Latest news with #Paxton
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Out Of Touch Or On A Mission? Patrick's Anti-THC Rant
In a press conference held this week, Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick continued to staunchly defend Senate Bill 3 (SB 3), legislation aimed at banning all consumable THC products in the state. Patrick spoke to a room full of reporters about the bill's intent to protect the overall health of Texans, particularly for minors in the Lone Star State, by cutting all access to THC products that have continued to grow in popularity since the state-wide legalization of hemp in 2019. On a city-wide level, as previously covered by The Dallas Express, Dallas voters passed Proposition R in November of last year, making possession of under 4 ounces of marijuana the 'lowest priority' for local law enforcement. However, both efforts have continued to receive pushback from Patrick and other leaders like Attorney General Ken Paxton. Paxton's office has even sued a handful of municipalities for approving the relaxed laws on marijuana enforcement. 'This unconstitutional action by municipalities demonstrates why Texas must have a law to 'follow the law.' It's quite simple: the legislature passes every law after a full debate on the issues, and we don't allow cities the ability to create anarchy by picking and choosing the laws they enforce,' Paxton said in a press release published last year. SB 3, which has passed both legislative chambers, now seeks to ban all forms of THC, including Delta-8 and Delta-9 variants, currently sold regularly in gas stations and 'smoke shops,' while exempting 'non-intoxicating' cannabinoids like CBD and CBG. However, some details surrounding the bill seem to remain a bit cloudy. The bill will also allegedly allow for the state to maintain and continue running its Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Program, allowing limited medical use of low-THC cannabis products. However, Patrick has not yet clarified if the bill will impact the application process for the program. Critics argue that the ban could have significant economic repercussions, as previously reported by The Dallas Express, potentially dismantling Texas's $8 billion hemp industry and cutting off nearly 50,000 jobs. 'If this ban is passed, it would criminalize both consumers as well as sellers/distributors. Businesses in Texas would have to stop selling these products altogether, which would likely result in a lot of businesses closing up shop altogether,' Ben Michael, an attorney at Michael & Associates, previously told DX. 'This would also likely mean that larger companies based in other states would be limited with where or who they could sell to, leading to potential legal battles. Consumers in Texas could also face fines or charges for buying these products, even if they are for medical purposes, because it seems as though the ban essentially has no exceptions,' Michael added. Yet, Patrick seems deadset on pushing the ban forward. 'We cannot in good conscience leave Austin without banning THC, which is harming our children, and destroying Texans' lives and families,' The Texas Lieutenant General declared via X. Governor Greg Abbott has yet to say whether he will sign SB 3 into law. If enacted, the ban will take effect in September of this year.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Texas Supreme Court gives initial win to Paxton in migrant shelter case
(The Texas Tribune) — Attorney General Ken Paxton can proceed with his investigation of an El Paso migrant shelter network he has accused of violating state law by helping undocumented migrants, the Texas Supreme Court ruled Friday. The ruling does not weigh in on the merits of the case, but says the district court erred in blocking Paxton from obtaining documents and getting an injunction to close the shelter. The case began in February 2024 when the attorney general's office demanded documents from the shelter, Annunciation House, related to its work with immigrants. Annunciation House, which opened its first shelter at a Catholic church nearly 50 years ago, primarily serves people who have been processed and released into the U.S. by federal immigration officials. The shelter's director, Ruben Garcia, communicates regularly with Border Patrol and other federal officials to help find shelter for immigrants who have nowhere else to go while their cases are processed. Here's what you need to know: Officials from the attorney general's Consumer Protection Division arrived at the migrant shelter's door on Feb. 7 and demanded a trove of documents within a day. Annunciation House sued the attorney general's office to delay the release of the records, asking a judge to determine which documents shelter officials were legally allowed to release. Paxton's office filed a countersuit to shutter the shelter network. The attorney general's office claimed the shelter was violating state law by helping people suspected of being undocumented immigrants. The investigation was one of more than 12 instances identified last year by The Texas Tribune and ProPublica in which Paxton's office used the state's consumer protection laws to investigate organizations whose work conflicts in some way with his political views or the views of his conservative base. At least four other organizations that work with immigrants have been targeted. An El Paso judge in July denied Paxton's effort to shut down Annunciation House. State District Judge Francisco Dominguez ruled that the state's claim, 'even if accepted as true, does not establish a violation of those provisions.' He also ruled that the state laws are preempted by federal law and therefore 'unenforceable.' Paxton's office appealed the decision directly to the all-Republican Texas Supreme Court. The appeal drew five letters to the court from outside parties. Among them were two in support of Annunciation House filed by El Paso County and First Liberty Institute, a Texas nonprofit that champions religious freedom. America First Legal Foundation, an organization started by a former Trump administration official to advocate for conservative causes, filed a letter in support of Paxton's office. Paxton's office, which has argued that the shelter network should be closed for violating state laws against human smuggling and operating a stash house, told the court that Annunciation House should be shuttered to send a message to other similar organizations. Ryan Baasch of the attorney general's office argued that Annunciation House 'knowingly and purposely' shelters undocumented persons. 