Early Sunday morning, a foreign-born radical armed with a pistol and a rifle allegedly opened fire outside Buford's Backyard Beer Garden in Austin, killing two individuals and wounding 14 others.

Authorities indicated that the now-dead suspect, identified as 53-year-old Ndiaga Diagne, drove around the area several times in an SUV before taking aim through a vehicle window at patrons outside the bar.

'This act of violence will not define us.'

Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis noted during a press conference on Sunday that after the initial shooting, the suspect parked his SUV nearby, then opened fire with a rifle on unsuspecting pedestrians. Police intercepted the suspect as he made his way down East 6th Street and fatally shot him.

Once the dead suspect's vehicle was identified, the APD's bomb squad ensured that there were no explosives present.

Austin Mayor Kirk Watson lauded the work of the first responders and police officers who rushed into action on Sunday morning, noting that they "saved countless lives."

While law enforcement is still investigating the shooter's motives, Alex Doran, an active special agent with the FBI's San Antonio field office, noted that "there were indicators ... on the subject and in his vehicle that indicate potential nexus to terrorism."

Photo by Stephanie Tacy/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Doran would not comment on the nature of those "indicators." However, a law enforcement official told CNN that the dead suspect was wearing a shirt with an Iranian flag design on it as well as a hoodie emblazoned with the text, "Property of Allah."

A law enforcement official told the New York Times that a Quran was recovered from the suspect's vehicle.

The Department of Homeland Security reportedly indicated that Diagne entered the U.S. on a B-2 tourist visa in March 2000 and was naturalized in April 2013, seven years after his marriage to an American citizen.

A law enforcement official familiar with the investigation told CNN that the suspect, who was arrested in 2022 on a charge of collision with vehicle damage, is originally from the Sunni Muslim nation of Senegal.

On Sunday afternoon, federal and local authorities reportedly raided a house outside Pflugerville, roughly 30 miles north of the shooting, where the suspect apparently resided.

While officials did not immediately name the victims, University of Texas at Austin President Jim Davis said in a statement on Sunday that among those impacted by the shooting are "members of our Longhorn family."

Ryder Harrington, a Texas Tech Red Raider, was ultimately identified by loved ones as one of the decedents.

A GoFundMe page raising funds for the Harrington family noted that "Ryder was a beloved son, brother, and friend whose kindness and presence touched countless lives. From the moment he joined our brotherhood, he brought a light that was impossible to ignore."

Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows (R) noted, "From all accounts, Ryder was exactly the kind of young man who made a difference without even trying — full of life, loyal to his friends, proud to be a Red Raider and a Texan, and someone who showed up for the people around him."

"This act of violence will not define us, nor will it shake the resolve of Texans," Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) said in response to the shooting.

"To anyone who thinks about using the current conflict in the Middle East to threaten Texans or our critical infrastructure, understand this clearly: Texas will respond with decisive and overwhelming force to protect our state," added the governor.

Abbott indicated further that on Saturday, he directed the Texas Military Department to activate service members to work with federal and state partners to "safeguard our communities and critical infrastructure" and tasked the Texas Department of Public Safety and Texas National Guard with intensifying patrols and surveillance.

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Illegal-alien patients drain Texas hospitals, racking up billion-dollar bill — in less than a year

Unsurprisingly Texas bears a disproportionate share of the burden from illegal immigration due to its expansive southern border. Now state leadership has released the numbers to prove the massive financial burden illegal aliens have had on one sector in particular: hospitals.

New data has been released by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission showing a baffling 10-figure financial burden on Texas hospitals in fiscal year 2025, Texas Scorecard first reported.

The total cost tipped over the billion-dollar mark: $1,050,642,864.

According to the new data, the total visits between November 2024 and August 2025 reached 313,742 for those "not legally present."

Photographer: Desiree Rios/Bloomberg via Getty Images

And the total cost tipped over the billion-dollar mark: $1,050,642,864.

The year-end totals show that the burden is not only on one type of care either.

