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☆ Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Reaches $3.3 Million Whistleblower Settlement
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Elizabeth Findell | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

AUSTIN, Texas—Texas taxpayers will pay $3.3 million to whistleblowers who reported alleged wrongdoing by their boss, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton , to law enforcement, under the terms of a mediated settlement agreement filed Friday. The settlement is contingent upon the funds being approved through the Texas Legislature, attorneys said. It would put an end to legal battling between Mr. Paxton and his former top deputies, who in 2020 accused him of using his office illegally to interfere with a federal investigation into a campaign donor.

"It's judge shopping on steroids," said Sarah Lipton-Lubet, executive director of the progressive legal advocacy group Take Back the Court. The Biden administration has called the lawsuit "unprecedented" and urged Kacsmaryk to not deprive women of a long-approved safe and effective drug. At least eight have led to rulings blocking Biden policies, with several more pending. The chief judges of Texas federal courts have the authority to reallocate cases to other judges, but have largely not done so, he said. Absent a change, litigants have every right to take advantage of that structure to seek a favorable judge, he said.

The states said in their lawsuit, however, that the rule in practice could affect anyone who uses a brace. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a similar, separate lawsuit in federal court in Texas on Thursday. A group of veterans also filed a lawsuit challenging the rule in federal court in Texas earlier this month. Democratic President Joe Biden has championed tougher gun control measures, and last year signed a national gun safety law. Since then, several state gun control measures have been struck down by courts.

WASHINGTON, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Texas sued the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday to prevent it from asking pharmacies to fill reproductive health prescriptions. The Biden administration said in July 2022 that refusing to fill prescriptions for drugs that could be used to terminate a pregnancy could violate federal law, regardless of various state bans on the procedure. The lawsuit was filed on Tuesday against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. The Food and Drug Administration said January that abortion pills would become more widely available at pharmacies and through the mail. A legal battle is under way at a federal court in Texas, where abortion opponents have sued to undo the approval of the drugs.

[1/2] Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks ahead of a rally held by former U.S. President Donald Trump, in Robstown, Texas, U.S., October 22, 2022. REUTERS/Go NakamuraJan 30 (Reuters) - Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton must face an ethics lawsuit by state attorney regulators over a case he brought challenging results of the 2020 election, according to a court ruling posted on Monday. The ruling is a setback for Paxton, who had argued that his work as the top Texas state lawyer was beyond the reach of Texas attorney ethics regulators. The Texas State Bar, an agency that oversees licensed attorneys in the state, filed the lawsuit against Paxton in state court in Dallas last May. The state bar countered that Texas attorney conduct rules "apply to any attorney engaged in the practice of law regardless of their position."

The states filed a complaint in a federal court in Amarillo, Texas, on Thursday arguing that the rule finalized in November will lead many retirement plans to focus on a social agenda rather than long-term financial stability for investors. The rule, which takes effect on Monday, reverses restrictions on socially conscious investing that were adopted by the Trump administration. The states in Thursday's lawsuit said the new rule fails to justify the departure from Trump-era regulations, in violation of the federal law governing rulemaking. And, the states said, it violates the U.S. law that regulates employee benefit plans by failing to protect retirement assets. The case is Utah v. Walsh, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, No.

[1/2] The logo for Google LLC is seen at the Google Store Chelsea in Manhattan, New York City, U.S., November 17, 2021. The complaint filed Tuesday in a Virginia federal court by the U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division attempts to compel Google to sell part of its advertising technology unit. The suit mirrors allegations in another antitrust case brought against Google in New York federal court by a Texas-led coalition of 17 states in 2020. In the states' case, a New York federal judge in September rejected Google’s bid to dismiss it entirely. Google also faces two largely parallel antitrust lawsuits by states and the federal government alleging unlawful dominance in online searching.

☆ DOJ files second antitrust suit against Google, seeks to break up its ad business
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Lauren Feiner | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

The U.S. Justice Department on Tuesday filed its second antitrust lawsuit against Google in just over two years. This lawsuit, focused on Google’s online advertising business, seeks to make Google divest parts of the business and is the first against the company filed under the Biden administration. Google also faces three other antitrust lawsuits from large groups of state attorneys general, including one focused on its advertising business led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. The company has long denied that it dominates the online advertising market, pointing to the market share of competitors including Meta’s Facebook. Google and other tech companies have also faced increasing scrutiny from abroad, particularly in Europe, where Google has also fought multiple competition cases and new regulations threaten major changes to tech business models.

☆ Texas AG to halt most of Citi's municipal offerings on gun law dispute
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Attorney General of Texas Ken Paxton speaks during former U.S. President Donald Trump's rally, in Conroe, Texas, U.S., January 29, 2022. Texas enacted a law in 2021 that prohibited government contracts with entities that discriminated against the firearms industry. "Citi's designation as an SB-19 discriminator has the effect of halting its ability to underwrite most municipal bond offerings in Texas," Paxton's office told Reuters, referring to the law. Bloomberg News first reported the news, citing a letter that Leslie Brock, assistant attorney general chief of the public finance division, distributed to lawyers on Wednesday. "Therefore, until further notice, we will not approve any public security issued on or after today's date in which Citigroup purchases or underwrites the public security, or in which Citigroup is otherwise a party to a covered contract relating to the public security," according to the letter.