'If all the state is allowed to do is obtain an injunction that says, 'Don't do this unlawful act again,' there's absolutely no deterrent effect,' Baasch said in response to a question from a justice about why an injunction would be insufficient. When one of the justices asked whether the state wanted to deter organizations from exercising their religious activity, Baasch responded: 'Not all, your honor. We want to deter organizations from knowingly and deliberately sheltering illegally present aliens.' Annunciation House's lawyers have characterized the state's arguments as 'utter nonsense,' arguing that Paxton's efforts violate the First Amendment, which guarantees the right to free speech, association and religion, and the Fourth Amendment, which offers protection against unreasonable search and seizure. Annunciation House lawyer Amy Warr argued that most of the people who the shelter helps have been processed and released by federal immigration authorities while their cases are pending. She said other federal authorities, like the FBI, sometimes bring undocumented people to the shelter who they need as witnesses in criminal cases. 'Law enforcement knows we are there, knows that we house undocumented people,' Warr said. 'If they want to pick somebody up, they come with a warrant and they get the person — or they wait outside until the person comes out. They have full means to do this.' Annunciation House gave five minutes of its oral arguments to First Liberty Institute, a religious freedom organization. Elizabeth Kiernan argued on behalf of the group that Annunciation House's work is motivated by the group's Catholic faith. 'The Catholic church has claimed Annunciation House as one of its own,' Kiernan said. 'If the (Texas Religious Freedom and Restoration Act) protects anything, it protects this religious charity against outright closure.' In a unanimous opinion, with one justice recused, the Texas Supreme Court found that the district court had erred in granting Annunciation House a permanent inunction against records requests from the Attorney General, and in denying the state's request for a permanent injunction. Should Paxton's office ask for another injunction, 'the trial court must assess it in light of our holdings,' the justices wrote. But they made clear that they were not weighing in on the strength of Paxton's arguments or his chances of winning this case outright. 'It is too early for us, or for any court, to express a view about the merits of the underlying issues,' the unanimous opinion reads. 'Perhaps the case will terminate quickly based on evidentiary or legal grounds; perhaps it will go to trial… We resolve only what we must to dispose of today's appeal.' The case will return now to the district 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Appeals Court Bars Texas AG Ken Paxton From Investigating Media Matters
A U.S. appeals court on Friday ruled unanimously in favor of Media Matters for America, a progressive media watchdog organization, blocking a Texas attorney general's attempt to investigate the firm for its reporting about brand safety concerns on X. Texas AG Ken Paxton opened an investigation into Media Matters in late November of 2023, after the organization published a report showing ads from major brands appearing next to antisemitic and white supremacist content on the social platform formerly known as Twitter. Media Matters' report sparked a wave of advertiser pullback, which angered X owner Elon Musk. Musk then sued Media Matters, alleging the group knowingly manipulated data to push a damaging narrative about brand safety on the platform. On the same day that Musk filed suit, Texas' Paxton kicked off a probe into Media Matters, alleging it "fraudulently manipulated data on A district court granted Media Matters a preliminary injunction, which blocked Paxton's attempt to enforce a pre-litigation the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit affirmed an earlier decision from a district court to block Paxton's subpoena attempt, calling the effort an "arguably bad-faith investigation." The court ruled on First Amendment grounds, determining that Media Matters' statements about X constitute protected free speech. "Paxton's contention that Appellees' conduct is not constitutionally protected because their articles were deliberately designed to mislead consumers about X is meritless," the court wrote in a 34-page ruling issued today. "The record is utterly devoid of evidence to support such a claim." The court added that Media Matters' "reporting on public issues are quintessential First Amendment activities.' In response to the decision, Media Matters President and CEO Angelo Carusone said in a statement: "Elon Musk encouraged Republican state attorneys general to use their power to harass their critics and stifle reporting about X. Ken Paxton was one of those AGs who took up the call, and his attempt to use his office as an instrument for Musk's censorship crusade has been defeated. Today's decision is a victory for free speech."The Texas Attorney General's Office did not respond to ADWEEK's request for comment by press time. X Rolls Out AI-Generated Ads in Push to Win Advertisers Back
