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MustReadTexas.com – @MustReadTexas
BY: @MattMackowiak
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WEDNESDAY || 7/16/2025
Good Wednesday evening.
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P.S. Some personal news: Amy and I are expecting our first child!
“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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A GOOD CAUSE
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Disaster Relief Available for Flood-Affected Residents
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Our hearts continue to go out to everyone impacted by the devastating floods that swept through Central Texas over the July 4th weekend. We know many families—including some within our REALTOR® community—are facing difficult days ahead. If you—or someone you know—suffered damage to a primary residence during the July 4th weekend flooding, assistance may be available through the Texas REALTORS® Disaster Relief Fund.
Please click the button below for the Texas REALTORS® Disaster Relief Fund Application.
Who is eligible to apply?
Texas residents whose primary residence was damaged and who live in a county listed in the Governor’s disaster declaration: Bexar, Burnet, Caldwell, Gaudalupe, Travis, and Williamson. Only one application per residence is allowed.
What must be submitted with the application?
A valid photo ID
Proof of residence that matches the affected address
If insured, documentation showing the insurance claim, deductible, and payout amount
Application Deadline: All applications must be submitted by September 30, 2025.
To apply or learn more, please visit our website: Williamson County Disaster Relief
TOP NEWS
“Justice Dept. to Move Ahead with Bribery Case Against Cuellar,” New York Times' Glenn Thrush — “The Justice Department is moving ahead with its bribery case against Representative Henry Cuellar after an internal debate, despite President Trump’s public expressions of support for the embattled Democrat from Texas, according to three people with knowledge of the situation.
The department is, however, expected to withdraw charges against Mr. Cuellar under the Foreign Agents Registration Act stemming from his business dealings with Azerbaijan and Mexican citizens in accordance with Attorney General Pam Bondi’s blanket order to scale back such prosecutions under the law, those people said.
In May 2024, Mr. Cuellar and his wife, Imelda, were indicted by a federal grand jury in Houston on charges of participating in a yearslong $600,000 bribery scheme involving Azerbaijan and a Mexican bank. The congressman, who, as a native of Laredo, represents a swing district on the southern border at the center of Mr. Trump’s immigration push, was accused of bribery and money laundering on behalf of an oil and gas company owned by Azerbaijan’s leaders.
Shortly after Ms. Bondi announced in February that she would narrow enforcement of foreign lobbying and bribery laws, a lawyer for Mr. Cuellar suggested he would assess the new tack and determine whether to raise it with the department.
In mid-May of this year, Matthew R. Galeotti, an assistant attorney general, told Mr. Cuellar’s legal team that prosecutors in the department’s criminal and national security divisions had rejected the congressman’s request that the case be dismissed, according to people briefed on the exchange who requested anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.
The dismissal request by Mr. Cuellar’s lawyer, Seth D. DuCharme — the former top federal prosecutor for the Eastern District of New York — tracked closely with Mr. Trump’s own legal and political strategy. He claimed that the Biden administration had weaponized the Justice Department to target Mr. Cuellar, the people familiar with the matter said.
Mr. DuCharme appealed the decision up the department’s chain of command. The department’s political leadership accepted Mr. Galeotti’s determination that the bribery charges were firmly supported by evidence, but reversed his decision to proceed with the prosecution under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, overruling John A. Eisenberg, the head of the national security division.
That was not surprising: In February, Ms. Bondi signed a directive ordering that prosecutions under the foreign agents law “shall be limited to instances of alleged conduct similar to more traditional espionage by foreign government actors.”
