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- MRT 8/14/25 (free): AWOL Dems: We Will Return Once Session Ends, CA Unveils Retaliatory Map // Alleged Vote Harvesters Plead Not Guilty // Casar v. Doggett // Hidalgo vs. the World
MRT 8/14/25 (free): AWOL Dems: We Will Return Once Session Ends, CA Unveils Retaliatory Map // Alleged Vote Harvesters Plead Not Guilty // Casar v. Doggett // Hidalgo vs. the World
Here's What You Need to Know in Texas Today.
Matt Mackowiak
August 14, 2025
In partnership with
THURSDAY | 8/14/205
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TOP NEWS
“Texas Democrats say they will return to state once session ends, California unveils retaliatory map,” Texas Tribune's Alejandro Serrano -- "Texas House Democrats who left the state in protest of proposed congressional redistricting said Thursday they will return to the state after the Legislature adjourns Friday and California’s state lawmakers introduce a retaliatory redistricting map in their state assembly.
In a statement, members of the minority party said their lawyers had advised them to return “to build a strong public legislative record for the upcoming legal battle” against the proposed reconfiguration of Texas’ congressional districts. The new map, stalled since dozens of Democrats left the state Aug. 3, is designed to net the GOP five additional seats in the U.S. House. President Donald Trump pressured state leaders to undertake the effort mid-decade — a rarity — as the GOP tries to hold onto its thin majority in Congress.
Gov. Greg Abbott, who has asked the state’s Supreme Court to remove House Democratic Caucus leader Gene Wu from office, said earlier this week he would continue calling special legislative sessions — starting Friday after both chambers of the Legislature adjourn. House Speaker Dustin Burrows said he would gavel out for the session if the lower chamber continued to lack a quorum, or the minimum number of present members required to conduct business.
The House, which needs 100 of its 150 members present to establish a quorum, has not reached that threshold since most of the chamber’s 62 Democrats left the state for Chicago, Massachusetts and New York in an effort to stop the proposed redistricting. Democratic lawmakers say the new map is an attack on the representation of minority voters in the districts being redrawn, while Republicans have defended their right to redraw district lines for partisan gain whenever they want.
“Texas House Democrats broke quorum and successfully mobilized the nation against Trump's assault on minority voting rights," Wu, D-Houston, said in a statement. “Facing threats of arrest, lawfare, financial penalties, harassment, and bomb threats, we have stood firm in our fight against a proposed Jim Crow congressional district map.”
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday called a special election for a ballot measure to ask voters to approve a new congressional map to counter Texas’ effort. Earlier this week, Politico reported that California Democratic leaders said they had sufficient votes to pass the amendment.
“Trump’s election rigging comes to an end now,” Newsom said in a social media post. “California won’t stand by and watch Trump burn it all down — we are calling a special election to redraw our Congressional maps and defend fair representation. This is a five alarm fire for Democracy.”" Texas Tribune
“Illinois judge denies Ken Paxton's bid for help rounding up Democrats,” Houston Chronicle's Taylor Goldenstein -- "An Illinois judge on Wednesday ruled against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in his bid for help in rounding up House Democrats who fled there to block a vote on redistricting.
In a brief ruling, Adams County Circuit Judge Scott Larson found that he "does not have the inherent power" to decide whether the 13 Democrats that Paxton had claimed were violating civil warrants issued by the Texas House, let alone to help Texas enforce them.
Larson found that Paxton “failed to present a legal basis for the court to obtain subject matter jurisdiction over this action.”
Neither Paxton nor the House Democratic Caucus immediately responded to a request for comment.
