Appeals court hands Texas a big victory, making it harder for Biden admin to let in illegal aliens



The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit handed the Lone Star State a big win Wednesday, barring the Biden administration from "damaging, destroying, or otherwise interfering with Texas's c-wire fence in the vicinity of Eagle Pass."

The Biden administration has worked feverishly in recent years to hinder the state's efforts to secure its southern border with Mexico. These efforts have focused in large part on Shelby Park, a 47-acre municipal park in Eagle Pass where hordes of illegal aliens have stolen into the homeland.

The question of whether state troopers and members of the Texas National Guard could lay nearly 30 miles of concertina wire in the area has been batted around the courts for over a year.

The Fifth Circuit Court issued a temporary order in December 2023 prohibiting the Biden administration from cutting wire except when faced with medical emergencies. The following month, the U.S. Supreme Court vacated the order and kicked the matter back down to lesser courts.

Although the legal dispute was far from settled, Texas lay wire anyway, citing its need and responsibility to "maintain operational control."

The installation of nearly 70,000 rolls of razor wire in Eagle Pass along with fencing and shoreline barriers apparently helped make an immediate difference. According to the Media Research Center, after closing off Shelby Park in January, the number of illegal alien encounters dropped 325% from the previous month and 41% from January 2023.

Federal agents responded to the reinforcement of the border by cutting through the wire on multiple occasions —something the Border Patrol union stated would "undoubtedly encourage more illegal immigration" and hinder Border Patrol agents' efforts to target criminal elements crossing the border illegally.

'This is a good win for Texas, a good win for the country.'

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, rumored to be under consideration by President-elect Donald Trump for the next FBI director, sued the Biden administration in October, accusing Border Patrol of illegally destroying state property when helping foreign nationals flout American law.

Paxton's lawsuit indicated further that federal agents "not only cut Texas' concertina wire, but also attach[ed] ropes or cables from the back of pickup trucks to ease" illegal aliens to steal into the country, reported the Texas Tribune.

District Judge Alia Moses granted the state temporary relief, allowing federal officials to cut wire only in cases of life-threatening medical emergencies.

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a 2-1 opinion Wednesday granting Texas a preliminary injunction against the Biden administration. Circuit Judge Kyle Duncan, who was nominated to the court by President-elect Donald Trump, noted in the majority opinion:

The injunction is not barred by intergovernmental immunity because Texas is seeking, not to "regulate" Border Patrol, but only to safeguard its own property. Nor, for similar reasons, is the injunction barred by the Immigration and Nationality Act ("INA"). Finally, Texas has satisfied the injunction factors from Winter v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., 555 U.S. 7 (2008). Most importantly, the United States does not even contest that Texas has shown it will likely succeed on its state law trespass claims.

The court noted that while the Biden administration contends that the concertina wire poses a risk to human safety, the administration's own behavior does as well as it has "facilitated and encouraged aliens to 'undertake the dangerous task of crossing the river.'"

The court also rejected the Biden administration's argument that the Lone Star State's fencing undermines international relations, adding that "concerns about international relations do not erase property owners' rights over thousands of square miles along the border."

The lone dissenter on the court was a Biden-nominated judge, Irma Carrillo Ramirez.

The ever-defiant Republican Gov. Greg Abbott noted in response to the ruling that Texas will "continue adding more razor wire border barrier."

Paxton called the result a "huge win for Texas," tweeting, "We sued immediately when the federal government was observed destroying fences to let illegal aliens enter, and we've fought every step of the way for Texas sovereignty and security."

"It was shocking to me that the federal government would go out of their way to cut razor wire to allow illegals to cross when we're just trying to protect our own land," Paxton reportedly told Newsmax Wednesday evening. "This wasn't their land. This was our land, our private property. It had nothing due to the federal government. So this is a good win for Texas, a good win for the country, that this court recognized our ability to protect our land."

The Tribune noted that a spokesman for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security did not respond to its request for comment.

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210,000 unsolicited voter registration applications sent out in Democrat Texas county in defiance of AG Paxton



Hundreds of thousands of residents in the San Antonio area may have received voter registration applications this month without asking for them after county leaders approved a mass mailing in defiance of Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

On September 2, Paxton sent a letter to Bexar County — a heavily Democratic region of Texas where San Antonio is located — demanding that officials there strongly reconsider sending out the applications. In the letter, Paxton expressed concerns that such an unsolicited application "potentially confuses residents" about their eligibility to vote and may even convince some unscrupulous ineligible residents to circumvent state and federal law and "provide false information" that would allow them to register to vote.

'The target of the mailing — qualified individuals who recently moved to or within Bexar County — have received those forms, and perhaps have already returned them.'

"Either way, it is illegal, and if you move forward with this proposal, I will use all available legal means to stop you," Paxton warned.

The warning apparently fell on deaf ears.

On September 3, the commissioners court in Bexar County voted 3-1-1 in favor of sending out approximately 210,000 voter registration applications. The voter registrar gave the lone "no" vote.

WOAI indicated that only "eligible" residents of Bexar County would receive the applications, though the outlet did not clarify how such unregistered "eligible" voters had been identified.

County officials did not mail out the applications themselves but instead shelled out nearly $400,000 to have Civic Government Solutions do so on their behalf.

Civic Government Solutions is a self-described "nonpartisan company," though domain information associated with its website, civicgs.com, appears to be directly linked to Civitech, according to Texas Scorecard. On its website, Civitech brags that it is a political outreach company "trusted by Democratic and progressive leaders."

Paxton filed suit against Bexar County the following day, and his attorneys argued in court that county officials lacked the authority to approve the mass mailings and that they failed to consider competitive bids from other organizations besides Civic Government Solutions.

At a hearing on Monday, Bexar County Assistant Criminal District Attorney Robert Piatt noted that "the target of the mailing — qualified individuals who recently moved to or within Bexar County — have received those forms, and perhaps have already returned them."

Judge Antonia Arteaga was apparently persuaded by the defense's case, ruling that Paxton's lawsuit was moot since the applications had already been sent.

"Our position from the very beginning was that the commissioners had every right to do what they did, and we are very pleased with the judge’s ruling today," said Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales, according to CNN.

