Good morning,

Texas Scorecard's investigative team continues their series this week looking at the corruption and cronyism that lingers just under the surface of the state's economic development programs.

You'll find that story, reader responses to yesterday's survey, and a lot more in the Texas Minute for Feb. 1, 2023.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

But First...

• I am excited to announce the launch of a new podcast: The Texas Minute. Designed for those who would rather listen to the news than read it, the Texas Minute podcast focuses on the real news impacting real Texans.
      
• It is available early every weekday morning on our website, as well as Apple, Spotify, and Google. (Find a line-up of our shows below.)

Abbott Appoints Border Czar

• Former Border Patrol Agent Mike Banks has been appointed as Texas’ first-ever Border Czar by Gov. Greg Abbott. Sydnie Henry reports the job consists of coordinating state border security efforts.
       
• According to the governor's office, “Border Czar Banks will report directly” to Abbott to “ensure border security strategies are fully executed.” That means he will be coordinating the actions of the Texas Military Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and other state and local agencies, as well as working with affected landowners.
       
• Chris Russo, the president of Texans for Strong Borders, applauded Abbott’s appointment but insisted more needs to be done. “It is clear that when the federal government refuses to secure our borders, the states must step in and act.”
      

• Russo reiterated his organization's call for the governor to declare an invasion and use the state's constitutional authority to repel those entering the country illegally. So far, Gov. Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton have refused to acknowledge that power.
      

• As illegal border crossings continue to soar, 43 Texas counties have already declared an invasion, calling on the state to take additional measures as the federal government fails to protect Texans.

Lawmakers Want Schools To Leave TASB

• A group of Texas lawmakers urged school districts across the state to leave the Texas Association of School Boards. Katy Drollinger reports on this story.
    
• TASB is a statewide taxpayer-funded lobbying group for school officials that provides products and services to school districts. All 1,024 Texas school boards are TASB members and pay their dues with tax dollars.
     
• The lawmakers drew attention to TASB’s legal guidance pushing public schools to allow gender-confused students to use the restroom of the opposite sex, even if other students and their parents raise concerns. 
     
• The legislators signing the letter included Republican State Reps. Brian Harrison (Midlothian), Terri Leo-Wilson (Galveston), Briscoe Cain (Deer Park), Mark Dorazio (Leon Springs), Richard Hayes (Denton), Matt Schaefer (Tyler), Nate Schatzline (Fort Worth), Bryan Slaton (Greenville), and Tony Tinderholt (Arlington).
      

• They want the districts to “do the right thing for the taxpayers who entrust you with the stewardship of their hard-earned money and immediately leave TASB.”
      

• Among other things, the letter condemns TASB for taking over a year to leave the National School Board Association after that group compared concerned parents to “domestic terrorists.”

School Backtracks on Controversial Sex Ed Curriculum

• Following backlash from parents and concerned citizens, Fort Worth Independent School District is dropping a proposed sex education course that promotes radical gender theory.

     

• Last year, the district spent almost $2.6 million in taxpayer cash to purchase middle and high school sex education curriculum from the California-based vendor HealthSmart. Parents raised concerns that the curriculum promoted radical gender theory, featured inappropriate content, and did not align with state education standards.
     

• Instead of using the biologically correct terms “male” and “female,” the materials refer to a “body with a penis” and a “body with a vagina.” Critics charged the curriculum authors of normalizing sexually transmitted infections and presenting “responsible sex” as a viable alternative to abstinence.

Teacher, Pastor Busted In Sex Sting

• A public school teacher and a youth pastor were among 46 men arrested in a multi-agency prostitution sting conducted earlier this month in North Texas. They were arrested on Jan. 12 and 13 at hotels in Frisco and Southlake after responding to online ads for sex posted by law enforcement. Darrell Frost has the details.
      

• Cecil Timothy Morrison Jr., 42, was a teacher and football coach at Flower Mound’s Marcus High School in Lewisville Independent School District. He was placed on administrative leave following his arrest and submitted his resignation on January 18.
     

• Lamarcus Strickland, 35, worked as a youth pastor for First Priority of America, a ministry that helps Christian students organize clubs in public schools across the country. His name has been removed from the staff information page on the organization’s website.
      

• The sting operation was organized by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and nearly a dozen North Texas law enforcement agencies in an effort to combat human trafficking.
      

• “Those who traffic victims are the scourge of the earth, and we will continue to target those responsible for the trafficking and those who solicit sex from them,” said Tarrant County Sheriff Bill Waybourn.

Drag Show In Rural Town Targets Children

• At a show targeting young children, a bearded man in a female's stripper costume raised his beer and declared, “Cheers to you, cheers to me. Cheers to those who lick us where we pee.” That's what passed for "family friendly" at a drag show in rural Princeton, Texas. Soli Rice has the details. 
       
• That toast took place at a drag event called "Beauty and Bingo," held at a city community center that was formerly a church. It was designated as a fundraiser for “an upcoming June pride event for children that is scheduled to be held at a Princeton ISD High School.”
      
• Sara Gonzales, the executive director of Defend Our Kids Texas, filmed much of the event before being kicked out by organizers. Gonzales is the host of EXPOSED, Season 4: The War on Texas Kids.
     
• “What is up with Drag Queens making toasts to ‘those who lick us where we pee’ in front of children?” asked independent journalist Tayler Hansen. “This happened at the BuzzBrews ‘All Ages’ show as well.”

