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Here is today's Texas Minute.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Thursday, August 12, 2021
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Border Insecurity

• With the number of illegal aliens crossing Texas’ open border continuing to skyrocket, several Florida sheriffs volunteered to help—but aren’t being allowed to do so.
     
• Robert Montoya reports that while Gov. Greg Abbott asked for help from other states, the Texas Department of Emergency Management apparently isn’t letting that happen. As a result, law enforcement officers on the border are still not getting the resources and backup they have been promised.
      
• A series of pictures showing illegal immigrants crossing into the Lone Star State were provided to Texas Scorecard by Kinney County Attorney Brent Smith. He has been denied assistance by the Texas Department of Emergency Management – and hasn’t been told why.

No House Quorum… Again… Still

• It’s been a month since Texas House Democrats broke the legislative process by refusing to show up at the Capitol and therefore busted the constitutionally set quorum for operations. The Democrats objection, of course, is consideration of legislation strengthening the state’s election integrity laws.
   
• Arrest warrants were issued Tuesday night, but so far no arrests have been reported – though videos circulating online show staff from the House Sergeant-at-Arms’ office visiting the offices of various Democrats asking the staff to tell the member they need to go to the floor.
   
• That’ll show ‘em.

Faux Filibuster

• Texas State Sen. Carol Alvarado (D-Houston) made a show yesterday of posting to social media a picture of athletic shoes saying she was going to stage a filibuster against consideration of Senate Bill 1. This is the election integrity reform bill that has already passed the chamber – in substantially identical form – several times already in 2021.
   
• The picture of her shoes is a throwback to a former state senator who donned pink athletic shoes to “filibuster” against pro-life legislation. The pro-life measure passed anyway, and the senator’s political career tanked.

Will ‘Liberal Lyle’ Larson Challenge Dan Patrick?

• When the Texas House voted Tuesday to compel Democrats to attend the special session, one Republican voted against the measure: Lyle Larson of San Antonio. Yet, as Jeramy Kitchen reports, this is only the latest step Larson has made away from the Texas GOP. 
     
• Larson’s record has been so bad that Gov. Greg Abbott labeled him “Liberal Lyle.” The lawmaker has joined the Democrats in opposing numerous conservative reforms while promoting leftist causes.
      
• “With his vote to protect fleeing Democrats from arrest and his attack on the governor last week for not imposing COVID restrictions and mask mandates, it appears Rep. Larson has given up even the facade of being a Republican,” said the chairman of the Republican Party of Texas, Matt Rinaldi.
   
• Larson has been reportedly considering a run for statewide office – possibly challenging Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. If he did, it would likely be under the banner of the newly formed “SAM” Party – which can best be described as socially liberal and fiscally irresponsible.

Local Officials Lining Up Against Abbott’s Ban On Mask Mandates

• Local officials in cities around the state are ignoring the executive order issued by Gov. Greg Abbott banning mask mandates. Jacob Asmussen has the story.
     
• In Dallas, the county’s chief administrator – County Judge Clay Jenkins (D) – is not only ignoring the Abbott ban, but ignoring a restriction placed on his power by the four county commissioners. Jenkins decreed yesterday afternoon that businesses must now comply with a mask mandate.
   
• One citizen activist, Luke Twombly, wrote: “Clay Jenkins is a tin pot tyrant. He has no authority to mandate this in Dallas.”
      
• When Gov. Abbott gave himself king-like powers last year to allow the feudal lords, er, local officials, to issue mask mandates, they were all for it. Using that same “authority” to take that power away from them isn’t going as well.
   
• On the other hand, reports Brandon Waltens, all three of Gov. Abbott’s Republican primary opponents – Chad Prather, Don Huffines, and Allen West – are taking the incumbent to task for not fighting these local officials hard enough.
   
• “Our freedoms and our children’s freedoms continue to be infringed upon by overzealous and controlling politicians. We live in a state that sanctions child abuse at every level, from masks to mutilations.” – Chad Prather
   
• “If we are now living under mandates, then we no longer reside in a constitutional republic. Instead of being governed, we are being ruled.” – Allen West
   
• “While Greg Abbott brags about banning mask mandates in Texas, the largest and most populous counties in the state are imposing them on citizens.” – Don Huffines

Texas Businesses Want Your Vaccine Records

• Despite a new state law and an executive order from Gov. Greg Abbott, more Texas businesses are requiring customers to show proof of vaccination. Robert Montoya has the story. 
      
• “Texans should have the freedom to move about freely in their state, without fear of discrimination based upon their vaccination status,” State Sen. Bob Hall (R–Edgewood) told Texas Scorecard. “Any business which requires proof of vaccination to provide a service is breaking the law and must be held accountable.”
     
• Meanwhile, the author of the state ban, Sen. Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham), has “reached out directly to state agencies to educate them of their duty to ensure all state license and permit holders are complying with the ban on vaccine passports in the State of Texas.” 

• Most of the businesses people frequent aren’t covered by the medical privacy HIPAA rules – which is exactly the point.
   

• When a business asks for your COVID vaxx status, know that they can – and will – use that information for marketing and other purposes. They aren’t asking to protect you or anyone else; they want to monetize your health info.

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