Bryan Slaton expelled from Texas House over sexual misconduct allegations

Brady Knox

May 09, 08:33 PM May 09, 08:33 PM

The Texas House voted 147-0 to expel state GOP Rep. Bryan Slaton over sexual misconduct allegations, even though he had resigned the previous day.

The vote strips Slaton of several benefits he would have enjoyed otherwise, including his House salary and per diem, which he would have still received following his resignation if he was not subsequently expelled, the Texas Tribune reported. It also means he will leave immediately rather than be able to continue to sit on assigned committees.

TEXAS STATE REP. BRYAN SLATON RESIGNS OVER SEXUAL MISCONDUCT ALLEGATIONS

Slaton is the first to be expelled from the legislative body since 1927.

“This Texas House is not going to hear from multiple complainants about serious and alarming facts and then turn the other cheek or simply slap a member on the wrist,” state GOP Rep. Andrew Murr, who headed the investigative committee into Slaton's conduct, said on the House floor.

"My heart breaks," he added. "I suspect that yours does too."

"I hope the action we've taken here today sends a message that sexual harassment and inappropriate activities in the workplace will not be condoned and they are unacceptable," GOP Speaker Dade Phelan said.

Murr had distributed a memorandum earlier on Tuesday urging the House to still vote on Slaton's expulsion despite his resignation, as it was the only way to eject him from the House immediately.

The Texas Republican was accused of giving staffers under the age of 21 alcohol and allegedly invited a 19-year-old to his condominium on the night of March 31 into the morning of April 1. After her friends had left, the girl was heavily intoxicated and, in that state, allegedly had sexual intercourse with Slaton, according to a report.

In the aftermath, Slaton was accused of intimidating the girl and her friends in an attempt to prevent word from getting out. Other representatives and staffers learned of the liaison within a couple of weeks after the incident, and the investigation commenced by mid-April. It was concluded on Saturday, and it presented the unanimous recommendation that Slaton should be expelled.

Texas state Rep. Bryan Slaton resigns over sexual misconduct allegations

Brady Knox

May 08, 04:12 PM May 08, 04:12 PM

Texas state Rep. Bryan Slaton resigned after an investigative committee recommended dismissing him over sexual misconduct findings involving a 19-year-old intern.

A House investigative committee unanimously recommended expelling Slaton, 45, for an inappropriate sexual relationship with his female aide, whom he reportedly gave alcohol and had sexual relations with while she was under the influence, the Texas Tribune reported. Slaton tried to get ahead of a Texas House vote to expel him by resigning on Monday. He faced the prospect of becoming the first representative expelled from the legislative body since 1927.

POLICE NAME SUSPECT IN TEXAS MIGRANT CENTER CRASH THAT KILLED EIGHT

"This is to inform the people of my legislative district, The Governor of the State of Texas, and the House of Representatives, that I hereby resign my position as a member of the legislature effective immediately," Slaton wrote in his resignation letter.

"It has been an honor to represent my friends, neighbors and the great people and communities of House District 2. They voted overwhelmingly to send me to the Capitol as their representative in two elections, and I worked daily to meet their expectations. My decision today is to ensure that their expectations will continue to be met by a new representative who will also work hard on their behalf," he said.

Slaton went on to thank his colleagues for their work, and the former representative said he now looks forward to "spending more time with my young family."

The Texas Republican was alleged by the investigative committee to have given staffers under the age of 21 alcohol and invited a 19-year-old to his condominium on the night of March 31 into the morning of April 1. After her friends had left, the girl was heavily intoxicated and, in that state, had sexual intercourse with Slaton, according to a report. Neither Slaton nor the girl denied having sex when questioned.

In the aftermath, Slaton was accused of intimidating the girl and her friends in an attempt to prevent word from getting out. Other representatives and staffers learned of the liaison within a couple of weeks after the incident, and the investigation commenced by mid-April. It was concluded on Saturday, and it presented the unanimous recommendation that Slaton should be expelled.

"The expulsion of a fellow member is a level of punishment we don’t take lightly. It is not meant to punish the member. Rather, it is intended to protect the integrity and dignity of this legislative body and to provide accountability to everyone that works and serves in this building," Rep. Andrew Murr, the investigative committee chairman, said.

The Texas House Freedom Caucus, a conservative group typically aligned with Slaton, released a statement on Sunday calling for him to resign.

"The factual report from the House General Investigations Committee regarding Rep. Bryan Slaton is appalling. The abhorrent behavior described in the report requires clear and strong action. He should resign. If he does not, we will vote to expel him Tuesday," it tweeted.

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Slaton has denied the charges. The representative and his attorney, Patrick Short, called the allegations “outrageous” and “false” and said they were peddled by "second-tier media."

With his allies in the House turning against him, Slaton looked likely to be expelled by the required two-thirds vote. The vote was to be held sometime this week.

Police identify Texas mall shooting suspect as 33-year-old Mauricio Garcia

Jenny Goldsberry

May 07, 07:50 PM May 07, 08:13 PM

The Allen Police Department confirmed the identity of the Texas mall shooting suspect on Sunday.

Mauricio Garcia, 33, of Dallas, Texas was named as the suspect behind the horrific massacre that killed nine and wounded scores more. The gunman was captured on a dash cam getting out of a silver Dodge Charger and opening fire at unsuspecting shoppers in the mall parking lot.