Gonzales also indicated that Paxton's attorneys had not shown up for a previous hearing about the issue, prompting Bexar County to proceed with the mailings.

A spokesperson for Paxton confirmed to Blaze News that the attorney general has already filed an appeal of Judge Arteaga's ruling.

"In a display of bad faith, Bexar County engaged in dirty tricks to avoid appropriate judicial review of a clearly unlawful program that invites voter fraud," Paxton said in a statement. "These actions demonstrate that Bexar County knew what they were doing was wrong, yet expedited the mailout of unsolicited registration forms before the issue could be argued in court. I will fight every step of the way to hold them accountable."

Paxton has filed a similar lawsuit against Travis County, home of the capital city of Austin. Harris County, where Houston is located, considered sending out voter registration applications en masse but ultimately decided against it.

In response to Blaze News' request for comment, marketing Vice President Tracy Davis denied that Civic Government Solutions had partnered with any partisan group. She also described the controversy surrounding the mass mailing "concerning."

"At Civic Government Solutions, we are committed to ensuring that every eligible voter has the opportunity to register — an essential investment in the future of our state and nation. As a nonpartisan company, our focus is solely on identifying and assisting unregistered individuals. We do not use demographic, political, or any other criteria; we simply segment eligible records based on county and registration status," Davis said.

In response to Blaze News' question about a possible connection between Civic Government Solutions and Civitech, Davis said: "CGS is a subsidiary of Civitech, but has its own bylaws, operating procedures, etc."

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Texas' buoy barrier to deter illegal crossings can remain in Rio Grande, court rules



On Tuesday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled that Texas may keep its water barrier in the Rio Grande.

Last summer, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) announced his administration's plan to install a 1,000-foot floating fence in the river in response to the Biden administration's refusal to secure the southern border. The barrier consists of interconnected inflatable sphere buoys, four feet wide, that spin when grabbed to prevent individuals from climbing over.

'Biden tried to remove them. I fought to keep them in the water.'

Abbott said that the water barrier would be placed near Eagle Pass, a highly trafficked area of the border. The governor also placed concertina wire along the Rio Grande near Eagle Pass to further deter unlawful crossings.

The Biden administration entered into a legal battle with the state over its attempts to stem the illegal immigration crisis, filing lawsuits against Texas' installation of the concertina wire and the buoy wall. Biden's Department of Justice claimed that Texas violated federal law by not obtaining authorization to install the barrier. It further alleged that the buoys present environmental and safety concerns.

On Tuesday, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals determined that the marine barrier may stay for now, reversing a lower court's injunction that ordered its removal. The broader case will return to a district court in Austin next week.

Following the court's latest ruling, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) announced, "The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled in Texas's favor, finding that the federal district court abused its discretion when it ordered Texas to remove the buoys floating in the Rio Grande that prevent aliens from attempting a dangerous river crossing to enter America illegally. The buoys can remain in the river. I will continue to defend Texas's right to protect its border from illegal immigration!"

Abbott called the court's Tuesday decision "justice."

"Biden tried to remove them. I fought to keep them in the water. That is exactly where they will stay," Abbott said.

Abbott's interventions to curb the border crisis were deployed as part of the governor's Operation Lone Star, a joint effort between the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Texas National Guard. According to the governor, the effort has resulted in more than 516,600 illegal alien apprehensions and over 45,500 criminal arrests.

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Texas AG victorious after court rules Pelosi-led Congress' $1.7B spending bill was passed unlawfully



Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued President Joe Biden and members of his administration last year over the ratification and implementation of the $1.7 trillion Consolidated Appropriation Act of 2023.

Paxton said the mammoth spending bill — which contains at least one provision affecting the Lone Star State — was unlawful and therefore unenforceable because Congress, using the pandemic for cover, violated the Constitution in order to pass it.

The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas agreed with Paxton in its ruling Tuesday, stating that the former Congress run by then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had indeed violated the Constitution, specifically the Quorum Clause contained with Article I, Section 5.

"Congress acted egregiously by passing the largest spending bill in U.S. history with fewer than half the members of the House bothering to do their jobs, show up, and vote in person," Paxton said in a statement.

"Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi abused proxy voting under the pretext of COVID-19 to pass this law, then Biden signed it, knowing they violated the Constitution," added the Republican AG. "This was a stunning violation of the rule of law. I am relieved the Court upheld the Constitution."

The lawsuit

The State of Texas' original complaint noted that on Dec. 23, 2022, only 201 congressional lawmakers were present in the House's chamber — less than half of the members required for a quorum.

The suit stressed that the Constitution defines absent members "as excluded from 'a Quorum to do Business' and therefore unauthorized to vote to enact legislation — by 'proxy' or otherwise."

The Quorum Clause states: "Each House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns and Qualifications of its own Members, and a Majority of each shall constitute a Quorum to do Business; but a smaller Number may adjourn from day to day, and may be authorized to compel the Attendance of absent Members, in such Manner, and under such Penalties as each House may provide."

While only constitutionally empowered at that stage to "adjourn from day to day" and "compel the attendance of absent Members," the Lone Star State's lawsuit indicated the House "nevertheless purported to accept the Senate's amendments to the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 on that day" under a novel rule enabling absent members to vote by proxy.

After agreeing to the latest round of Senate amendments in a 225-201 vote, the bill was presented to Biden on Dec. 28 then signed the next day, becoming law.

Not only was the bill's passage unconstitutional, the unlawful bill adversely impacted Texas, according to Paxton's lawsuit. After all, the spending bill imposed new legal obligations on employers in the state via the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and created new programs permitting the release of illegal aliens into the homeland, specifically the Department of Homeland Security's Case Management Pilot Program.

Various Republican congressmen joined the Mountain States Legal Foundation in filing an amicus brief to the district court last year, stressing that the "United States has endured for nearly 250 years because of our commitments to the Constitution and to representative government. The COVID-19 pandemic is no excuse to abandon these commitments."

The ruling

U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix noted in his opinion Tuesday that "[f]or over 235 years, Congress understood the Constitution's Quorum Clause to require a majority of members of the House or Senate to be physically present to constitute the necessary quorum to pass legislation."