INVESTIGATION: Schools' Corrupt Dealings With Developers

• Continuing this week's investigation into the corruption and cronyism that lingers underneath Texas' economic development programs, Kristen Stanciu explores the sweetheart deals school boards are cutting – often in secret – with developers.
      

• Texas Scorecard's investigation has revealed the types of businesses benefiting from these deals, including a foreign-owned company, a vaccine manufacturer, and a company that has done business with the Chinese Communist Party.

      
• Pointedly, none of these deals are available to small business owners – only to major corporations with the ability to do favors for the politicians and bureaucrats.

Y'All Answered

Proposed legislation would allow the Attorney General of Texas to sue any district attorney, criminal district attorney, or county attorney who refuses to enforce laws with which they disagree. If the law goes into effect, these elected prosecutors could face fines ranging from $1,500 up to $25,500, and possibly be removed from their seats.

Yesterday, we asked what readers thought of the proposal. More than 96 percent clicked "yes," that they wanted the law enacted, while 3.5 percent disagreed with it.

Here's a sampling of responses from my inbox...

• “Bottom line: It’s the whole purpose of their job. Like any job, if you don’t perform your duties, you might get a warning, but intentional wrongdoing - and, boy, is it wrong - then, you should be fired. Their duty is to the public, and not prosecuting is endangerment.” – Ellen Leyrer
     

• “Marxism is allergic to the rule of law and addicted to power and control, all at the expense of the people.” – Mark Bigley
     

• “We know that George Soros’ many organizations pump millions into getting these lawless prosecutors elected. The least we can do is hold them accountable.” – Rick Perry
     

• “I answered ‘Yes’ on the One-Click Survey, but with some uncertainty. There are always Laws of Unintended Consequences, and as much as we would like to think that Republicans will control Texas in perpetuity, that is highly unlikely. When, and if, Democrats regain control of statewide offices, will we want local prosecutors to be ham-strung by requirements to prosecute unfair, unconstitutional laws, i.e., suppression of free speech or gun confiscation?” – Martha Rhoades
     

• “People who are elected by the people to enforce the law should do just that... faithfully.  It is incredibly discouraging to see people who campaign on ethically fulfilling their duty of enforcing the law, as it is written, only to later discover that this person is corrupt and has an agenda. Yes, the Attorney General of Texas should have the authority to punish those who do not fulfill their duty.” – David Barton
     

• “‘Selectively enforcing the law’ is yet another encroachment on ‘the rule of law.’ If a particular law ‘should not’ be enforced, then the citizens have the right and the duty to demand the legislature change the law. We already have a process for that.” – Jim Moyer
     

• “The penalty range is not high enough. Victims of crimes for which district and county attorneys refuse to prosecute, without legal cause, should be allowed to sue for damages and State Bar Disciplinary Committees should be required to impose penalties for the prosecutors unethical conduct. In addition, removal should be mandatory for prosecutors that demonstrate a pattern of disregarding the law.” – Ronny Keister
     

• “Of course they should prosecuted; they are not above the law.” – Gary Hunt
     

• “District attorneys are not legislators. If they disagree with a law, they need to work to change the law. By not enforcing law, they are just encouraging lawlessness.” – Roy Getting
      

• “I said yes, but it would be better and more democratic if we had the power to recall elected officials.” – Janet Carter
    

• “Yes, D.A.’s, etc., have an obligation to enforce the laws. However, these are elected officials and elections have consequences.” – Frances Davis
     

• “Prosecutors are not called lawmakers for a reason. If they want to change the law, run for that job.” – Steve Sullivan
    

• “This is a difficult survey. … Given how messed up society is these days, where right is called wrong and wrong is called right, we have lawmakers who are making laws that infringe on our rights and freedoms and that go against everything moral and right. In those cases, prosecutors should be able to refuse them. … So, while the law sounds good on the surface, it could be bad for all of us.” – Melanie Stein
     

• “Those who do not fulfill their duties are guilty of dereliction of duty, a prosecutable offense.” – Clint Pruett
     

• “Prosecutors who refuse to enforce the laws of the state should be removed from office. Letting them remain in office for their full term endangers the public!” – Chris Danford
    

• “I responded YES to the survey regarding suing local prosecutors. However, I take exception with the means. Suing implies civil liability. Committing crimes is criminal liability, so the failure to enforce criminal law should result in criminal liability. In short, failure to uphold the law should result in jail time!” – Tony Anderson
     

• “Not doing your job of enforcing the law is the same as breaking the law. I say, ‘Round 'em up.’” – Michael Bow
    

• “ANY government official that does not enforce the law is effectively breaking the law.  Using their official capacity to selectively enforce certain laws and fail to enforce others is criminal.” – Roger Taylor
     

• “It is probably a dangerous path, but it might force legislators to be very clear in their intent, purpose, and requirements when writing their laws and legislation.” – John Erwin
     

• "Why do we continue to elect political activists into these positions in the first place? This is how we have managed to get ourselves a third-world, two-tier 'justice' system. It needs to stop." – Tara Souther
     

• “This legislation looks good, but I would like to see an option for citizens to sue for damages if they are a victim of un-prosecuted crime due to a convicted violation of the statute. I also think the attorney general's office should be permitted to prosecute the crimes in question while the rogue prosecutor is being investigated and tried for dereliction.” – Kevin Wade

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