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Good morning,

This is the Texas Minute for Constitution Day, Sept. 17, 2026.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan [[link removed]]

--" width="434" src=" Democrat Organizer Caught Describing 'Roundabout Way of Paying People for Their Votes'

An organizer with a Democrat-aligned political action committee in Texas was recorded describing a program that pays participants to attend a voting-related class as a “roundabout way of paying people for their votes.” Brandon Waltens has the details [[link removed]].

Townhall published an undercover video yesterday that it identified as showing Sky McAdams, an organizing manager for Texas Majority PAC, discussing what McAdams called the “Paid Relational Program.” Texas Majority PAC is a George Soros-backed entity focused on electing Democrats statewide and increasing Democratic voter turnout in Texas.

McAdams acknowledged [[link removed]] that directly paying someone to vote for a candidate is prohibited but described a different arrangement in which individuals receive $25 for attending the class. McAdams referred to the arrangement as a "creative way" before adding, "if I was a Republican, I would be pissed."

Texas Majority PAC disputed McAdams’ characterization of the program and said he has been fired. "Participants in the program are being paid for grassroots organizing work." --" width="434" src=" Suspected Gulf Cartel Hitman Faces Federal Terrorism Charges A suspected Gulf Cartel hitman apprehended after illegally crossing the Texas-Mexico border has been indicted on federal terrorism charges [[link removed]].

Jose Flores-Flores was indicted on a range of charges, including that he provided material support to a foreign terrorist organization and illegally reentered the country. The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas, Aaron Reitz, made the announcement [[link removed]] at a McAllen press conference Wednesday.

Flores-Flores was apprehended by Border Patrol agents near Mission in July after he illegally entered the United States from Mexico. An investigation uncovered the man's alleged ties to the Gulf Cartel’s Los Metros faction. On his phone, agents discovered graphic images and video depicting dismembered and burned human remains. Reitz said Flores-Flores admitted to authorities that he was a cartel sicario.

The Gulf Cartel was designated as a terrorist organization by the Trump administration in early 2025. --" width="434" src=" Texas Teacher Misconduct Reports Triple in 2026 Texas teacher misconduct reports tripled this year, and the number of school employees added to the state’s Do Not Hire Registry hit an all-time high. As Erin Anderson reports [[link removed]], the increases are due in part to bipartisan legislation passed last year protecting students from sexual abuse by educators.

According to the Texas Education Agency’s Educator Misconduct Reporting Dashboard [[link removed]], 19,766 complaints were submitted in the 2026 fiscal year ending August 31, an average of 1,647 reports a month. That is three times the 6,456 educator misconduct reports submitted in Fiscal Year 2025.

Most FY 2026 misconduct reports [[link removed]] came from school superintendents, while 14 percent came from the Department of Family and Protective Services and 10 percent from general complaints.

Hundreds of Texas school employees have been publicly accused of sex crimes involving students and other children in just the past few years. Texas Scorecard maintains a map [[link removed]] tracking known educator sexual misconduct arrests.

RELATED EDUCATION NEWS Venus ISD Teacher of the Year Jailed for Sexual Misconduct With Student [[link removed]] --" width="434" src=" Department of Insurance Takes Action On Governor’s Directives In response to a letter from Gov. Greg Abbott, the head of the Texas Department of Insurance has begun laying out administrative and legislative changes needed to "make property and casualty insurance more affordable for Texans." Hunter Burney has the story [[link removed]].

According to TDI Commissioner Amanda Crawford, insurers must consider the status of a home's roof under the FORTIFIED standard that makes homes more resistant to severe weather. "When a homeowner spends money today to prevent tomorrow’s claim, insurers should recognize that investment with meaningful premium savings." --" width="434" src=" Noncitizens Arrested, Charged With Illegal Voting Seven foreign nationals were arrested last week for alleged illegal voting activity in the 2024 General Election, according to Attorney General Ken Paxton. As Amanda Lindberg reports [[link removed]], the individuals are from Mexico, Nigeria, India, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The arrests come as the Texas Secretary of State’s office has referred an additional 117 cases of potential noncitizen voting to the attorney general for investigation.

"Foreign influence has no place in American elections." – Ken Paxton --" width="434" src=" Von Ormy Restores Property Tax-Free Status

Von Ormy is once again a property tax-free city [[link removed]]. City commissioners voted 2-1 to eliminate property taxes during their meeting last week, returning Von Ormy’s municipal tax rate to zero for the 2026-27 fiscal year.

At the same meeting, commissioners adopted [[link removed]] a record-high budget that will pay off all city debt and expand basic services. Von Ormy incorporated in 2008 and first abolished its municipal property tax in 2014. In 2024, commissioners reimposed a property tax.

The city will once again rely on sales taxes and fees to fund its operations. --" width="434" src=" Can Mothers Use Family-Care Employee Benefits for Preborn Children? A Texas attorney is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to define what constitutes a child under the Family and Medical Leave Act. Travis Morgan details the case [[link removed]].

It involves a former Texas A&M University professor, Dr. Erin Snider, who attempted to use “family-care leave” to address the distinct medical needs of her preborn child. The state, representing A&M, has argued that such care constitutes “personal-care leave” under federal law.

A state district court agreed with Snider, and the Fifteenth Court of Appeals recognized that Snider’s case presented an unresolved legal question. However, the appeals court found no standard [[link removed]] for determining where to draw the line between personal care and family.

This has led Snider's attorney, Gaines West, to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to determine if a pregnant woman caring for her unborn child’s health constitutes family leave and what standards of proof must exist. Filings in the case are expected in the coming weeks. --" width="434" src=" More Texas News Support Texas Scorecard 🔒 [[link removed]] --" width="434" src=" Today in History

On September 17, 1787, delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia formally completed work on and signed the U.S. Constitution. It was then sent to the 13 states for ratification, which occurred less than a year later. The Constitution replaced the Articles of Confederation under which the fledgling nation had operated since shortly after the British surrender at Yorktown.

Number of the Day

39

The number of delegates to the Constitutional Convention who signed the document. Although 12 of the 13 states appointed 70 delegates (Rhode Island sent none), only 55 attended the proceedings.

Source: National Archives [[link removed]]

Quote-Unquote

"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

– Constitution of the United States [[link removed]]

--" width="434" src=" Directory of Texas' State & Federal Officials [[link removed]]

Contact information, biographies, and campaign finances.

Statewide

Texas Senate

Texas House

SBOE

U.S. House

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