Daily Dispatch 2/14/24: PT Loves (And Endorses) Three More Texas Candidates, and More

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas this Valentine's Day: Less than a week from early voting, we're shoveling our love onto three more Texas progressive primary candidates, the support of whom we consider vital for continued progress in our state: https://progresstexas.org/blog/progress-texas-endorsements-march-primaries ...While we're all warm and fuzzy, have a look and Join The Movement with a great rundown of our favorite Texas civic organizations: https://progresstexas.org/blog/progressive-organizations-working-make-texas-better-place-2024 House Speaker Dade Phelan's wife was accosted by his political opponents at the Phelan home in Beaumont this week: https://www.12newsnow.com/article/news/crime/men-accused-of-accosting-dade-phelan-wife-beaumont-home/502-dbb22413-4b6f-4d80-9d45-ce4b3b705ac5 A North Texas couple, convicted of various crimes connected to Jan. 6, think Trump should be charged as well (and we agree): https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/national/capitol-riots/texas-couple-who-said-they-shouldnt-be-prosecuted-if-trump-wasnt-convicted-of-assaulting-police-on-jan-6-mark-jalise-middleton/65-f2895db3-2b6f-4cad-8088-e313e6ae9d05 John Cornyn and Ken Paxton are having a public tiff over Cornyn's support for America's following through with our commitments to our allies abroad: https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/4465233-cornyn-blasts-texas-ag-paxton/ How Sunday's Houston church shooter, having documented mental health issues and an extensive criminal record, was able to arm herself for the attack remains a mystery: https://apnews.com/article/church-shooting-joel-osteen-texas-firearms-89c8b72d00c5a1f924907e0d5a85a8ea ...While right-wing crazies - including Elon Musk - attempt to frame the shooting as "trans terrorism": https://www.vice.com/en/article/v7bnna/lakewood-church-shooting-houston-far-right-misinformation-claiming-suspect-transgender ...Throughout her criminal documentation, she's identified as a cisgender female, never as transgender: https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-houston-texas-church-shooter-transgender-641478749917 We've been talking about Jimmy, John and Jane recently - John Devine, turns out, inappropriately failed to recuse himself from a high-profile sex abuse case involving prior employers: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/13/texas-supreme-court-john-devine-paul-pressler-jared-woodfill/ We celebrate Black History Month throughout February! Progress Texas has a full schedule of events to follow: ⁠https://progresstexas.org/blog/celebrating-african-american-arts-and-artisans-black-history-month⁠ Progress Texas is seeking to add 29 new recurring donors during our February membership drive - we'd appreciate the support: ⁠https://progresstexas.org/donate