A large portion of the visits come from the "Emergency Department - Non-Medicaid/Non-CHIP" category, though the lion's share of the cost comes from the "Inpatient Discharges - Non-Medicaid/Non-CHIP" category, meaning that the hospital system is being burdened by illegal aliens seeking both emergency and long-term care.

This data was collected and released pursuant to an executive order signed by Gov. Greg Abbott (R) in August 2024. The order directed hospitals to begin collecting data on illegal alien patients in Texas hospitals beginning in November 2024.

As Texas Scorecard noted, these numbers are therefore not reflective of the full fiscal year, and the actual totals very likely exceed these figures.

Abbott argued in the executive order that Texans ultimately bear the burden of public financial support through higher taxes and more expensive medical care as well.

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Gov. DeSantis joins Gov. Abbott in taking a stand against radical Islam

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) announced a new executive order on Monday, taking action against radical Islam.

DeSantis issued an order designating the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations as foreign terrorist organizations.

'CAIR was designated as an unindicted co-conspirator by the United States Government in the largest terrorism-financing case in American history.'

The order, which took immediate effect, argued that the Muslim Brotherhood is a "transnational network with a long history of engaging in or supporting violence," noting that the group created Hamas in 1987. It stated that the U.S. designated Hamas as a foreign terrorist organization in 1997 and that the group was responsible for 1,200 murders on October 7, 2023.

DeSantis' order explained that the Palestine Committee, a group affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, founded CAIR in the U.S. in 1994.

"CAIR was designated as an unindicted co-conspirator by the United States Government in the largest terrorism-financing case in American history, and the court found 'ample evidence to establish the association[]' of CAIR with terrorist organizations," the order read, citing United States v. Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development.

KHALIL MAZRAAWI/AFP via Getty Images

"Florida agencies are hereby directed to undertake all lawful measures to prevent unlawful activities by these organizations, including denying privileges or resources to anyone providing material support," DeSantis stated.

DeSantis' order follows similar executive action from Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) in November.

Greg Abbott. Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images

CAIR issued a statement declaring that it plans to file a lawsuit against DeSantis' designation, accusing the governor of "serving the Israeli government over serving the people of Florida."

"Like Greg Abbott in Texas, Ron DeSantis is an Israel First politician who wants to smear and silence Americans, especially American Muslims, critical of U.S. support for Israel's war crimes," CAIR National and CAIR-Florida said in a joint statement. "Governor DeSantis knows full well that CAIR-Florida is an American civil rights organization that has spent decades advancing free speech, religious freedom, and justice for all, including for the Palestinian people. That's precisely why Governor DeSantis is targeting our civil rights group with this unconstitutional and defamatory proclamation."

CAIR plans to hold a press conference on Tuesday to announce details of its forthcoming lawsuit against the state of Florida.

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Gov. Abbott talks redistricting victory, action against CAIR with Glenn Beck

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) joined Blaze Media co-founder Glenn Beck to share his reaction to the U.S. Supreme Court's decision on Republicans' proposed redistricting map. He also talked about his recent actions against the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

On Thursday, SCOTUS temporarily approved the GOP's redistricting efforts in Texas for use in the upcoming midterm election. As a result, Republicans are likely to gain five additional seats in the U.S. House.

'The Supreme Court beat down the lower court for violating that precedent.'

The Supreme Court's latest decision overturned a lower court's order, which would have required Texas to return to 2021 district lines.

Abbott joined "The Glenn Beck Program" on Friday morning to share his thoughts on the recent Supreme Court decision, calling it "huge news" for Republicans across the U.S.

"This is total vindication for the state of Texas, for the legislature," Abbott told Beck.

The Texas governor explained that the map was redrawn to "fully" comply with the U.S. Constitution and Supreme Court precedent as well as "truly represent the values of people of our state."

Abbott accused the lower court of abandoning precedent previously established by SCOTUS.

"The Supreme Court beat down the lower court for violating that precedent," he told Beck.

Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images

During Friday morning's interview, Abbott also discussed his effort to remove the Council on American-Islamic Relations' tax-exempt status, citing the organization's alleged ties to the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas.

Abbott sent a letter to Secretary Scott Bessent earlier this week requesting that the Treasury Department open an investigation into the group and suspend its tax-exempt status.