Judge Hendrix evidently figured the Constitution trumps the former Democrat-run Congress' 2020 House rule allowing non-present members to be included in the quorum count and deemed the defendants' counterarguments "unpersuasive."

"Given the Constitution's text, original public meaning, and historical practice, the Court concludes that the House cannot count members voting by proxy to constitute a constitutionally compliant quorum," added the judge.

Hendrix underscored that by "including members who were indisputably absent in the quorum count, the Act at issue passed in violation of the Constitution's Quorum Clause."

While Hendrix indicated Texas had failed to demonstrate its entitlement to a permanent injunction of the Case Management Pilot Program, he noted the Lone Star State had successfully done so with regard to the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act.

The court ultimately enjoined U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, the Department of Justice, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and their corresponding officials from enforcing the PWFA.

The Texas Public Policy Foundation, which served as co-counsel in the case, stated, "The Court correctly concluded that the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 violated the Quorum Clause of the U.S. Constitution because a majority of House members was not physically present when the $1.7 trillion spending bill was passed. Proxy voting is unconstitutional."

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Blaze News investigates: Water issues at Colony Ridge and the Texas officials who apparently did nothing about them



Colony Ridge is the fastest-growing land development in all of Texas. Marketing to mainly Spanish-speaking buyers with little credit and often no legal right to be in America, Colony Ridge owners John Harris and his brother, William "Trey" Harris III, have made millions selling small plots of a giant swath of land about a half-hour north of Houston. However, poor living conditions and seemingly unethical business practices have left residents in Colony Ridge and in the surrounding area angry and desperate for help.

A recently released Blaze Originals documentary called "The Real Story of Colony Ridge" — produced by Charles Couger and featuring Blaze Media co-founder Glenn Beck and his chief researcher, Jason Buttrill — carefully presents many of the problems associated with what some have dubbed "the world's largest trailer park": ramshackle housing, crumbling roads, overcrowded schools, and skyrocketing crime rates.

Here, Blaze News continues that investigation by looking into the apparent drainage and sewage issues in Colony Ridge, as well as some current and former officials who, at best, seem to have ignored these issues or, at worst, enabled them.

'Without constructing adequate drainage or detention facilities': Flooding and drainage issues in and around Colony Ridge

In 2004, Liberty County, Texas, passed subdivision and development rules that, among other things, expressly forbid land development that causes increased stormwater runoff to flow into "neighboring property or into any County drainage ditch, swale easement, culvert," or other drainage areas. Despite these rules, drainage problems seem to have overwhelmed many residents in Colony Ridge and those in the surrounding area, even as CEO John Harris insisted to Glenn Beck that Colony Ridge does not "build lots in a floodplain" and has had only a few "isolated" incidents of flooding since the development was founded a decade ago.

Yolanda Debernardi-Lewis told Blaze News that her Colony Ridge land began to flood almost immediately after she and her husband purchased it in January 2023. Since then, the couple has dumped thousands of dollars to buy massive piles of dirt to absorb all the floodwater that pooled up on their property.

"Each truckload [of dirt] is $435," she explained to Buttrill in the Blaze Originals documentary. "Each truckload doesn't even fill half [of the property]. It fills maybe one-fifth of the land."

Flooding at Debernardi-Lewis' property Composite screenshot of Blaze Originals documentary

Dirt was just one unforeseen expense for the couple. The floodwater also caused problems with the foundation, leading to cracks in their newly constructed mobile home that had just been placed on the property last August.

Two photos of Debernardi-Lewis' home shortly after it was placed on her Colony Ridge property in August 2023Composite screenshot of photos shared with Blaze News

Crack in ceiling molding in December 2023, four months after home was placed on the propertyScreenshot of Blaze Originals documentary

Dirt, repairs, and other issues consumed almost all of the money Debernardi-Lewis and her husband had otherwise earmarked to pay off their land and house. Late last year, Debernardi-Lewis filed a lawsuit against Colony Ridge in the hope of keeping her family's home despite the missed payments. Colony Ridge has notified her that her property is in foreclosure. Her lawsuit is pending.

Flooding isn't just a problem for those living in the development. Michael Shrader, a computer science contractor with a passion for working with raccoons, spent decades living in a house just down the road from Colony Ridge in Plum Grove, Texas. During that time, Shrader and his house endured days of torrential downpour as hurricanes such as Rita in 2005 and Ike in 2008 battered the Gulf Coast of Texas. Despite regional flooding from those tremendous storms, water never crested over the foundation of his home, he told Blaze News.

That all changed in 2017 when Hurricane Harvey struck. Though Shrader said that Harvey caused only moderate rainfall in his area compared with other hurricanes, floodwater soon overtook his property and seeped into his home.

Shrader's home immediately after Hurricane HarveyPhoto sent to Blaze News by Michael Shrader

Over the next two years, Shrader's house flooded on four separate occasions, with water levels inside the home sometimes reaching his knees. Once, he had to spend the night sleeping on his motorcycle underneath the carport to stay dry and keep an eye on his raccoons, he said.

Because Shrader's house was not in a FEMA-recognized flood zone, he never bought flood insurance, he told Blaze News. He was advised when he bought the home in 1994 that he did not need it, and once it began flooding, he was no longer eligible for it. After each flood, he was forced to pay out of pocket for replacement materials such as new flooring, drywall, and cabinets, and he made his own repairs as time, energy, and finances permitted. He estimates that in all, he shelled out more than $30,000 to address flood damages inside his house.

Mold on cabinets following Hurricane Harvey in 2017Photo sent to Blaze News by Michael Shrader

He quickly tired of the overwhelming project, especially since the property was likely to flood again. So he sold his home at a considerable loss in the summer of 2021 and hired an attorney, who then filed a lawsuit against Colony Ridge on his behalf last fall. By paving over wetlands "without constructing adequate drainage or detention facilities," Colony Ridge Development failed to comply with multiple Liberty County "drainage engineering requirements," the lawsuit stated.

"Because of such negligent, sloppy, inadequate failure to comply with rudimentary requirements the City of Plum Grove and MICHAEL WAYNE SHRADER herein, has experienced and continues to experience significant flooding after many rainfall events."

