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Justin Miller @byjustinmiller.bsky.social · 13h

A good lock at the rocky relationship between the Texas Majority PAC, financed with tens of millions from Gorge Soros, and some Texas Dems who question their influence and effectiveness. www.texasobserver.org/inside-rift-...

Inside the Rift Between Texas Dems and a Soros-Backed PAC

The Texas Majority PAC is the latest deep-pocketed initiative meant to turn Texas blue. But have its dollars just brought more discord?

www.texasobserver.org

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Reposted by Justin Miller

Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · 1d

New from @samrussek.bsky.social: While some local Democratic party chapters speak effusively of their partnerships with Texas Majority PAC, others liken it to a bait-and-switch operation that commandeers the grassroots manpower of established county parties & fails to deliver on its lofty promises.

Inside the Rift Between Texas Dems and a Soros-Backed PAC

The Texas Majority PAC is the latest deep-pocketed initiative meant to turn Texas blue. But have its dollars just brought more discord?

www.texasobserver.org

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Reposted by Justin Miller

Josephine Lee @josephinelee.bsky.social · 14d

Trump hastens plan to deny domestic workers the minimum wage. www.texasobserver.org/texas-domest...

Texas Domestic Workers Face Trump Attack on Minimum Wage

Advocates warn a proposed rule by the Department of Labor will deepen the country’s “crisis of care.”

www.texasobserver.org

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Justin Miller @byjustinmiller.bsky.social · Aug 25

Where are the Latino statewide Democratic candidates in Texas? www.texasobserver.org/latino-top-b...

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Reposted by Justin Miller

Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · Aug 24

From @byjustinmiller.bsky.social in our magazine: At the 2012 Democratic National Convention, the largely unknown Julián Castro became an instantaneous political phenom and a seemingly inevitable rising party star.

But the party's traveled a rocky road since then ...

Is a Strong Latino Candidate Texas Democrats’ Only Hope?

The party is long-overdue for such a leader at the top of the ballot.

www.texasobserver.org

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Reposted by Justin Miller

Candice Bernd @candicebernd.bsky.social · Aug 14

NEW: TX Rs blame decamped Dems for holding up flood response. They also argue a disaster-response bill they shunned in the regular session wouldn't have gone into effect until after the 7/4 flood.

Here's the climate bills they've ignored for over a decade now: www.texasobserver.org/texas-gop-sa...

Texas GOP Says Flood Relief Is Priority. Here’s the Climate Policy They Won’t Pass.

Republican lawmakers have for years refused to engage with precautionary climate resilience and disaster-response measures.

www.texasobserver.org

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Reposted by Justin Miller

Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · Aug 14

Our top story, from @michellepitcher.bsky.social: Advocates for police transparency say a new bill would supercharge cops' ability to shield misconduct from the public. www.texasobserver.org/secrecy-g-fi...

Texas Lawmakers Push ‘Massive Secrecy Grab’ to Shield Police Files

As public attention has shifted away from policing reform, legislators attempt to shove information into the dark.

www.texasobserver.org

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Justin Miller @byjustinmiller.bsky.social · Aug 5

Can Texas Dems' quorum break halt a seemingly inevitable gerrymandering arms race? texasobserver.org/texas-house-... #txlege

Can Anything Halt the Gerrymandering Arms Race?

Texas Dem quorum-breakers are seeking to protect voter rights nationwide, but they’re likely engaged in little more than a perfunctory game of chicken.

texasobserver.org

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Reposted by Justin Miller

Lupe Mendez @thepoetmendez.bsky.social · Jul 14

#Celebration! I’ve been Poetry Editor for @texasobserver.org for a year! Please, please, share, repost and read up on the #Poetry section of the magazine!

I will create a thread of the poems that have made it into the mag while I’ve been editor! #PoetrySky

www.texasobserver.org/topics/poetry/

Poetry Archives

www.texasobserver.org

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Reposted by Justin Miller

David R. Brockman, Ph.D. @drdrbrockman.bsky.social · Jul 17

My latest from @texasobserver.org: Christian right activists have long chafed at the Johnson Amendment, contending that it makes the IRS into “speech police” and chills the constitutional rights of religious leaders. A new IRS ruling may give them a big win www.texasobserver.org/trump-irs-te...

How Trump’s IRS May Unshackle Churches from Their Political Restraints

As if everyday life in these United States wasn’t politicized enough, your local house of worship could soon become a part of the campaign battlefield.

www.texasobserver.org

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Justin Miller @byjustinmiller.bsky.social · Jul 8

A Hill Country native reflects on her own family's harrowing flood experience on the Fourth of July 23 years ago. www.texasobserver.org/hill-country...