"CAIR has historic connections to terrorism," Abbott stated. "Here's the bottom line: If CAIR doesn't want to be labeled as a terrorist organization, if it wants to shed its early ties to terrorism, it needs to stop supporting those who are identified by the federal government as supporters of terrorism."

"Because they support terrorists to this day, that is exactly why they deserve, for one, to be labeled a foreign organization, and, for another, why they should not be receiving the benefits of a 501(c)(3) organization," he added.

Greg Abbott. Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

CAIR sent its own letter to Bessent the following day, claiming to debunk the governor's accusations.

"Governor Abbott is afraid," CAIR stated. "He knows that his proclamation targeting CAIR-Texas is unconstitutional, so now he is desperately trying to find another way to target our organization."

"Unfortunately for Mr. Abbott, his lies about us are easily disprovable and the truth about him is clearly evident: He's an Israel First politician who is obsessed with CAIR because our lawsuits have defeated his attempts to silence Texans critical of Israel three times in a row. We look forward to defeating him in court for a fourth time soon, God willing," CAIR's statement read.

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Islamist groups in Texas rake in $13M in taxpayer-funded grants amid Abbott’s battle against Sharia law

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) has taken aggressive action this week against Sharia law, the Muslim Brotherhood, and the Council on American-Islamic Relations. Yet critics are demanding to know why, during his time in office, millions in taxpayer-funded grants have been allocated to alleged Islamist organizations based in Texas.

Abbott announced on Tuesday that he had designated the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR as foreign terrorist and transnational criminal organizations. The following day, Abbott urged local district attorneys to investigate potential Sharia "courts" operating in Texas and defying state and federal laws to push Islamic codes.

'Unlike the previous administration, recipients of grants will no longer be permitted to use federal funds to ... empower radical organizations with unseemly ties that don't serve the interest of the American people.'

Despite Abbott's recent actions, some have faulted the governor for allowing taxpayer dollars to be used to fund the uptick in Islamic mosques in Texas, citing a June report from the Middle East Forum. The article claimed Texas gave "over $13 million of federal and state monies to mosques and community groups aligned with Islamist movements such as Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood, and Jamaat-e-Islami, as well as hostile foreign regimes."

Of the 18 organizations that received funds, a dozen were said to have "extremist links."

"While a few thousand dollars in the state government's data consists of the return of escheated funds, the vast majority of the millions spent appear to be the result of direct state grants, subsidy programs, and federal sub-awards managed by the Texas state government," the Middle East Forum wrote.

The Texas governor's office told Blaze News that the funding referenced in the Middle East Forum's report was not state tax dollars but rather federal funds distributed by the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Nonprofit Security Grant Program.

As part of that program, since 2016, roughly $63 million in federal funds have passed through Texas to nonprofit organizations, including $55 million to churches and synagogues, and a smaller portion went to mosques, according to Abbott's office.

Photo by RONALDO SCHEMIDT/AFP via Getty Images

The governor's office contended that organization-vetting for this DHS and FEMA grant program is performed by these federal agencies, not by the state.

Sam Westrop, the director of Islamist Watch and the author of the Middle East Forum report, disputed this claim, arguing that the state was responsible for screening these grant applications and had the authority to exclude applicants.

Westrop told Blaze News that "only a small number" of the $13 million came from the DHS' Nonprofit Security Grant Program.

"However, many of the grants we identified, while not all from DHS, were in fact paid for from federal funds; and are thus subawards," Westrop stated. "But by serving as the primary grantee, the Texas state government is required by the federal government to vet and assess risk. Subawards are discretionary, and the primary grantee may exclude a subawardee."

"So these grants may be financed by federal dollars, but the monies are distributed through and at the discretion of the Texas state government, much by the governor's office itself," Westrop added.

The Nonprofit Security Grant Program seeks to provide financial support to nonprofit organizations that are considered "high risk" of a terrorist attack. These nonprofits can include places of worship, educational facilities, and medical facilities, among other 501(c)(3) organizations. The funds are intended to support security enhancements, such as installing cameras, alarms, and fences. The grant can also be used toward security planning and training, as well as cybersecurity.