The office of Trey Harris' attorney, Brent Lane, issued a statement regarding Shrader's lawsuit: "In the litigation between the City of Plum Grove and Colony Ridge Development, the Court ruled that, as a matter of law, Colony Ridge Development did not violate County regulations or adversely impact anyone. Management of Colony Ridge Development, therefore, vigorously contests Mr. Shrader's piggyback allegations."

'Very strong fecal contamination': Colony Ridge and problems with raw sewage

Unfortunately, the water issues in and around Colony Ridge extend far beyond alleged poor stormwater draining. Many people in the area have also documented incidents of human waste floating in floodwater and in ditches running along people's property.

A 2019 report from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality substantiated complaints from Shrader and other Plum Grove residents about fecal matter in area streams. That July, TCEQ inspectors spotted employees of a water treatment facility associated with Colony Ridge pumping water furiously out of the intermittent stream of Maple Branch Creek because it required immediate remediation. The water "appeared dark grey, moderately turbid, and a sewage odor was present," the report claimed.

During that incident, up to 48,000 gallons of untreated wastewater spilled into the creek from Colony Ridge sewers and an attending lift station, killing fish and other wildlife, the report determined. Quadvest L.P., the main water provider for Colony Ridge, was ultimately cited for "unauthorized discharge of wastewater which resulted in a documented serious impact to the environment." Quadvest did not respond to Blaze News' request for comment.

As Maple Branch Creek ran behind his yard, Shrader managed to snap photos around the time of the incident. As he was doing so, a TCEQ representative warned him not to let the water touch his skin or clothing, as it was "very dangerous to human health," he told Blaze News.

Maple Branch Creek from far away and up closeTwo photos sent to Blaze News from Michael Shrader

Maria Acevedo, a land developer who purchased property in Colony Ridge more than five years ago, has likewise repeatedly issued complaints about raw sewage. In June 2020, she even hired a private company that she said found "very strong fecal contamination" in water in a ditch in the southeastern corner of Colony Ridge, according to Reduce Flooding, a website that has been chronicling water problems in the area since Hurricane Harvey struck in August 2017.

While Acevedo, Shrader, and others point to Colony Ridge as the source of the sewage problem, some have blamed the problem on a lack of indoor plumbing in many area homes instead. In their view, area streams and ditches become contaminated because residents living in such homes use buckets as toilets and then deposit the waste in ditches. Blaze News could not verify those reports, but considering the crude condition of many homes — some of which are just tents constructed out of tarps and wood — such residents are likely at least contributing to the issue.

'Continuously failed to follow ... codes and regulations': Louis Bergman and the Colony Ridge water issues

Drainage and sewage are just two of dozens of problems Colony Ridge and other area residents discussed with Blaze News. Rather than go in-depth with others, Blaze News prefers to show the government officials in positions to confront Colony Ridge developers about the manifold complaints against them but who, for whatever reason, have never done so in any meaningful way.

Besides the Harris brothers, the person most responsible for the alleged water problems at Colony Ridge may be Louis Bergman III. Now retired, Bergman spent nearly a decade as the engineer, floodplain administrator, and designated representative for licenses and permits in Liberty County. As such, Bergman was responsible for overseeing county road construction, air quality, water rights and drainage, and platting. Platting relates to the subdivision of land for residential development.

It seems that Mr. Bergman, a licensed professional engineer, was either bad at his job or turned a blind eye to shoddy engineering and construction practices as Colony Ridge continued to expand. Shrader's lawsuit, which names Bergman as a co-defendant, repeatedly calls Bergman "negligent" and claims he "continuously failed to follow building codes and regulations with respect to water flow [and] soil permeability," resulting in the "unauthorized discharge of water" into Shrader's property and other areas of Plum Grove.

Even with those heavy accusations, as recently as 2016, Bergman took pride in the work he did to approve permits in Colony Ridge. That year, he submitted an excessively laudatory affidavit to support Colony Ridge and its various property owners' associations, which had sued former Plum Grove Mayor Lee Ann Penton-Walker for defamation after she publicly questioned whether theirs was a "proper development" in full compliance with county regulations.

Bergman's affidavit not only forcefully denied Penton-Walker's insinuations about Colony Ridge, insisting that the development followed "all applicable regulations and laws related to developing subdivisions in Liberty County," but it touted the character of the Harris brothers and the quality of their work.

"In my experience, Colony Ridge Development has been one of the best land developers," offering "some of the best infrastructure for residential neighborhoods in Liberty County," Bergman gushed.

In the affidavit, Bergman staked his credibility as a professional engineer on the claim that Colony Ridge Development posed no "health, safety, or welfare threat to Liberty County."

'No less than 4 copies ... should exist': Bergman and some missing county records

Despite Berman's glowing affidavit about Colony Ridge, there is evidence that he may have tried to hide some of his work there. Several years ago, the Plum Grove City Council hired an investigative journalist named Wayne Dolcefino to look into the problems associated with Colony Ridge. Dolcefino then contacted Liberty County and asked to view the drainage analysis reports Bergman, who had long since retired by that time, used to approve Colony Ridge permits.

They weren't there.

Liberty County Attorney Matthew Poston later confirmed that at least 19 such reports were missing from the county archives. In January 2021, shortly after Dolcefino and Reduce Flooding reported on the missing documents, Poston announced that his office would launch an investigation about them and other issues connected with Colony Ridge.

"[T]he County is alleged to have provided less than rigorous review and enforcement of subdivision rules," Poston wrote in an email to an attorney representing Colony Ridge, according to documents shared by Dolcefino. "This issue is compounded by a lack of document preservation on the County's part."

The investigation went nowhere. By July 2021, seven months after Poston's announcement, Reduce Flooding began referring to it as an "alleged investigation," as it never produced a report.

In theory, Bergman could have been made to testify under oath about the missing documents, and he was subpoenaed at one point, according to Reduce Flooding. However, Bergman's daughter, Jennifer Bergman-Harkness, is the county district attorney, first elected in 2020, and she has not forced the issue.

Shrader told Blaze News that his legal team requested the missing documents as part of the discovery phase of his lawsuit. To date, none has been produced. "No less than 4 copies of each document should exist, including the copies submitted to Liberty County Commissioners Court," Shrader wrote.

