED
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TOP NEWS
“Judge awards $6.6 million to whistleblowers who reported Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to FBI,” AP's Nadia Lathan — “A district court judge has awarded more than $6 million combined to four whistleblowers [ [link removed] ] in their lawsuit against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton who were fired shortly after they reported him to the FBI.
“By a preponderance of the evidence,” Travis County Judge Catherine Mauzy says in her judgment, the plaintiffs proved liability, damages and attorney’s fees in their complaint against the attorney general’s office.
“Because the Office of the Attorney General violated the Texas Whistleblower Act by firing and otherwise retaliating against the plaintiff for in good faith reporting violations of law by Ken Paxton and OAG, the court hereby renders judgment for plaintiffs,” Mauzy states.
The court found that the four Paxton aides were fired in retaliation for reporting allegations [ [link removed] ] that he was using his office to accept bribes from an Austin real estate developer who employed a woman with whom he was having an extramarital affair. Paxton has denied accepting bribes or misusing his office to help Nate Paul, the real estate developer.
The judgment also stated that the employees made their reports to law enforcement “in good faith” and that Paxton’s office did not dispute any claims or damages in the lawsuit.
“It should shock all Texans that their chief law enforcement officer, Ken Paxton, admitted to violating the law, but that is exactly what happened in this case,” said Tom Nesbitt, an attorney for Blake Brickman, and TJ Turner, an attorney for David Maxwell, in a joint statement.
In a statement to the media, Paxton called the ruling “ridiculous” and “not based on the facts or the law.” He also said that his office intends to appeal the ruling.
Paxton was at the center of a federal investigation after eight employees reported his office to the FBI in 2020 for bribery allegations. He agreed to settle the lawsuit for $3.3 million that would be paid by the Legislature. However, the House rejected his request and conducted its own investigation and impeached Paxton in 2023. He was later acquitted in the Senate [ [link removed] ].
In November, the Texas Supreme Court overturned [ [link removed] ] a lower-court ruling that Paxton testify in the lawsuit.
The U.S. Justice Department decided not to pursue its investigation [ [link removed] ] into Paxton in the final weeks of the Biden administration, according to two people familiar with the matter who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations." AP [ [link removed] ]
FREE SUBSCRIPTIONS HAVE ENDED: As of July 11, 2022, we have moved to a paywall for free subscribers. Free subscribers will only receive the top story in their morning email. Free subscribers will need to become paid subscribers to receive full story summaries.
TOP NEWS
“Truck driver charged with intoxication manslaughter in N Austin I-35 crash was sober” AAS [ [link removed] ] ($)
STATE GOVERNMENT
"Texas sues San Antonio over abortion funding” Texas Tribune [ [link removed] ]
"Gov. Greg Abbott touts his influence on Texas courts to conservative law group” Texas Tribune [ [link removed] ]
2026
“Texas governor blames county’s elections problems for delay in filling vacant congressional seat” AP [ [link removed] ]
TEXANS IN DC
“Cruz says a trade war would cost jobs, spur prices and be terrible for Texas” Texas Tribune [ [link removed] ]
BUSINESS NEWS
“Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas strikes deal with UTSW and Texas Health Resources” DMN [ [link removed] ] ($)
“Texas opens probe into breakfast cereal maker Kellogg over health claims” DMN [ [link removed] ] ($)
NEWS FROM AROUND THE STATE
> HOU CHRON: "Texas AG Ken Paxton touts report that DOJ officials declined to prosecute him" HOU CHRON [ [link removed] ]
> HOU CHRON: "Greg Abbott launches regulatory blitz against Islamic master-planned community" HOU CHRON [ [link removed] ]
> KXAN: "Texas House committee sends ‘consequential’ education legislation to House floor" KXAN [ [link removed] ]
> MRT: "Bill that prioritizes creating new water supplies gets Texas Senate OK" MRT [ [link removed] ]
> AAS: "Advocates, concerned citizens decry Texas House Bill 17 during press conference at Capitol" AAS [ [link removed] ]
> HOU CHRON: "Trump fired several national security officials deemed insufficiently loyal, AP sources say" HOU CHRON [ [link removed] ]
> THE TEXAN: "House Public Education Committee Approves School Choice, Funding Bills" THE TEXAN [ [link removed] ]
