MRT 9/4-5/25 (free) (sponsored by SuperHuman AI): GOP Mega Donor Fairly Opposes Purity Tests in DMN Op Ed // Last Minute Lobby Hires Kill House Bill // Abbott Sees 16/24 Special Session Items Pass // MLB to ATX?

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THURSDAY | 9/4/2025 & FRIDAY | 9/5/2025

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• TOP NEWS  

“Sen. Brandon Creighton’s switch from lawmaking to Texas Tech leader signals a new era for higher ed,” Texas Tribune's Jessica Priest -- "​As the clock wound down on the year’s second overtime legislative session, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, the powerful leader of the Texas Senate, took a few minutes to say goodbye to his right-hand man, Sen. Brandon Creighton: The architect of a recent bevy of laws reshaping higher education in Texas — from the ban on diversity, equity and inclusion programs to limits on protests and faculty’s influence on campuses — was stepping down to take a new job overseeing those very changes.

Texas Tech regents voted Thursday to name the Conroe Republican their sole finalist for chancellor, the university system’s top job, betting that his political connections and influence at the Capitol will help secure funding, expand research opportunities and elevate the system’s profile.

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Chancellors are at the helm of each university system’s fleet of campuses, and Texas universities have increasingly turned to politicians to lead them, a shift that Patrick celebrated Wednesday. He pointed to the Texas A&M and University of Texas systems’ new chancellors — Glenn Hegar, the state’s former state comptroller and a former state senator, and former state Rep. John Zerwas, respectively — as models of the kind of political leadership he believes universities need.

”There’s a whole new look at least in Texas of who [university leaders] think should lead universities, people with legislative experience, people who have been accountable to the people, people who have a record,” Patrick said. “You don’t just have to have nine letters behind your name and some education degree to run a university when it really takes more than just that.”

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Experts say regents have increasingly prioritized political savvy over academic leadership when picking university system leaders, a statewide and national shift they warn could make higher education less independent and give politicians greater influence over academics, research and campus life.

Barrett Taylor, a higher education governance expert at the University of North Texas, said Creighton’s selection signals that Texas is entering a new phase in that transformation.

“Enacting laws was part of the agenda for reshaping public higher education in Texas, but it’s not where it ends,” he said. “There are going to be additional steps, and this is probably one of those steps.”

Renée Cross, senior executive director at the University of Houston’s Hobby School of Public Affairs, agreed.

“It just makes too much sense for public universities — and for those in power — to have, for lack of a better word, their ‘lieutenants’ in these high-ranking positions,” she said. “If Lt. Gov. Patrick really wants to change the system of higher education in Texas — and he’s been pretty open about wanting to — of course you’d want people you know and trust running these large university systems. I don’t see that changing anytime soon. Even if Democrats controlled the state years from now, I could see them doing the same thing.”

In an interview with The Texas Tribune, Texas Tech Board Chair Cody Campbell said regents believe the chancellor’s job is fundamentally different from a campus president’s, and should emphasize representation before state leaders rather than academic oversight.

“We do not need a chancellor who knows how to run the math department,” he said." Texas Tribune

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“Houston man charged with murder in shooting of 11-year-old boy after door knocking prank,” via AP -- "​Police have charged a Houston man with murder in the fatal shooting of an 11-year-old boy who knocked on the door of a home and ran away as a prank, police said Tuesday.

The 42-year-old man, identified by authorities as Gonzalo Leon Jr., was taken into custody and booked into the Harris County Jail in Houston early Tuesday. On local property records, Leon matches the name of the owner of the home where police say the boy knocked on the door.

Court records did not list an attorney for Leon to comment on the allegations.

The boy, Julian Guzman, and a cousin had been attending a birthday party Saturday night when they “became bored and wanted to ring doorbells, or play ‘ding dong ditch,’” according to a probable cause affidavit. The prank commonly called “ding dong ditching” involves ringing a doorbell or knocking on a door and fleeing before someone inside opens the door.

Police departments around the country have issued public service announcements in recent months warning people that such actions aren’t funny but dangerous. Homeowners have no way of knowing it’s “just a prank,” according to a June Facebook post by the Georgetown, Kentucky Police Department.

Guzman’s cousin told investigators he and Guzman knocked several times on Leon’s door and ran away. In an initial statement, police had said Guzman rang a doorbell, but the affidavit said the boy knocked.

The final time he and the cousin knocked, Leon came out holding a pistol that he fired once into the ground. Leon then raised the pistol and fired at Guzman and his cousin, according to the affidavit.

“Our witness says the suspect came out of the door, ran out into the street and was firing down the road,” Houston police Sgt. Michael Cass told reporters on Sunday.

Guzman’s cousin told police that Guzman “cried out in pain that he had been shot,” according to the affidavit. As Guzman’s cousin was trying to drag the boy away, Leon slowly walked back to his house.

Guzman was shot in the back and died Sunday, police said.

“In my opinion, it doesn’t look like any type of self-defense. It wasn’t close to the house,” Cass said.

Police found about 20 firearms in Leon’s home, including AR-style rifles, shotguns and medium caliber pistols.

Texas and other states have some version of a “castle doctrine,” either by law or court precedent, that says residents don’t have to retreat when threatened in their homes but instead can respond with physical force. While Texas law gives people broad latitude to protect themselves, protect others or protect their property, there has to be a reasonable belief that force is immediately necessary in the situation.