Dolcefino told Blaze News that he did speak to Mr. Bergman on one occasion and that Bergman denied having the documents. Bergman-Harkness' office ignored all of Dolcefino's phone calls.

Blaze News reached out to Bergman, Bergman-Harkness, and Poston for comment but did not receive a response from any of them.

Left: Louis Bergman III | Center: Matthew Poston | Right: Jennifer Bergman-HarknessComposite screenshot of Dolcefino Consulting YouTube video

'There’s not a septic system ... that we’re not supposed to permit': Bergman's successor

As shrouded in secrecy and controversy as Bergman's tenure as county engineer appears to have been, his successor, David Douglas, did little to restore confidence in the office.

By all accounts, Douglas picked up where Bergman left off, authorizing permits to the development despite the complaints against it. For example, in late 2021, Douglas was called to inspect some roads in the Santa Fe section of Colony Ridge that the county would soon begin maintaining. Aside from "little superficial cracks," the roads appeared to be in good condition, Douglas stated at a Commissioners Court meeting that December, Bluebonnet News reported.

The image below is a composite screenshot of a video given to Blaze News from Colony Ridge resident Maria Acevedo. On the video, a woman off camera warns travelers in Spanish to "be careful" driving near the intersection of CR3404 and CR3409, located in the Colony Ridge subdivision of Bella Vista, a few miles away from Santa Fe.

Composite screenshot of video provided by Maria Acevedo

Douglas is not a professional engineer, but he was assigned temporary engineering duties in the county around the time Bergman left. While in office, Douglas was the county administrator for floodplains, permits, and inspections as well as a "designated representative" of the Texas Commission for Environmental Quality, which allowed him to inspect wastewater treatment systems and septic tanks, reported Chron, an online outlet associated with the Houston Chronicle.

"There’s not a septic system installed in Liberty County that we’re not supposed to permit and inspect," Douglas told Chron in January 2019.

As the official tasked with overseeing such critical infrastructure, Douglas played an important role in the development of Liberty County. However, his resume suggests that he may have been ill-suited for the job.

Douglas is no stranger to public-sector work. In the early 2000s, he worked as city manager of Jasper, Texas, about an hour and a half northeast of Colony Ridge. However, by 2005, he found himself embroiled in several controversies, including one involving the city's wastewater treatment facilities, and he retired with a severance package and full retirement benefits.

He didn't remain retired for long. By February 2006, officials in the city of Dayton, Texas, about 25 miles southeast of Colony Ridge, had voted unanimously to hire Douglas to be their new city manager. But some of his work there appears to have been unsatisfactory as well. In fall 2016, after Douglas had been on the job for a decade, the city council and mayor held a special meeting behind closed doors to discuss Douglas' "job performance, duties, responsibilities, and employment," KJAS reported.

Details of that meeting and the improvement plan for Douglas that came of it were never released to the public. However, he soon after left the city manager position in Dayton and took a job with Liberty County, where he was appointed interim county engineering administrator the following year.

Blaze News spoke briefly with Douglas, and he confirmed that he retired from his job at Liberty County about a year ago. When we attempted to ask further questions, he directed us to Melinda Soliday, the current interim county engineering administrator who "took [his] job," he said.

Ms. Soliday confirmed to Blaze News that she replaced Douglas following his retirement in Liberty County and said that she had worked with him in Dayton as well. To her knowledge, all of the work Douglas did for the county, including inspecting roads and drainage areas for permitting, was satisfactory. She claimed to have no knowledge of any his alleged job performance issues in Dayton.

'Robin Hood reverse': Judge Jay Knight and illegal immigration

As important as the county engineering position is, the person occupying it must answer to the Liberty County Commissioners Court, "the governing body of the county." The court comprises four elected commissioners as well as a presiding county judge, a seat Judge Jay Knight has filled since 2015.

As with the court's four commissioners, the judge is responsible for approving county plats, or new residential subdivision plans, and together, the court has repeatedly approved plats for Colony Ridge Development. While the massive growth at Colony Ridge has enriched executives like the Harris brothers, it has also had a hand in furthering illegal immigration.

As its name suggests, Colony Ridge is considered by many to be one of Texas' 1,800 colonias, which the state attorney general's office describes as "substandard housing developments, often found along the Texas-Mexico border, where residents lack basic services such as drinking water, sewage treatment, and paved roads." With conditions resembling those in third-world countries, colonias hold little appeal to most Americans. However, they do attract illegal immigrants because they offer an opportunity to own a piece of American land while enjoying many of the rights and privileges of American citizens and other legal residents.

Though John Harris guessed that only about 10% of Colony Ridge residents are illegal, Liberty County Sheriff Bobby Rader scoffed at such a low estimate. He told Glenn Beck that "the majority" of the population at Colony Ridge — some 50,000 or 75,000 total people — are likely illegal.

When speaking to the media, Judge Knight spouts the views of many conservative Texans regarding the problem of illegal immigration. "It’s very expensive. It’s a mess," he told the Texas Tribune just over a year ago.

"Just because we aren’t on the border doesn’t mean we aren’t impacted," he added.

Yet as one of the few Liberty County officials with the power to approve or deny new plats, Knight has facilitated the expansion of Colony Ridge, thereby helping facilitate more illegal immigration. Because of his alleged efforts to help rich Liberty County residents exploit illegal immigrants, Suellen Sanchez, a former Colony Ridge property owner, described Knight as a kind of foil for Robin Hood.

"He likes to play Robin Hood reverse," she quipped in an email to Blaze News. When asked to explain what she meant by that, Sanchez told us that Knight acts "like he cares" even as he has actually "enabled" Colony Ridge.

Judge Jay Knight bolts for the exit after a Commissioners Court meeting to avoid questions from Wayne DolcefinoComposite screenshot of Dolcefino Consulting YouTube video and Liberty County website

'I think you are having another mental breakdown': Knight gets testy

Unlike some area officials, Judge Knight has at least engaged with county residents about their concerns, even as he evaded questions from investigative journalist Wayne Dolcefino. But some of Knight's interactions with Michael Shrader, who vented on social media about the floodwater and sewage that were destroying his Plum Grove home, can best be described as bizarre.