Photo by Ilana Panich-Linsman for The Washington Post via Getty Images

According to FEMA, the State Administrative Agency in each state is "the only eligible applicant" for this grant and "responsible for handling the federal award." Therefore, churches and other places of worship seeking funds through the Nonprofit Security Grant Program are "subapplicants that must apply through the SAA in the state or territory where the applying facility is physically located." The nonprofits cannot apply directly to FEMA.

The applications are first "scored by the SAA in coordination with its state." Then the SAA submits "a prioritized list of [investment justifications] with all scores to FEMA."

FEMA notes that a facility's local SAA may have its own requirements to apply for the grant. Texas' SAA contact is the Homeland Security Grants Division under the Texas Office of the Governor.

These now-archived grant opportunities from Texas' eGrants website state that the "Office of the Governor will screen all applications to ensure that they meet the requirements included in the funding announcement." However, it notes that FEMA "makes final funding decisions."

While it remains disputed whether Texas could have blocked these grants from going to alleged Islamist organizations, FEMA has made it clear that the DHS, under Secretary Kristi Noem, has significantly increased the vetting at the federal level.

"Under Secretary Noem's leadership, FEMA conducted a critical evaluation of all grant programs and recipients to root out waste, fraud, and abuse and deliver accountability for the American taxpayer," a FEMA spokesperson told Blaze News. "For Fiscal Year 2025 grant awards, DHS and FEMA worked together to vet grant recipients and ensure that every dollar spent strengthens the nation's resilience."

"Unlike the previous administration, recipients of grants will no longer be permitted to use federal funds to house illegal immigrants at luxury hotels, fund climate change pet projects, or empower radical organizations with unseemly ties that don't serve the interest of the American people," the spokesperson added.

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Texas and Trump team take down over 30 illegal alien truck drivers in 1 day — California licenses BUSTED

With increased national focus on the trucking industry, federal and state authorities are stepping up efforts to crack down on illegal truck drivers to address concerns about road safety and national security.

A one-day operation last week in Texas led to the apprehension of 31 illegal alien truck drivers, according to Republican Governor Greg Abbott's office.

'When illegal immigrants break the law and illegally drive on our roads, they endanger the lives of countless Texans and Americans.'

The joint commercial vehicle enforcement operation on November 11 in Wheeler County along I-40 involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Texas Department of Public Safety, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the governor's office reported on Wednesday.

Law enforcement officers inspected 105 vehicles as part of an effort to identify suspicious commercial driver's licenses. DPS troopers referred 31 drivers to ICE after they were unable to verify their lawful presence in the U.S., despite presenting CDLs.

"It was determined that all 31 individuals were in the country illegally," the governor's office reported, noting that most of the licenses were issued by California, with none issued in Texas.

"Millions of Texans drive on our highways, roads, and streets every day," Abbott stated. "When illegal immigrants break the law and illegally drive on our roads, they endanger the lives of countless Texans and Americans."

Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images

"This joint state and federal operation along one of the nation's longest transcontinental highways removed illegal drivers and unsafe vehicles from Texas roads," Abbott continued. "While liberal states like California issue licenses to illegal immigrants and risk the lives of Americans, Texas will work with our federal partners to maintain safe roads and apprehend illegal immigrants to protect our communities."

Meanwhile, in Oklahoma, Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) has similarly launched efforts to remove illegal immigrant truckers from the roads.

Photo by George Rose/Getty Images

He provided an update in early November about Operation Guardian, which has also conducted enforcement along the I-40 corridor, noting that it has already resulted in the arrest of over 100 illegal alien truck drivers.

"For the second time in just the past month, the state of Oklahoma and ICE have banded together to bolster public safety along Oklahoma's highways, identifying and apprehending illegal aliens who are in the country illegally and have been recklessly issued a commercial driver's license by states like California, Illinois, and New Jersey," said Marcos Charles, the executive associate director for ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations. "Many of the illegal aliens arrested behind the wheel of an 80,000-pound tractor trailer can't even read basic English, endangering everyone they encounter on the roads."

