I'm just in Dane with a brief look at the latest news in Texas politics
and policy from the Texas Tribune. The US Justice Department announced Monday it issuing
Texas and Governor Greg Abbott after the state declined to remove the floating barrier it
deployed earlier this month on the Rio Grande near Eagle Pass. The federal lawsuit
alleges the barrier was installed without necessary authorization from the US Army Corps of Engineers.
The lawsuit also alleges that the floating barrier obstructs navigation on the river and
demands that the state remove it. Abbott defended his decision to keep the barrier
and blame the Biden administration's immigration policy for the conditions at the border. The
barrier, accompanied by rows of razor wire, was deployed as part of Operation
Loan Star, an aggressive state border security initiative launched in March of twenty twenty
one, shortly after Biden took office. The Justice Department lawsuit was preceded by
a diplomatic complaint about the barrier from the sick In government. As the clock
is taking toward Attorney General Kent Paxton's September impeachment trial before the Texas Senate.
Far right groups are fighting hard and spending big money to protect their most important
ally and to stave off a major loss amid their ongoing fight for control of
the Texas GOP. It's a key part of the constellation of political action committees,
campaigns, institutions, and dark money groups that a trio of West Texas
oil tycoons Tim Dunn and brothers Ferris and Dan Wilkes have pumped small fortunes into
as part of a long term crusade to push Texas to the extreme right,
and until last month, no state politician had received more money from those groups
than Paxton, who has in turn used his office to push ultra conservative priorities
while declining to defend state agencies in numerous lawsuits filed by groups connected to Dunn
and the Wilkes brothers, including those seeking to undermine the state's campaign finance laws.
In other impeachment news, lawyers for Paxton are pushing to disqualify three Democratic
state senators as jurors in this upcoming trial. Paxton's lawyers filed the motion Friday
that ask Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick to disqualify senators Nathan Johnson of Dallas, Roland
Gutierres of San Antonio, and hose A Menendez of San Antonio, arguing they
have a proven bias against Paxton. The House Impeachment Managers responded in their own
filing later Friday, registering their opposition, saying, in part, the House
Managers oppose this motion and trust that all Senators previously determined to be eligible to
vote will follow their constitutional obligation to impartially try mister Paxton. The trial to
determine whether Paxton should be permanently removed from office is set to begin September fifth.
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you get your podcasts. I'm Justin Dane for the Texas Tribune. You've been
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