L'Oreal Stepney: Gov. Abbott defends TWDB leader after accusations of DEI hiring practices
The Brief
Texas Water Development Board Chair L'Oreal Stepney was brought to tears after accusations of race-based hiring practices
Rep. Brian Harrison repeatedly questioned the board's hiring decisions, claiming there were race-based hiring policies
AUSTIN, Texas - The leader of the state's water supply was in tears after accusations of race-based hiring practices.
After the hearing at the Texas Capitol, Governor Abbott came to the defense of the Texas Water Development Board Chair, L'Oreal Stepney.
The backstory
The TWDB chair testified in front of a Texas House Appropriations subcommittee on Thursday.
Representative Brian Harrison repeatedly questioned the board's hiring decisions, claiming there were race-based hiring policies. However, TWDB leadership said they are following Governor Abbott's executive orders.
Stepney: "If there are things that aren't where they need to be in our policies and procedures, we need to take a look at them and we will."
Harrison: "That I agree with, and I plain language read your document, and boy, I don't know any other way to read this. Race is being used in employment determinations."
Harrison added: "So why do you have this in your strategic plan, and have you been in fact engaged in race-based employment determinations to mirror society in general?"
The DEI questioning continued by Harrison, and it resulted in Stepney crying.
Stepney: "But what have I done? I have protected the drinking water supply of 31 million Texans."
Stepney added, "I don't mind tough questions. I never get this emotional. I can't even believe I'm saying all of this right now. And what have I done?
What they're saying
Rep. Harrison posted on X Thursday evening following the incident.
Gov. Abbott and several other state leaders commented on what happened during the hearing.
Abbott said in part, "There is no one better and no one I have more confidence in to lead and implement our water solutions than TWDB chairwoman L'Oreal Stepney."
The Source
Information from a Texas legislative hearing and statements from Gov. Abbott, House speaker Dustin Burrows, and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Abbott calls Starmer's immigration comments ‘fundamentally racist' at rally
Backbench Labour MP Diane Abbott has criticised Sir Keir Starmer's comments on immigration as 'fundamentally racist' at a protest rally, suggesting the Government was copying the rhetoric of Reform UK. Thousands of trade unionists, campaigners and activists gathered to 'send a message' to the Government at a demonstration over spending cuts and welfare reform in central London on Saturday. Former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn and Ms Abbott were among those who gave speeches at the rally outside Downing Street following a march. Organisers The People's Assembly accused the Government of making spending cuts that target the poorest in society. The Prime Minister said the UK risked becoming 'an island of strangers' when he unveiled plans for tighter controls on immigration in a major speech last month, leading to a mixed reaction from different parties. Addressing the protest crowd in Whitehall, Ms Abbott – who was previously suspended by Labour in 2023 before being allowed to run in last year's general election – said there was an international struggle to 'fight the rich and the powerful (and) to fight the racists', including in her own party. The Hackney North and Stoke Newington MP said: 'I was very disturbed to hear Keir Starmer on the subject of immigration. 'He talked about closing the book on a squalid chapter for our politics – immigrants represent a squalid chapter. 'He talked about how he thought immigration has done incalculable damage to this green and pleasant land, which, of course, is nonsense – immigrants built this land. 'And, finally, he said we risk becoming an island of strangers. 'I thought that was a fundamentally racist thing to say. It is contrary to Britain's history. 'My parents came to this country in the 50s. They were not strangers. They helped to build this country. 'I think Keir Starmer is quite wrong to say that the way that you beat Reform is to copy Reform.' Reform's leader Nigel Farage previously said his party 'very much enjoyed' Sir Keir's speech, as it showed he was 'learning a great deal' from them. Representatives from the National Education Union, Revolutionary Communist Party, Green Party and the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union could be seen at the demonstration's start point in Portland Place. The large crowd then set off towards Whitehall shortly before 1pm. Many of the protesters were holding placards that read 'Tax the rich, stop the cuts – welfare not warfare'. Other signs being held aloft said 'Nurses not nukes' and 'Cut war, not welfare'. Mr Corbyn, who also criticised Sir Keir's 'island of strangers' comments, told protesters at the rally: 'As the wars rage around the world – the killing fields in Ukraine and Russia, the abominable, deliberate starvation of children in Gaza and the genocide that's inflicted against the Palestinian people continues – surely to goodness we need a world of peace. 'We need a world of peace that will come through the vision of peace, the vision of disarmament and the vision of actually challenging the causes of war, which leads to the desperation and the refugee flows of today.' The Independent MP for Islington North urged protesters to 'go forward as a movement of hope, of what we can achieve together (and) the society we can build together'. The People's Assembly said trade unionists, health, disability, housing and welfare campaigners with community organisations came together for the protest under the slogan 'No to Austerity2.0'. A spokesperson said: 'The adherence to 'fiscal rules' traps us in a public service funding crisis, increasing poverty, worsening mental health and freezing public sector pay. 'Scrapping winter fuel payments, keeping the Tory two-child benefit cap, abandoning Waspi women, cutting £5 billion of welfare by limiting Pip and universal credit eligibility, and slashing UK foreign aid from 0.5% to 0.3% of GDP, while increasing defence spending to 2.5% of GDP, are presented as 'tough choices'. 'Real tough choices would be for a Labour government to tax the rich and their hidden wealth, to fund public services, fair pay, investment in communities and the NHS.'
