Daily Dispatch 2/7/25: Opposition To Musk Grows, But Damage Is Already Done - and More

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:Lawsuits against technical moves made by Elon Musk and his team of hackers that have exposed sensitive data are gaining steam:https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2025/02/federal-workers-sue-opm-elon-musk-takeover.html...Musk and DOGE's disruption of USAID has potentially derailed a new HIV vaccine, and has disrupted programs to mitigate malaria:https://futurism.com/neoscope/usaid-trial-hiv-vaccine...Senior Texas U.S. Senator John Cornyn says concern about Musk's bulldozing of the federal government is "hysteria" - he's up for re-election in 2026, and we need to get started on that now:https://www.kgns.tv/2025/02/06/texas-sen-cornyn-backs-trump-nominees-defends-elon-musks-role/...Musk's SpaceX company is becoming notorious among local South Texas contractors for failing to pay its bills:https://www.chron.com/culture/article/spacex-overdue-bills-texas-19454904.phpKen Paxton is targeting both Dallas and Irving ISD over accusations of allowing "boys to compete in girls sports", spurred by heavily edited and now-viral videos:https://www.keranews.org/education/2025-02-06/texas-paxton-trans-athletes-dallas-irving-isd-videoJanuary 6th rioter Andrew Taake, released after his pardon despite the Houston District Attorney wanting him held on a child sex charge, has been captured in rural Leon County after two weeks as a fugitive:https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/06/arrest-trump-pardon-insurrection/Secular Houston and a coalition of partners are holding lobby days at the Texas Capitol on several bills related to religious freedom on Monday and Tuesday of next week:https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1oJKNq0q702KVnFVY3BOq5d4LwsVR5NSr_9e3pXPZlO0/edit?gid=0#gid=0As Super Bowl weekend begins, former Texas Tech football coach and current Alabama U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville's claims of a close relationship with former Red Raider and current Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes are flatly denied by Mahomes:https://athlonsports.com/college/texas-tech-red-raiders/texas-tech-red-raiders-football-patrick-mahomes-super-bowl-tommy-tuberville-recruiting-commentsWe celebrate Black History Month throughout February! See a great essay on this year's celebration, happening amidst so much turmoil, and a listing of related events happening across Texas:⁠https://progresstexas.org/blog/black-history-month-2025-celebrating-texas-culture⁠The early giving period for this year's Amplify Austin Day has begun! Support Progress Texas at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.amplifyatx.org/organizations/progress-texas-institute⁠⁠⁠⁠.Progress Texas is now ranked in the top 3% of all podcasts worldwide for listenership - thank you!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/progress-texas-podcasts-progress-texas-pHdPjbaN-7B/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The merch to match your progressive values awaits at our web store! Grab your goodies at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://store.progresstexas.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.We're loving the troll-free environment at BlueSky! Follow us there at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/progresstexas.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.