Reporter at the Texas Observer Email: lee@texasobserver.org Signal: Josephineklee.14 https://www.texasobserver.org/author/josephine-lee/
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New from @byjustinmiller.bsky.social: After two weeks spent outside state lines, Texas House Democrats ended their quorum break as abruptly as a second special session began. Within days, the GOP scheme to engineer a rare mid-decade redistricting had been rammed through the Texas House and Senate.
there is no question in my mind that rfk jr is the most dangerous person in this administration and that his eugenicist ideology threatens the lives of millions of people www.advocate.com/politics/dem...
Josephine Lee: @josephinelee.bsky.social -------------------------------------- Texas Observer: @texasobserver.org Subscribe to their newsletter: www.texasobserver.org/home/subscri... Donate to Texas Observer: texasobserver.fundjournalism.org/donate/
New from @Josephinelee.bsky.social: Many of Jodey Arrington's constituents stand to lose access to both their healthcare and their local hospitals under the tax-and-spending bill, which will slash Medicaid and ACA spending by more than $1T and knock 10M more people off of insurance nationwide.
Featured story, from @candicebernd.bsky.social: “It’s been an open secret in the Legislature for a while that if your bill has the word ‘climate’ in the caption, it’s not getting a hearing. That has been true for many sessions.”
Texas Rep. Orchestrated Big Beautiful Cuts That Could Harm Rural Hospitals in His District: Jodey Arrington’s district is home to more rural hospitals than any other in TX; roughly a 1/4 of those are at risk of closing under the new law, a recent study showed. www.texasobserver.org/jodey-arring...
“Robert Kennedy Has Gutted Our Best Defense Against Future Pandemics mRNA technology saved America’s bacon in 2020. Now RFK Jr. is defunding it.” @ryanlcooper.com prospect.org/health/2025-...
“Judge Rules Ohio’s Voucher System Unconstitutional”- That ruling found that using public funds to subsidize tuition at private religious schools violates the Ohio Constitution’s ban on directing “school funds” to religious or sectarian institutions. prospect.org/education/20...
The Texas Legislature is moving forward with replacing the STAAR with three tests, but parents say the high stakes for districts, schools, teachers, and their students will only increase. www.texasobserver.org/texas-legisl...
“Map Shows States Pushing to Mandate Ten Commandments in Schools” 8/24/25 www.newsweek.com/map-shows-st...
NEW: We sent a letter to Texas school districts warning them not to implement a new law that requires all public schools to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom. This week, a federal court deemed the law “plainly unconstitutional.” Public schools are not Sunday schools.
Health insurance carriers request raising ACA premiums by more than 20% on average in Texas by www.texastribune.org/2025/08/21/t...
“In Texas, rural schools are often the hubs of their communities. The state’s new program could compromise that.” By @claywickham.bsky.social www.texasmonthly.com/news-politic...
From 2023: The U.S. has the worst maternal mortality rates of any wealthy country, by a lot, and the rates are increasing. The rate of Black mothers dying is more than twice as high as that for white women.
Out yesterday from @liseolsen.bsky.social: Beathard was put to death in 1999 for murders that his co-defendant claimed to have committed without him. A new documentary-in-progress seeks to bring his case to light.
New today from @francescadnunz.bsky.social: “He has never been imprisoned or had a criminal record. His life has always been marked by hard work and integrity. He has no connection to the Tren de Aragua case.”
Our top story: The Texas Legislature is poised to pass what transparency advocates warn is “the most massive secrecy grab in Texas since the adoption of the Public Information Act.”
From Mihika Manocha: From removing librarians on campuses to requiring teachers to cut personal pronouns from their email, the quiet attacks on personal expression and free speech have become apparent throughout Texas school districts.
From @francescadnunz.bsky.social: “He has never been imprisoned or had a criminal record. His life has always been marked by hard work and integrity. He has no connection to the Tren de Aragua case.”
The GOP States With Guards Deployed to D.C. Have Urban Murder Rates Way Higher Than D.C.’s prospect.org/blogs-and-ne...
Introducing the September/October 2025 issue of Texas Observer magazine, with cover art by Adrià Volt, and stories by Michelle Pitcher, Julie Poole, Francesca D'Annunzio and more. Become a member to get our magazine 6 times per year: texasobserver.fundjournalism.org/join/
From @josephinelee.bsky.social and @michellepitcher.bsky.social in 2024: 24 Texas prison units still have agribusiness operations. Nine are located on former plantations. Incarcerated workers harvest many of the same crops that slaves and later convict laborers did from 1871 to 1910.
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...