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Secret Sharia ‘courts’ in Texas may be quietly overriding state law — Abbott calls for investigation

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) calls for an investigation into "certain entities" that may be defying state and federal laws to push Islamic codes, according to a statement first obtained by "The Glenn Beck Program."

Abbott issued a proclamation on Tuesday that designated the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations as foreign terrorist and transnational criminal organizations. As a result of this declaration, individuals who promote or aid their criminal activities could face heightened penalties, and the groups' affiliates are banned from acquiring land in Texas.

CAIR condemned Abbott's action, calling it "defamatory and lawless," in a statement emailed to Blaze News.

'The Constitution's religious protections provide no authority for religious courts to skirt state and federal laws simply by donning robes and pronouncing positions inconsistent with western civilization.'

On Wednesday, Abbott continued his efforts to prevent Sharia law from taking hold in Texas.

"It has come to my attention that certain entities in Texas — including in Collin and Dallas Counties — may be masquerading as legal 'courts' staffed with 'judges' issuing orders that purportedly carry the authority to bind individuals to Islamic codes, thereby pre-empting state and federal laws," Abbott said in a statement provided to Blaze Media co-founder Glenn Beck.

"The Constitution's religious protections provide no authority for religious courts to skirt state and federal laws simply by donning robes and pronouncing positions inconsistent with western civilization," the statement continued. "I urge you, therefore, to investigate efforts by entities purporting to illegally enforce Sharia law in Texas. Legal disputes in Texas must be decided based on American law rooted in the fundamental principles of American due process, not according to Sharia law dispensed in modern day star chambers."

Photo by Mohammed Elshamy/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Beck noted that Abbott's investigation request would require cooperation between the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Attorney General's Office.

"The letter is going to be sent out later today. But this is an exclusive report from the governor. I applaud Governor Abbott for actually doing this," Beck said.

KHALIL MAZRAAWI/AFP via Getty Images

Abbott sent the letter to North Texas District Attorneys and Sheriffs, the Attorney General of Texas, and the Texas DPS.

“At the outset, the First Amendment’s protection of religious freedom provides wide berth for religious institutions to order their own affairs under the ‘church autonomy’ doctrine,” the letter read. “It is different entirely, however, for religious groups to set up courts purporting to replace actual courts of law to evade neutral and generally applicable laws.”

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Texas National Guard deployed to Chicago amid increasing left-wing violence

The Trump administration is deploying 400 troops from the Texas National Guard to Chicago amid escalating violence over Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in the city. The move comes on the heels of an attack on ICE officers, allegedly by left-wing activists, and weeks of rolling protests and riots around ICE detention facilities in and around the city.

'Violent incidents ... are impeding the execution of the laws of the United States.'

The unrest has increased in response to Operation Midway Blitz, an immigration enforcement operation targeting illegal aliens in Chicago. The city has become a hotbed for illegal immigration due in large part to its status as a sanctuary city, meaning that law enforcement is not permitted to cooperate with federal personnel and city resources are open to illegal aliens.

In a memo on Sunday, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced he was activating the Texas National Guard, writing, “Violent incidents, as well as the credible threat of continued violence are impeding the execution of the laws of the United States.”

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, said that he “fully authorized the President to call up 400 members of the Texas National Guard to ensure safety for federal officers.”

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a Democrat, called the deployment "Trump's invasion” in a post on X and said, “Every American must speak up and help stop this madness.” He lamented the fact that “no officials from the federal government called me directly to discuss or coordinate.”

Pritzker signed a law in 2019 banning Illinois law enforcement from cooperating with ICE. He has stated that “the state of Illinois will not coordinate with ICE on federal immigration enforcement.”

Photo by Spencer Platt / Contributor Via Getty Images

In a press release, the Department of Homeland Security announced that special operations teams have been deployed to Chicago following attacks on federal law enforcement on Saturday. The attacks occurred as Border Patrol officers were carrying out operations in Chicago.

According to DHS, Border Patrol vehicles were boxed in and then rammed by left-wing “domestic terrorists.” One of the alleged assailants, Marimar Martinez, “was armed with a semi-automatic weapon and has a history of doxxing federal agents.”