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Reposted by Justin Miller

Justin Miller @byjustinmiller.bsky.social · Jul 1

Some news for y'all: I'm now the News & Politics Editor for the @texasobserver.org , leading our coverage of the Lege, elections, and other Texas news. If you've got a pitch, a tip, or anything else, email is in the bio #txlege

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Justin Miller @byjustinmiller.bsky.social · Jul 1

Some news for y'all: I'm now the News & Politics Editor for the @texasobserver.org , leading our coverage of the Lege, elections, and other Texas news. If you've got a pitch, a tip, or anything else, email is in the bio #txlege

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Reposted by Justin Miller

Gus Bova @gusbova.bsky.social · Jun 12

"Q: Do you think Democrats could have stood united in withholding support for [a speaker] longer in order to try to secure actual concessions?

A: Is it possible? Of course. Anything’s possible. I could suddenly turn into a fish." www.texasobserver.org/house-got-ro...

‘The House Got Rolled’: Gene Wu on the Trials of the 89th Texas Legislature

“We can only play the hand that we're dealt.”

www.texasobserver.org

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Reposted by Justin Miller

Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · Jun 12

New from @byjustinmiller.bsky.social: The job of leading the minority party in the Texas House has long consisted, at best, of harm reduction and something like emergency room triage. Rep. Gene Wu tells us about trying to stop the bleeding this session.

‘The House Got Rolled’: Gene Wu on the Trials of the 89th Texas Legislature

“We can only play the hand that we're dealt.”

www.texasobserver.org

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Reposted by Justin Miller

Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · Jun 9

New from @byjustinmiller.bsky.social: Without fanfare or open debate, the GOP-controlled Texas Lege just effectively halved the amount dedicated to its multi-billion-dollar border security operations—from a proposed $6.5 billion down to about $3.4 billion.

Texas Quietly Downsizes Border Security Spending

But outlays remain far above state funding prior to the Operation Lone Star era.

www.texasobserver.org

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Justin Miller @byjustinmiller.bsky.social · Jun 9

New from me: Texas quietly downsizes border security spending—mainly for state border wall—though still remains above pre-OLS levels www.texasobserver.org/texas-quietl... @texasobserver.org

Texas Quietly Downsizes Border Security Spending

But outlays remain far above state funding prior to the Operation Lone Star era.

www.texasobserver.org

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Justin Miller @byjustinmiller.bsky.social · May 27

His words from 2004 still hold up all too well

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Justin Miller @byjustinmiller.bsky.social · May 27

Needless to say, Dugger didn't bite and instead became a persistent thorn in LBJ's side as he rose to the presidency.

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Justin Miller @byjustinmiller.bsky.social · May 27

The obituary is a worthwhile read—if only for Dugger's account of his visit to LBJ's ranch in 1955, where the future president proffered a poolside quid pro quo. texasobserver.org/ronnie-dugge...

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Justin Miller @byjustinmiller.bsky.social · May 27

The @texasobserver.org's founding editor Ronnie Dugger has passed away at age 95. He forged the publication in the '50s and 60s into an independent organ of progressive muckraking and a bulwark against prevailing conservative forces that dominated the state then—and now.

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Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · May 22

From @byjustinmiller.bsky.social: The House approved the measure with overwhelming bipartisan support on a 101-42 vote, with no debate over the wisdom of getting the state into the business of investing in highly speculative virtual coins. Opponents included 21 Republicans and 21 Democrats.

Texas Set to Create State Bitcoin Reserve that Would Accept Private Donations

The latest version of the bill includes a previously nixed provision to allow Texans to donate crypto to the fund.

www.texasobserver.org

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Reposted by Justin Miller

Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · Apr 24

New today: Legislators have launched fresh attacks targeting gender and ethnic studies departments, programs, and courses, which some educators say threaten academic freedom and the prestige of Texas universities.

The Lege’s 'Big Government Intrusion' into University Academics

Expanding on last session's anti-DEI campus crackdown, Republicans are now going after gender and ethnic studies programs and faculty independence.

www.texasobserver.org

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Reposted by Justin Miller

Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · Apr 1

Remembering Carlton Carl: a patriot, feminist, Democrat, journalist, bibliophile, philanthropist, entrepreneur, art enthusiast, history buff, and more. He was a staunch supporter of his family and community, of organizations including the Observer, and of the town of Martindale.

Carlton Carl, 1945-2025

Carlton was a patriot, feminist, Democrat, journalist, bibliophile, philanthropist, entrepreneur, art enthusiast, history buff, and more. He was a staunch supporter of his family and community, of org...

www.texasobserver.org

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Justin Miller @byjustinmiller.bsky.social · Apr 1

Social media monitoring, cell tracking, facial recognition, and more—how Texas DPS has turbocharged its surveillance capabilities with Artificial Intelligence. Meanwhile, lawmakers offer few guardrails - by @francescadnunz.bsky.social #txlege www.texasobserver.org/texas-dps-su...

Texas’ AI-Powered Surveillance Arsenal Has Ballooned. Proposed Laws Provide Few Guardrails.

Operation Lone Star has turbocharged DPS’ surveillance capabilities. Lawmakers say they want to prevent Texas from becoming a police state but have filed only modest legislation to regulate use of AI.

www.texasobserver.org

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