NINE DEAD INCLUDING GUNMAN IN MASS SHOOTING AT TEXAS MALL COMPLEX

Garcia was shot and killed by a responding police officer on the scene.

"The Texas Department of Public Safety extends our deepest condolences to the victims, their families, and citizens who were affected by the shooting at the Allen Premium Outlets," Texas DPS wrote Sunday on its social media pages. "The public’s safety and a thorough investigation are paramount to all agencies involved."

Those affected by the shooting that left personal belongings and vehicles will have it all returned to them via "a safe and expeditious plan" that will be released sometime in the afternoon of Sunday.

Police are still conducting an investigation and asking the public to submit any and all information they might have about Garcia. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Texas Rangers, and Texas Department of Public Safety are combining to complete the investigation.

Witnesses can call 1-800-CALL-FBI if they have any information and can also upload digital media to fbi.gov/allenmallshooting.

Nine dead including gunman in mass shooting at Texas mall complex

Emily Jacobs

May 06, 10:23 PM May 06, 10:53 PM

Nine people are dead and seven people are hospitalized, with three in critical condition, after a mass shooting at a mall in Allen, Texas, on Saturday, police said.

Authorities with the Collin County Sheriff’s Office said Saturday afternoon that one gunman opened fire at Allen Premium Outlets on Saturday afternoon at around 3:30 p.m. local time. The city of Allen, located about 25 miles north of Dallas, Texas, tweeted that residents should avoid the area as authorities handle the situation.

ATLANTA MASS SHOOTING: SUSPECT CHARGED WITH MURDER, DECEASED VICTIM IDENTIFIED

Speaking to reporters on Saturday evening, police said children were among the dead. The suspect, who remains unidentified, was shot and killed by a responding police officer. Authorities declined to identify the now deceased suspect or the names of victims.

Dashcam footage from a nearby vehicle showed the suspect exiting their own car wearing body armor before opening fire on unassuming shoppers nearby. Cars could be seen dashing away as the suspect continued shooting in multiple directions.

Helicopter footage taken by local station Fox 4 showed at least four bodies being covered by white sheets of some sort outside of the H&M in the mall complex. It also showed hundreds of shoppers being evacuated in an orderly fashion from that same H&M, and other stores including Michael Kors, American Eagle, and Kay Jewelers.

Video began circulating on social media Saturday afternoon of locals running away after hearing shots in the parking lot of the outdoor shopping facility.

Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) said in a statement that he had been in contact with local authorities and was being briefed on what he described as an "unspeakable tragedy.”

Tech groups weigh in against Texas bill that would limit abortion pill information

Christopher Hutton

May 03, 03:30 AM May 03, 03:30 AM

The restriction of information on abortion is a threat to the health of pregnant women under legislation before the Texas government, a group of technology and free speech advocacy groups argued.

A coalition of advocacy groups wrote a letter to the chairs of the Texas House of Representatives on Wednesday requesting that the leadership oppose House Bill 2690, legislation restricting the sale of select abortion pills in Texas. The bill also includes a clause limiting information about the pills, including removing webpages that might offer information about the drugs or how to get them. The authors of the letter include the left-leaning tech group Chamber of Progress, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and PEN America.

BIDEN, TRUMP, AND DESANTIS CHART DIFFERENT PATHS ON ABORTION A YEAR AFTER DOBBS LEAK

"As drafted, these prohibitions may lead to services censoring direct messages between patients and caregivers on obtaining safe care," they argue in the letter, according to a copy provided exclusively to the Washington Examiner. "It may also force services to block or censor telemedicine counseling services in which medical professionals advise pregnant people on a variety of reproductive health services, including but not limited to legal abortions."

They also argue that not providing sufficient information would "pose harm to all women, especially communities of color and low-income women." They note that "online searches for information about abortion are most common in states with the strictest abortion laws" and claim misinformation could force women to receive dangerous treatments if medical content on the subject is limited.

They said access to medication-based abortion is still protected federally and that women still are allowed to drive across borders to get treatments.

Texas has implemented multiple restrictions on abortion in recent years. Five women sued the state in early March, alleging that the state's laws prevented them from getting abortions despite the life-threatening circumstances they were experiencing.

A federal judge in Texas moved to block the Food and Drug Administration's approval of the abortion drug mifepristone, a product that is explicitly banned by H.B. 2690. The White House said it intends to fight the ruling in court, while House Democrats have submitted legislation to ensure the pills remain on the market.

Democratic lawmakers file to challenge Texas abortion pill ruling

Brady Knox

April 11, 11:47 PM April 11, 11:49 PM

Two hundred and forty Democratic and independent members of Congress filed an amicus brief on Tuesday, urging an appeals court to block a Texas judge's ruling that would stop the prescription and distribution of the abortion drug mifepristone.

The group includes 50 senators and 190 House members, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY). Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) signed the brief as well.

BIDEN SLAMS TEXAS ABORTION PILL RULING AS 'COMPLETELY OUT OF BOUNDS'

Much of the brief defends mifepristone specifically, but it also focuses on defending abortion in general.

"Amici believe that the district court’s stay of FDA’s September 28, 2000 Approval of mifepristone and other challenged agency actions has no basis in law, threatens the Congressionally mandated drug approval process, and poses a serious health risk to pregnant individuals by making abortion more difficult to access— when access has already been seriously eroded in the aftermath of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization," the filing stated. "Accordingly, Amici respectfully urge this Court to grant emergency relief from the district court’s stay."