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
Abbott calls Starmer's immigration comments ‘fundamentally racist' at rally
Backbench Labour MP Diane Abbott has criticised Sir Keir Starmer's comments on immigration as 'fundamentally racist' at a protest rally, suggesting the Government was copying the rhetoric of Reform UK. Thousands of trade unionists, campaigners and activists gathered to 'send a message' to the Government at a demonstration over spending cuts and welfare reform in central London on Saturday. Former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn and Ms Abbott were among those who gave speeches at the rally outside Downing Street following a march. Organisers The People's Assembly accused the Government of making spending cuts that target the poorest in society. The Prime Minister said the UK risked becoming 'an island of strangers' when he unveiled plans for tighter controls on immigration in a major speech last month, leading to a mixed reaction from different parties. Addressing the protest crowd in Whitehall, Ms Abbott – who was previously suspended by Labour in 2023 before being allowed to run in last year's general election – said there was an international struggle to 'fight the rich and the powerful (and) to fight the racists', including in her own party. The Hackney North and Stoke Newington MP said: 'I was very disturbed to hear Keir Starmer on the subject of immigration. 'He talked about closing the book on a squalid chapter for our politics – immigrants represent a squalid chapter. 'He talked about how he thought immigration has done incalculable damage to this green and pleasant land, which, of course, is nonsense – immigrants built this land. 'And, finally, he said we risk becoming an island of strangers. 'I thought that was a fundamentally racist thing to say. It is contrary to Britain's history. 'My parents came to this country in the 50s. They were not strangers. They helped to build this country. 'I think Keir Starmer is quite wrong to say that the way that you beat Reform is to copy Reform.' Reform's leader Nigel Farage previously said his party 'very much enjoyed' Sir Keir's speech, as it showed he was 'learning a great deal' from them. Representatives from the National Education Union, Revolutionary Communist Party, Green Party and the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union could be seen at the demonstration's start point in Portland Place. The large crowd then set off towards Whitehall shortly before 1pm. Many of the protesters were holding placards that read 'Tax the rich, stop the cuts – welfare not warfare'. Other signs being held aloft said 'Nurses not nukes' and 'Cut war, not welfare'. Mr Corbyn, who also criticised Sir Keir's 'island of strangers' comments, told protesters at the rally: 'As the wars rage around the world – the killing fields in Ukraine and Russia, the abominable, deliberate starvation of children in Gaza and the genocide that's inflicted against the Palestinian people continues – surely to goodness we need a world of peace. 'We need a world of peace that will come through the vision of peace, the vision of disarmament and the vision of actually challenging the causes of war, which leads to the desperation and the refugee flows of today.' The Independent MP for Islington North urged protesters to 'go forward as a movement of hope, of what we can achieve together (and) the society we can build together'. The People's Assembly said trade unionists, health, disability, housing and welfare campaigners with community organisations came together for the protest under the slogan 'No to Austerity2.0'. A spokesperson said: 'The adherence to 'fiscal rules' traps us in a public service funding crisis, increasing poverty, worsening mental health and freezing public sector pay. 'Scrapping winter fuel payments, keeping the Tory two-child benefit cap, abandoning Waspi women, cutting £5 billion of welfare by limiting Pip and universal credit eligibility, and slashing UK foreign aid from 0.5% to 0.3% of GDP, while increasing defence spending to 2.5% of GDP, are presented as 'tough choices'. 'Real tough choices would be for a Labour government to tax the rich and their hidden wealth, to fund public services, fair pay, investment in communities and the NHS.'