Seth Kretzer, an attorney in Houston not connected to the case, said if the shooting happened as police allege then Leon would not have a strong case for self-defense under state law.

“You just can’t shoot a kid in the street dead because he knocks on your doorbell and declare you felt threatened by him. I mean it’s a little hard to believe a grown male with a gun felt threatened by an unarmed 11-year-old child running away on the street,” Kretzer said." AP

Alex Fairly guest column: “GOP purity tests are self-destructive,” AP's Sean Murphy -- "Texas Republicans are enjoying what we in the business world refer to as Run Rate Acceleration. The 2025 Legislative session, while not perfect, was one of the most conservative in Texas history. Our governor, lieutenant governor and speaker of the House are working effectively together, as well as with their respective caucuses, to advance conservative legislation. And Speaker Dustin Burrows recently received the total endorsement of President Donald Trump. There is more to do, but Texas is unquestionably the nation’s conservative beacon.

But certain factions within our party are working to undermine, attack and politically cancel some conservative legislators simply because they don’t align 100% with the definition of conservative held by a narrow faction of the party. In business-speak, we call that counterproductive.

At a recent meeting of the State Republican Executive Committee, this faction pushed an overzealous effort to conduct a “performance review” that would have formally undermined a majority of Texas House Republicans via Rule 44 of the party’s regulations. That effort ended with a more measured review being adopted. But members did adjourn the meeting by encouraging Republican precinct members across Texas to look for broader opportunities to censure candidates.

Censure is an important tool in party governance. But when it is overused, weaponized or used as a misguided purity test, it will weaken our movement, diminish our credibility and risk undoing what we have fought to build. That is why I was willing to fund litigation opposing this measure. While we must uphold the principles we believe in, history shows that attempts to purify a movement almost always end in disaster, division and decline.

The counterexample is President Trump. He has dramatically expanded the Republican Party, bringing in millions of voters who only a few years ago would have never considered voting Republican. A recent analysis of voter registration data by The New York Times found that since 2020, Democrats have lost more than 2.1 million voters across 30 states and the District of Columbia, while Republicans have gained 2.4 million. Trump even appointed two former Democrat presidential candidates to his Cabinet.

Texas Republicans should passionately debate our differences, policies and priorities. We should each zealously support candidates who best reflect our version of conservatism. But we must not fall into the trap of insisting all Republicans fit into the single, narrow mold of a specific faction of our party. We must recognize that a conservative representing suburban Dallas may not look, sound or vote exactly like a conservative representative from Midland or Amarillo.

If we attempt to force all members into a certain mold, we will lose Republican seats and weaken our party. While we can never abandon our conservative principles for the sake of growth, our strength comes not from extreme conformity, but from the universal appeal of those principles and their ability to improve the lives of Texans.

A year ago I was in a camp that believed we must fight to rid ourselves of Republicans who aren’t as conservative as I am. Today, I am no less conservative, but I have come to see the reality that things like Rule 44 and the recent fixation on censure are symptoms of a deeper illness in Texas conservative politics: the eagerness to attack and destroy Republicans who aren’t exactly like us.

Republicans are in the middle of a historic surge. Voters are running toward our tent. This is a time for growth, strength and unity — not division, confusion or infighting.

Imagine how much more effective we could be if we stopped fighting with one another and focused all our energy on fighting for every Texan.

Alex Fairly is an Amarillo businessman and founder of the Texas Republican Leadership Fund PAC." DMN ($)

“Company behind East Texas water grab hired key lobbyists just before bill delaying it died,” Houston Chronicle's Megan Kimble -- "​The Texas Senate voted against delaying a controversial East Texas groundwater export project on the same day the company behind it hired one of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's top advisors as a lobbyist.

Conservation Equity Management, a company affiliated with Dallas investor Kyle Bass, hired Allen Blakemore on Tuesday, the same day the legislation hit the Senate floor, according to lobbying records filed at the Texas Ethics Commission. Blakemore is Patrick’s political consultant and has also worked on the campaigns of several Republican senators.

The Senate, which Patrick oversees, ultimately agreed to back a state-led study of the company’s proposal to pump huge amounts of groundwater out from under Anderson and Henderson counties. But it stripped a provision that would have put the project on hold until the findings came out in 2027.

The change “gutted the most important part of this bill,” according to the author, state Rep. Cody Harris, whose district includes the counties Bass is looking to tap. The legislation ultimately died on Wednesday night when the special session ended, in a win for Bass.

Blakemore directed questions to Bass, whose spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. Patrick said in a statement that he was “not involved in it at any level.”

He said the senator who sponsored the bill and the one who chaired the committee that vetted it made all the decisions.

“I told them we would do whatever they decided – it was up to them,” Patrick said.

Two companies affiliated with Bass have applied for exploratory permits for wells capable of pumping more groundwater out from under the two counties than is currently available.

The companies have not yet applied for permits to export the water, but Bass signaled that is his intention, saying that the water was needed to address looming shortages elsewhere and could go “anywhere south of Waco and… north of Dallas-Fort Worth.” The permit decision now rests with the State Office of Administrative Hearings.

Harris, a Republican from Palestine, filed House Bill 27 in response to local backlash. The bill would have required the Texas Water Development Board to study the effects of groundwater pumping in the aquifers below Anderson and Henderson counties and present it to state leaders. In the meantime, the groundwater conservation district would not be able to issue a new production or export permit for the region.