During one heated Facebook conversation in August 2020, Shrader invited Knight to visit the area and see for himself "the destruction [Trey Harris'] Colonia's have caused" in Plum Grove. "[W]e'd give you a warm welcome, trust me!" Shrader wrote with a smiling emoji.

Knight responded by claiming that Shrader had made a "threat" and that he intended to report him to the county attorney.

Screenshot sent to Blaze News by Michael Shrader

If Knight ever reported Shrader, nothing ever came of it, Shrader confirmed to Blaze News.

During a separate Facebook conversation about the same topic, Knight accused Shrader of having a "mental breakdown." "I think you are having another mental breakdown," Knight wrote. "I can send help to check on you. It's just a phone call away."

As county judge, Knight "presides over all cases involving mental health commitments in Liberty County," the county website states. Though Knight stopped short of recommending Shrader's "commitment," his comment was likely inappropriate, as Shrader then noted.

"Practicing medicine without a license is a crime," Shrader retorted.

At that point, Knight seemed to gaslight Shrader, insisting that Shrader was the one who first "mentioned the mental breakdown."

Screenshot sent to Blaze News by Michael Shrader

Blaze News was able to locate some of their exchanges on Facebook and found that while Shrader did state he "just lost it" after a frustrating phone call with then-interim engineering administrator David Douglas regarding a "storm-water drainage system," he did not mention a mental breakdown in any of the posts read by Blaze News.

Shrader also sent Blaze News a screenshot that indicates that Knight sent Shrader a "new" Facebook message roughly 24 hours after Blaze News emailed Knight, seeking his perspective on the Facebook exchanges with Shrader and other issues regarding Colony Ridge. Shrader has opted not to open the message from Knight, and Knight never responded to the email from Blaze News.

'An advantageouscarve-out for the Colony Ridge development': State-level politicians get involved

While members of the Liberty County Commissioners Court probably could have forestalled some of the sprawl of Colony Ridge, their powers are rather limited. As Glenn Beck notes in the Blaze Originals documentary, "On the surface, what John Harris is doing at Colony Ridge is entirely legal," and even the governing body of the county cannot completely prevent legal activity, no matter how unsavory.

However, state Sen. Robert Nichols and state Rep. Ernest Bailes, two Republicans who represent the area, likely could have used their influence in Austin to assist constituents who have been sounding the alarm about Colony Ridge for nearly a decade. And in fact, Nichols and Bailes did effect change in the area, though not in the way these frustrated residents had hoped.

In 2017, Nichols and Bailes proposed changing Texas law so that rural developments like Colony Ridge could establish their own municipal management districts, quasi-governmental entities with the power to levy taxes and issue tax-exempt bonds. As such, Nichols and Bailes created "an advantageous carve-out for the Colony Ridge development to act virtually as its own city," Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton claimed in a letter to Congress last October.

The board of the first Colony Ridge municipal management district was almost immediately packed with relatives and friends of the developers, and these allies worked quickly to approve contracts from businesses with ties to the Harris brothers — and Rep. Bailes. According to the Daily Wire, Colony Ridge awarded a "major" land-clearing contract to R&T Ellis, owned by Bailes' cousin Randy Ellis.

Even with the appearance of a good ol' boys' club at Colony Ridge, angry residents have repeatedly reached out to Bailes and Nichols for help. Maria Acevedo has been particularly vocal, sending emails to officials at the county and state levels, all seemingly to no avail.

  • "I UNDERSTAND THAT RT ELLIS IS FAMILY WITH OUR STATE REP ERNEST BAILES BUT THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. I DO NOT CARE WHO YOU ARE RELATED TO. WE HAVE LAWS," she wrote in May 2020.
  • The following month, Acevedo fired off an email with pictures apparently showing raw sewage in the area. "Somebody please explain why does Ernest Bailes create [a municipal management district] for William Henry Harris III (Trey)," she wrote in part. "Look at these pictures. This is absolutely [disgusting]. Ernest Bailes you have on your profile TCEQ board member. I made a report to the epa, tceq, and the water board. Ernest Bailes and Liberty County does not stop the developer because WE ARE SPANISH! Tomorrow I am contacting the State of Texas to step in."
  • "Liberty County is creating these problems and State Rep Ernest Bailes and Senator Nichols are creating more [House bills] for Liberty County. What is really going on here?" she said in December 2020.

In an email to Blaze News, Suellen Sanchez summarized why so many partially blame Bailes and Nichols for the problems at Colony Ridge. It is not as though "they have not known about Colony Ridge," she told us. "... Ernest Bailes was asked to help Plum Grove with Colony Ridge[,] and he acted like if he was going to help and left them hanging."

Left: Rep. Ernest Bailes | Right: Sen. Robert NicholsComposite screenshot of Texas legislature websites

Regardless of the accusations against Bailes and Nichols vis-à-vis Colony Ridge, AG Paxton may have his own axe to grind with the representative and senator. Last May, Bailes and 120 other members of the Texas House voted to impeach Paxton for alleged bribery, obstruction of justice, and misappropriation of public resources. The Senate ultimately voted to acquit Paxton, but Nichols voted to convict him on 13 of the 16 articles of impeachment.

Aside from an automatic response email, Bailes did not respond to Blaze News' request for comment. A representative from Sen. Nichols' office sent us a copy of a statement Nichols gave to the state Senate Local Government Committee for a hearing about Colony Ridge last October that he did not attend. That letter has been included in full below:

Thank you Mr. Chairman for allowing me this statement as I had previous commitments and am unable to attend the hearing today as the committee takes up a discussion on the Colony Ridge Development. As you all are aware, this development is in the district I represent and I have visited it as recently as this month. In 2017, I sponsored two bills alongside Representative Bailes to create both a municipal utility district and a municipal management district in the area of Colony Ridge, which at that time had existed as a development for over 6 years. Both the local officials and the developer agreed that having these districts would result in improved building standards and setbacks. The districts' footprint encompasses only a portion of the development as it stands today.