☆ Texas AG to halt most of Citi's municipal offerings on gun law row
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

☆ With over 100 anti-LGBTQ bills before state legislatures in 2023 so far, activists say they're 'fired up'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-14 | by ( Jo Yurcaba | Jo Yurcaba Is A Reporter For Nbc Out. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +10 min

So far, Texas has taken the lead with 36 such bills, according to Equality Texas, a statewide LGBTQ advocacy group. Four states — Arkansas, Alabama, Tennessee and Arizona — have enacted restrictions on gender-affirming medical care for minors, though federal judges have blocked them from taking effect in Arkansas and Alabama. State Sen. David Bullard, the Republican sponsoring the bill, told The Oklahoman that gender-affirming medical care is a “permanent change in your body that cannot be reversed. Accredited medical associations — including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Psychological Association — have supported gender-affirming care for minors. Advocates and doctors who treat trans youth have said many of the health care restrictions proposed by state legislators mischaracterize what gender-affirming care is.

The policy was put into effect by Trump's administration in February 2020 and ended by Biden's in March 2021. The judge later rejected the Republican bid to intervene, saying the request by the state officials came too late, and the Chicago-based 7th U.S. The Republican officials had told the justices that they should be able to defend Trump's rule, saying it has been estimated to save states collectively about $1 billion annually. The Supreme Court last year heard arguments over a separate bid by Republican state officials to intervene in defense of Trump's public charge rule but ultimately dismissed the case without resolving the issue. Texas on Thursday filed a separate federal lawsuit challenging Biden's rule.

Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar to file a brief expressing the Biden administration's view on the litigation and whether the Supreme Court should take up the matter. Charter schools are publicly funded but operated separately from school boards run by local governments. The 4th Circuit ruling did not make a conclusion on the Title IX claim. Circuit Judge Barbara Milano Keenan, in a decision joined by her fellow Democratic appointees on the 4th Circuit. The Supreme Court has a 6-3 conservative majority.

Last year, the nation’s largest LGBTQ advocacy organization, the Human Rights Campaign, labeled 2021 the “worst year” for LGBTQ rights in modern U.S. history, citing a record number of anti-LGBTQ bills introduced in state legislatures across the country. “The LGBTQ+ community is really under siege right now,” said Ricardo Martinez, CEO of LGBTQ advocacy group Equality Texas. One bill that was successfully implemented, and gained national headlines for months, was Florida’s Parental Rights in Education law, or what critics have dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. The word “grooming” has long been associated with mischaracterizing LGBTQ people, particularly gay men and transgender women, as child sex abusers. Those losses came after some conservative groups ramped up misleading or inflammatory campaign ads targeting transgender rights.

☆ A Georgia GOP congressman who backed Trump's election lies voted in the wrong county, but his spokesman insists it wasn't a 'devious ploy'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Rebecca Cohen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A GOP Congressman in Georgia may have broken the state's voting law by casting ballots in the wrong county. Rep. Drew Ferguson voted in the county where he used to live during the 2022 election cycle. Ferguson has been an advocate against voter fraud since the 2020 election and backed Trump's election lies. "Congressman Ferguson resolved the issue, and proceeded to vote in Troup County for the primary, general, and run-off elections." "Congressman Ferguson is currently in the process of transitioning his residency to his new home in Pike County," the spokesman added.

☆ Federal judge temporarily blocks Biden from ending Trump-era 'Remain in Mexico' policy
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( Zoë Richards | Zoë Richards Is The Evening Politics Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked the Biden administration from ending a Trump-era policy designed to restrict immigration at the southern border. The Supreme Court said in a 5-4 ruling in June that the Biden administration had acted properly in seeking to end the policy, reversing a federal appeals court ruling that rejected a fresh attempt to end the policy in October 2021. The administration was previously forced to reinstate the policy after Texas and Missouri sued. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who filed suit to block the policy from being lifted, praised the judge's order on Twitter. Immigrant rights groups and opponents of "Remain in Mexico," which is separate from another Trump-era border policy known as Title 42, say it denies people the right to seek protection in the U.S. and forces them to face potentially dangerous circumstances as they await asylum.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday will consider the Biden administration's effort to revive a policy that set immigration enforcement priorities by focusing on public safety threats. The administration is seeking to overturn a Texas-based federal judge's ruling in June that blocked the policy nationwide. Biden administration lawyers argue that the president has broad discretion to set enforcement priorities. A third question concerns whether the judge had the authority to block the policy even if it is unlawful. The Supreme Court voted 5-4 in July to reject the Biden administration's request to immediately restore the policy but agreed to hear oral arguments.

