Tag: Greg Abbott

Each year, taxpayers pay more money to these taxing entities and now are demanding relief from lawmakers. Next week, legislators will resume the debate on how to lower property taxes across the state. Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins is closely watching the deliberations. He joined host Jason Whitely and Bud Kennedy of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. This extra revenue would help pay for education and lower Texas’ high property taxes as well. Texas Tribune reporter Alan Rocha, filling in for Ross Ramsey, joined host Jason Whitely to discuss Governor Abbott’s proposal. Last week on Inside Texas Politics two councilmen offered Chief Hall some advice. Opponents say that legislation that would allow licensed professionals to discriminate against clients because of their religious beliefs is as bad as the bathroom bill. Business leaders are warning that this bill could hurt Texas. Alana, Bud and Berna Dean joined host Jason Whitely to offer perspective on Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen’s face-to-face with a gun rights activist.

In a video statement, Attorney General Ken Paxton said San Antonio Police Chief William McManus ordered the release of the immigrants when his officers responded to a suspected human smuggling operation in the back of a tractor-trailer. "A San Antonio police officer alerted federal immigration authorities, but Police Chief William McManus ordered the release of the immigrants in violation of Senate Bill 4," Paxton said. In the lawsuit filed in a Travis County district court, Paxton named McManus, the San Antonio Police Department, the city of San Antonio and San Antonio City Manager Sheryl Sculley as defendants. In a 25-page complaint, Paxton alleges that McManus "skirted normal San Antonio PD protocol by ignoring repeated requests by homeland security to investigate and take custody of the suspected illegal aliens." "Chief McManus called a private entity to take the aliens away from Homeland Security, and their status remains unknown," Paxton said. "The police department did not sufficiently check the background or criminal history of the suspected aliens, nor did it contact Texas Child Protective Services to investigate the safety of a minor who was being smuggled." Paxton petitioned the court to force the city of San Antonio and its police department to comply with requests from federal immigration authorities. "Senate Bill 4 guarantees cooperation among federal, state and local law enforcement to protect Texans," Paxton said. "The very reason law enforcement officials from across the state are against SB 4 is that it ruins the trust and relationship between officers and the communities they serve," said Manny Garcia, the party's deputy executive director. A federal district court in San Antonio temporarily blocked the law last August, but a federal appeals court allowed the majority of it to go into effect in March.

He discussed the school district’s long-range facilities plan. Dr. Hinojosa joined host Marie Saavedra and Bud Kennedy, of the Star-Telegram. Alana joined host Marie Saavedra to discuss why Governor Greg Abbott, a Catholic, hadn’t made a public statement about the announcement. Alana also talked about the new Quinnipiac and Upshot polls showing Senator Ted Cruz maintaining a nine percentage point lead over challenger Congressman Beto O’Rourke. Governor Gregg Abbott and challenger Lupe Valdez met in their first and only debate about two weeks ago. The two discussed their positions concerning Texas having a red flag law as a way to prevent school shootings. From the right - Mark Davis - of 660AM The Answer. And from the left - Rich Hancock - from VirtualNewsCenter.com. Alana, Bud and Berna Dean discussed whether the PAC ad will help or hurt O’Rourke. The three journalists also offered perspective on whether young voters will actually vote in November.

Republican governor says sanctuary city policies attract people who commit 'heinous crimes.' FOX News Channel (FNC) is a 24-hour all-encompassing news service dedicated to delivering breaking news as well as political and business news. The number one network in cable,…

-Written by Elaine Godfrey (@elainejgodfrey) Today in 5 Lines Nine students and one teacher were killed after a gunman opened fire at Santa Fe High School in Santa Fe, Texas, according to Governor Greg Abbott. A student who survived the shooting told a reporter, “It’s been happening everywhere. I’ve always kind of felt like eventually it was going to happen here, too.” The House rejected an $867 billion farm bill. Members of the House Freedom Caucus voted against the legislation after failing to secure a future vote on a conservative immigration bill. The Trump administration released new guidelines that would withhold federal funding from health clinics providing abortions or referring patients for abortions. Trump nominated Robert Wilkie, the acting veterans affairs secretary, to be the agency’s permanent leader. Rudy Giuliani told CNN’s Chris Cuomo that the special counsel agreed to narrow the scope of an interview with the president down to “about two” topics, signaling that Trump’s team is continuing to work with Mueller while also ramping up public attacks. Today on The Atlantic Big Ramifications: President Trump’s decision to withdraw the U.S. from the Iran nuclear deal is exposing serious cracks in the trans-Atlantic alliance, writes Krishnadev Calamur. (Russell Berman) Ramadan Is Different This Year: The Muslim holy month has begun, just as a violent and chaotic week in Palestine comes to a close, and many in Jerusalem are praying for those who died. (Susan Glasser, The New Yorker) Dehumanizing Rhetoric: Paul Waldmann argues that President Trump’s comment calling immigrant gang members “animals” is part of a particular strategy he’s used often: “Focus on crimes committed by individual immigrants as a way of ginning up fear and hatred, creating animus toward all immigrants.” (The Week) On the other Hand: Referring to MS-13 gang members as “animals” is accurate, argues Caleb Howe.

Lawmakers from across the political spectrum led tributes to former first lady Barbara Bush Sunday after a spokesman announced the 92-year-old was in "failing health." The official @GOP Twitter account tweeted: "Our entire RNC family offers prayers of comfort and peace for Barbara Bush and the entire Bush family." White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said, "The President's and First Lady's prayers are with all of the Bush Family during this time." Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley tweeted Sunday that Bush is "a woman of great faith, great strength, and an unwavering love of country. "Our country is better because of former First Lady Barbara Bush," Haley added. Former Republican U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, now the permanent U.S. representative to NATO, described Bush as "one of America's most-loved women." "Barbara Bush has a character that is as big, inspiring and iconic as Texas," the state's governor, Greg Abbott, said in a statement. Rep. Sean Maloney, D-N.Y., paid tribute to Bush as "a graceful First Lady who has dedicated her life to improving education and promoting literacy", while Maryland Gov. Ohio Gov. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said he was "praying" for Bush and her family and called her "a special woman, whose great faith and love for her country inspires us all."

Last year, hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria inflicted record-breaking devastation on America, taking more than 200 lives and causing more than $200 billion in damages. Before federal emergency relief could respond, the religious community was there. Only after the water had receded and most were able to return safely to their homes did these religious organizations begin to look to their own needs. What they found was overwhelming. The White House ultimately brought an end to FEMA’s discriminatory policy, allowing religious entities to receive aid on the same terms as their non-religious neighbors. The BBA ends the religious discrimination of the past, and makes clear that houses of worship will be able to participate with FEMA’s vital disaster assistance, the key to ensuring that religious nonprofits will be able to rebuild and serve their communities for years to come. FEMA comes in behind natural disasters. States are able to credit the cash value of volunteer labor towards the required percentage of funding a state must match with federal disaster aid. The hundreds of thousands of tireless volunteer hours performed by houses of worship and religious nonprofits in the wake of every natural disaster saves damaged states millions of dollars that can freed to benefit citizens in other ways. Thanks to the Trump administration, and the swift action of Congress, thousands of houses of worship are again eligible for FEMA relief just like everyone else.