... The Texas Minute ...
Good morning,
This is the Texas Minute for Monday, January 5, 2026.
– Brandon Waltens
Financial Failures at Texas Southern University
A final audit released by the State Auditor’s Office on New Year’s Eve confirms sweeping financial and operational failures at Texas Southern University, including the inability to locate the vast majority of sampled assets and years of noncompliance with basic procurement and financial reporting requirements.
- According to the audit, 50 of 60 sampled assets—83 percent—could not be located, despite being
recorded in the university’s official accounting system.
Auditors reported that the missing assets had a combined purchase value of $3.2 million.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said the findings were “beyond disturbing” and reflected years of mismanagement involving taxpayer funds.
University leadership has agreed with the State Auditor’s recommendations and outlined a multi-year corrective action plan.
Report Alleges Austin Sent Funds to Fake Companies
A new report claims Austin’s municipal government sent close to one million dollars to nonexistent companies. Adam Cahn has the story.
According to a report from the city auditor, Mark Ybarra—who was then an employee of Austin Energy—fraudulently reported close to $980,000 in credit card transactions with fictitious companies. The report states that this activity took place over a period of six years.
The report states that $400,000 went to companies whose listed address was the same as a family member of Ybarra’s. The remaining funds lacked even this level of documentation and “appear to be fake.”
Harris County Directed to Fix Voter Rolls
- The Office of the Texas Secretary of State has informed Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector and Voter Registrar Annette Ramirez that a review of voter records validated an administrative complaint filed by State Sen. Paul Bettencourt. Michael Wilson has the details.
- The complaint alleged that voters were registered using private P.O. box-style mailboxes rather than physical residence addresses, which are required under Texas law.
- According to the Office of the Texas Secretary of State, some of the registrations identified in the review had already been flagged by Harris County through routine list-maintenance procedures. However, state officials also provided the county with a list of 127 additional private mailbox locations that were identified during the state’s 2021–2022 comprehensive election audit and had not yet been addressed.
- State officials directed Harris County to take corrective action to ensure the registrations are brought into compliance. Under Texas law, the county has 30 days to respond to the complaint and outline the steps it will take to resolve the issue.
Dallas-area ISIS Activist Charged With Terrorism Offense
An alleged ISIS sympathizer near Dallas has been charged with an international terrorism offense after being discovered by undercover agents.
Addie Hovland writes 21-year-old John Michael Garza Jr. of Midlothian faces up to 20 years in federal prison for providing explosive materials and money to individuals he believed were part of an organization that has been designated as a foreign terrorist by the U.S. government.
A New York Police Department employee first discovered Garza in October 2025 after noticing he followed many pro-ISIS accounts on social media.
Teachers Charged With Harming Special Ed Student
- Cibolo police arrested three San Antonio-area special education teachers on felony charges of physically harming a special-needs student in their care.
- Erin Anderson reports the Cibolo Police Department arrested the women after viewing video of the reported abuse. All three were booked into the Guadalupe County Jail on December 29.
Paraprofessional Julia Cantu, 70, was charged with injury to a child, a first-degree felony punishable by up to 99 years or life in prison. Bond was set at $75,000.
Paraprofessional Veronica Guerra-Ulrich, 47, was charged with unlawful restraint of a child under the age of 17, a state jail felony punishable by up to two years in jail. Bond was set at $25,000.
Teacher Jessica Lee Longo, 42, was also charged with unlawful restraint of a child under the age of 17, with bond set at $25,000.
All three suspects were released the next day after posting bonds.
Quote-Unquote
"When it comes to life the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude."
– G.K. Chesterton
* The new congressional boundaries for representational purposes will not take effect until January 2027.