Water experts have said that diverting water from the area's Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer could impact downstream users of surface water – like the City of Houston – because the aquifer helps replenish rivers and streams.

Shortly after HB 27 was filed, Bass lashed out at Harris and threatened to sue him in a since-deleted post on X. “Small time Texas politician convincing the Governor… to allow an East Texas groundwater permit application to be delayed two years creates an immediate Federal Takings case,” he wrote in August. “See you in Federal Court @CodyHarrisTX.”

While the legislation easily cleared the House, state Sen. Robert Nichols, a Republican from Jacksonville and the bill's sponsor in the Senate, said the moratorium was removed because it was the only way to get the legislation out of committee and through the upper chamber.

During a committee hearing on Tuesday, several Republicans pushed back against the proposed moratorium, saying it set a dangerous precedent.

“At this point, how do we say that we're going to put a moratorium in just those two counties or that groundwater district and not everywhere else in the state?” said state Sen. Paul Bettencourt, a Houston Republican.

Records show Blakemore is one of several lobbyists Bass’ company brought on in the waning days of the special session.

Two employees of Blakemore Public Affairs are also listed as lobbyists for the company: Avery Dishaw, a former staffer for Bettencourt, and Casey Haney. David Whitley, the former Secretary of State and deputy chief of staff to Gov. Greg Abbott, also lists Conservation Equity Management as a client, as of August 27.

According to the ethics commission records, Blakemore would be paid between $56,000 and $111,000 for work between September 2 and December 31, 2025." Hou Chron ($)

• #TXLEGE  

“Here are which of Gov. Greg Abbott’s special session agenda items passed and failed,” Dallas Morning News' Aaron Torres -- "The second overtime session of the 89th Texas Legislature ended with a majority of Gov. Greg Abbott’s demands for lawmakers reaching his desk.

Among the biggest priorities for the governor were passing a new congressional map, at the request of President Donald Trump, that could net Republicans five seats in the 2026 midterm elections. Lawmakers also sent Abbott several measures in response to the catastrophic Hill Country floods over the July 4 weekend and other bills long-desired by conservatives.

However, not all the bills reached Abbott’s desk before lawmakers in the House and Senate adjourned the second special session. In total, Abbott requested lawmakers send him bills for 24 agenda items and 16 reached his desk.

Here is a list of some of the bills that lawmakers approved or that ultimately died.

Passed

Congressional redistricting

The decision to redraw the congressional districts in Texas led to a revolt from Democrats in Texas – and across the country. It led to dozens of Texas Democrats fleeing the state to deny the House a quorum and freeze all legislative activity for two weeks.

Democrats accused the map drawers of “cracking and packing” non-white voters to dilute their voting power. The map accomplished what Trump wanted: the chance at gaining five Republican seats in next-year’s midterm elections, increasing the odds Republicans will maintain control of the U.S. House for the final two years of Trump’s term.

State Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, authored House Bill 4, which contained the map, and he was able to accomplish what Republicans foresee as a the five-seat shift in part by redistributing Black and Hispanic eligible voters presumed to vote for Democrats into either strong Democratic districts or into strong Republican districts.

Republicans denied repeatedly they took race into account when redrawing the map.

The quorum break by House Democrats did not stop the map from reaching Abbott’s desk. As a result of the quorum break, Republicans introduced measures to have harsher penalties for lawmakers to try and prevent lawmakers from halting legislative action in the future.

Flooding bills

Following the deadly floods, which killed at least 137 people, including 27 campers and staffers from Camp Mystic, the governor asked for numerous measures, including warning systems and legislation addressing camp safety.

The four bills that passed include new safety requirements and floodplain regulations for youth camps and other riverside tourist areas, funding for outdoor emergency flood sirens, emergency appropriations for disaster response projects and pulling money from the state’s rainy day fund for disaster relief.

STAAR test

House Bill 8, by Rep. Brad Buckley, R-Salado, accomplished the goal of ending the mandatory Texas STAAR test for public school students in two years. A measure seeking to end the annual test for students failed during the regular session.

The STAAR test, which is for students in third through eighth grades and coversmultiple subjects, would be replaced by three smaller exams throughout the school year, starting in the 2027-28 school year. That means that students in Texas public schools will still take the STAAR test in the spring semesters of 2026 and 2027.

Abortion pill

State Republicans were successful in their efforts to further limit the avenues for Texans who are seeking abortions by limiting the use of abortion pills.

House Bill 7, by Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Allen, would allow citizens to have a hand in the enforcement of the abortion ban, under the same framework that was used in Texas’ 2021 abortion ban. That 2021 law authorizes any Texan to sue and potentially receive a payout.

The bill targeted an abortion pathway that anti-abortion advocates and lawmakers have so far struggled to close. It is already illegal to ship abortion pills into Texas because state law prohibits nearly all abortions. However, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has found it difficult to stop pills from crossing into state lines.

Bathroom ban

Senate Bill 8, by Sen. Mayes Middleton, R-Galveston, would prohibit government entities such as cities, counties, school districts and universities from adopting policies that would allow transgender people to use bathroom facilities of the gender they identify as. The bill also extends to facilities in state agencies and state correctional facilities.

