Daily Dispatch 11/18/25: Texas Republicans To Flip Epstein Votes On Trump's Cue, And More

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:As Trump changes his tune on the Epstein files, Texas Republicans are suddenly also no longer opposed - showing their spineless complicity with the Dear Leader: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/jeffrey-epstein-files-texas-congress-21192934.php...Trump could just order the release of the files - but language in the discharge petition may protect him from their complete release: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/17/us/politics/trump-epstein-files-congress.htmlTexas' junior Senator Ted Cruz may be using his recent feud with Tucker Carlson and related hard-right loons to make himself look relatively normal ahead of a 2028 presidential run: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/11/17/trump-reacts-ted-cruz-2028-presidential-run/87325162007/83% of Texans who use the Affordable Care Act for their health insurance coverage are about to see their premiums double, at least: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/10/30/texas-aca-obamacare-health-insurance-open-enrollment/The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. are preparing a legal and public relations challenge to the THC ban that was attached to the bill that ended the federal government shutdown: https://www.expressnews.com/news/article/texas-veterans-thc-hemp-ban-21189415.phpThe head of FEMA, after a disastrous response to the July 4 floods in Texas, is headed for the door: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/fema-david-richardson-resigned-texas-21192820.phpA Texas judge has rejected Ken Paxton's requests to ban the company that makes Tylenol from testifying that the product is safe for pregnant women, and a request to stop them from paying dividends to their shareholders: https://arstechnica.com/health/2025/11/judge-smacks-down-texas-ags-request-to-immediately-block-tylenol-ads/The embattled former CEO of Alamo Trust is suing Lt. Governor Ken Paxton and Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, who pressured her to resign over what they saw as her "woke" supervision of the Alamo: https://www.expressnews.com/news/texas/article/alamo-ceo-lawsuit-resignation-21193101.phpAfter weeks and weeks, the University of Texas at Austin remains silent on whether or not they will accept Donald Trump's "compact", which would turn burnt orange into the new MAGA red: https://www.kxan.com/news/whats-actually-happening-ut-austin-students-feel-left-in-the-dark-university-remains-silent-on-trump-compact-deal/The Houston Black American Democrats are hosting both Colin Allred and James Talarico tonight (Tuesday 11/18) at 6pm for a Texas Senate Race Spotlight at 6pm: https://maps.app.goo.gl/jbHXb62bZRXupMUo6We're excited to see YOU at one (or both!) of our 2025 Holiday Parties this December in Austin and Dallas - for the first time, featuring live podcast tapings! Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available now: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/progress-texas-holiday-parties-2025⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out our web store, including our newly-expanded Humans Against Greg Abbott collection: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://store.progresstexas.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Thanks for listening! Our monthly donors form the backbone of our funding, and if you're a regular, we'd like to invite you to join the team! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.