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Texas reined in recreational THC for more medical marijuana this legislative session
Texas lawmakers this year heavily focused their drug policy agenda on banning tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, products in the state. Senate Bill 3, which prohibits the possession of consumable hemp products that contain any synthetic cannabinoid, often known as delta-8, was a priority for Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who often denounced the effects of the drug on children. As a concession of sorts to veterans and THC users with chronic conditions, House Bill 46 also passed, expanding the state's medical marijuana program by providing more products to users and adding more qualifying conditions. Both bills found themselves tied together as lawmakers reasoned that removing hemp options from the general public could be offset by expanding the medical marijuana industry. While the focus was primarily on THC this session, Texas quietly passed Senate Bill 2308, which would create a state-funded consortium to research a psychedelic drug called ibogaine. The clinical trials would test whether ibogaine is a viable treatment for substance use disorders and other mental health conditions. However, multiple bills that could have prevented overdose deaths failed to gain traction this year. House Bill 1644, for example, would have removed testing strips for fentanyl and xylazine, a veterinary sedative also known as 'tranq,' from the list of banned drug paraphernalia. In 2019, Texas lawmakers embraced the potential to boost the state's agricultural market by legalizing hemp products derived from cannabis plants with less than 0.3% of THC. Six years later, SB 3 intends to shut down the $8 billion hemp industry and cut its estimated 50,000 jobs when the ban takes effect in September. Critics say the hemp industry has exploited a loophole in the 2019 law to the tune of more than 8,000 retailers now selling THC-laced edibles, drinks, vapes, and flower buds. The proposed law would ban consumable hemp products that contain any synthetic cannabinoid, often known as delta-8. Non-intoxicating and non-psychoactive CBD or CBG would remain legal. People found in possession of a product with those intoxicating cannabis compounds could face a fine of up to $500. Higher fines and jail time would be possible for repeat offenders. Hemp industry leaders and advocates have denied any harmful intentions and are in favor of regulations on the industry rather than a ban. Aging Texans, veterans, and parents of children with mental illness or special needs have spoken out about the benefits of hemp, including the ease of access, the variety of products available to them, and the lower price. In contrast, concerned parents demanded a ban because they fear children would be harmed from recreational use. The Texas Hemp Business Council reported that it delivered 5,000 letters to Abbott's office earlier this week, along with a petition signed by over 120,000 people, urging the governor to veto the bill. Abbott has until June 22 to decide on a veto. In Texas, licensed medical cannabis providers must house all operations — including cannabis cultivation, processing, extracting, manufacturing, testing, and dispensing — under one roof. State regulations also prohibit inventory storage of medical cannabis products in multiple locations, so products must be distributed from the central dispensary. Any prescriptions scheduled for pickup outside the central dispensary must be driven daily to and from the pickup location — sometimes hundreds of miles round-trip. This has made their products more expensive and limited where the medical marijuana program can reach, hampering the small medical cannabis market in Texas. HB 46 aims to help by expanding the program to include more popular products such as prescribed inhalers and vaping devices, allow off-site storage and add nine dispensers, bringing the total to 12. It also adds traumatic brain injuries, chronic pain, Crohn's disease, and terminal illnesses to the list of qualifying conditions. The first three dispensers will be selected from the previously submitted 2015 list of dispensers and then made available to the public. The expansion of the medical marijuana program will go into effect in September if Abbott signs it into law. Among drug-related bills that received less attention was SB 2308, which will make Texas a hub for ibogaine-related research, development, treatment, manufacturing, and distribution. This will be accomplished by creating a consortium that includes higher education institutions, drug developers, nonprofits, and other stakeholders to secure U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for a treatment. Ibogaine is a psychedelic found in the roots of the iboga plant, primarily found in Africa, and has been used for centuries during shamanistic rituals due to its ability to induce hallucinations in large doses. The drug has been illegal in many countries, but scientists recently announced a study finding that, in low doses, ibogaine might have beneficial uses to treat addiction, PTSD, and brain injuries. The bill could essentially give Texas a stake in any future revenue that may come from the state developing a medical use for ibogaine. The program will be funded through a $50 million appropriation from the state's general fund. Fentanyl, a potent drug commonly mixed with other substances and has caused the deaths of more than 7,000 Texans in the last six years, is odorless and tasteless, making detection nearly impossible without specialized equipment. Fentanyl test strips are among the cheapest and easiest ways to prevent overdoses, but for a third time, legislation to legalize them failed in the Senate. HB 1644, which would have legalized opioid drug testing strips, never got a hearing in the Senate despite passing unanimously in the House. The main argument against drug testing strips has been that it encourages continued drug use, but advocates deny this claim, saying that once someone is thinking about their safety, it is by the time they are getting close to quitting. Senate Bill 1732, which would have allowed nurses and physician assistants to prescribe medication-assisted treatment, like methadone and buprenorphine, for opioid use disorders, also never received a committee hearing. A smaller step lawmakers made to address overdoses comes in House Bill 4783, which requires the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to prepare a report every two years for lawmakers to evaluate the distribution of opioid overdose reversal drugs, like Narcan. The report will be required to create a statewide goal for opioid reversal drugs and include an estimate of insufficiencies in the current supply and a plan to address overdoses in high-risk areas.