The bill does not lay out any instructions for law enforcement agencies in Texas. The bill empowers Texas residents to file a complaint with the Texas attorney general’s office to investigate the agency or municipality. The measure does not create a new state crime or affect private businesses or entities.

Quorum break measures

Seeking to prevent future quorum breaks, Republicans increased the punishments for lawmakers who break quorum and also prevented them from fundraising while actively breaking quorum.

House Bill 18, by Rep. Matt Shaheen, R-Prosper, would ban any state lawmaker absent for the purposes of impeding legislative action from accepting campaign contributions greater than $221 — the amount senators and representatives receive as a daily per diem during a regular or special session.

House Republicans approved a change to the permanent rules of the chamber, increasing the daily fine for quorum breakers and adding a provision that allows the House speaker to strip a quorum-breaking member of a chairmanship or vice-chairmanship of a House legislative panel.

Failed to pass

THC regulations

Among Abbott’s top priorities and one of the issues that triggered the special sessions was the the burgeoning unregulated hemp-derived THC market – which has thrived for years with no uniform testing requirements, no age limits on purchase, and no packaging or marketing restrictions.

Two items on his list addressed the issue. One was for lawmakers to craft a regulatory framework similar to that the state uses to regulate alcohol – with limits on who can sell, as well as when and where they can sell, age limits, packaging and testing requirements, open-container laws and more.

The other, apparently offered as an alternative, was a simple 21-and-up limit on who could buy and possess low-dose THC items.

Neither made it to his desk.

In the wake of the failure to deliver either, the state is left with a ban on disposable vapes containing THC in a law that penalizes the sale, distribution and marketing of them but not the possession of the devices. That law was passed.

Police bill

A bill aimed at sealing most complaints against Texas police officers from public view unraveled in the final hours of the special session after House and Senate lawmakers couldn’t agree on the measure.

The House wanted House Bill 5 to include a provision ensuring families like those of the children killed in the 2022 Robb Elementary School massacre could review records of the investigations into the actions of the officers involved.

The Senate didn’t support those provisions, including one by Rep. Don McLaughlin, R-Uvalde.

Taxpayer-funded lobbying

For years, some Republicans in the Capitol have attempted to bar local government from using public funds to pay lobbyists or organizations that lobby for their members

Senate Bill 8, by Sen. Mayes Middleton of Galveston, would have done just that and it passed the Senate but did not make it to the House floor for a vote, killing the bill Wednesday night." DMN ($)

“Families of flood victims to join Texas governor for camp safety bill signing,” AP's Sean Murphy -- "In the days and weeks following the death of his 9-year-old daughter, Lila, at Camp Mystic in the Texas Hill Country, Blake Bonner found himself wondering whether the tragedy was simply an unstoppable act of God or something could have been done to prevent it.

Lila was one of 27 Camp Mystic campers and counselors swept to their deaths when fast-rising floodwaters of the Guadalupe River roared through the girls’ summer camp. All told, the destructive flooding in Texas on the Fourth of July killed at least 136 people and washed away homes and vehicles.

“It just became clear to me that this incident was 100% preventable,” Bonner said, “and for a lot of reasons, I was going to do everything in my power, and I was hoping the other parents would as well, to make sure that our girls’ legacy wasn’t in vain.”

Bonner and many other parents and family members of the girls who died at Camp Mystic were in the Texas House and Senate gallery this week during a special session to see lawmakers give final approval to a series of bills aimed at preventing similar tragedies. Many of them shared hugs, handshakes and tears after they passed.

Gov. Greg Abbott has scheduled a bill signing ceremony on Friday with legislative leaders and some of the Camp Mystic parents.

The measures aim to improve the safety of children’s camps by prohibiting cabins in dangerous parts of flood zones and requiring camp operators to develop detailed emergency plans, train workers and install and maintain emergency warning systems. One allocates $240 million from the state’s rainy day fund for disaster relief, along with money for warning sirens and improved weather forecasting.

“All the key tenets that we were looking for were addressed in these bills,” Bonner said.

Matthew Childress, whose 18-year-old daughter Chloe was one of two counselors killed, said the effort by the families to pursue legislation began with a bond that developed through shared grief. As they mourned together, sometimes attending other children’s funerals, they grew closer.

When Abbott announced plans to address flooding disaster relief as part of a special session, Childress said, some parents raised concerns that camp safety might get overlooked. Parents started becoming more organized and discussed what their priorities would be for lawmakers to consider.

“That was something that was really important to me, that we move as one, that we have as much unity as possible,” Childress said. “I’m trying to make something positive that can give me purpose, that can give my family purpose, that we can honor Chloe, that we can honor our girls for something that’s positive.”

Many of the families delivered gut-wrenching testimony to lawmakers during hearings in Austin, urging them to pass legislation to help keep campers safe.

Despite their unified voice and the compelling accounts from the parents, there was no guarantee that all the bills would make it to the governor’s desk. Childress acknowledged that conservative legislators are typically not eager to impose government regulations on private businesses.

The owners of at least three Kerr County youth camps urged lawmakers to reconsider some of the new proposals, saying the legislation would cause financial hardship, according to a letter to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick obtained by the Texas Tribune.

Childress said he made it clear to legislators that he supports youth camps and wants them to thrive. He believes the new laws will ensure that, and he hopes the legislation becomes a model for other states.