The filing stresses its inclusion of transgender people who want an abortion, writing that approximately 22 million women of childbearing age are now without access to abortion, "in addition to other people who may not identify as women but are capable of becoming pregnant and may need an abortion."

The filing spent much of its conclusion stressing that the blocking of the drug threatens to especially harm "Black women — and exacerbate an already grave Black maternal health crisis."

The 65-page brief was filed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on Tuesday.

House Democrats introduce legislation to nullify Texas abortion pill ruling

Samantha-Jo Roth

April 10, 10:59 AM April 10, 11:00 AM

House Democrats plan to introduce legislation in response to last week’s federal court ruling in Texas on abortion pills, clarifying the Food and Drug Administration can make a final decision when it comes to approving the drugs used in a medical abortion.

A federal judge in Texas issued a ruling Friday, suspending the FDA’s two-decade-old approval of the medical abortion drug mifepristone. U.S. District Court Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk’s decision is set to go into effect Friday, and the Biden administration has already appealed it.

TONY GONZALES WARNS BIDEN ADMINISTRATION AGAINST IGNORING ABORTION PILL COURT RULING

Reps. Pat Ryan (D-NY) and Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX) plan to introduce a bill that would emphasize the FDA will have the final say when it comes to medication abortion over any state law, according to reporting from Axios.

“The legislation will reaffirm the FDA’s approval authority and protect doctors who use telemedicine to prescribe medication abortion,” Ryan said in a statement.

The legislation would largely be symbolic, as it faces an uphill road in the Republican-controlled House. The FDA approved mifepristone more than 20 years ago, and it is used with another drug, misoprostol, to end pregnancies up to 10 weeks. Over half of U.S. abortions are done medically, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports abortion rights.

While congressional Democrats quickly condemned the decision Friday, top Republicans have not commented. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA), and Senate GOP Whip John Thune (R-SD) have remained silent on the ruling.

Nevada governor slams Biden for locking up mineral-rich land in new monuments

Misty Severi

March 21, 08:49 PM March 21, 08:49 PM

Gov. Joe Lombardo (R-NV) blasted President Joe Biden on Tuesday for locking up 500,000 acres of mineral-rich land in Nevada and Texas. He said the move would be tough on Nevadans for generations.

Lombardo said the White House did not respond to any of his concerns before the announcement of the 506,000-acre Avi Kwa Ame National Monument in southern Nevada. Lombardo said his office reached out.

BIDEN TO LIMIT DEVELOPMENT ON 500,000 ACRES IN TEXAS AND NEVADA WITH NEW MONUMENTS

"Since I took office, the Biden White House has not consulted with my administration about any of the details of the proposed Avi Kwa Ame national monument which, given the size of the proposal, seems badly out of step," Lombardo told WHD News in a statement.

"Upon learning that the President was considering unilateral action, I reached out to the White House to raise several concerns, citing the potential for terminal disruption of rare earth mineral mining projects and long-planned, bipartisan economic development efforts. While I’m still waiting for a response, I’m not surprised," he added.

Biden announced the creation of the Avi Kwa Ame and Castner Range national monuments in El Paso, Texas, on Tuesday. The projects will severely limit development in the areas, including limits to drilling, mining, and possibly the construction of renewable energy facilities. Nevada contains many lithium deposits, a key mineral for green energy technologies.

"This kind of ‘Washington Knows Best’ policy might win plaudits from unaccountable special interests, but it’s going to cost our state jobs and economic opportunity — all while making land more expensive and more difficult to develop for affordable housing and critical infrastructure projects," Lombardo said. "The federal confiscation of 506,814 acres of Nevada land is a historic mistake that will cost Nevadans for generations to come."

The Avi Kwa Ame designation honors tribal nations that consider the area sacred, the White House said. Avi Kwa Ame is home to one of the world’s largest Joshua tree forests and is part of Biden's goal of conserving at least 30% of U.S. lands and waters by 2030.

In a separate action on Tuesday, Biden directed Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to consider initiating a new national marine sanctuary designation to protect all U.S. waters around the Pacific Remote Islands.

DOJ petitions Supreme Court to review 5th Circuit's domestic violence gun ruling

Kaelan Deese

March 21, 01:12 PM March 21, 01:12 PM

The Justice Department requested the Supreme Court overturn an appeals court decision that struck down a federal law that blocks firearm possession for those under domestic violence restraining orders.

Last month, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit cited the Supreme Court's landmark decision last year that required firearm laws be "consistent" with the nation's historical tradition of regulation.

LAW BARRING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OFFENDERS FROM POSSESSING GUNS UNCONSTITUTIONAL

"That holding was profoundly mistaken," DOJ attorneys argued in an 82-page petition, urging the justices to take quick action against the February ruling.

"Governments have long disarmed individuals who pose a threat to the safety of others ... The Fifth Circuit’s contrary decision misapplies this Court’s precedents, conflicts with the decisions of other courts of appeals, and threatens grave harms for victims of domestic violence," the petition reads.

Since the appeals court decision that was determined by a three-judge panel, the Biden administration has gone on the offensive against the court's landmark gun precedent in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen.

“Nearly 30 years ago, Congress determined that a person who is subject to a court order that restrains him or her from threatening an intimate partner or child cannot lawfully possess a firearm," Attorney General Merrick Garland wrote in a statement after the 5th Circuit decision, implying the court doesn't have the ability to override a congressional statute.