A spokesman for the Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Mr. DuCharme declined to comment." NYT
TOP NEWS
“D-FW tops nation in new home permits” DMN ($)
“New execution date set for Texas man Robert Roberson in shaken baby syndrome case” AP
#TXLEGE
“Mayors petition Abbott to revive DART funding, governance bills in Texas’ special session” DMN ($)
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
“Texas court orders Uvalde County, schools to release shooting records” AAS ($)
2026
“Border Patrol Union, Sheriffs, Former Texas DPS Head Endorse Cornyn in U.S. Senate Race” The Texan
“Big money shaping GOP primaries for Texas attorney general, comptroller” Texas Tribune
BUSINESS NEWS
“$440M data center going up in Elon Musk’s suburban Austin stronghold” SAEN ($)
“Apple strikes $500M deal to source rare-earth materials from Fort Worth facility” Bloomberg wire ($)
“D-FW online gun seller goes public with backing from Donald Trump Jr.” DMN ($)
NEWS FROM AROUND THE STATE
> COMMUNITY IMPACT: "‘We've turned closets and hallways into housing and office space’: Montgomery County officials explore jail solutions amid overcrowding" COMMUNITY IMPACT
> TPR: "Texas AG Ken Paxton opens investigation into allegations of 'potential noncitizens' voting in Harris County" TPR
> AAS: "Trump wants five more GOP congressional seats in Texas redistricting" AAS
> THE TEXAN: "Ted Cruz Aims to Designate Muslim Brotherhood as Foreign Terrorist Organization" THE TEXAN
> EP TIMES: "Texas lawmaker proposes beefing up temporary worker program to ease farm labor shortages" EP TIMES
> THE TEXAN: "Texas, National Democrats Coalesce Against GOP Congressional Redistricting Effort" THE TEXAN
> AAS: "State Sen. Nathan Johnson first Democrat to get into attorney general race" AAS
> THE TEXAN: "Nathan Johnson Announces Democratic Run for Texas Attorney General" THE TEXAN
> DMN: "Former Dallas police chief Eddie García a finalist for the Fort Worth position" DMN
> SAEN: "Boerne council member resigns; council will appoint replacement" SAEN
> TPR: "Live Updates: Death toll from Texas floods hits 133, and 97 people are still missing in Kerr County" TPR
> TPR: "Climate change and the Guadalupe River flash flood" TPR
> AAS: "Gov. Greg Abbott tours flood-ravaged Leander area, gives updates" AAS
> EP TIMES: "US Rep. Escobar joins Florida Republican in presenting bipartisan immigration reform bill" EP TIMES
> SA REPORT: "Trump's redistricting plan could affect San Antonio districts" SA REPORT
> KXAN: "Draft Legislation for the Establishment of CBI/CIP Regulator Now Available for Public Comment" KXAN
> KXAN: "‘Bomb threats’ at Kyle city hall cancels Tuesday council meeting, Mayor says" KXAN
> COMMUNITY IMPACT: "Harris County Precinct 4 to host FY 2025-26 budget town halls" COMMUNITY IMPACT
> HOU CHRON: "Tropical threat may become Dexter. Texas should pay attention." HOU CHRON
> HOU CHRON: "Texas Hill Country rivers rise as new storms trigger flash flood warnings" HOU CHRON
> TX TRIB: "Rio Grande Valley’s biggest free health clinic event of the year is canceled due to federal cuts" TX TRIB
> DMN: "Landlords poised to retake upper hand as apartment demand surges" DMN
> DMN: "Wildfire that destroyed Grand Canyon Lodge spread after being allowed to burn for days" DMN
> KXAN: "Texas DNA expert backs Rodney Reed’s call for more testing" KXAN
> AAS: "Central Texas students, schools step up to help after deadly floods" AAS
> WACO TRIB: "Mike Shields, Reicher alum and beloved Centex coach, dies after cancer battle" WACO TRIB
> MRT: "Armies of Texas volunteers dig out, clean up, after fatal floods" MRT
> DMN: "Dallas’ Nirav Tolia is back at Nextdoor with a new look for neighborhood connecting tech" DMN
> COMMUNITY IMPACT: "Southlake-based bilingual, STEAM-focused preschool to open in August" COMMUNITY IMPACT
> AAS: "As Texans seek to rebuild in floodplains, local governments face safety challenges" AAS
> MRT: "Texas authorities foil plot to kill man with fentanyl-laced chocolates" MRT
> COMMUNITY IMPACT: "Cibolo launches new small business grant program" COMMUNITY IMPACT
EXTRA POINTS
Recent Texas sports schedule:
None.
Today's Texas sports schedule:
> 7pm: WNBA: Las Vegas at Dallas
> 7:30pm: MLS: Vancouver at Houston
> 9:30pm: MLS: Austin at LA FC (Apple TV)
Tomorrow's Texas sports schedule:
None.
TEXAS RANGERS: "Rangers to pay out Nathan Eovaldi’s All-Star bonus despite lacking official recognition" DMN ($)
DALLAS COWBOYS: "Everything fans should know about Dallas Cowboys training camp in Oxnard" DMN ($)
TEXAS FOOTBALL: "The wait is over for Texas and Arch Manning, though quarterback admits it wasn’t easy being backup" AP
TEXAS FOOTBALL: "SEC media days: Texas RB CJ Baxter 'is exactly on track' after injury" AAS ($)
TEXAS FOOTBALL: Sherrington: "Many expect Arch Manning to be great. Just good might be enough for Texas to win in 2025" DMN ($)
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