“Our hope is that this win for millions of campers in Texas is potentially something that could be leveraged for the tens of millions of campers in other states across the country,” Childress said." AP

“Retailers relieved that Texas skirted a THC ban — again,” Texas Tribune's Paul Cobler and Alex Nguyen -- "When news broke Wednesday afternoon of a last-minute push to pass new, stricter regulations for consumable hemp products, the employees at Austin Vape & Smoke sprung into action.

Zaquiri Hensen, a manager at the South Austin store, said he alerted his staff and other stores around the city before beginning to contact his legislators, urging them to reject any strict regulation or ban. Every customer that came into the store for the rest of the day was told to do the same, Hensen said.

“I still watched the House stream just in case because you never know what’s going to happen on the House floor,” Hensen said.

Hensen was finally able to relax around 9 p.m. when Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announced in a post on X that the Senate would wrap up the second special session hours later, effectively closing out the Legislature without any new THC restrictions or a ban.

The smoke shop’s ability to quickly mobilize played no small part in the incredible opposition from the estimated $8 billion Texas hemp industry and its customer base against legislative threats this year. For the better part of 2025, that industry has grappled with the uncertainty of state legislators seeking to ban or sharply curtail its sales, but on Wednesday, the industry collectively breathed a sigh of relief.

After eight months of committee hearings, debates, a surprise decision by Gov. Greg Abbott to veto a total ban of hemp in June and last-minute negotiations on Wednesday, the status quo will largely remain in place for the industry, for now. Hemp-derived THC products — the gummies, flower buds and drinks that are sold at convenience stores, liquor stores, smoke shops and even some grocers across the state — will remain legal.

Cynthia Cabrera, president of the industry trade association Texas Hemp Business Council, said she never relaxed throughout the two special sessions this summer, despite the lack of public effort from the House to again pass a total ban of hemp. She barely slept as the Senate remained in session until early Thursday morning.

“I’m glad I stayed vigilant,” said Cabrera, who is also the chief strategy officer of Hometown Hero, Austin-based manufacturer of hemp-derived THC products. “There’s no rest for the weary.”

The Legislature’s impasse means the debate over what to do about hemp products could rage on. Patrick, who has cited protecting children from using the products as key motivator, reiterated in his post on X that he remains committed to a total ban, despite Abbott’s opposition for such a measure." Texas Tribune

• 2026  

“National Republican group urges Houston Rep. Wesley Hunt donors to stop funding his Senate aspirations,” Houston Chronicle's James Osborne -- "The National Senate Republican Senatorial Committee is urging donors to stop helping U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt, the Houston Republican, position himself for a possible U.S. Senate run.

In a memo first published by The Hill Friday, the NRSC, which is backing incumbent U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, described Hunt's campaign as without a "tenable pathway" now that polls show Cornyn closing in on Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is challenging Cornyn in the March GOP primary.

"The deficit is gone, but Hunt continues to cling to the false narrative he pushed as a justification for his own ambitions," the memo read. "It is time for Hunt and his allies to cease all Senate related activity and Sen. Cornyn's reelection campaign."

A spokesman for Hunt declined to comment.

Hunt, a two-term congressman and former captain in the U.S. Army, has been running campaign ads across Texas but has yet to announce a U.S. Senate bid. And while he won't say if he's running, he widely viewed as a likely challenger to Paxton, should Cornyn's reelection bid fall short.

In his last campaign for Congress, Hunt's top campaign donors were the American-Israeli Public Affairs Committee and the oil and gas industry, which donated more than $280,000. His campaign PAC has raised more than $770,000 this year, with Thomas Lacy, a Fort Worth businessman, and Peter Huntsman, president of Huntsman Corp. in the Woodlands, among his top contributors.

Early polls showed Paxton, a popular figure among Texas conservatives, with a double digit lead over Cornyn. But the incumbent senator appears to be closing that gap, with a poll by Emerson College last month showing the two in a virtual tie.

The NRSC, the GOP's campaign arm in the U.S Senate, said in the memo it was now focused on "definining Paxton's ideological negatives," including his "personal affairs spiraling out of control" — seemingly a reference to his pending divorce from state Sen. Angela Paxton.

"The race between (Cornyn and Paxton) is in a statistical dead heat, and Cornyn has the momentum," the group wrote." Hou Chron ($)

• TEXANS IN DC  

“Ted Cruz and John Cornyn push to repeal D.C. police law adopted after George Floyd’s death,” Dallas Morning News' Joseph Morton -- "U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, is leading a renewed effort to repeal a D.C. law intended to provide greater police accountability amid the national uproar that followed the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd.

The D.C. law includes prohibitions on police tactics such as chokeholds and the kind of neck restraint used on Floyd. It covers use-of-force standards and expanded access to body camera footage.

Cruz said the law has undermined police morale, weakened officer retention and contributed to a “public safety disaster” by hampering the ability of law enforcement to do its job.

“Violent crime has become endemic in Washington DC as a direct result of political and ideological decisions made by Democrats,” Cruz said in a news release.

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, co-sponsored the legislation, which he said would allow police officers to “once again feel empowered” to make the district safe for everyone.

“For years, the radical liberals on the D.C. Council in Washington have turned their backs on the blue by ushering in new laws and regulations that handicap law enforcement’s ability to do their jobs, spurring rampant, violent crime across our nation’s capital,” Cornyn said in a news release.

The killing of Floyd, who grew up in Houston, was condemned at the time by politicians from both parties, including Cruz.