The three-judge panel also disputed claims that any "societal benefits" outweighed its burden to acknowledge the Second Amendment rights of the defendant in the case.

“But Bruen forecloses any such analysis in favor of a historical analogical inquiry into the scope of the allowable burden on the Second Amendment right,” the appeals court wrote.

Through its decision, the appeals court vacated the conviction of Zackey Rahimi, who previously pleaded guilty to possessing firearms while under a civil protective order that banned him from harassing, stalking, or threatening his ex-girlfriend and their child and also banned him from having guns.

Last week, the Senate Judiciary Committee led by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), held a hearing in which several witnesses claimed the Bruen decision caused calamity for the states' gun control laws.

Ruth Glenn with the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence attended the hearing and directed scrutiny at the 5th Circuit's decision, which affects Mississippi, Texas, and Louisiana.

“The lack of historical laws restricting firearms access by domestic abusers is not evidence that such laws are unconstitutional,” Glenn said. “Rather, it is a reflection of the legally subordinate status and general disregard for the rights and needs of women in early America.”

One day after the hearing, Republicans on the committee introduced legislation known as the Respect for the Second Amendment Act to codify Bruen and other landmark Supreme Court gun decisions.

One of the bill's sponsors, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), said he believes some Democrats could back the codification bill, arguing "there's some Democrats who've been supportive of the Second Amendment [and] there are a bunch of Democrats who voted against banning assault weapons."

Graham voiced opposition against continuing to "pass regulations on law-abiding citizens," arguing there is a more systemic problem of violent offenders being given shorter sentences in some metropolitan jurisdictions across the country.

"This revolving door situation needs to stop. So the bottom line, I think we need to have a vote on this bill," Graham added.

House Republican Tony Gonzales to face censure vote after recent vote split from party

Misty Severi

March 03, 07:14 PM March 03, 07:14 PM

Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) remained defiant ahead of a censure vote on Saturday after he recently split from the Republican Party on several issues, including protections for gay marriage and a bipartisan gun law.

Gonzales stood by his votes on the gun law, the rejection of a border security proposal from Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), and the bill that codifies same-sex marriage on Thursday.

TEXAS WILL HAVE TOUGHEST BORDER SECURITY IN THE NATION, ABBOTT PROMISES CONSERVATIVES

“If the vote was today, I would vote twice on it if I could,” Gonzales said in response to the gun safety law, which includes expanded background checks and was passed after the school massacre in Uvalde, Texas. Gonzales was the only conservative Texas lawmaker to support the legislation.

The censure resolution was introduced and passed by Medina County last month, which requested the state party also vote on the legislation. Gonzales said he does not plan to attend the vote on Saturday, citing his leadership of a congressional delegation to the Mexican border in Eagle Pass and Uvalde on Monday, according to the Texas Tribune. Other counties have also passed legislation to censure Gonzales.

The resolution alleges Gonzales violated the party's principles by voting for the gun law and opposing Roy’s border legislation. For the resolution to pass, it would need three-fifths of the party's votes during the meeting. The resolution would allow the Texas Republican Party to use its own funds to inform primary voters of the censure.

Gonzales dismissed criticism of his votes on Thursday, arguing that his voting record in Congress has often aligned with the party.

“The reality is I’ve taken almost 1,400 votes, and the bulk of those have been with the Republican Party,” Gonzales said.

Gonzales was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2020. He was reelected by double digits in 2022 after redistricting maps made his constituency more conservative.

The Washington Examiner has reached out to Gonzales's office for comment.

WATCH: Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson calls Biden ‘inconsistent’ on Title 42

Steff Thomas

December 24, 05:23 PM December 24, 05:30 PM

The Biden administration has maintained that the COVID-19 pandemic isn’t over, but the rush to end Title 42 shows how “inconsistent” their claims are, according to Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R-AR).

Hutchinson said President Joe Biden has a “separate agenda” and is not merely trying to manage the public health crisis, but is using the emergency to extend Medicaid requirements.

“The fact is, we still have COVID. We still have flu. And we manage the COVID in the same way that you manage the flu, not in the sense of a public health emergency,” Arkansas's governor said Friday on Fox Business's The Evening Edit.

ALL EYES ON CHIEF JUSTICE ROBERTS AS TITLE 42 BORDER POLICY HANGS BY A THREAD

“Totally inconsistent. We need to continue [Title 42]. He knows what's coming ahead,” Hutchinson told host Elizabeth MacDonald. “It's unacceptable to say that we've got to end this now.”

Title 42 of the Public Health Service Act of 1944 was enacted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in March 2020, one week after then-President Donald Trump declared a national emergency over the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020.

The policy gave the Trump administration the ability to deny the admission of goods and people who posed a risk of spreading a communicable disease. Under the law, all noncitizens seeking asylum at ports of entry and those who crossed illegally between the ports were to be expelled back immediately into Mexico and not be taken into custody by Border Patrol.

The Arkansas Republican said the administration should keep the policy in place until April to give Congress time to enact specific changes to the Trump-era immigration policy.

“[There are] other ways to approach it that would protect our border. Congress needs to address it in that fashion,” he said.

Top Biden officials, such as Dr. Anthony Fauci, have been silent about the end of Title 42, even as they’ve worked tirelessly to promote vaccination and other COVID-related restrictions. Hutchinson came to Fauci’s defense.

