U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito delivered Texas Republicans some good news on Friday, temporarily reinstating the Republican-friendly congressional map they passed in August.

After Texas Republicans surmounted weeks of obstruction by their Democratic colleagues, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ultimately signed the "One Big Beautiful Map into law" on Aug. 29, leaving the Lone Star Sate with a congressional map that could net the GOP five extra seats in the midterm elections.

'Radical left-wing activists are abusing the judicial system to derail the Republican agenda and steal the U.S. House.'

However, the adoption of the new map prompted hand-wringing among liberals and a successful Democratic gerrymandering campaign in California — as well as a legal challenge from several race-based groups of plaintiffs led by the League of United Latin American Citizens.

The plaintiffs alleged in their complaint that the map was the result of unconstitutional racial gerrymandering and asked a three-judge panel of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas to block use of the map for the 2026 elections.

The court on Tuesday ruled 2-1 in favor of the liberal advocacy groups, finding that the challengers likely would be able to prove that it was racially gerrymandered.

Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images

"The public perception of this case is that it’s about politics," wrote Judge Jeffrey Brown in the ruling. "To be sure, politics played a role in drawing the 2025 Map. But it was much more than just politics. Substantial evidence shows that Texas racially gerrymandered the 2025 Map."

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) was among the liberals who celebrated the ruling, noting that "Donald Trump and Greg Abbott played with fire, got burned — and democracy won. This ruling is a win for Texas, and for every American who fights for free and fair elections."

But the celebration proved premature as Abbott and other Texas officials promptly appealed the decision to the Supreme Court.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said in a statement, "Radical left-wing activists are abusing the judicial system to derail the Republican agenda and steal the U.S. House for Democrats. I am fighting to stop this blatant attempt to upend our political system."

Justice Alito stayed the lower court's ruling Friday and gave GOP map opponents until Monday to respond to his order.

The Republican map is back in play pending the outcome of the state's appeal before the high court.

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Liberals rejoice after Clinton judge blocks Texas law requiring 10 Commandments in schools

Governor Greg Abbott (R) ratified legislation in June requiring all public-school classrooms in Texas to display the Ten Commandments.

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick noted that "by placing the Ten Commandments in our classrooms, we are ensuring students receive the same foundational moral compass that guided our state and country’s forefathers."

The prospect that children in the Lone Star State would be publicly reminded from Sept. 1 onward to honor their parents and not to lie, murder, steal, commit adultery, or worship false gods proved intolerable to a number of liberals and anti-religion activists who promptly filed legal challenges.

'These rogue ISD officials and board members blatantly disregarded the will of Texas voters.'

Obliging one set of plaintiffs who alleged in a Sept. 22 lawsuit that the display of the historically significant moral code violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction on Tuesday that requires certain public school districts to remove displays of the Ten Commandments and further prohibits them from posting new displays.

Judge Orlando Garcia, an appointee of former President Bill Clinton, claimed that the display of the Ten Commandments on the wall of a public-school classroom as set forth in Senate Bill 10 violates the Establishment Clause.

The Clinton judge noted further that while the plaintiffs in the case were a motley crew of parents — some are atheists, agnostic, Christians, Jews, Baha'i, and Hindu — "they share one thing in common: Plaintiffs do not wish their children to be pressured to observe, venerate, or adopt the religious doctrine contained in the Ten Commandments."

Blaze Media illustration

Garcia added that it was "impractical, if not impossible to prevent Plaintiffs from being subjected to unwelcome religious displays without enjoining Defendants from enforcing S.B. 10 across their districts."

The ruling applies to 14 school districts across the state.

The ACLU, which has defended classroom displays of LGBT symbols signifying liberals' rejection of sexual morality, celebrated the ruling.

"A federal court has recognized that the Constitution bars public schools from forcing religious scripture on students," said Daniel Mach, director of the ACLU Program on Freedom of Religion. "This decision is a victory for religious liberty and a reminder that government officials shouldn't pay favorites with faith."

Rachel Laser, president of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, similarly celebrated the prohibition of the Ten Commandments in the classroom, stating, "Families throughout Texas and across the country get to decide how and when their children engage with religion — not politicians or public-school officials."

While Laser insinuated that Texans did not sanction the introduction of the Ten Commandments into public-school classrooms, voters across the state elected those lawmakers who passed S.B. 10 this year in decisive votes in the Texas legislature. Moreover, Texans — 4,437,099 to be exact — also gave Abbott a clear mandate in 2022 to ratify such legislation.

"We're extremely happy to have secured this victory for the plaintiff families we represent," said Sam Grover, senior counsel at the Freedom from Religion Foundation. "The law is quite clear that pushing religion on students in public school is unconstitutional."

Attorney General Ken Paxton, who has vowed to enforce the law, is appealing the decision, reported KLTV-TV.