> TPR: "East Central ISD goes back to voters with a trimmed bond to address overcrowded schools" TPR [ [link removed] ]
> THE TEXAN: "Texas House Committee Hears Testimony on Hostile Foreign Land Ownership Bill" THE TEXAN [ [link removed] ]
> THE TEXAN: "House Committee Plans to Subpoena Texas Central for Financial, Project Documents" THE TEXAN [ [link removed] ]
> AAS: "Why Texas Gov. Abbott says his migrant bus operation helped set tone for 2024 elections" AAS [ [link removed] ]
> THE TEXAN: "Texas House Bill Requiring Insurance Cover Detransitioning Services Heard in Committee" THE TEXAN [ [link removed] ]
> TPR: "School finance bill, voucher proposal clear first hurdle in the Texas House" TPR [ [link removed] ]
> MRT: "Justice Department declined to prosecute Texas AG Paxton in final weeks of Biden's term: AP sources" MRT [ [link removed] ]
> THE TEXAN: "Weekly Roundup: Harrison's Motion to Vacate, ‘EPIC City,’ Superior HealthPlan Investigations" THE TEXAN [ [link removed] ]
> COMMUNITY IMPACT: "Funding community growth: West University places $15M bond on May ballot" COMMUNITY IMPACT [ [link removed] ]
> MRT: "Alert: Justice Department decided in final weeks of Biden's term not to charge Texas AG Paxton in corruption probe: AP sources" MRT [ [link removed] ]
> THE TEXAN: "Lt. Gov. Patrick Details New Property Tax Item in State of the Session Press Conference" THE TEXAN [ [link removed] ]
> MY RGV: "Big fish: RGV Startup Week lands Vicente Fox as keynote" MY RGV [ [link removed] ]
> SA REPORT: "Let’s empower immigrant citizens in Bexar County’s local elections" SA REPORT [ [link removed] ]
> TPR: "City council approves first step in allocating $100,000 to out-of-state abortion travel" TPR [ [link removed] ]
> SA REPORT: "In election-year reversal, San Antonio will direct city money to fund abortion travel after all" SA REPORT [ [link removed] ]
> TPR: "Tariffs are another reason why Americans feel so lousy about the economy" TPR [ [link removed] ]
> SAEN: "Republicans moving ahead with Trump's 'big' bill of tax breaks and spending cuts amid tariff uproar" SAEN [ [link removed] ]
> THE TEXAN: "U.S. House Minority Leader, Harris County Attorney Threaten to Sue Gov. Abbott Over Congressional Special Election" THE TEXAN [ [link removed] ]
> TPR: "Tariffs threaten to upend markets American farmers depend on" TPR [ [link removed] ]
> TPR: "Some federal employees fired under anti-DEI orders weren't doing DEI work" TPR [ [link removed] ]
> SAEN: "Slovaks rally to protest against legislation that critics say is harmful to NGOs" SAEN [ [link removed] ]
> TPR: "A Pentagon inspector general announces investigation into Hegseth's use of Signal" TPR [ [link removed] ]
> SA REPORT: "Big spending in San Antonio mayor race kicks off self-funding surge" SA REPORT [ [link removed] ]
> AAS: "Texas Senate narrowly confirms formerly indicted Austin cop to police watchdog agency" AAS [ [link removed] ]
> MY RGV: "Pentagon watchdog to review Hegseth’s use of Signal app to convey plans for Houthi strike" MY RGV [ [link removed] ]
> FWST: "Father remembers teen fatally stabbed at Frisco track meet. ‘My pride and joy.’" FWST [ [link removed] ]
EXTRA POINTS
Recent Texas sports scores:
Thurs
> 3:10pm: MLB: Houston 5, San Francisco 2
> 7pm: NHL: Dallas 5, Nashville 1
Fri
> NBA: LA Clippers 114, Dallas 91
> NBA: Houston 125, Oklahoma City 111
> NBA: Cleveland 114, San Antonio 113
> NCAAW: #1 South Carolina 74, #1 Texas 57
> MLB: Texas 5, Tampa 2
This weekend's Texas sports schedule:
Sat
> 1:10pm: MLB: Houston at Minnesota
> 6:05pm: MLB: Tampa at Texas
> 6:45pm: MLS: Portland at Austin (Apple TV)
> 6:30pm: MLS: Dallas at Atlanta (Apple TV)
> 7:30pm: MLS: LA FC at Houston (Apple TV)
> 9:30pm: NBA: Dallas at LA Clippers
Sun
> 1:10pm: MLB: Houston at Minnesota
> 1:35pm: MLB: Tampa at Texas
> 2pm: NHL: Dallas at Minnesota (ESPN+)
> 5pm: NBA: San Antonio at Portland
> 7:30pm: NBA: Houston at Golden State (NBA TV)
TEXAS WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: "No superstars needed for South Carolina, which uses depth to beat Texas and reach NCAA title game" AP [ [link removed] ] ($)
TEXAS MEN'S BASKETBALL: "Texas basketball: Chendall Weaver returning for new coach Sean Miller" AAS [ [link removed] ] ($)
TEXAS A&M MEN'S BASKETBALL: "What Bucky McMillan brings to Texas A&M basketball" AAS [ [link removed] ] ($)
SAN ANTONIO SPURS: Editorial: "A downtown arena can succeed, if the Spurs commit meaningful money" SAEN [ [link removed] ] ($)
TEXAS RANGERS: "Texas Rangers plan to activate 3B Josh Jung from 10-day IL Tuesday" AP [ [link removed] ]

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