“While he should speak out and be clear, and he doesn't need to get in the political arena, he's a public health official, [so] he ought to stick to the public health requirements,” the governor said, since it’s a topic overlaid with politics.

But sometimes, Hutchinson noted, the leadership has to reverse what public health officials say in order to keep the economy moving or to protect the border. “We've got to put a practicality to our border security,” he said.

“Title 42 needs to continue, not because Dr. Fauci is saying we have a public health crisis, but because it is the practical thing that we need to do right now. Until we enact other options to protect our border: That's the bottom line,” Hutchinson said.

The policy was slated to expire on Wednesday but was kept from termination after Chief Justice John Roberts issued a temporary administrative stay following an emergency plea from 19 Republican-led states.

The Biden administration also asked the Supreme Court on Tuesday for a delay in the termination, asking for the program to conclude no sooner than next week.

US leads the world in long prison sentences: Study

Tori Richards

December 20, 05:32 PM December 20, 05:32 PM

The United States imposes the world’s lengthiest prison sentences and is also a leader in the number of people spending decades behind bars, according to a recent study.

The Council on Criminal Justice completed the first academic study comparing prison sentences among the world’s developed nations and found that American sentencing policies are more aligned with those of Latin America and the Caribbean than industrialized European countries.

“Sentences reported in the U.S. differed from the sentencing outcomes reported in European nations and were more on par with those of less developed countries,” the report said.

“The variation was especially striking when comparing the U.S. to the Netherlands, where legal practitioners estimated the probable sentences for both burglary and drug importation as three to five months, compared to five or more years under American sentencing policies.”

Forty percent of the world’s population of people serving life in prison are in the U.S., along with 83% of inmates serving life without the possibility of parole.

CALIFORNIA GUN CONTROL LAW STRUCK DOWN BY FEDERAL JUDGE

However, the amount of time people serve before becoming eligible for release could factor into the lengthy sentences. In Belgium, Denmark, and Finland, it’s 12 years or less. In Georgia, it’s 30 years, and in Texas, it’s 40 years.

While the U.S. imposed the longest sentences for homicide and rape, people on average served half their sentences before being released.

“U.S. states punish more severely than countries that contend with higher levels of violence,” the study said. “The U.S. has a lower overall homicide rate than most Latin American nations but incarcerates more people and for longer periods of time.”

However, European countries might catch up in the future. The use of long sentences has been increasing in places such as Germany, where the number of prisoners sentenced to life was up from 21.4% in 1995 to 30.2% in 2012.

WATCH: Two planes collide mid-air during Wings Over Dallas air show

Jenny Goldsberry

November 12, 05:21 PM November 12, 05:21 PM

Two planes collided in the air Saturday over the Dallas Executive Airport in Texas.

The Wings Over Dallas Airshow was on full display when a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress crashed into Bell P-63 King Cobra from behind. Both planes immediately went into a nose dive before crashing into a runway and exploding.

There were six crew members in the planes that did not survive the crash, according to a report. Fatalities have not been verified by local authorities.

SPACE FORCE SHIP LANDS IN FLORIDA FOLLOWING RECORD 908-DAY MISSION

"As many of you have now seen, we have had a terrible tragedy in our city today during an airshow. Many details remain unknown or unconfirmed at this time," Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson wrote on Facebook. "The [National Transportation Safety Board] has taken command of the crash scene with the Dallas Police Department and Dallas Fire-Rescue continuing to provide support. The videos are heartbreaking. Please, say a prayer for the souls who took to the sky to entertain and educate our families today."

The B-17 Flying Fortress was one of five B-17 planes still actively flying according to the Commemorative Air Force. Meanwhile the U.S. Army Air Force never used the P-63 in combat, but some were used for training, with a total of 3,305 planes produced.

Ted Cruz flipped off during baseball game at Yankee Stadium

Misty Severi

October 24, 10:09 AM October 24, 10:09 AM

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) was flipped off by three New York Yankee fans at Yankee Stadium Sunday night after the Texas senator attended the game to support the Houston Astros.

Cruz, who had turned around in his seat to wave at fans, was instead greeted with jeers and the middle finger. A photo of the exchange showed three men pointing their middle fingers up at Cruz and a fourth with his thumb down.

WATCH: PHILLIES FANS AT CITIZENS BANK PARK SING BEAUTIFUL RENDITION OF 'GOD BLESS AMERICA'

The move was supported by fellow New York fans and fellow critics of the Texas conservative on social media, after photos of the incident and a selfie Cruz took at the game went viral. Some New York fans sounded off in the comments, praising the move as giving the senator a "proper Yankee Stadium welcome."

Cruz's Astros ended up winning the game, which secured their slot in the World Series. The Philadelphia Phillies secured the other slot Sunday, after defeating the San Diego Padres. It is the first time that Philadelphia has made the World Series in 13 years, and the fourth time in six years for the Astros.

Other politicians and notable political figures have been booed at sporting events recently, including first lady Jill Biden who was reportedly booed at a Philadelphia Eagles game. However, it's unclear how prevalent the booing was because one of the videos that was picked up on social media was doctored, according to Snopes.

Former President Donald Trump was also famously booed at the 2019 World Series between the Washington Nationals and the Houston Astros.