It is my practice since I've been in the Senate to require resolutions of support from impacted local entities for any local bill I file, and this bill was not an exception. These bills were passed with resolutions of support from the county commissioners' court and the City of Plum Grove. The intent of these districts was to give local officials more tools in the toolbox to ensure responsible development that serves the community interest. To that end, representatives placed by the school district and county commissioners court were given a majority interest in the initial boards of both the municipal management district and the municipal utility district.

I will say that as a lifelong conservative I believe strongly in private property rights and the promise that property ownership holds for hardworking families.

"The Real Story of Colony Ridge" is available exclusively to BlazeTV subscribers. To become a subscriber, click here. The official trailer for the documentary can be seen below.

The Real Story of Colony Ridge | Blaze Originalswww.youtube.com

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Texas Supreme Court blocks Democratic judge's order allowing mother over 4 months pregnant to abort baby; prompts her exodus



The Texas Supreme Court overturned the ruling of a Democratic judge who had allowed for a 31-year-old mother, well over 20 weeks along in her pregnancy, to end her child's life.

Kate Cox, the mother of the child diagnosed late last month with Edwards syndrome — a survivable genetic condition that occurs in an estimated 1 in 2,500 diagnosed pregnancies and 1 out of every 5,000-6,000 live births — is now reportedly headed out of state to have her baby eliminated.

What's the background?

Cox filed an emergency lawsuit earlier this month asking a Travis County judge to allow her to abort her child, as she was otherwise ineligible since her own life was not at risk.

Texas abortion law prohibits abortions unless the mother "has a life-threatening physical condition aggravated by, caused by, or arising from a pregnancy that places the female at risk of death or poses a serious risk of substantial impairment of a major bodily function unless the abortion is performed or induced."

The lawsuit indicates that Cox was told on Nov. 28 that her unborn child has full trisomy 18, also known as Edwards syndrome.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, Edwards syndrome impacts a child's bodily development and growth. Children with the syndrome permitted to live frequently have low birth weight and defining characteristics such as low-set ears and clubfeet.

Between 20% and 40% survive to their first month and roughly 10% survive past their first year. Those who survive can "go on to live fulfilling lives with significant support from their family and caretakers."

Besides preferring a healthy baby, the lawsuit indicated that Cox was concerned that bringing the baby to term might risk her health and future fertility.

While centered on Cox's complaint, the lawsuit, laden with pro-abortion rhetoric and slogans, did not appear to be about securing an exception but rather about changing the rule and rolling back the state's abortion law.

In addition to indicating as much in the prayer for relief, the suit asserted under "Factual Allegations" that "Abortion is Health Care" and that "abortion bans are a paradigmatic example of ... government interference."

Democratic judge approves

Democratic Travis County District Judge Maya Guerra Gamble handed down a temporary restraining order on Dec. 7, stating, "The idea that Ms. Cox wants desperately to be a parent, and this law might actually cause her to lose that ability is shocking and would be a genuine miscarriage of justice."

Gamble ruled that the mother should be allowed to off her child and that Dr. Damla Karsan of Houston should be protected from civil and criminal penalties if she carries out the abortion.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton subsequently petitioned the state Supreme Court for a writ of mandamus, which would bar Cox's abortion from going forward in Texas.

The petition asserted that the trial court had abused its discretion by granting final relief through a temporary restraining order; concluding that Cox's condition met the medical emergency exception; and by granting a temporary restraining order before determining jurisdiction.

Paxton, who highlighted that Cox's life was not at risk, also made clear to various hospitals in the state that the temporary order would not "insulate hospitals, doctors, or anyone else, from civil and criminal liability for violating Texas' abortion laws."

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Over the weekend, Paxton's office stressed to the court, "The only question is whether Ms. Cox's condition meets the exception, regardless of how long the child is expected to live," reported the Associated Press.

State Supreme Court upholds the law

The Texas Supreme Court agreed with the attorney general's office, overturning Gamble's ruling Monday, reported the Texas Tribune.

"No one disputes that Ms. Cox's pregnancy has been extremely complicated. Any parents would be devastated to learn of their unborn child's trisomy 18 diagnosis," wrote the justices. "Some difficulties in pregnancy, however, even serious ones, do not post the heightened risks to the mother the exception encompasses."

The court further noted that the would-be abortionist, Damla Karsan, "asked a court to pre-authorize the abortion yet she could not, or at least did not, attest to the court that Ms. Cox's condition poses the risks the exception requires."

Where Texas' pro-life laws were concerned, the court indicated they "reflect the policy choice that the Legislature has made, and the courts must respect that choice."

The pro-abortion legal group representing Cox, the Center for Reproductive Rights, indicated in a notice to the courts Monday that Cox is leaving the state to seek an abortion elsewhere.

The CPR further suggested in a statement that Cox received "an outpouring of support and offers" to help eliminate her child "from Kansas to Colorado to Canada."

"While Kate had the ability to leave the state, most people do not, and a situation like this could be a death sentence," added the CPR, ostensibly glossing over both the death sentence it seeks everywhere to legalize and the affordability of a bus ticket from Dallas to Albuquerque.

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Ken Paxton Goes to War with Media Matters | Ep 901

Ken Paxton Goes to War with Media Matters | Ep 901

OUTRAGE: Ken Paxton's salary was CUT OFF even though the law forbade it



Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was acquitted by the Texas Senate on Saturday on 16 articles of impeachment, and Sara Gonzales is thrilled.

“What a sight to behold, our elected attorney general sitting in his office with the sign behind him,” Gonzales tells Paxton.

While Paxton is thrilled to be back as well, he admits that it’s been anything but easy — and his detractors were working overtime to make sure they got him while he was down.

“I lost all my resources, I had no campaign money left, because we’d been through a moratorium during session. I spent all my money during the campaign to win, so they knew they had me at a disadvantage,” he tells Gonzales.

While Paxton is still trying to raise money to pay his costs, those against him had as many taxpayer-funded lawyers as they wanted.

“Of course they had the media helping them; they were, you know, slipping stories to them even though there was a gag order, and then I wasn’t allowed to talk about it even if they hit me with things that were absolutely false,” he continues.

Paxton also admits he lost employees who were worried about their jobs.