The third-term Republican attorney general filed a similar suit in California that is still pending." Hou Chron ($)
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#TXLEGE
“Tarrant County GOP leader takes aim at Muslim Texas lawmaker in online tirade” DMN ($)
“If Texas were to ban or regulate THC, crime labs say they would need more resources” Texas Tribune
STATE GOVERNMENT
“9 people plead not guilty in a Texas elections probe involving ‘vote harvesting’” AP
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
“Judge Lina Hidalgo, Harris County commissioners clash over deficit framing: ‘False narrative’” Hou Chron ($)
Lisa Falkenberg column: “Exclusive: Hidalgo staffer says he was ‘blindsided’ by the use of children in chaotic meeting” Hou Chron ($)
“After historic flooding, area lake and aquifer levels dropping again” SAEN ($)
“Fort Bend County Judge KP George used campaign funds for property taxes, home down payment, DA says” Hou Chron ($)
2026
“Casar, Doggett would run for same Austin congressional seat under GOP map, setting up clash of generations” Texas Tribune
TEXANS IN DC
“Judge dismisses 2 counts against US Rep. Cuellar of Texas, moves bribery trial to next year” AP
BUSINESS NEWS
“Southwest bulks up 2026 schedule from Love Field” DMN ($)
“ConocoPhillips offloads Marathon’s largely vacant CityCentre HQ in West Houston” Hou Chron ($)
NEWS FROM AROUND THE STATE
> TX TRIB: "Trump vowed to end “wasteful” federal spending. Beloved Texas school programs got caught in the middle." TX TRIB
> HOU CHRON: "Democrats say Greg Abbott is holding up flood relief. Are they right?" HOU CHRON
> COMMUNITY IMPACT: "Texas Senate passes congressional map, flood relief with House Democrats out of state" COMMUNITY IMPACT
> HOU CHRON: "Exclusive: City employees who took Whitmire's early retirement haven't been paid" HOU CHRON
> SA REPORT: "Mayor Jones wants city policies screened for conflict with Texas law" SA REPORT
> THE TEXAN: "Texas Democrats Respond to Friday Sine Die Threat, Say ‘What Happens Next’ is Up to Abbott" THE TEXAN
> SA REPORT: "Alamo Colleges board approves plan to consolidate faculty senate and remove up to 89 seats" SA REPORT
> COMMUNITY IMPACT: "Montgomery County departments request staff, equipment be added to FY 2025-26 budget" COMMUNITY IMPACT
> THE TEXAN: "Texas Schools Prepare for New Cell Phone Ban, Navigating Enforcement and Pushback" THE TEXAN
> KXAN: "‘Taking away a safety net’: How Texas further restricted Austinites’ access to abortion health care" KXAN
> KXAN: "Austin budget discussions underway, property tax election all but certain" KXAN
> SAEN: "Police: S.A. man threatened to kill mayor over Project Marvel stance" SAEN
> HOU CHRON: "Texas senior forced out of college by Dream Act ruling that doubled her tuition" HOU CHRON
> KXAN: "Travis County to launch new online system for public commenters" KXAN
> FWST: "77-year-old on bike is fatally stabbed, then finishes ride to work, Texas cops say" FWST
> THE TEXAN: "Illinois Judge Rules Against Paxton's Petition to Enforce Texas' Civil Arrest Warrants for Quorum Breakers" THE TEXAN
> TX TRIB: "History repeated itself when the Guadalupe River swept away Camp Mystic. Why few lessons were learned after the 1987 flood." TX TRIB
> FWST: "Man kills son and wounds two others, then flees with kids in car, Texas cops say" FWST
> HOU CHRON: "Gulf storm threat emerges with Erin on track to become hurricane" HOU CHRON
> HOU CHRON: "Blue waters return to Galveston's beaches" HOU CHRON
> DMN: "Video: Union Pacific train carrying hazardous material derails in Texas" DMN
> FWST: "Two children, one adult killed in Dallas car crash, police say" FWST
> DMN: "Dallas doctors left surgical tool inside patient’s body, lawsuit alleges" DMN
EXTRA POINTS
Yesterday's Texas sports scores:
> MLB: Arizona 6, Texas 4
> MLB: Houston 4, Boston 1
Tonight's Texas sports schedule:
None.
Tomorrow's Texas sports schedule:
> 6:07pm: MLB: Texas at Toronto
> 6:30pm: WNBA: LA at Dallas (ION)
> 7:10pm: MLB: Baltimore at Houston
DALLAS COWBOYS: "Cowboys camp observations: Dallas puts on pads for last time in Oxnard this preseason" DMN ($)
DALLAS COWBOYS: "The differences between Brian Schottenheimer’s Cowboys and Mike McCarthy’s teams are clear" DMN ($)
DALLAS COWBOYS: "Tenacious, generous and genuine: George Pickens is on a mission to win over Cowboys fans" DMN ($)
TEXAS TECH FOOTBALL: "New reported Big 12 rule puts Texas Tech’s tortilla tradition in jeopardy" DMN ($)
TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: "Bold predictions for Dallas-area teams for the 2025 Texas high school football season" DMN ($)
HOUSTON ASTROS: "Hunter Brown reaches 10 victories, helping the Astros beat the Red Sox 4-1" AP
TEXAS RANGERS: "Marte hits 9th inning go-ahead HRs in back-to-back Dbacks games, from each side of plate at Texas" AP
DALLAS MAVERICKS: "Full Dallas Mavericks’ 2025-26 NBA regular season schedule released" DMN ($)
SAN ANTONIO SPURS: "Circle these dates on the Spurs' 2025-26 schedule" SAEN ($)
TEXAS MEN'S BASKETBALL: Golden: "Texas men's basketball: Sean Miller likes his rebuilt Longhorns roster" AAS ($)