Political musical chairs

David Mark

September 08, 11:00 PM September 08, 11:01 PM

Democratic Rep. Al Lawson's November playbook is a campaign model of a 50 percent-courtroom buzzer-beating shot he could possibly have tried using as a standout basketball participant for Florida A&M University in the early 1970s and then briefly in the pros with the Indiana Pacers and Atlanta Hawks.

The 6-foot-7-inch lawmaker is seeking reelection in Florida's new Republican-leaning 2nd Congressional District based mostly in the conservative central Panhandle. It is a starkly various constituency than Lawson's recent minority-vast majority 5th District, which straddles the Georgia state line. Lawson, who is black, first won the district in 2016 following a court docket-purchased redrawing of Florida's 27 Residence seats. (It is really about to become 28 owing to inhabitants progress above the previous decade.)

In November, Lawson will have to conquer a Residence colleague, GOP Rep. Neal Dunn, to hold his seat. Residence member-vs.-member basic election fights are exceptional but hardly unprecedented. A smattering commonly pop up each 10 years or so following the redistricting approach, which in this cycle was employed in Florida by Gov. Ron DeSantis to maximize Republican gains in the Sunshine State's Home delegation.

The Lawson-Dunn contest isn't the only lawmaker-vs.-lawmaker 2022 contest. In a substantially more aggressive race, newcomer Republican Rep. Mayra Flores will test to keep her seat versus Democratic Rep. Vicente Gonzalez in Texas's 34th District, based in the jap Rio Grande Valley.

Whilst that seat was drawn by Republican point out legislators in Texas to be politically competitive, the opposite was correct in Florida. Lawson's present-day district was dismantled all through redistricting. In the new district, previous President Donald Trump would have crushed President Joe Biden in 2020 by about 11 factors. The new district has a considerably more rural bent, having in a swath of conservative counties that have increasingly voted Republican in current decades.

But thanks to his high identify recognition, Lawson is just not out of the activity. After Lawson's experienced basketball vocation ended due to injuries, he moved back to his hometown of Tallahassee and coached the Florida Point out College men's group for a spell even though also going into the coverage business. He was elected to the condition Household of Associates in 1982 and held his Tallahassee-primarily based seat as a result of 2000, when he was forced from the chamber by term boundaries.

Lawson then was a point out senator for 10 many years. And soon after a pair of losing congressional bids, in 2016, he conquer scandal-plagued Rep. Corrine Brown in the 5th District Democratic major, cruising to victory in November.

In the Home, Lawson has typically voted with the Democratic leadership but has deviated on some difficulties, these as help for constitution universities. Dunn was also elected to the Residence in 2016 throughout his very first operate for community place of work, and he has voted a continually conservative line.

Dunn, a Boston indigenous, soon after earning his professional medical degree from George Washington University, settled in Panama City, Florida, wherever he aided located the Panama Metropolis Urological Centre and the Panama City Surgical procedures Heart and was the founding chairman of Summit Lender.

It is likelier to be a nearer race in the South Texas district that is becoming closely viewed not only for who wins the combat between Flores and Gonzalez but how a lot Republicans have improved their performance with Latino voters. Flores became a GOP hero of types when, in June, she won a unique election to finish the term of former Rep. Filemon Vela, a Democrat who resigned from the Residence to join a Washington, D.C., law-and-lobbying agency.

Flores, an immigrant from Mexico, became the embodiment of Republican attempts to earn around ordinarily Democratic voters in South Texas and nationally. In November, she'll encounter Gonzalez for a freshly designed Dwelling seat, the 34th District, close to the U.S. border with Mexico.

This time, however, Flores faces a harder race. The new 34th District would have backed Biden around Trump 57.2% to 41.7%. And now, Flores, although operating as an incumbent, will be facing a House colleague, Gonzalez, who has been in place of work because 2017. In the Residence, Gonzalez has voted with the Biden administration a lot more than 97% of the time, making for a common ideological matchup showcasing a conservative Republican from a liberal Democrat.

Each functions are observing the race closely. Property Republicans require to web only five seats in the 435-member chamber to win a vast majority for the initially time considering that the 2018 elections. But polling of late has revealed that which is considerably from inescapable, so the Texas district, near the bottom of the continental United States, this fall ought to swell with political adverts and candidate functions.

Two of 4 people charged in lethal Texas migrant smuggling case could deal with dying penalty

Misty Severi

June 29, 10:54 PM June 29, 10:54 PM

Four men and women have been billed in connection to an alleged migrant smuggling plan that resulted in the deaths of 53 suspected unlawful immigrants found inside of a sweltering tractor-trailer near San Antonio on Monday, in accordance to the Division of Justice.

Three of the four suspects, such as the suspected driver of the truck, Homero Zamorano Jr., 45, were being arrested Wednesday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas reported in a statement. Christian Martinez, 28, was arrested Tuesday in Palestine, Texas.

Zamorano was charged by criminal criticism with a single depend of alien smuggling resulting in death. If convicted, he faces a highest penalty of death or existence in prison without having a chance of parole. The Justice Office described how officials ended up able to discover Zamorano as the driver. "Laredo Sector Border Patrol furnished [Homeland Security Investigations] brokers surveillance footage of the tractor trailer crossing by an immigration checkpoint," the DOJ reported. "The driver could be witnessed carrying a black shirt with stripes and a hat. HSI brokers verified Zamorano matched the particular person from the surveillance footage and was putting on the exact garments."

