❓WHAT HAPPENED: A Texas judge has ordered the sale of Alex Jones’s Infowars platform to help pay over $1 billion in damages to Sandy Hook families.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Alex Jones, Judge Maya Guerra Gamble, Sandy Hook families, attorneys Chris Mattei and Mark Bankston, and The Onion.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The ruling was issued on Wednesday in a Texas district court.
💬KEY QUOTE: “They are trying to shut us down right now!” – Alex Jones
🎯IMPACT: Infowars’ assets will be liquidated to pay damages, potentially dismantling Alex Jones’s media platform.
IN FULL
Alex Jones’s Infowars must be sold to help pay the more than $1 billion awarded to the families of Sandy Hook shooting victims, a Texas district court judge has ordered. Judge Maya Guerra Gamble stated during a Wednesday hearing that Infowars’ parent company, Free Speech Systems, will be placed under the control of a court-appointed receiver. This receiver will oversee the sale of assets to pay Jones’s debts to the Sandy Hook families.
The decision clears the way for The Onion to potentially revive its bid for the outlet. The satirical news outfit had previously won a court-mandated auction for Infowars’ parent company, but the sale was halted in December by a federal bankruptcy judge due to concerns over the auction process. The judge later ruled that the families should pursue damages in state court rather than federal court.
Jones was found guilty of defamation in 2022 over statements related to the 2012 Sandy Hook shootings. On his show Wednesday, Jones expressed frustration over the ruling, stating he was “pissed off” but acknowledged he was “resigned” to the likelihood that Infowars would have to shut down.
He indicated that he plans to continue broadcasting under a different brand.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom’s plan to transfer redistricting authority from an independent commission to the Democrat-dominated state legislature faces significant public opposition, according to a recent poll.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Governor Gavin Newsom, California voters, and the state legislature.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Poll conducted between July 28 and August 12, 2025, across California.
💬KEY QUOTE: “If the other states call off their redistricting efforts, we will do the same. And American democracy will be better for it.” – Gavin Newsom
🎯IMPACT: The move could lead to intensified political battles over congressional maps and potential retaliation from other states.
IN FULL
A plan to further gerrymander California’s congressional districts, pushed by Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA), is being widely panned by Golden State voters. According to a new Politico–Citrin Center–Possibility Lab poll, Newsom’s gerrymander proposal, seeking to shift redistricting authority from California’s independent commission—enshrined in the state constitution—to the California legislature, is opposed by nearly two-thirds of respondents. Notably, the change would require voter approval through a statewide referendum, scheduled for November.
The survey, conducted between July 28 and August 12 among 1,445 registered voters in California, revealed that Californians overwhelmingly favor the independent panel. Only 36 percent of respondents support Newsom‘s plan, including a mere 39 percent of Democrats and 34 percent of Republicans.
Newsom has framed his redistricting effort as a countermeasure to Republican-led initiatives in states like Texas, where GOP lawmakers are pursuing new congressional maps that could secure up to five additional House seats for Republicans. In response, Newsom stated, “If the other states call off their redistricting efforts, we will do the same. And American democracy will be better for it.”
Critics, including Vice President J.D. Vance, have questioned the impartiality of California’s current congressional maps, which some argue already favor Democrats. The Princeton University Gerrymandering Project rated California’s map a “B” overall but gave it an “F” for competitiveness. Republicans currently hold just 17 percent of the state’s congressional seats, despite Donald Trump securing 38.3 percent of the vote in the 2024 presidential election.
The redistricting debate comes as other Democrat-led states, such as Illinois and Maryland—two of the most heavily gerrymandered states in the country—signal their willingness to redraw their maps in response to Republican efforts.
Meanwhile, Texas House Democrats recently returned home after fleeing the state to block a GOP redistricting proposal; however, another special session on the matter is expected to be called soon.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) announced legal action to hold former Democratic Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D) in contempt for alleged unlawful fundraising activities.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, former Rep. Beto O’Rourke, and O’Rourke’s organization, Powered by People.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The contempt action was announced on August 12, 2025.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Beto told me ‘to come and take,’ so I did and beat him in court. Now, he still thinks he’s above the law, so I’m working to put him behind bars.” – Ken Paxton
🎯IMPACT: The restraining order halts O’Rourke’s fundraising efforts for Democrat lawmakers who fled Texas to deny the state legislature a quorum, and Paxton is pursuing further legal consequences.
