View this post on the web at [link removed]

MustReadTexas.com [ [link removed] ] – @MustReadTexas [ [link removed] ]
BY: @MattMackowiak [ [link removed] ]
Subscribe to the daily email here [ [link removed] ]
THURSDAY || 8/14/2025
Good Thursday afternoon.
Thank you for reading as a FREE subscriber.
» Become a PAID subscriber here [ [link removed] ] for $7/mo or $70/yr and SAVE TIME and be BETTER INFORMED.
P.S. Some personal news: Amy and I are expecting [ [link removed] ] our first child -- a boy!
“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)
AUSTIN NEWSLETTER LAUNCHED
Are you one of the 100,000+ subscribers to ATX Pulse [ [link removed] ], a newsletter that delivers EVERYTHING you NEED TO KNOW about Austin?

Subscriptions are $5/mo, $50/yr or $199/lifetime here: ATXpulsepremium.com [ [link removed] ].
> Read the most recent FREE subscriber email here [ [link removed] ].
> Become a PAID subscriber for $5/mo or $50/yr here [ [link removed] ].
TOP NEWS
“Texas Democrats say they will return to state once session ends, California unveils retaliatory map,” Texas Tribune's Alejandro Serrano -- "Texas House Democrats who left the state in protest of proposed congressional redistricting [ [link removed] ] said Thursday they will return to the state after the Legislature adjourns Friday and California’s state lawmakers introduce a retaliatory redistricting map in their state assembly.
In a statement, members of the minority party said their lawyers had advised them to return “to build a strong public legislative record for the upcoming legal battle” against the proposed reconfiguration of Texas’ congressional districts. The new map, stalled since dozens of Democrats left the state [ [link removed] ] Aug. 3, is designed to net the GOP five additional seats in the U.S. House. President Donald Trump pressured state leaders to undertake the effort mid-decade — a rarity — as the GOP tries to hold onto its thin majority in Congress.
Gov. Greg Abbott, who has asked the state’s Supreme Court [ [link removed] ] to remove House Democratic Caucus leader Gene Wu from office, said earlier this week he would continue calling special legislative sessions — starting Friday [ [link removed] ] after both chambers of the Legislature adjourn. House Speaker Dustin Burrows said he would gavel out for the session if the lower chamber continued to lack a quorum, or the minimum number of present members required to conduct business.
The House, which needs 100 of its 150 members present to establish a quorum, has not reached that threshold since most of the chamber’s 62 Democrats left the state for Chicago, Massachusetts and New York in an effort to stop the proposed redistricting. Democratic lawmakers say the new map is an attack on the representation of minority voters in the districts being redrawn, while Republicans have defended their right to redraw district lines for partisan gain whenever they want.
“Texas House Democrats broke quorum and successfully mobilized the nation against Trump's assault on minority voting rights," Wu, D-Houston, said in a statement. “Facing threats of arrest, lawfare, financial penalties, harassment, and bomb threats, we have stood firm in our fight against a proposed Jim Crow congressional district map.”
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday called a special election for a ballot measure to ask voters to approve a new congressional map to counter Texas’ effort. Earlier this week, Politico reported [ [link removed] ] that California Democratic leaders said they had sufficient votes to pass the amendment.
“Trump’s election rigging comes to an end now,” Newsom said in a social media post. “California won’t stand by and watch Trump burn it all down — we are calling a special election to redraw our Congressional maps and defend fair representation. This is a five alarm fire for Democracy.”" Texas Tribune [ [link removed] ]
“Illinois judge denies Ken Paxton's bid for help rounding up Democrats,” Houston Chronicle's Taylor Goldenstein -- "An Illinois judge on Wednesday ruled against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in his bid for help in rounding up House Democrats [ [link removed] ] who fled there to block a vote on redistricting.
In a brief ruling, Adams County Circuit Judge Scott Larson found that he "does not have the inherent power" to decide whether the 13 Democrats that Paxton had claimed were violating civil warrants issued by the Texas House, let alone to help Texas enforce them.
Larson found that Paxton “failed to present a legal basis for the court to obtain subject matter jurisdiction over this action.”
Neither Paxton nor the House Democratic Caucus immediately responded to a request for comment.
The third-term Republican attorney general filed a similar suit in California that is still pending." Hou Chron [ [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.
#TXLEGE
“Tarrant County GOP leader takes aim at Muslim Texas lawmaker in online tirade” DMN [ [link removed] ] ($)
“If Texas were to ban or regulate THC, crime labs say they would need more resources” Texas Tribune [ [link removed] ]
STATE GOVERNMENT
“9 people plead not guilty in a Texas elections probe involving ‘vote harvesting’” AP [ [link removed] ]
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