“On Memorial Day in Minneapolis, Mr. Floyd was horrifically killed after a police officer kneeled on his neck for eight long minutes,” Cruz said in a statement at the time. “There are no legitimate law enforcement justifications for what happened to Mr. Floyd. None. It was wrong and grotesque, and rightly evoked outrage.”

Floyd’s killing sparked demonstrations across the country in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Many protests were peaceful, but some turned violent.

States and municipalities, including D.C., debated and in some cases enacted new police accountability measures.

Republicans, with help from some Democrats, approved a bill to block the changes adopted by D.C., which they said went too far. Then-President Joe Biden used a veto to save the D.C. law.

Biden said in a statement at the time he didn’t agree with everything D.C. had done but that the legislation included some common-sense reforms.

Cruz and Cornyn say the D.C. law banned proven police tactics, stripped due process rights from officers and imposed restrictions on policing protests." DMN ($)

• BUSINESS NEWS  

Matt Mackowiak, Derrik Fox & Dustin Byington guest column: “Austin’s time has come: Why we deserve Major League Baseball,” via Austin American-Statesman -- "If you grew up in Austin in the 1990s, our city was a great place to live — but it was missing something: a major league sports franchise.

Today, Austin is the 13th largest city in America, with more than a million residents inside the city limits and 2.5 million in Central Texas. That makes us the largest U.S. city without a top-four professional sports team — and one of the fastest-growing large TV markets.

Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred has said he hopes to expand the league from 30 to 32 teams before 2029. Cities like Nashville and Salt Lake City have already launched organized bids. That’s why we formed the Austin Baseball Commission in July 2024: to give our city the strongest possible case for an expansion franchise.

Our mission is simple — harness Austin’s cultural, professional and civic energy to build an elite baseball franchise. Our vision is a stadium district that serves as a “third downtown,” modeled on successful mixed-use projects in Atlanta and Arlington. The stadium would be surrounded by housing, restaurants, retail, green space and a youth baseball complex.

Just as importantly, it would serve as a gathering place that unites Austinites from all walks of life and creates year-round activity for families, workers and visitors. Eastern Travis County offers promising possibilities with affordable land, airport access and future growth.

Austin is already a baseball town. The University of Texas program is the second winningest in the country, and pairing it with an MLB team would create a true baseball hub. A professional franchise would also inspire the next generation of young athletes, giving Little Leaguers and high school players in Central Texas a new level of aspiration.

The cost will be significant. Expansion fees are projected at more than $2 billion, with stadium construction pushing the total investment to about $4 billion. But the return would be transformative. Expansion helps MLB secure a stronger labor deal and media package while creating 80 new player jobs. And for Austin, the payoff would include thousands of construction and hospitality jobs, increased tourism and the long-term boost of a major-league identity on the national stage.

Why Austin? After more than 500 meetings, we’re convinced this city can win because we have:

• A strong income base: Austin has the highest median income among expansion contenders, key to sustaining 81 home games a year.

• Corporate support: Our booming tech sector can deliver unmatched sponsorships, naming rights, and suite sales — without the divided corporate bases of other cities.

• Growth and momentum: The Austin-San Antonio region already totals 5.3 million people and is projected to reach 8 million by 2050. Owners will see the long-term opportunity here.

We’ve also engaged with the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros, who understand that a third Texas franchise would only strengthen the game. Just as the NBA has shown, intrastate rivalries fuel fan passion and create some of the sport’s most memorable moments.

To prepare, we’ve assembled a first-rate team: a former MLB deputy commissioner as chairman, a stadium executive who has opened eight major league venues, and the nation’s top sports architecture firm. We’ve launched a $2 million seed round — we're 25% of the way there after only three events — to fund economic, market and real estate studies, the groundwork for a world-class bid.

Austin is ready. We are a city of innovation, creativity and growth. With the right vision, an MLB team here wouldn’t just bring baseball. It would build community, strengthen our economy and elevate Austin onto the global stage.

As entrepreneurs who love this city and plan to stay here, we believe now is the time for Austin to step into the big leagues. Learn more and join us at atxmlb.com.

Matt Mackowiak, Derrik Fox and Dustin Byington are the co-founders of the Austin Baseball Commission, which was founded in July 2024 to produce the strongest bid to bring an expansion Major League Baseball team to Austin." AAS ($)

“Tesla offers unprecedented $1 trillion pay package to Elon Musk,” via Bloomberg wire -- "Tesla Inc. proposed a new compensation agreement for Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk potentially worth around $1 trillion, a massive package without precedent in corporate America.

The long-awaited proposal, designed to incentivize Musk to lead Tesla for years to come, sets a series of ambitious benchmarks he must meet to earn the full payout, including expanding Tesla’s nascent robotaxi business and growing the company’s market value to at least $8.5 trillion from around $1 trillion today. The plan spans 10 years.

The additional shares Musk could receive would push his stake in the electric-vehicle maker to at least 25%, according to the terms detailed in Tesla’s proxy filing Friday. Musk has publicly stated he wants a stake of that size.

The plan dangles a financial windfall and expanded control of the company to Musk, already the world’s richest person, after his 2018 package valued in excess of $50 billion was struck down by a Delaware court. While Tesla appeals that decision, the board is seeking other ways to compensate its CEO, including with an interim stock award in early August valued at about $30 billion.