On Tuesday, Paxton also announced that he was suing a pair of school districts for refusing to comply with S.B. 10.

"These rogue ISD officials and board members blatantly disregarded the will of Texas voters who expect the legal and moral heritage of our state to be displayed in accordance with the law," said Paxton. "This lawsuit makes clear that no district may ignore Texas law without consequence."

A panel of judges on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals claimed that a similar law passed by Louisiana Republicans was "plainly unconstitutional." A hearing on the case by the full appeals court is scheduled for Jan. 20, 2026. The New York Times indicated that the court will also hear a challenge to Texas' S.B. 10 in that hearing.

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Leftist county is apparently helping illegal aliens fight deportation — and Texas taxpayers are left holding the bag

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit on Monday, alleging that $1.34 million in taxpayer funds had been allocated "to radical leftist organizations that will use the money to oppose the lawful deportations of illegal aliens."

The 17-page complaint claimed that county funds had been used to pay for legal representation for illegal aliens facing deportation proceedings.

'So far, the county has spent over $8M with the ability to spend an additional $1.3M after the latest contract renewal.'

It stated that the Harris County Commissioners Court in mid-October approved allocating the funds to private nonprofits "for the stated purpose of providing 'direct legal representation to immigrants in detention or facing the threat of deportation.'"

“We must stop the left-wing radicals who are robbing Texans to prevent illegals from being deported by the Trump administration,” Paxton said. “Beyond just being blatantly unconstitutional, this is evil and wicked. Millions upon millions of illegals invaded America during the last administration, and they must be sent back to where they came from.”

In late October, the commissioners court allegedly approved an additional $100,000 to create an "immigrant resource hotline" that connects foreign nationals with legal service providers.

Paxton's complaint accused Harris County of "misusing public funds to subsidize private deportation defenses that advance no public purpose."

Photo by BRYAN R. SMITH/AFP via Getty Images

"Harris County receives no return consideration or public benefit from these expenditures, and it exercises little or no control over how the recipient organizations select clients or perform legal work," it added.

The lawsuit names the following defendants: Harris County, the commissioners court, County Judge Lina Hidalgo (D), County Administrator Jesse Dickerman, Harris County Housing & Community Development Executive Director Thao Costis, and Commissioners Rodney Ellis (D), Adrian Garcia (D), Tom Ramsey (R), and Lesley Briones (D).

The complaint claimed that Garcia previously made remarks that "illustrate that Harris County's decision to fund deportation-defense services is driven by opposition to federal immigration enforcement rather than by any legitimate public purpose."

The lawsuit referred to Garcia's comments during a September 9 Special Commissioners Court, when he stated, "Would the court be able to make some request short of a demand that our county law enforcement not cooperate with ICE?"

Paxton requested temporary and permanent injunctive relief to prevent Harris County from providing taxpayer funds to the nonprofits, noting that the funds could not be recovered once disbursed, even if later determined to be unconstitutional.

County Attorney Christian D. Menefee. Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for National Urban League

"I have opposed this initiative over the last five years," Commissioner Ramsey told Blaze News. "So far, the county has spent over $8M with the ability to spend an additional $1.3M after the latest contract renewal. We should be spending these funds on infrastructure, the county jail, or other county statutory responsibilities."

Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee (D) called Paxton's lawsuit "a cheap political stunt" in a statement provided to Blaze News.

"Harris County has funded this program for years because it's the right thing to do. We're helping people who live in our communities and who contribute every day to our local economy. That's what good government looks like," Menefee said. "At a time when the president has unleashed ICE agents to terrorize immigrant neighborhoods, deport U.S. citizens, and trample the law, it's shameful that Republican state officials are joining in instead of standing up for Texans."

"Let's be clear: This program is perfectly legal, and it ensures that people in our communities have access to due process, something every American should support. Despite the narratives pushed by ... [the] worst elements of the Republican Party, we know that immigrants in our communities obey the law, work hard, and strengthen our state," Menefee continued. "My office will fight back and defend Harris County's right to lead with fairness, compassion, and common sense, no matter how many times Republican state officials try to erase that."

When reached for comment, Ellis' office referred Blaze News to a statement published on Facebook.

Ellis called the lawsuit "cruel and frivolous."

"Everyone has the right to feel safe in their own community," Ellis wrote. "The attorney general's reckless lawsuit flagrantly attacks civil rights and the very notion of community safety."

"At a time when Donald Trump's ICE raids are fueling anxiety and ripping apart families, we should be investing in trust, not fear," the statement continued. "Instead of mounting yet another wasteful, unconstitutional taxpayer-funded campaign stunt, the attorney general should be supporting actions taken by Harris County to promote true public safety."

Ellis vowed to continue fighting for his constituents' "rights, health, safety, and dignity ... regardless of immigration status."

The Harris County Commissioners Court, Hidalgo, Garcia, Briones, Dickerman, and Costis did not respond to Blaze News' comment request.