☆ A teen and his mom are starting over in another state after attacks on trans care
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-23 | by ( Jo Yurcaba | Jo Yurcaba Is A Reporter For Nbc Out. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +10 min

The department began opening investigations into families days later, but Laird told NBC News in March that she didn’t have plans to move. The family’s story reveals part of the impact Abbott’s directive is having on the families of trans youths in Texas. They left out of fear that Noah would lose the care recommended by his medical team, but also because the state was becoming increasingly hostile for trans people, Laird said. He added that Laird and Noah are far from the only ones who have left the state — he knows of several. At least three other families with trans kids have also said in interviews that they have moved.

☆ Texas GOP looks to restrict transgender health care and drag shows
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Zachary Schermele | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Texas Republicans introduced several bills this week that target the transgender community, including at least two measures seeking to criminalize gender-affirming care for minors and one bill looking to prevent children from attending drag performances. For minors, this type of care typically includes puberty blockers, which are recommended to trans youths before the onset of puberty, or hormone therapy for teenagers. The Texas bills come on the heels of a previous attempt this year by the state’s attorney general, Ken Paxton, to deem transition-related care for minors as child abuse under state law. Greg Abbott, the state’s Republican governor, subsequently called on citizens to report parents of transgender minors to the state if they suspect these minors are receiving gender-affirming care. The state’s current definition of “sexually oriented businesses” includes any venue where two or more people perform nude and alcohol is served.

Audiences will see how the battle in the Texas Legislature over gender-affirming care for trans children is far from a mere partisan philosophical argument or campaign talking point for me. That’s the year a flood of anti-LGBTQ bills were introduced in the Texas Legislature — the majority of which directly targeted trans kids and their families. This year dealt Texas trans families a double blow when state Attorney General Ken Paxton delivered a nonbinding legal opinion that gender-affirming care for children was child abuse — followed by a directive from Gov. We acted quickly as a family, breaking the news of our pending out-of-state move to Noah over an unforgettably sad dinner. Despite it all, Texas is where our hearts reside, no matter how many miles might separate us and how directly damaging Republican rhetoric has been.

Share this -Link copiedWisconsin Senate race too close to call Wisconsin's Senate race between GOP Sen. Ron Johnson and Democrat Mandela Barnes is too close to call, NBC News says. Vance wins Ohio Senate race, defeating Democrat Tim Ryan, NBC News projects COLUMBUS, Ohio — J.D. Ohio Republican Senate candidate J.D. Vance is leading The Senate race in Ohio is too early to call, NBC News says, but Republican candidate J.D. Share this -Link copiedGeorgia Senate race too close to call Georgia's Senate race is too close to call about three hours after polls closed at 7 p.m.

☆ Live Results: Texas votes in congressional and state elections
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Walt Hickey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Polls close in Texas at 7 p.m. local time. Given the state has multiple timezones, the first polls close at 8 p.m. EST and the last polls close at 9 p.m. EST. It symobilizes the 2022 Election. Polls close in the state at 7 p.m. local time. Given the state has multiple time zones, the first polls close at 8 p.m. EST and the last polls close at 9 p.m. EST.

☆ The US never banned asbestos. These workers are paying the price.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-23 | by ( Kathleen Mcgrory | Neil Bedi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +39 min

But protocols failed to match reality at the Niagara Falls plant, according to more than a dozen workers. In addition to those signature diseases, which are rare even among asbestos workers, the tiny strands can harm the body in other ways. In the 15 years that followed, congressional attempts to ban asbestos would continue to fall short. OSHA declined to make an official available for an on-the-record interview or comment on ProPublica's findings at the Niagara Falls plant. At the OxyChem plant in Wichita, union president Keith Peacock said he was comfortable with the way asbestos was handled.

☆ Texas secretary of state to send inspectors to observe vote counting in Harris County
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Summer Concepcion | Summer Concepcion Is A Politics Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

The Texas Secretary of State's Office has told the state’s most populous county that it will send inspectors there to observe vote counting during the November election. Harris County is home to Houston and leans Democratic. In a statement to NBC News, the Secretary of State's Office said it sends inspectors to many counties during state elections, including Harris County, citing Chapter 34 of the Texas Election Code. NBC News reached out to Tatum, the Harris County election administrator, for comment. The secretary of state’s office announced hours later that it had begun reviews in Dallas and Harris counties, the two largest Democratic counties, and Tarrant and Collin counties, the two largest Republican ones.

Companies Alphabet Inc FollowGoogle Inc FollowWASHINGTON, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Texas has filed a lawsuit against Alphabet's (GOOGL.O) Google for allegedly collecting biometric data of millions of Texans without obtaining proper consent, the attorney general's office said in a statement on Thursday. The complaint says that companies operating in Texas have been barred for more than a decade from collecting people's faces, voices or other biometric data without advanced, informed consent. "In blatant defiance of that law, Google has, since at least 2015, collected biometric data from innumerable Texans and used their faces and their voices to serve Google’s commercial ends," the complaint said. "Indeed, all across the state, everyday Texans have become unwitting cash cows being milked by Google for profits." The collection occurred through products like Google Photos, Google Assistant, and Nest Hub Max, the statement said.

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