The incentives in the new plan aim to keep Musk’s focus on Tesla while it pursues growth in newer markets including robotics and artificial intelligence. Friday’s filing also included a nonbinding shareholder proposal for Tesla to take a stake in Musk’s xAI startup, an idea Musk has previously discussed. The shareholder meeting is set for Nov. 6.

The new agreement underscores Musk’s iron grip on the automaker, despite the myriad demands on his time. Musk, who has served as Tesla’s top executive since 2008, oversees four other companies: SpaceX, xAI, Neuralink and the Boring Co. He told Bloomberg in an interview in May that he’s committed to still being at the helm of Tesla in five years.

Tesla shares rose 2% as of 8:15 a.m. Friday in New York. Despite the stock having fallen 16% so far this year, Tesla’s multiple of projected 2025 earnings recently cracked 200 times for the first time.

A market capitalization of $8.5 trillion would be more than double that of Nvidia Corp., currently the world’s most valuable company. Tesla’s value peaked in late 2024 at about $1.5 trillion.

The value of the latest CEO award, at $87.8 billion in the filing, would swell to about $1 trillion if Musk hits all the performance targets and gets to collect all the restricted shares. The massive package suggests Musk could be afforded more opportunities to borrow against the value of his shares, which he has done before.

The proxy also outlines that Musk must participate in the board’s development of a framework for long-term CEO succession in order to earn either of the last two tranches of the performance award.

“Simply put, retaining and incentivizing Elon is fundamental to Tesla achieving these goals and becoming the most valuable company in history,” Tesla said in a shareholder letter signed by Chair Robyn Denholm and director Kathleen Wilson-Thompson." Bloomberg wire

• NEWS FROM AROUND THE STATE 

> HOU CHRON: "Texas man disputes claim that he spiked woman's drink with abortion pills" HOU CHRON

> TX TRIB: "Texas Republicans in Congress scaled back town halls during summer recess amid criticism over Trump megabill" TX TRIB

> DMN: "AG Ken Paxton appeals ruling that blocked Ten Commandments in schools law" DMN

> HOU CHRON: "Texts from John Whitmire reveal how he shaped bike lane removals, road projects" HOU CHRON

> HOU CHRON: "The Austin Street bike lane shows why we can't trust Houston City Hall" HOU CHRON

> THE TEXAN: "Corpus Christi City Council Meeting Over Desalination Project Leads to Multiple Arrests" THE TEXAN

> FWST: "What the One Big Beautiful Bill Act means for employers" FWST

> THE TEXAN: "Abbott Directs Texas DPS to Enforce English Proficiency for Commercial Truck Drivers" THE TEXAN

> TPR: "Trump targets Smithsonian work by Texas border artist" TPR

> THE TEXAN: "Federal Lawsuit Challenges New Texas Law Banning Cultivated Meat Products" THE TEXAN

> THE TEXAN: "Northwest ISD Voters to Consider Operations Tax Increase to Reduce Class Sizes" THE TEXAN

> THE TEXAN: "Texas Legislature Moves on Penalties to Dissuade Future Quorum Breaks" THE TEXAN

> COMMUNITY IMPACT: "Fulshear approves budget, increases tax rate by 3.74%" COMMUNITY IMPACT

> THE TEXAN: "State Sen. Brandon Creighton Named Sole Finalist for Texas Tech System Chancellor" THE TEXAN

> SAEN: "Japan welcomes Trump's order to implement lower tariffs on autos and other goods" SAEN

> SAEN: "Trump says US would be on 'brink of economic catastrophe' unless justices rule his tariffs are legal" SAEN

> WACO TRIB: "Lockette’s goal lifts Baylor past Texas, 1-0, for first win in series since 2017" WACO TRIB

> HOU CHRON: "Lorena remnants, Gulf moisture mean Texas flood risk. Here's how" HOU CHRON

> HOU CHRON: "Manatee and other unusual sea creatures spotted near the Texas Gulf Coast" HOU CHRON

> DMN: "UIL rules Prosper Walnut Grove volleyball star, North Crowley quarterback ineligible" DMN

> HOU CHRON: "Houston child killed in doorbell prank remembered for big heart, obituary says" HOU CHRON

> SAEN: "A new COVID variant is spiking 'very high' in Texas, CDC says" SAEN

> FWST: "How AI is changing the news, and what businesses need to know" FWST

> FWST: "The cashless shift in America: What it means for shoppers and businesses" FWST

> DMN: "Southwest Airlines will offer free Wi-Fi on all flights, with a catch" DMN

> TPR: "States prepare alternative COVID vaccine plans to maintain access" TPR

> TX TRIB: "Lawmakers redrew Texas’ congressional districts. See how yours changed." TX TRIB

> HOU CHRON: "THC ban dies as Texas lawmakers unable to reach a deal, Dan Patrick says" HOU CHRON

> TPR: "Are Texas' new maps racially or politically gerrymandered? Court will decide" TPR

> KXAN: "Williamson County Commissioners Court approves property tax increase and budget" KXAN

> THE TEXAN: "THC Deal Between Governor, Legislature Falls Through Before Second Special Session Ends" THE TEXAN

> KXAN: "Texas sued over its lab-grown meat ban" KXAN

> THE TEXAN: "Texas Lawmakers Struggle on Hemp-Derived THC Agreement Before Special Session Ends" THE TEXAN