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AG Paxton sues Texas school district for refusing to display Ten Commandments in classrooms

A Houston-area school district is facing a lawsuit after refusing to display the Ten Commandments in its classrooms as ordered by a new state law.

Attorney General Paxton announced the lawsuit in a press release on Friday after the Galveston Independent School Board voted to delay displaying the posters until legal challenges were decided in court.

'There is no valid legal basis to prevent Texas schools from honoring a foundational framework of our laws.'

"America is a Christian nation, and it is imperative that we display the very values and timeless truths that have historically guided the success of our country,” said Paxton. “By refusing to follow the law, Galveston ISD chose to both blatantly ignore the legislature and also ignore the legal and moral heritage of our nation."

Paxton is asking a court for an injunction to force the district to comply with the law. The law was signed by Gov. Greg Abbott (R) earlier this year and went into effect on Sept. 1.

The law is being challenged by various lawsuits. It is expected to make its way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The school district released a statement saying its offices were closed Friday but that it would "evaluate" the statement from Paxton next week.

"We will closely monitor any possible litigation and consult with our legal counsel before making further decisions," the district said. "In the meantime, our focus remains on elevating instruction, valuing a respectful culture, and promoting a safe environment for students and staff."

Paxton precluded arguments based on the idea of separation of church and state.

"There is no valid legal basis to prevent Texas schools from honoring a foundational framework of our laws, especially under the misconception that a ‘separation of church and state’ phrase appears in the Constitution," he wrote. "It does not."

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Tylenol manufacturer bought despite lawsuit, months of scrutiny by Trump administration

Kenvue, which has been under increased scrutiny recently after the Trump administration alleged a link between Tylenol and autism, is being acquired by Kimberly-Clark in a multibillion-dollar deal.

According to a Monday press release, Kimberly-Clark will acquire all of the outstanding shares of Kenvue common stock in a cash and stock transaction that values Kenvue at approximately $48.7 billion.

Just last week, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued Kenvue and its former parent company, Johnson & Johnson.

"We are excited to bring together two iconic companies to create a global health and wellness leader," said Mike Hsu, Kimberly-Clark chairman and chief executive officer.

"We look forward to working with the Kenvue team to bring these companies together and are confident that we will drive significant value for our combined shareholders," Hsu continued.

"Our combination with Kimberly-Clark unites two highly complementary portfolios filled with iconic, beloved brands and everyday essentials that people trust and count on throughout their lives," said Kirk Perry, chief executive officer of Kenvue.

Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for Kenvue

Kenvue, however, has increasingly been viewed as a liability as allegations of a link between prenatal use of Tylenol and autism have been leveled by members of the Trump administration and other leaders.

Just last week, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued Kenvue and its former parent company, Johnson & Johnson.

Paxton said, "Johnson & Johnson attempted to escape responsibility by illegally offloading their liability onto a different company," apparently referring to Kenvue.

Kimberly-Clark's current portfolio — which includes well-known brands such as Huggies, Kleenex, Scott, Kotex, Cottonelle, Poise, Depend, Andrex, Pull-Ups, and Goodnites — will combine with Kenvue, which produces brands including Aveeno, Band-Aid, Johnson's, Listerine, Neutrogena, and, of course, Tylenol.

The Associated Press reported that Kimberly-Clark shares dropped 15% before the market open and Kenvue's stock rose more than 20%.

Blaze News reached out to Kimberly-Clark for comment but did not receive a response.

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Texas sues Tylenol makers over alleged links to autism

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. first highlighted the new revelation based on studies that there are potential links to autism when pregnant women take Tylenol.

Now the state of Texas is suing the makers of Tylenol, claiming that they hid these links to autism and that it was deceptively marketed to women.

“These are kids that are permanently altered,” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton tells BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales on “Sara Gonzales Unfiltered.”

“This is the type of thing, whether it’s transitioning kids or going after the vaccine, that harms people, that these companies know about, and they don’t tell us. They make hundreds of millions, billions of dollars off these products, and they don’t disclose they’re harmful,” Paxton explains.

“So that’s part of my job, is to protect consumers from companies that are doing bad things and that’s what we’re doing here,” he adds.

Gonzales points out that it was “interesting watching the backlash.”

“It was very alarming for me to see after RFK Jr. announced this, you had these TikTok videos of these pregnant women who just to spite RFK were like, ‘I’m going to take a bunch of Tylenol on video and, you know, knock it back with some water. Haha, screw you.’ And I’m like, what are we doing? How have we been reduced to this?” she says.

“It seems like anytime you give them a scientific study and say, ‘Hey, this company was fraudulently misrepresenting a COVID vaccine, Tylenol,’ whatever it is, they can’t handle it. Like, it doesn’t compute for them,” she adds.