A few Guys, Including DRIVER, ARRESTED Immediately after Lethal MIGRANT SMUGGLING Occasion IN TEXAS

Martinez was billed with one particular depend of conspiracy to transportation unlawful aliens ensuing in loss of life, which also has a greatest penalty of demise or daily life in jail with no parole. Martinez had an original courtroom look in Tyler on Wednesday but will be transferred to San Antonio with the other guys, according to the DOJ. Juan Claudio D’Luna-Mendez, 23, and Juan Francisco D’Luna-Bilbao, 48, both of those Mexican citizens determined to be in the country illegally, had been also arrested and charged Wednesday on gun-related prices, the DOJ assertion mentioned. They ended up the two billed with one rely of possession of a weapon by an alien illegally in the United States. Both of those adult males could face up to 10 decades in prison if convicted, according to court docket records.

HSI, a department of the Department of Homeland Protection, responded on Monday to "the scene of a human smuggling occasion involving a tractor trailer and 64 men and women suspected of getting into the United States illegally," the DOJ mentioned, citing court docket files.

Fifty-three folks died because of to intense warmth that crossed into triple digits, 48 of whom have been declared dead at the scene, and 5 other people died at a nearby medical center. Officers reported there ended up no indicators that they had doing the job air conditioning or h2o in the again of the tractor-trailer.

Amongst the 48 declared useless ended up 22 Mexican nationals, seven Guatemalan nationals, two Honduran nationals, and 17 of unidentified origin but suspected to be undocumented noncitizens, in accordance to the DOJ.

"Officers are doing the job with overseas consulate places of work for appropriate notifications to family members members of the deceased," the section explained.

Chris Magnus, the commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Safety, lamented the problem. "[I'm] horrified at this tragic reduction of lifetime around San Antonio," Magnus claimed Monday, in accordance to ABC News. "This speaks to the desperation of migrants who would set their life in the palms of callous human smugglers who show no regard for human existence."

Gov. Greg Abbott (R) blamed the tragedy on President Joe Biden for chopping down on border resources and claimed the president understood that a deficiency of enforcement on the U.S.-Mexico border would lead to dire effects.

"Numerous of these fatalities could be prevented if Biden simply absolutely funded the border patrol operation of the United States of The us and applied the guidelines that the border patrol requirements in purchase to do their true work," Abbott stated, in accordance to the outlet. "Their real occupation is not the paper-processing do the job that they have been assigned to do. Their real career is each to protected the border as perfectly as to do things like examine the motor vehicle that was carrying all those people today who lost their life."

HSI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the incident with the assistance of the San Antonio Law enforcement Division and the Palestine Law enforcement Division, in accordance to the DOJ.

Officers with rifles and ballistic protect arrived at Uvalde college 19 minutes right after gunman: Report

Abigail Adcox

June 20, 09:02 PM June 20, 09:16 PM

Several police officers armed with rifles and at the very least one ballistic protect have been inside Robb Elementary Faculty in Uvalde, Texas, less than 20 minutes after the gunman entered and began taking pictures in a classroom, according to a new report.

Armed officers had been noticed in a university hallway at 11:52 a.m., 19 minutes following the gunman entered adjoining classrooms at 11:33 a.m., the place he killed 19 young children and two lecturers very last month, but regulation enforcement did not breach the home for a further 58 minutes, according to files and video clip reported by the Austin American-Statesman on Monday.

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The new revelations get rid of light on the timeline of the regulation enforcement response, which has been revised multiple times, and implies that officers could have experienced the required firepower to confront the shooter previously than beforehand regarded.

Eleven officers entered the university inside 3 minutes of the gunman, in accordance to the report. The main of the school district police, Pete Arredondo, then identified as for backup at 11:40 p.m. with a landline.

"We have him in the room. He’s received an AR-15. He’s shot a great deal. ... They will need to be exterior the building organized because we really don't have firepower proper now,” Arredondo claimed. "It truly is all pistols."

4 minutes afterwards, at 11:44 a.m, human body camera footage registered gunshots from the gunman within the classroom. The initially officer with a ballistic defend entered the college minutes later on, at 11:52 a.m., in accordance to footage.

It took officers till 12:50 p.m. to breach the classroom and destroy the gunman, who was determined as 18-year-aged Salvador Ramos and was armed with an AR-type rifle.

"Not a one responding officer ever hesitated, even for a minute, to set themselves at chance to save the young children,” Arredondo formerly advised the Texas Tribune. “We responded to the facts that we experienced and experienced to regulate to whichever we confronted." The report also observed he assumed some other officer had taken command of the bigger reaction.

The timeline of activities has been the matter of scrutiny for multiple investigations headed by point out and federal businesses that have questioned what took place in the more than 70 minutes that elapsed involving when the gunman entered the classroom on May 24 and when he was killed by legislation enforcement, even as trapped fourth graders identified as for aid.

New specifics surrounding the taking pictures are expected to be offered during a hearing Tuesday in the Texas Senate.

Mayra Flores South Texas Household win displays continual GOP gains on Democratic turf

Kate Scanlon

June 15, 05:51 PM June 16, 05:17 AM

This week's earn by conservative activist Mayra Flores in an open Rio Grande Valley Residence district is the latest indicator that ordinarily Democratic territory in South Texas is turning crimson.

The trend has been distinct for numerous election cycles, and Flores's earn in the unique election offers Property Republicans contemporary hopes of flipping other seats in the border region that have been reliably Democratic for many years.