“Judge Lina Hidalgo, Harris County commissioners clash over deficit framing: ‘False narrative’” Hou Chron [ [link removed] ] ($)
Lisa Falkenberg column: “Exclusive: Hidalgo staffer says he was ‘blindsided’ by the use of children in chaotic meeting” Hou Chron [ [link removed] ] ($)
“After historic flooding, area lake and aquifer levels dropping again” SAEN [ [link removed] ] ($)
“Fort Bend County Judge KP George used campaign funds for property taxes, home down payment, DA says” Hou Chron [ [link removed] ] ($)
2026
“Casar, Doggett would run for same Austin congressional seat under GOP map, setting up clash of generations” Texas Tribune [ [link removed] ]
TEXANS IN DC
“Judge dismisses 2 counts against US Rep. Cuellar of Texas, moves bribery trial to next year” AP [ [link removed] ]
BUSINESS NEWS
“Southwest bulks up 2026 schedule from Love Field” DMN [ [link removed] ] ($)
“ConocoPhillips offloads Marathon’s largely vacant CityCentre HQ in West Houston” Hou Chron [ [link removed] ] ($)
NEWS FROM AROUND THE STATE
> TX TRIB: "Trump vowed to end “wasteful” federal spending. Beloved Texas school programs got caught in the middle." TX TRIB [ [link removed] ]
> HOU CHRON: "Democrats say Greg Abbott is holding up flood relief. Are they right?" HOU CHRON [ [link removed] ]
> COMMUNITY IMPACT: "Texas Senate passes congressional map, flood relief with House Democrats out of state" COMMUNITY IMPACT [ [link removed] ]
> HOU CHRON: "Exclusive: City employees who took Whitmire's early retirement haven't been paid" HOU CHRON [ [link removed] ]
> SA REPORT: "Mayor Jones wants city policies screened for conflict with Texas law" SA REPORT [ [link removed] ]
> THE TEXAN: "Texas Democrats Respond to Friday Sine Die Threat, Say ‘What Happens Next’ is Up to Abbott" THE TEXAN [ [link removed] ]
> SA REPORT: "Alamo Colleges board approves plan to consolidate faculty senate and remove up to 89 seats" SA REPORT [ [link removed] ]
> COMMUNITY IMPACT: "Montgomery County departments request staff, equipment be added to FY 2025-26 budget" COMMUNITY IMPACT [ [link removed] ]
> THE TEXAN: "Texas Schools Prepare for New Cell Phone Ban, Navigating Enforcement and Pushback" THE TEXAN [ [link removed] ]
> KXAN: "‘Taking away a safety net’: How Texas further restricted Austinites’ access to abortion health care" KXAN [ [link removed] ]
> KXAN: "Austin budget discussions underway, property tax election all but certain" KXAN [ [link removed] ]
> SAEN: "Police: S.A. man threatened to kill mayor over Project Marvel stance" SAEN [ [link removed] ]
> HOU CHRON: "Texas senior forced out of college by Dream Act ruling that doubled her tuition" HOU CHRON [ [link removed] ]
> KXAN: "Travis County to launch new online system for public commenters" KXAN [ [link removed] ]
> FWST: "77-year-old on bike is fatally stabbed, then finishes ride to work, Texas cops say" FWST [ [link removed] ]
> THE TEXAN: "Illinois Judge Rules Against Paxton's Petition to Enforce Texas' Civil Arrest Warrants for Quorum Breakers" THE TEXAN [ [link removed] ]
> TX TRIB: "History repeated itself when the Guadalupe River swept away Camp Mystic. Why few lessons were learned after the 1987 flood." TX TRIB [ [link removed] ]
> FWST: "Man kills son and wounds two others, then flees with kids in car, Texas cops say" FWST [ [link removed] ]
> HOU CHRON: "Gulf storm threat emerges with Erin on track to become hurricane" HOU CHRON [ [link removed] ]
> HOU CHRON: "Blue waters return to Galveston's beaches" HOU CHRON [ [link removed] ]
> DMN: "Video: Union Pacific train carrying hazardous material derails in Texas" DMN [ [link removed] ]
> FWST: "Two children, one adult killed in Dallas car crash, police say" FWST [ [link removed] ]
> DMN: "Dallas doctors left surgical tool inside patient’s body, lawsuit alleges" DMN [ [link removed] ]
EXTRA POINTS
Yesterday's Texas sports scores:
> MLB: Arizona 6, Texas 4
> MLB: Houston 4, Boston 1
Tonight's Texas sports schedule:
None.
Tomorrow's Texas sports schedule:
> 6:07pm: MLB: Texas at Toronto
> 6:30pm: WNBA: LA at Dallas (ION)
> 7:10pm: MLB: Baltimore at Houston
DALLAS COWBOYS: "Cowboys camp observations: Dallas puts on pads for last time in Oxnard this preseason" DMN [ [link removed] ] ($)
DALLAS COWBOYS: "The differences between Brian Schottenheimer’s Cowboys and Mike McCarthy’s teams are clear" DMN [ [link removed] ] ($)
DALLAS COWBOYS: "Tenacious, generous and genuine: George Pickens is on a mission to win over Cowboys fans" DMN [ [link removed] ] ($)
TEXAS TECH FOOTBALL: "New reported Big 12 rule puts Texas Tech’s tortilla tradition in jeopardy" DMN [ [link removed] ] ($)
TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: "Bold predictions for Dallas-area teams for the 2025 Texas high school football season" DMN [ [link removed] ] ($)
HOUSTON ASTROS: "Hunter Brown reaches 10 victories, helping the Astros beat the Red Sox 4-1" AP [ [link removed] ]
TEXAS RANGERS: "Marte hits 9th inning go-ahead HRs in back-to-back Dbacks games, from each side of plate at Texas" AP [ [link removed] ]
DALLAS MAVERICKS: "Full Dallas Mavericks’ 2025-26 NBA regular season schedule released" DMN [ [link removed] ] ($)
SAN ANTONIO SPURS: "Circle these dates on the Spurs' 2025-26 schedule" SAEN [ [link removed] ] ($)
TEXAS MEN'S BASKETBALL: Golden: "Texas men's basketball: Sean Miller likes his rebuilt Longhorns roster" AAS [ [link removed] ] ($)

Unsubscribe [link removed]?