“Well, and the fact that you’d be willing to ignore the science and maybe take the risk that, ‘Oh, I hope it’s not right, and I might damage my kid permanently,’” Paxton chimes in.

“I mean, why would you do that?” he asks.

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Headaches continue for Tylenol brand as Texas AG files lawsuit over alleged autism link

A little more than a month after President Donald Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced an official statement suggesting a link between Tylenol and autism, drug manufacturers are facing some heat.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing Johnson & Johnson and Kenvue for allegedly concealing the link between prenatal use of acetaminophen and autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Acetaminophen is the active ingredient in Tylenol.

'By holding Big Pharma accountable for poisoning our people, we will help Make America Healthy Again.'

Dated October 27, the lawsuit lodges two main complaints against Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiaries Kenvue Inc. and Kenvue Brands LLC.

First, the lawsuit alleges that "defendants have paid no heed to the scientific facts" by downplaying or concealing the known link between acetaminophen and ADS and ADHD. If the defendants had been more forthcoming on their labels, pregnant mothers may have chosen to avoid the drug, the lawsuit posits.

Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

It cites 26 epidemiological studies that showed "positive associations" between prenatal use of acetaminophen and ASD and ADHD. Other studies showed a dose-response relationship, according to the lawsuit.

The second part of the lawsuit alleges that Johnson & Johnson, aware of the legal risk of its product, attempted to "shed its liability" by transferring its liabilities associated with Tylenol to Kenvue without transferring the necessary assets to the subsidiary company.

Asked about the lawsuit, a Johnson & Johnson spokesperson told Blaze News, “Johnson & Johnson divested its consumer health business years ago, and all rights and liabilities associated with the sale of its over-the-counter products, including Tylenol (acetaminophen), are owned by Kenvue.”

“Big Pharma betrayed America by profiting off of pain and pushing pills regardless of the risks. These corporations lied for decades, knowingly endangering millions to line their pockets,” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said in a news release. “Additionally, seeing that the day of reckoning was coming, Johnson & Johnson attempted to escape responsibility by illegally offloading their liability onto a different company. By holding Big Pharma accountable for poisoning our people, we will help Make America Healthy Again.”

On its website, Kenvue issued the following statement regarding the supposed link between acetaminophen and autism: "Nothing is more important to us than the health and safety of the people who use our products. We believe independent, sound science clearly shows that taking acetaminophen does not cause autism. We strongly disagree with allegations that it does and are deeply concerned about the health risks and confusion this poses for expecting mothers and parents."

Blaze News contacted Attorney General Ken Paxton's office and Kenvue for comment but did not receive a response.

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GOP lawmaker throws a wrench into contested Senate primary in Texas

The Republican primary for the competitive U.S. Senate seat in Texas just got more crowded, thanks to one GOP lawmaker.

Republican Rep. Wesley Hunt of Texas officially launched his Senate campaign on Monday to unseat Sen. John Cornyn of Texas. Cornyn has already spent the last several months campaigning against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who launched his own Senate campaign in April.

'There will be a full vetting of his record.'

Although the Republican primary was already poised to be a close race, with a slight edge for Paxton, Hunt's candidacy complicates the political calculus.

"The time is NOW," Hunt said in his campaign announcement. "For Faith. For Family. For Freedom. FOR TEXAS. I’m Wesley Hunt, and I’m running for Senate."

Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Hunt's candidacy has already caused an uproar, with the National Republican Senatorial Committee claiming the congressman has chosen "personal ambition" over holding the narrow Republican majority in the House.

“John Cornyn is a battle-tested conservative who continues to be a leader in delivering President Trump’s agenda in the U.S. Senate, and he’s the best candidate to keep Texas in the Republican Senate majority," NRSC communications director Joanna Rodriguez said in a statement. "Now that Wesley has chosen personal ambition over holding President Trump's House majority, there will be a full vetting of his record. Senator Cornyn's conservative record of accomplishment stands tall against Wesley’s."

Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Notably, early polls show that Hunt's candidacy weakens Cornyn's odds of winning re-election. In a two-way race between Cornyn and Paxton, RealClearPolling averages show the incumbent at a 2.3-point disadvantage. However, in a three-way race between Cornyn, Paxton, and Hunt, the senator is facing an average four-point disadvantage.

Although Hunt is polling significantly behind both Paxton and Cornyn, it's likely that he would act as a spoiler candidate for the incumbent, widening Paxton's lead in the race.

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Justice Alito delivers win to Texas GOP, temporarily restores Republican congressional map

Liberals rejoice after Clinton judge blocks Texas law requiring 10 Commandments in schools

Leftist county is apparently helping illegal aliens fight deportation — and Texas taxpayers are left holding the bag

AG Paxton sues Texas school district for refusing to display Ten Commandments in classrooms

Tylenol manufacturer bought despite lawsuit, months of scrutiny by Trump administration

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