CBP agents fired shots in self-defense, hitting Martinez, who has been discharged from a local hospital and is now in FBI custody, the press release said. Anthony Ian Santos Ruiz, suspected of driving another vehicle "involved in the ramming," has also been arrested.

Crowds “began throwing smoke, gas, rocks, and bottles at DHS law enforcement” as the scene became increasingly violent. DHS reported that Pritzker refused “to allow local police to help secure the scene.”

Another ICE vehicle suffered a flat tire and was “mobbed by domestic terrorists, forcing law enforcement to abandon the vehicle for their own safety.” DHS added that several CBP officers have been hospitalized with various injuries.

In addressing the situation, Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said, “We will not allow domestic terrorists to attack our law enforcement. If you lay a hand on law enforcement, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

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'Texas has plenty of bullets to shoot': Abbott tells Glenn Beck new maps will pass, laughs off Newsom's threat

Texas House Democrats appear desperate to spin their imminent return to the Lone Star State as a victory march. It's clear, however, that their weeks-long effort to thwart the will of the people and to prevent Republicans from passing new congressional lines was in vain.

Gov. Greg Abbott (R-Texas) stressed to Blaze Media co-founder Glenn Beck on Wednesday that Republicans will ultimately prevail.

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Quick background

Texas Democrats fled to Illinois and other blue states earlier this month to block the passage of a redistricting plan that would help the GOP gain five more congressional pickup opportunities ahead of the midterm elections.

Following the Democrat lawmakers' departure, Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows (R) signed arrest warrants for the absentee legislators, Abbott ordered their arrests by the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the FBI agreed to collaborate on the hunt.

Meanwhile, Attorney General Ken Paxton opened investigations into a George Soros-funded political action committee and a group organized by failed gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke, which are both suspected of helping fund the Democrats' abrupt exit.

Paxton also readied a court request to remove the absentee legislators from office.

In the face of significant heat from Texas and the prospect of a chilly winter in exile, the absentee legislators have reportedly decided to return.

Trying to save face, Texas House Democrats said in a release that they have "killed this corrupt special session on behalf of Texas families — exactly what we said we'd do when we left the state."

Gov. Abbott announced on Tuesday, however, that he will immediately call another special session to get the matter resolved — much simpler after the Texas Senate voted 19-2 on Tuesday to pass the new congressional lines.

'They're going to pass'

Abbott suggested to Beck that Democrats realized after his Tuesday announcement of another special session that "they were going to have to take up permanent residency in Illinois or California or wherever."

'There's so many things wrong with that.'

"So the word on the street and the word in the news is that they are coming back, and they will be part of the special session that begins either on Friday of this week or Saturday of this week," said the governor. "But again, we'll see when and if they show up."

Abbott noted that regardless of whether the Democratic legislators show up to work, "these congressional district maps — they're going to pass as well as the other items on the agenda. They are going to pass."

Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images

When asked about whether Republicans have enough votes in the state House to pass the maps, the governor noted that all that is needed is a majority, and the GOP controls nearly two-thirds of the chamber.

Newsom finger-waves at a gunfight

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) indirectly threatened Abbott in a Monday letter to President Donald Trump, noting that if Texas Republicans do not surrender on this issue, he "will be forced to lead an effort to redraw the maps in California to offset the rigging of maps in red states."

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When asked to respond to Newsom, Abbott said, "Oh, my God," then broke out into laughter.

Photo (left): Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images; Photo (right): Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

"There's so many things wrong with that," said the governor. "In Texas, for us to redraw congressional lines and make sure that people in Texas are going to have the ability to vote for the Republican candidate of their choice in these congressional seats, all it requires is for the governor to call a special session on it and for a majority of the Texas House and Senate to vote on it."

Abbott noted that for redistricting California, Democrats must alternatively "go through this complex constitutional process."

In addition to suggesting Newsom's threat is easier said than done, Abbott noted it's virtually meaningless given how gerrymandered California — like Illinois, New York, and Massachusetts — is in the first place.