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Texas Supreme Court sides with AG Ken Paxton in efforts to get records from El Paso's Annunciation House
EL PASO, Texas (EL PASO MATTERS) — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton can move forward with his efforts to gather records from El Paso's Annunciation House to investigate his claims that the migrant shelter network was harboring undocumented immigrants, the Texas Supreme Court ruled Friday. 'We conclude that the trial court erred in its constitutional holdings. We likewise conclude that the court's related injunctions, which prevent the attorney general from even filing a quo warranto action, were premature at best. Our primary holding is that the attorney general has the constitutional authority to file his proposed quo warranto action, which simply allows the usual litigation process to unfold,' the state's highest civil court said in an 8-0 decision. Quo warranto is a centuries old legal term, with roots in English common law, that requires a person or organization to show what authority they have for exercising a right or ability they hold. In this case, Paxton is challenging Annunciation House's right to do business in Texas. The ruling noted that this is the first time in more than a century that the Texas Supreme Court ruled on a quo warranto proceeding. Ruben Garcia, founder and executive director of Annunciation, told El Paso Matters Friday that the organization is looking at the full ruling and couldn't comment until they have a complete understanding of all its implications. The court overturned a July 2024 ruling by 205th District Judge Francisco Dominguez of El Paso, who ruled that the 'outrageous and intolerable actions' by the Attorney General's Office were unlawful and relied on unconstitutional statutes. Paxton's office appealed the decision directly to the Texas Supreme Court, which heard oral arguments in January. Paxton and all the justices on the Texas Supreme Court are Republicans. Dominguez is a Democrat. Justice James Sullivan, who was appointed to the high court last year by Gov. Greg Abbott, did not participate in the decision. Supreme Court justices aren't required to explain reasons for recusing from cases. Annunciation House says it has operated in compliance with all laws and in accordance with Catholic teachings. Federal immigration agencies have long worked with the organization, which has operated for more than 40 years, to provide care for migrants after they are released by federal authorities. The shelter network said Paxton's request would give his office access to confidential records, and violated Annunciation House's religious freedom. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Cornyn: Paxton allegations ‘just the tip of the iceberg'
Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) in an interview published Friday suggested the allegations that fueled Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's (R) impeachment inquiry — which ultimately failed — were 'just the tip of the iceberg.' Speaking to The New York Times, Cornyn placed emphasis on the importance of character as he vies for reelection next year in the Senate GOP primary against Paxton. 'I'm willing to bet my career and my future and this job on my belief that character does matter still,' Cornyn said, suggesting Paxton believed instead 'that he can get away with a whole litany of misbehavior and corruption that should disqualify him from the job.' Paxton was acquitted in the Texas state Legislature's impeachment inquiry in September 2023, which alleged he had 'used, misused, or failed to use his official powers in a manner calculated to subvert the lawful operation of the government of the State of Texas and obstruct the fair and impartial administration of justice.' The allegations particularly suggested Paxton was inappropriately helping Nate Paul, one of his donors. 'John Cornyn is peddling a new fake lie every week because he's down 20 points and trying to process the fact that his 40-year political career is coming to an end,' Paxton said in a statement responding to Cornyn's interview with the Times. 'His pathetic attacks can't change the fact that he worked with Joe Biden to take away our gun rights, said President Trump's 'time has passed him by,' and called the border wall 'naïve,'' he added, a nod to Cornyn's involvement in a bipartisan gun safety bill that was signed into law by former President Biden and that sparked criticism among some Texas Republicans. Republicans are bracing for a nasty primary between the two men – which could potentially offer an opening to Democrats in Texas, as the race shows only greater signs of divisiveness and personal attacks. One Republican-aligned poll and one public poll from the Barbara Jordan Public Policy Research and Survey Center at Texas Southern University have shown Cornyn trailing Paxton in a GOP primary. However, both showed Cornyn faring better than Paxton in a general election. Cornyn's campaign released a slew of ads earlier this week, first shared with The Hill, accusing Paxton of 'funding the left,' citing grant money his office gave different Texas legal groups. Meanwhile, Paxton's allies have hit back at the campaign's allegations, suggesting they're false, and have reminded voters that Cornyn has previously criticized Trump. The president hasn't weighed in on the primary between the two men. Noting other Republicans have similarly recanted past criticism of Trump, Cornyn told the Times, 'I was wrong and President Trump was right, obviously.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
