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MustReadTexas.com – @MustReadTexas
BY: @MattMackowiak
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FRIDAY || 4/4/2025 & SATURDAY || 4/5/2025
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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
“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 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 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 $3.3 million that would be paid by the Legislature. However, the House rejected his request and conducted its own investigation and impeached Paxton in 2023. He was later acquitted in the Senate.
In November, the Texas Supreme Court overturned a lower-court ruling that Paxton testify in the lawsuit.
The U.S. Justice Department decided not to pursue its investigation into Paxton in the final weeks of the Biden administration, according to two people familiar with the matter who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations." AP
TOP NEWS
“Truck driver charged with intoxication manslaughter in N Austin I-35 crash was sober” AAS ($)
STATE GOVERNMENT
"Texas sues San Antonio over abortion funding” Texas Tribune
"Gov. Greg Abbott touts his influence on Texas courts to conservative law group” Texas Tribune
2026
“Texas governor blames county’s elections problems for delay in filling vacant congressional seat” AP
TEXANS IN DC
“Cruz says a trade war would cost jobs, spur prices and be terrible for Texas” Texas Tribune
BUSINESS NEWS
“Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas strikes deal with UTSW and Texas Health Resources” DMN ($)
“Texas opens probe into breakfast cereal maker Kellogg over health claims” DMN ($)
NEWS FROM AROUND THE STATE
> HOU CHRON: "Texas AG Ken Paxton touts report that DOJ officials declined to prosecute him" HOU CHRON
> HOU CHRON: "Greg Abbott launches regulatory blitz against Islamic master-planned community" HOU CHRON
> KXAN: "Texas House committee sends ‘consequential’ education legislation to House floor" KXAN
> MRT: "Bill that prioritizes creating new water supplies gets Texas Senate OK" MRT
> AAS: "Advocates, concerned citizens decry Texas House Bill 17 during press conference at Capitol" AAS
> HOU CHRON: "Trump fired several national security officials deemed insufficiently loyal, AP sources say" HOU CHRON
> THE TEXAN: "House Public Education Committee Approves School Choice, Funding Bills" THE TEXAN
> TPR: "East Central ISD goes back to voters with a trimmed bond to address overcrowded schools" TPR
> THE TEXAN: "Texas House Committee Hears Testimony on Hostile Foreign Land Ownership Bill" THE TEXAN
> THE TEXAN: "House Committee Plans to Subpoena Texas Central for Financial, Project Documents" THE TEXAN
> AAS: "Why Texas Gov. Abbott says his migrant bus operation helped set tone for 2024 elections" AAS
> THE TEXAN: "Texas House Bill Requiring Insurance Cover Detransitioning Services Heard in Committee" THE TEXAN
> TPR: "School finance bill, voucher proposal clear first hurdle in the Texas House" TPR
> MRT: "Justice Department declined to prosecute Texas AG Paxton in final weeks of Biden's term: AP sources" MRT
> THE TEXAN: "Weekly Roundup: Harrison's Motion to Vacate, ‘EPIC City,’ Superior HealthPlan Investigations" THE TEXAN
> COMMUNITY IMPACT: "Funding community growth: West University places $15M bond on May ballot" COMMUNITY IMPACT
> MRT: "Alert: Justice Department decided in final weeks of Biden's term not to charge Texas AG Paxton in corruption probe: AP sources" MRT
> THE TEXAN: "Lt. Gov. Patrick Details New Property Tax Item in State of the Session Press Conference" THE TEXAN
> MY RGV: "Big fish: RGV Startup Week lands Vicente Fox as keynote" MY RGV
> SA REPORT: "Let’s empower immigrant citizens in Bexar County’s local elections" SA REPORT
> TPR: "City council approves first step in allocating $100,000 to out-of-state abortion travel" TPR
> SA REPORT: "In election-year reversal, San Antonio will direct city money to fund abortion travel after all" SA REPORT
> TPR: "Tariffs are another reason why Americans feel so lousy about the economy" TPR
> SAEN: "Republicans moving ahead with Trump's 'big' bill of tax breaks and spending cuts amid tariff uproar" SAEN
> THE TEXAN: "U.S. House Minority Leader, Harris County Attorney Threaten to Sue Gov. Abbott Over Congressional Special Election" THE TEXAN
> TPR: "Tariffs threaten to upend markets American farmers depend on" TPR
> TPR: "Some federal employees fired under anti-DEI orders weren't doing DEI work" TPR
> SAEN: "Slovaks rally to protest against legislation that critics say is harmful to NGOs" SAEN
> TPR: "A Pentagon inspector general announces investigation into Hegseth's use of Signal" TPR
> SA REPORT: "Big spending in San Antonio mayor race kicks off self-funding surge" SA REPORT
> AAS: "Texas Senate narrowly confirms formerly indicted Austin cop to police watchdog agency" AAS
> MY RGV: "Pentagon watchdog to review Hegseth’s use of Signal app to convey plans for Houthi strike" MY RGV
> FWST: "Father remembers teen fatally stabbed at Frisco track meet. ‘My pride and joy.’" FWST
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 ($)
TEXAS MEN'S BASKETBALL: "Texas basketball: Chendall Weaver returning for new coach Sean Miller" AAS ($)
TEXAS A&M MEN'S BASKETBALL: "What Bucky McMillan brings to Texas A&M basketball" AAS ($)
SAN ANTONIO SPURS: Editorial: "A downtown arena can succeed, if the Spurs commit meaningful money" SAEN ($)
TEXAS RANGERS: "Texas Rangers plan to activate 3B Josh Jung from 10-day IL Tuesday" AP
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