IN FULL
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) has announced his office is taking legal action against former Democratic Congressman and perennial failed candidate Robert Francis “Beto” O’Rourke, accusing him of violating a temporary restraining order that prohibits fundraising for Democrats who fled the state during the legislature’s special session for redistricting to deny it a quorum. Paxton declared that O’Rourke’s actions constitute a contemptuous and “blatant violation” of the court order.
The restraining order, granted by a Tarrant County District Judge on Friday, came after Paxton sued O’Rourke and his organization, Powered by People. The lawsuit alleges that O’Rourke engaged in a “misleading financial-influence scheme” to support Democrat legislators who broke quorum in protest of Republican redistricting efforts. The judge’s order blocked O’Rourke and Powered by People from further fundraising activities.
In a statement, Paxton remarked, “Robert Francis [O’Rourke] flagrantly and knowingly violated the court order I secured that prevents him from raising funds and distributing any more Beto Bribes. He’s about to find out that running your mouth and ignoring the rule of law has consequences in Texas. It’s time to lock him up.”
O’Rourke, who served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2013 to 2019 and in former President Joe Biden’s cabinet, has become a well-known figure in Texas politics, mostly due to a series of humiliating statewide election defeats. He lost a challenge against Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) in 2018 and Republican Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) in 2022 and also failed in his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020.
Paxton emphasized the significance of the legal action in a post on X (formerly Twitter), writing, “I just defeated Beto O’Rourke in court. We secured a major victory stopping runaway Democrats from taking ‘Beto Bribes’ and preventing deceptive fundraising.”
❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Texas House of Representatives has filed lawsuits in Illinois and California courts to domesticate civil arrest warrants for House Democrats who fled the state to block a vote on redistricting. Should the two states reject the warrants, the matter could find its way to the U.S. Supreme Court.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Texas House Democrats, Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows (R), Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker (D), and California Governor Gavin Newsom (D).
📍WHEN & WHERE: Lawsuits were filed recently in Illinois and California after Democrats fled Texas during a special session.
🎯IMPACT: If Illinois and California courts refuse to enforce the warrants, the matter could escalate to the U.S. Supreme Court.
IN FULL
The Texas House of Representatives has filed arrest warrants for 56 Texas Democrat lawmakers currently hiding in Illinois and California. They left the state to prevent voting on a redistricting plan during a special session. Each of the lawsuits asks courts in Democrat-controlled California and Illinois to domesticate warrants under the Full Faith and Credit Clause of the U.S. Constitution, enabling the absent lawmakers to be detained and returned to Texas.
However, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker (D) has already declared that his state will not comply, insisting that Illinois is not obligated to honor the warrants unless a federal crime has been committed. He stated, “There is literally no federal law applicable to this situation. None.” It is suspected that California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) will likewise ignore the warrants.
The situation could set up a major showdown before the U.S. Supreme Court if Illinois and California continue to refuse to enforce the Texas warrants. Notably, the U.S. Constitution’s Full Faith and Credit Clause mandates states to recognize and enforce public acts and judicial proceedings from other states. Compounding the situation is the reported involvement of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in tracking down and possibly arresting the missing Texas Democrats—a factor that could expedite any federal court challenge.
The lawsuits argue that Illinois and California must treat Texas’s Quorum Warrants as their own civil orders. They cite federal statute 28 U.S.C. § 1738, which codifies the Full Faith and Credit Clause and the Judicial Comity doctrine. Precedent from a 2016 U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the Full Faith and Credit Clause supports Texas’s position, requiring state courts to enforce judgments from other states.
Courts in Illinois and California have yet to schedule hearings on the matter.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: Indiana Democrats are warning of a potential redistricting battle as Republicans consider redrawing congressional district maps ahead of the 2026 midterms.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: State Representative Matt Pierce, Vice President J.D. Vance, Governor Mike Braun (R-IN), Congressman Frank Mrvan (D-IN), and other state and national political figures.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Indiana, with discussions and meetings taking place this week, including a visit from Vice President Vance to Indianapolis.
💬KEY QUOTE: “I’m sounding the alarm because Democrats in Indiana are in a knife fight to preserve democracy, and we better start acting like it.” – Matt Pierce
🎯IMPACT: The potential redistricting could reshape Indiana’s congressional delegation, targeting competitive districts and sparking broader national debates on gerrymandering.