"[Newsom] is kind of like someone who shows up to a gunfight but forgot to bring the bullets because he doesn't have any bullets to shoot in this fight," said Abbott. "Whereas Texas has plenty of bullets to shoot — to make sure that we will maintain a congressional district in Texas that's going to be more Republican, more representative of the values and votes in our state."

— (@)

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Paxton unleashes fury on Soros-backed group allegedly funding runaway Texas Democrats

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) announced this week action against the groups allegedly responsible for assisting Texas state House Democrats who fled the state to avoid a redistricting vote.

On Thursday, Paxton's office issued a press release declaring that it had opened another investigation, this time into a George Soros-funded political action committee that allegedly funded the Democrats' abrupt exit.

'The Governor fully supports using all necessary tools to discover potential legal violations connected to their refusal to appear for a quorum, conduct business, and cast votes.'

Texas Majority PAC, founded in December 2022 by campaign staffers of former Rep. Beto O-Rourke (D-Texas), was accused of "attempting to subvert the will of Texas voters" by "play[ing] a coordinating role in assisting with illegal fundraising and potentially the bribery of Texas House members."

Paxton's office described TMP as an "extremist group" with "a large, radical donor base."

"If Texas lawmakers are bowing to the Soros Slush Fund rather than the will of the voters, Texans deserve to know. Getting financial payouts under the table to abandon your legislative duties is bribery," Paxton said. "Texas Majority PAC's actions seem to indicate that it may be using its Soros-funded resources to break the law and fund the illegal abandonment of public office. If that's the case as determined by this investigation, there will be a heavy price to pay."

Earlier this week, Paxton opened an investigation into O'Rourke's Powered by People, accusing the organization of similar alleged "unlawful activity" regarding the House Democrats.

Former U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke (D-Texas). SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images

According to Paxton's office, Powered by People potentially operated "an illegal financial influence scheme to bribe runaway Democrats who fled Texas to break quorum."

The office's press release on the matter claimed that the group may have "violated bribery laws," as well as laws "governing campaign or officeholder contributions and expenditures, coercion of a public servant, and abuse of office."

Paxton issued a request to examine both TMP and Powered by People, which requires the groups to provide his office with documents related to the investigations.

O'Rourke responded to Paxton's probe into Powered by People in a post on social media, stating, "The guy impeached for bribery is going after the folks trying to stop the theft of five Congressional seats."

He added, "Let's stop these thugs before they steal our country."

Paxton was acquitted of all 16 articles of impeachment in 2023.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) has also taken a firm stance against the Democratic House members, advocating for the potential arrest of absentee representatives and asking the state's supreme court to remove those who have abandoned their offices.

The governor's press secretary, Andrew Mahaleris, told Blaze News, "Governor Abbott directed the Texas Rangers to investigate delinquent Texas House Democrats on potential violations of Texas law, including bribery. The Governor fully supports using all necessary tools to discover potential legal violations connected to their refusal to appear for a quorum, conduct business, and cast votes."

Neither TMP nor Powered by People responded to a request for comment.

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'Property of Allah': Austin mass shooting possibly act of terrorism, officials say

Illegal-alien patients drain Texas hospitals, racking up billion-dollar bill — in less than a year

Gov. DeSantis joins Gov. Abbott in taking a stand against radical Islam

Gov. Abbott talks redistricting victory, action against CAIR with Glenn Beck

Islamist groups in Texas rake in $13M in taxpayer-funded grants amid Abbott’s battle against Sharia law

Texas and Trump team take down over 30 illegal alien truck drivers in 1 day — California licenses BUSTED

Secret Sharia ‘courts’ in Texas may be quietly overriding state law — Abbott calls for investigation

Texas National Guard deployed to Chicago amid increasing left-wing violence

'Texas has plenty of bullets to shoot': Abbott tells Glenn Beck new maps will pass, laughs off Newsom's threat

Quick background

'They're going to pass'

Newsom finger-waves at a gunfight

Paxton unleashes fury on Soros-backed group allegedly funding runaway Texas Democrats

Tourette advocate's BAFTA slur gets no empathy from stars

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Quick background

'They're going to pass'

Newsom finger-waves at a gunfight

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