“To think none of that had to happen if it weren’t for the House jamming this through with no evidence,” Gonzales says, before asking Paxton about something he revealed on Tucker Carlson’s show.

“Did I really just hear you say on Tucker last night that the Texas comptroller, Glenn Hegar, did not pay you even though he is required by law to pay you while you were forced to leave?” She asks.

“Yeah, it was an unfortunate incidence. He cut off my salary, he has no statutory authority to do that, and he knew that if I tried to fight that one, I didn’t have time,” he responds.

Hegar also knew that not only did Paxton not have time to sue, but suing in Austin would be a losing game for Paxton anyway.

“Suing in Austin is not going to be successful for me no matter what the law is. We have a lot of liberal judges here that would make a political issue out of it instead of a legal issue. But yes, he took away my salary as far as I know. I don’t have a salary back yet,” he says.

Paxton also claims that Hegar never gave him a warning; he just did it.

“When they submitted my salary, he threatened to cut off everybody’s salary in my office unless they took me out of the payroll,” he says, adding, “That’s how far Glenn Hegar went to try to keep me from getting paid.”


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Did Soros 'Republicans' make it ILLEGAL for Texas AG Ken Paxton to prosecute voter fraud?!



Ken Paxton was acquitted by the Texas Senate on Saturday on 16 articles of impeachment, and some are not so happy about it.

A recent Wall Street Journal opinion piece written by the outlet's entire editorial board states, “Mr. Paxton’s defenders are spinning that he was saved by a populist national conservative groundswell to put an end to the 'Bush era' in Texas. What a joke.”

“The acquittal,” the piece continues, “may not play out so well for Texas Republicans in the longer run. A federal investigation into Mr. Paxton is continuing amid reports that a grand jury has been impaneled.”

“I’ve been investigated ever since the day I walked into this office,” Paxton tells Glenn Beck. “I have no doubt that the Biden administration would love to find some way — they’ve been working on it for years to get rid of me, and part of that process was the impeachment.”

In a recent interview with Tucker Carlson, Paxton also mentioned that the Texas Courts of Appeals recently made it illegal for him to prosecute voter fraud.

“Is that true?” Glenn asks Paxton.

“Yes, that is correct. They struck down a law from 1951,” Paxton tells Glenn. “In 1951, the legislature directed the attorney general — it’s the only thing I have original jurisdiction on as it relates to criminal matters.”

Paxton is convinced those who struck down this law are “not Republicans.”

“They struck down this law, and it said that I don’t have the authority to go to court as attorney general because I’m in the executive branch. That was their rationale for striking down things. [It's] unconstitutional for the attorney general to be in court,” he continues.

“That is the most insane decision ever, but they did it. And now it’s up to the local DAs to prosecute,” Paxton adds.

Paxton believes this decision opens up Texas to voter fraud.

“The people of Texas need to know that.”


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Newly acquitted Texas AG Ken Paxton considering running against Cornyn for Senate seat, telling Tucker Carlson, 'Everything is on the table for me'



Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was acquitted on all 16 articles of impeachment by the GOP-controlled state Senate on Sept. 16, bringing what his lawyer deemed a "political witch hunt" to an end.

No longer subject to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's wide-ranging gag order, Paxton appeared on the Wednesday episode of "Tucker Carlson on X," where he discussed his impeachment, the possible motivations behind it, and his apparent foes in and outside the Republican Party.

Among the various supposed adversaries Paxton addressed over the course of the 46-minute interview, including his staunch critic Karl Rove, the Bush family, whose champion he crushed in the 2022 Texas GOP primary, and the Biden administration, the Lone Star AG saved his most pointed critique for Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas).

"To me, he's been in Washington too long. He’s been there, what, for 14 years or so? And I can't think of a single thing he's accomplished for our state or even for the country," said Paxton.

Paxton alleged that Cornyn, a senator since 2002 who voted last year for gun control legislation, appears more concerned about protecting foreign nations than his own state, telling Carlson, "I haven't seen him in that fight."

Responding to Paxton's subsequent claim that Cornyn has "never really had competition," Carlson pressed the AG on whether he might consider running against him.

"Look, everything's on the table for me," Paxton said. "Now that I've been through this and I've seen how guys like John Cornyn have represented the state of Texas — and not represented us — I think it's time somebody needs to step up and run against this guy that will do the job and do it the right way and represent us and worry about what's going on at the border."

Paxton added that the days when "money from DC and the support from guys like Mitch McConnell" would be enough to bolster a politico like Cornyn "are over."

Cornyn, who has a 86.63 lifetime rating (out of 100) from the American Conservative Union Foundation's Center for Legislative Accountability, handily won his 2020 Senate race, securing over a million more votes than his Democratic rival in the general election. In the preceding GOP primary, he lead the runner-up by over 64 points.

NBC News indicated Cornyn had not responded to their request for comment.

The senator has, however, traded barbs with Paxton in recent weeks and years.

Earlier this month, Cornyn called the allegations that had been levied against Paxton "deeply disturbing."

In May 2022, Cornyn said the accusations of improprieties on Paxton's part that were circulating at the time were "a source of embarrassment to me that that has been unresolved," reported the Texas Tribune.

Beyond intimating he might primary Cornyn in 2026, Paxton discussed possible motivations behind the effort to see him removed as Texas AG, noting that on the "[state] House investigating committees, there's five members. There's three Republicans and two Democrats. ... They are the ones who investigated me and they hired, I think, four lawyers. Two of them came from the Biden DOJ. That's not an accident. They were sent there."

Carlson suggested the 48 lawsuits Paxton had filed against the Biden administration may have been what drew the ire of the federal powers that be.

"We were causing a lot of trouble for the Biden administration. Even if we didn't win, we slowed them down and we were winning," said Paxton. "I think our number is 77% of our cases. So we are a huge problem for the Biden administration."

However, immediately upon being impeached, Paxton noted, he lost his office and was no longer in a position to bring additional lawsuits against the Biden administration. Upon his acquittal, his suspension was reportedly lifted.

The Dallas Morning News reported that while Paxton's impeachment is behind him, he may yet face more legal troubles and trials for his felony state charges, legal ethics complaint, and an ongoing whistleblower lawsuit.

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