IN FULL
Indiana State Representative Matt Pierce (D) says that Democrats in the state are in a “knife fight to preserve democracy” as Republicans consider redrawing congressional districts. The threat comes as Vice President J.D. Vance is set to visit Indianapolis this week to meet with Governor Mike Braun (R-IN) to discuss redistricting.
A redrawn Indiana congressional map could potentially target Democratic-leaning seats like the state’s 1st Congressional District, currently held by Congressman Frank Mrvan (D-IN), as Republicans work to solidify their 7-2 advantage in the state’s congressional delegation.
Pierce alleges that Vance is being sent by President Donald J. Trump to push Braun into calling a special session to implement “Texas-style gerrymandering.” In a Facebook video, Pierce stated, “I’m sounding the alarm because Democrats in Indiana are in a knife fight to preserve democracy, and we better start acting like it.” The Indiana Democrat continued, alleging Republicans want to “steal away seats from Democrats because they know they can’t win this election with their failed policies that harm the middle class and then give all the benefits to the wealthy.”
A spokesman for Indiana House Democrats revealed that efforts are underway to mobilize public opposition, including calls to representatives and a sit-in protest. However, Indiana’s legislative rules do not require a quorum for Republicans to pass a redistricting bill, removing a tactic used by Texas Democrats to delay similar efforts.
Governor Braun described his discussions with Vance as “exploratory” with “no commitments” yet. Meanwhile, Democrats in other states like California and Illinois are also considering retaliatory redistricting efforts to counter Republican moves in states like Texas, Missouri, and Florida. Congressman Mike Lawler (R-NY) has called for legislation to ban partisan gerrymandering and mid-decade redistricting, emphasizing the need for competitive districts to improve Congress.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott filed an emergency petition to the state Supreme Court to remove state Rep. Gene Wu from office after Wu fled with other Democrats to block a redistricting bill. The Texas Supreme Court took up the petition late Tuesday, giving Wu until Friday to respond.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX), state Rep. Gene Wu (D), Texas House Democrats, and Attorney General Ken Paxton (R-TX).
📍WHEN & WHERE: The petition was filed on Tuesday evening in Texas following the Democrats’ departure over the weekend.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Absconding from the State during a constitutionally mandated session… constitutes a flagrant violation of Wu’s oath and is an intentional abandonment of his constitutional duty,” the lawsuit states.
🎯IMPACT: The Texas House Republicans plan to attempt reaching a quorum again on Friday, after failing earlier this week.
IN FULL
Governor Greg Abbott (R-TX) filed an emergency petition with the state Supreme Court on Tuesday to initiate removal proceedings against state Representative Gene Wu (D) and Texas House Democrats. Texas’s high court took up the petition late Tuesday evening, giving Wu until Friday to respond.
Wu, who serves as the Texas House Democratic Caucus chair, was among several Democratic lawmakers who left Texas to deny Republicans the quorum needed to pass a congressional map that could provide them with five additional pickup opportunities in the 2026 midterms.
According to Abbott’s filing, Wu violated the state Constitution by failing to return for the vote, claiming that his actions amounted to abandoning his office. The petition argued that maintaining quorum is “an affirmative constitutional obligation” and accused Wu of “openly renouncing these constitutional mandates by fleeing the State of Texas to break quorum.”
Responding to the accusations in a statement, Wu said: “Let me be unequivocal about my actions and my duty. When a governor conspires with a disgraced president to ram through a racist gerrymandered map, my constitutional duty is to not be a willing participant.” He added, “Denying the governor a quorum was not an abandonment of my office; it was a fulfillment of my oath.”
The Texas Supreme Court quickly took up Gov. Abbott’s petition, giving Wu until 5:00 PM on Friday to respond.
The emergency petition follows remarks from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R), who hinted at potential legal action over the situation. Texas House Republicans are expected to attempt to reach a quorum again on Friday, after failing on Monday and Tuesday.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: A federal appeals court upheld a Texas law requiring voters using mail-in ballots to include a state ID number or partial Social Security number.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, Judge James Ho, and the state of Texas.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The ruling was issued Monday, impacting Texas election laws.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Mail-in ballots are not secure.” – Judge James Ho
🎯IMPACT: The decision reinforces Texas’s voter ID requirements and aligns with prior rulings emphasizing election integrity.
IN FULL
On Monday, Texas saw a significant election integrity win as a federal appeals court affirmed a state statute mandating that voters submitting mail-in ballots must provide a state ID number or a portion of their Social Security number. A panel of three judges unanimously overturned a lower court’s ruling, determining that the provision does not infringe upon the Civil Rights Act of 1964, since it is relevant to verifying voter eligibility.