> THE TEXAN: "THC, Property Tax Reform in Limbo as Texas Legislature Scrambles for Agreement Before Sine Die" THE TEXAN

> EP TIMES: "10 new Texas laws now in effect, from school choice to water infrastructure" EP TIMES

> THE TEXAN: "Texas Lottery Transferred to TDLR After Legislative Battle Over Couriers, Alleged 'Criminal Conspiracy'" THE TEXAN

> COMMUNITY IMPACT: "Fulshear to vote on redistricting map at Sept. 16 meeting" COMMUNITY IMPACT

> THE TEXAN: "Second Special Session of 2025 Closes as Texas House and Senate Adjourn Sine Die" THE TEXAN

> COMMUNITY IMPACT: "Richardson City Council to hold tax rate public hearing" COMMUNITY IMPACT

> SAEN: "Ahead of vote, Spurs to launch arena campaign with rally this weekend" SAEN

> EP TIMES: "Thousands rally in Austin, Texas to protest Trump and Abbott's redistricting in the state" EP TIMES

> SA REPORT: "A former Democrat wants to help the GOP hold Lujan's HD118 seat" SA REPORT

> HOU CHRON: "Feds seize 1,300 barrels of meth precursors tied to cartel, officials say" HOU CHRON

> FWST: "‘Barbecue Capital of Texas’ named one of the best small towns to visit in 2025" FWST

> HOU CHRON: "'Patently unconstitutional': What experts say about Ken Paxton urging Lord’s Prayer in Texas schools" HOU CHRON

> FWST: "Boyfriend guns down 16-year-old girl and her dad at city park, Texas cops say" FWST

> FWST: "Families of Boeing crash victims oppose agreement to dismiss criminal charges" FWST

> COMMUNITY IMPACT: "Basketball for All brings inclusion to the court for athletes with disabilities" COMMUNITY IMPACT

> THE TEXAN: "Texas Sues California-Based PowerSchool After ‘Unprecedented’ Personal Data Breach" THE TEXAN

> HOU CHRON: "Houston's ConocoPhillips to lay off up to 25% of global workforce" HOU CHRON

• EXTRA POINTS 

Recent Texas sports scores:
Wed
> MLB: Arizona 2, Texas 0
> MLB: Houston 8, NYY 7
Thurs
> MLB: NYY 8, Houston 4
> NFL: Philadelphia 24, Dallas 20
> WNBA: Golden State 84, Dallas 80

This weekend's Texas sports schedule:
Fri
> 7:05pm: MLB: Houston at Texas
Sat
> 11am: NCAAF: San Jose St. at #7 Texas (ABC)
> 11am: NCAAF: East Texas A&M at #14 Florida St. (ACCN)
> 11am: NCAAF: Baylor at #17 SMU (CW)
> 11am: NCAAF: Kent St. at #24 Texas Tech (TNT)
> 11:45am: NCAAF: Utah St. at #19 Texas A&M (SECN)
> 2:30pm: NCAAF: North Texas at W. Michigan (ESPN+)
> 2:30pm: NCAAF: Texas St. at UTSA (ESPN+)
> 5pm: NCAAF: Texas Southern at Cal (ACC)
> 6pm: NCAAF: Houston at Rice (ESPN+)
> 6:15pm: MLB: Houston at Texas (Fox)
> 7:30pm: MLS: Dallas at St. Louis
> 7:30pm: MLS: LAG at Houston
> 8pm: NCAAF: Tenn-Martin at UTEP (ESPN+)
> 11pm: NCAAF: Sam Houston St. at Hawaii (MWN)
Sun
> 1:35pm: MLB: Houston at Texas
> 3:25pm: NFL: Houston at LAR (CBS)
> 5pm: WNBA: Dallas at LA (NBA TV)
> 7:30pm: NWSL: Houston at San Diego

DALLAS COWBOYS: "Defending champion Eagles edge Cowboys 24-20 in wild, lightning-delayed NFL season opener" AP

DALLAS COWBOYS: Cowlishaw: "Yes, the Cowboys are 0-1, but they just went toe-to-toe with the Super Bowl champs" DMN ($)

HOUSTON TEXANS: "Stroud’s Texans visit Stafford-led Rams to open season in matchup of reigning division champs" AP

TEXAS FOOTBALL: "No. 7 Texas, Arch Manning get a chance to turn things around, starting with San Jose State at home" AP

TEXAS FOOTBALL: "Malik Muhammad: Texas trusts cornerback with San Jose State up next" AAS ($)

TEXAS FOOTBALL: Golden: "Parker Livingston has been a sweet find at receiver for Texas football" AAS ($)

HOUSTON ASTROS: "Rodón ties for MLB lead with 16th win as Yankees beat Astros 8-4" AP

HOUSTON ASTROS: "Framber Valdez apologizes to César Salazar after hitting him with a pitch" AP

HOUSTON ASTROS: "Astros 3B Isaac Paredes runs and fields for first time since hamstring injury, unsure about return" AP

HOUSTON ROCKETS: "The Houston Rockets and Kevin Durant have a successful season if ..." Hou Chron ($)

SAN ANTONIO SPURS: "Spurs announce free open scrimmage in October" SAEN ($)

DALLAS WINGS: "Valkyries beat Wings 84-80 to become 1st expansion team to reach playoffs in inaugural season" AP