On Tuesday, Flores received an all-bash primary to switch previous Democratic Rep. Filemon Vela, who resigned before this 12 months for a occupation at a Washington, D.C., law and lobbying company. The traditionally blue 34th Congressional District, stretching from the U.S.-Mexico border at Brownsville, Texas, north for hundreds of miles, will be held by Flores for the ultimate six months of this congressional expression.

Flores is seeking a whole term in November to depict what starting in January will be a new variation of the 34th Congressional District. Flores will confront a fellow Residence member, Democratic Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, in a district in which voter registration even now favors his party by a wide margin.

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But the point that Flores is headed to Washington reflects the modifying nature of the border region. Republican operatives explained they hope the shift in the district is both of those a sign of things to arrive in November and in South Texas, in which the celebration is looking for to make inroads with Latino voters.

In a statement celebrating Flores’s victory, Congressional Management Fund President Dan Conston reported, “Electing the to start with Republican Latina from Texas is a historic minute and it’s only suitable that it happened in the Rio Grande Valley wherever voters are rapidly jettisoning Democrats and their out of touch agenda.”

The PAC, aligned with Property Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, put in massive sums to back again Flores and chip absent at Democrats’ existing Household the vast majority, which they are trying to flip in November.

Despite the fact that the district is traditionally blue, President Joe Biden underperformed there in 2020, and Republicans put in seriously to campaign in the district to capitalize on what they noticed as momentum with voters there.

Whilst the traces of the new district in November will be friendlier to Democrats, Republicans see Tuesday’s results as a rationale for optimism that Flores can keep the seat. She will be the first Mexican-born female to go to Congress as a Republican. She also will be the to start with Republican to signify the Rio Grande Valley in Congress due to the fact the write-up-Civil War Reconstruction period.

The victory for a Republican in the broader region could be the most significant considering the fact that Rep. Blake Farenthold defeated Democratic Rep. Solomon Ortiz in 2010.

Republicans are eyeing what they see as another option to flip a blue seat in the area: In the state’s 28th Congressional District, Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) seems to have defeated liberal challenger Jessica Cisneros, though she is trying to get a recount in a restricted race separated by considerably less than 200 votes. Should he emerge from the tricky primary victorious, Cuellar will go on to deal with a aggressive race in opposition to Republican Cassy Garcia.

Uvalde will not release documents or bodycam footage right up until investigations full

Cami Mondeaux

June 15, 08:38 AM June 15, 08:38 AM

Uvalde town officials will not launch any city information or body digital camera footage till investigations into the shooting at Robb Elementary School and the subsequent response are finish, in accordance to steering issued by the Uvalde County District Attorney’s Place of work.

The metropolis won’t release the info to the public or to the media when the investigation is energetic for the reason that the materials are nevertheless becoming reviewed by officers. After opinions of the incident and the police reaction are finished, the town will appraise which documents to launch, officials stated.

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“I value your interest in telling the story of what transpired,” Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin said in a statement. “I want responses and our families should have answers, and we have faith in the answers will occur.”

Investigations into the taking pictures are currently being carried out by condition and federal investigators, as perfectly as a crucial incident assessment from the Justice Division. Inquiries will find to gain details right after facts emerged of conversation breakdowns and insufficient law enforcement methods that may have triggered unnecessary deaths and delayed medical cure through the mass taking pictures, according to authorities.

Nineteen little ones and two teachers were being killed in the assault, and many extra had been wounded. The gunman has been discovered as an 18-yr-old who officers say legally obtained two AR-fashion rifles and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. A member of the elite Border Patrol Tactical Device has been credited with killing the shooter.

Data presented by Texas officials has changed greatly over the preceding weeks as investigators attempt to determine a motive and timeline for the taking pictures. Uvalde is a city of about 16,000 individuals situated between San Antonio and Del Rio, just dozens of miles away from the U.S.-Mexico border.

Seven-year-old boy killed in mattress in the course of push-by taking pictures

Luke Gentile

June 13, 03:33 PM June 13, 03:34 PM

A 7-12 months-outdated boy in Texas was fatally shot in the chest Sunday though lying in bed at his Harris County dwelling.

Paul Vasquez died of wounds he experienced just after his trailer residence was riddled by bullets during a travel-by shooting all over 11:00 p.m., the Harris County Sheriff’s Office said.

Officers responded right after they been given a contact from Vasquez's family members, who explained they ended up possibly asleep or getting ready for mattress when a silver sedan appeared and commenced firing into the trailer, in accordance to a report.

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Vasquez, his two brothers, and his mother ended up in the home, but the younger boy was the only one shot, police stated.

"He was in his mattress in his bed room. His bedroom was in entrance of the trailer household exactly where the gunfire struck the trailer house," HCSO Sgt. Jason Brown reported.

"He was initially shot, and he was capable to explain to his mother he was shot ahead of turning out to be unresponsive."

Vasquez was taken to a community medical center exactly where he died, police stated.

"A kid was killed and during a travel-by capturing this early morning. This is the day-to-day toll of gun violence. Gun violence in the US cannot be viewed as a solitary situation," Sheriff Ed Gonzalez tweeted.

"Let’s not take day by day gun violence as our norm. Our hearts go out to all individuals grieving in the wake of these shootings. We can and we will have to do a lot more to cease gun violence."

No arrests have been manufactured, and law enforcement are looking for a suspect, the report famous.