In the unanimous decision penned by Judge James Ho, he declared, “Mail-in ballots are not secure,” citing insights from Veasey v. Perry, which evolved into Veasey v. Abbott. The litigation emphasized that “mail-in ballot fraud is a significant threat,” an issue previously affirmed by the Fifth Circuit in earlier decisions.
Ho elaborated in the opinion that the ID number mandate is “obviously designed to confirm that each mail-in ballot voter is precisely who he claims he is.” He further noted that this stipulation is clearly pertinent to assessing voter eligibility according to state regulations. The court also followed the Third Circuit’s established ruling, which holds that materiality clauses are limited to evaluations of voter qualifications.
Although the plaintiffs contended that there was a lack of substantial proof demonstrating that the ID number rule would substantially curb voter fraud, Texas countered this view. “Our precedents compel us to side with Texas. We have made clear that states have a legitimate interest in combating voter fraud, and thus enjoy ‘considerable discretion in deciding what is an adequate level of effectiveness to serve [their] important interests in voter integrity,’” Ho stated.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: California Democrats are proposing new political maps that could reduce five Republican-held House seats while strengthening Democratic margins in battleground districts.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA), California’s Democratic congressional delegation, and Republican Representatives Ken Calvert, Darrell Issa, Kevin Kiley, David Valadao, and Doug LaMalfa.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The proposal was discussed on Monday in California, with a potential special election planned for the first week of November.
💬KEY QUOTE: “California will not sit by idly and watch this democracy waste away,” said Governor Gavin Newsom.
🎯IMPACT: If approved, the new maps could increase Democratic seats in California from 43 to 48, further tipping the balance of the U.S. House in their favor.
IN FULL
California Democrats are advancing a draft proposal to redraw the state’s congressional district lines in a way that could significantly weaken Republican representation, while shoring up Democratic advantages in competitive regions. If enacted, the changes could increase the number of Democratic-held seats in California’s 52-member U.S. House delegation from 43 to 48.
Though the plan hasn’t been formally unveiled, it’s expected to target several Republican-controlled districts by reducing the number of conservative voters and boosting liberal turnout in those areas. Districts currently held by GOP Representatives Ken Calvert, Darrell Issa, Kevin Kiley, David Valadao, and Doug LaMalfa would be among those affected. On the other hand, seats held by Democrats Dave Min, Mike Levin, and Derek Tran would likely become more secure under the proposed boundaries.
Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) has indicated he’s prepared to move forward with the partisan redistricting effort, including calling a statewide vote on the matter. “California will not sit by idly and watch this democracy waste away,” Newsom said on August 4, underscoring his frustration with redistricting moves in other states, particularly Texas. He added that a special election could be scheduled for early November to allow voters to weigh in. Still, he emphasized he would reconsider if Texas Republicans paused their redistricting campaign.
This effort comes as a direct response to Texas Republicans’ push to reshape their state’s congressional map, which some claim is being done in favor of the GOP ahead of the 2026 elections. Democrat lawmakers tried to disrupt the process by fleeing the state to avoid voting on the redistricting plans. In response, Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered the arrest and return of any member caught abandoning their duties.
California’s proposal aims to counterbalance those moves by strengthening Democratic margins in politically mixed regions such as Orange County, San Diego County, and parts of the Central Valley.
Still, the redistricting push faces hurdles. State lawmakers must approve the plan, and voters, who previously opted to hand over redistricting responsibilities to an independent commission, may be wary of what they perceive as a return to partisan gerrymandering.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: Tesla is planning to expand its robotaxi service to San Francisco, California, despite ongoing technical issues and regulatory hurdles, with “human safety operators” in the driver’s seats.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Tesla, led by CEO Elon Musk, and its head of artificial intelligence (AI) software, Ashok Elluswamy, along with California regulatory agencies.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The rollout is planned for this week in San Francisco, following an earlier, limited launch in Austin, Texas.
💬KEY QUOTE: “We will launch the service with a person in the driver’s seat just to expedite while we wait for regulatory approval.” – Ashok Elluswamy
🎯IMPACT: Tesla faces significant challenges as it seeks regulatory approval and attempts to address technical issues in its push for autonomous ride-hailing services.
IN FULL
Tesla is preparing to expand its robotaxi service to San Francisco, following its limited and problematic launch in Austin, Texas. According to an internal memo, the rollout could begin as soon as this week, with plans to cover a large portion of the Bay Area.
However, Tesla will deploy a so-called human safety operator in the driver’s seat, indicating the company is not yet confident in its autonomous technology or is unable to secure full regulatory approval. Tesla’s head of artificial intelligence (AI) software, Ashok Elluswamy, acknowledged the limited rollout during an earnings report earlier this week, stating: “We will launch the service with a person in the driver’s seat just to expedite while we wait for regulatory approval.”
The company faces mounting pressure as it attempts to recover from declining revenues and global sales. Elon Musk has expressed ambitions to sell “millions” of humanoid robots and establish a widespread robotaxi service, but technical issues and regulatory barriers remain significant obstacles.
In Austin, Tesla’s robotaxis have encountered issues such as running stop signs, swerving into incorrect lanes, and dropping passengers in unsafe locations. Despite these problems, Tesla is pushing forward with its plans, though it has yet to apply for a commercial robotaxi permit in California.
While the California Public Utilities Commission has granted Tesla a permit to transport employees, broader approval for a commercial service is still pending. Tesla is also seeking to expand its robotaxi operations in Florida and Arizona, where regulations are less stringent.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) is facing political backlash over resurfaced comments made on the Senate floor praising the far-left League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) political group, which advocates for open borders and mass immigration.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Sen. Cornyn, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R), Governor Greg Abbott (R), President Donald J. Trump, the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), and Texas Republican voters.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Cornyn’s remarks came during National Hispanic Heritage Month and resurfaced on social media on July 23, 2025.
💬KEY QUOTE: “There is also the League of United Latin American Citizens, or as we know it, LULAC, that fights to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans—particularly when it comes to education.” — Sen. John Cornyn
🎯IMPACT: Cornyn is struggling to defend his Senate seat from a primary challenge launched by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a staunch ally of President Trump. The video is likely to cause further problems for Cornyn among Texas Republicans.
IN FULL
U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) is drawing backlash from Texas conservatives after a video surfaced of him praising the far-left League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) political group, which advocates for open borders and mass immigration. Notably, LULAC sued Texas in 2017 over legislation signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott (R-TX) ending sanctuary cities in the state.
Sen. Cornyn’s praise for LULAC is part of the Congressional Record. The Texas Republican highlighted the group on the Senate floor during National Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from September 15 to October 15 every year.
“There is also the League of United Latin American Citizens, or as we know it, LULAC, that fights to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans—particularly when it comes to education,” Cornyn stated during his floor speech praising numerous Hispanic and immigrant advocacy groups.
🚨MASSIVE BETRAYAL🚨TEXAS RINO SENATOR JOHN CORNYN praised the radical leftist org called LULAC for Hispanic Heritage Month. LULAC supports abortion, open borders, and Democrat lawmakers. LULAC also supports DEI.
Notably, in recent months, Cornyn has tried to reposition himself as being opposed to mass immigration while claiming to be an ally of President Donald J. Trump‘s America First agenda. Polling has shown Cornyn consistently trailing his Republican primary challenger, Trump ally and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R), by a significant margin in the 2026 Senate race.
LULAC presents itself as a Hispanic and Latin-American civil rights organization; however, the group has consistently pushed a far-left political agenda, including educating illegal immigrants on legal maneuvers to frustrate federal immigration enforcement actions. Additionally, LULAC has joined campaigns in defense of abortion, far-left DEI programs, and Affirmative Action.
Concerningly, LULAC has joined other far-left groups in promoting anti-U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) propaganda. LULAC has accused ICE of utilizing so-called “terror strikes” and “lightning attacks” to create an environment of “fear and anxiety” in the Hispanic community.
The group has received significant funding from the Tides Foundation, as well as the National Education Association (NEA) and American Federation of Teachers (AFT). Its current president, Domingo Garcia, is a long-time Texas Democrat politician and served as a member of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) for over a decade.
Cornyn actively opposed Trump’s 2024 bid to retake the White House until well after polling showed the America First leader was the only GOP candidate positioned to defeat the Democrats. The National Pulse reported in November 2023 that Cornyn admitted, “I was wrong,” regarding his opposition to Trump’s candidacy.
The resurfaced LULAC video is likely to cause further problems for Cornyn in Texas. Already, the Senator has seen defections, with Congressman Lance Gooden (R-TX) endorsing Paxton.
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