“This is the most massive secrecy grab in Texas since the adoption of the Public Information Act.” Our top story, from @michellepitcher.bsky.social: A move to "standardize" police personnel files could have devastating consequences for transparency.
From @josephinelee.bsky.social: “Until we fix the student assessment and the student school accountability system, students will continue to be taught to the test.”
From @candicebernd.bsky.social: “It’s been an open secret in the Legislature for a while that if your bill has the word ‘climate’ in the caption, it’s not getting a hearing. That has been true for many sessions.” www.texasobserver.org/gop-flood-re...
From @marytuma.bsky.social: “We continue to be underfunded while the demand—and the stakes—grow. And it’s not as if the attacks on abortion have slowed down in Texas, we still deeply need investment, possibly now more than ever.”
20 years after Katrina, the storm still lingers. Join @motherjones.com, @capitalb.bsky.social & Texas Observer in Houston for an evening of stories, action & resilience. When: Sept 10 | 7PM Where: Julia Ideson Building, Houston, TX Tickets: bit.ly/KatrinaEvent2025#Katrina20 #TheLingeringStorm
If held to the same standards, 27 private schools identified by ProPublica and The Texas Tribune through tax filings likely would have violated state law. … meant to prevent self-dealing and conflicts of interest if they were public. www.texastribune.org/2025/08/13/t...
Texas pumped $8.5 billion to schools statewide, but failed to raise the basic allotment to adjust for inflation. Districts are still reporting budget cuts. www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/art...
Texas parents says the state’s proposal to replace the STAAR offers no real reform, just more punishment of schools, teachers, and students. @texasaft.org www.texasobserver.org/texas-legisl...
“The state is using the assessment to punish campuses and teachers and other students … and parents don’t want to be a part of that system.” New from @josephinelee.bsky.social: The state's testing system is massively unpopular in both parties. Will we actually replace it with something better?
From @josephinelee.bsky.social: David Peña sees about 60 patients a day, but he tries to understand each one as a veteran with “their own story.” He says it’s becoming increasingly challenging—worker morale dropped after his department lost two supervisors this year.
An accurate story by @josephinelee.bsky.social. I've used VA medical care for 21 years, including 13 here in Texas. Once considered the jewel of the American healthcare system, the process for accessing VA care has become endlessly frustrating and barely usable.
New from @josephinelee.bsky.social: Workers in the Veterans Affairs Health System face increasing hostility, delays, and dwindling support. The struggle is even harder for the 45% of workers who are vets too.
Featured story: Michael Li, a Texas native and redistricting expert at @brennancenter.org, gives us his take on the redistricting plan which sent Democrats fleeing from Texas again.
“We’re not walking out on our responsibilities. We’re walking out on a rigged system that refuses to listen to the people we represent. As of today, this corrupt special session is over.” But how long can Democrats really stay away?
“The whole system is premised on commodifying human beings.” From @sandywestreporter.bsky.social in our magazine: In the aftermath of Roe v. Wade, adoptions are on the rise in Texas. But some private foster care and adoption agencies may have crossed serious ethical lines.
The IRS said clergy and houses of worship should be allowed to make political endorsements, a potential move away from a 71-year-old policy that banned the mixing of religion and politics.
“Majority of Houston police calls to ICE have come on traffic stops.” www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...
Because of a statutory requirement to automatically impose budget cuts when legislation increases the deficit … Medicare is one of the programs that will face the axe, and the damage sums to $490 billion over the next ten years. @ddayen.bsky.social prospect.org/politics/202...
State-appointed HISD superintendent Mike Miles has been boasting about higher test scores under state takeover of the district. The higher scores are partly due to holding students back from less rigorous math and science courses. www.texasmonthly.com/news-politic...
Hill Country flooding: Here’s how to give and receive help. www.texastribune.org/2025/07/05/t...
New Texas charter schools approved by the Texas Education Agency and the State Board of Education consistently overpromise and underdeliver for Texas students and families. #txed
Texans deserve transparency, especially when it comes to our kids’ schools. For years, Mike Morath’s TEA has operated in the shadows – wasting taxpayer dollars and dodging oversight. Now, thanks to our budget amendment, a full forensic audit is on the way. #txlege
From our amazing friends at @firstfocus.bsky.social - Three Ways that the Reconciliation Bill’s School Voucher Program Hurts Public Schools firstfocus.org/updat... #SchoolVoucherScams
“ JD Vance on Republican megabill: ICE funding matters, ‘everything else' is 'immaterial’: To hear the vice president tell it, ICE funding is more important than health care, the national debt and feeding the hungry. It's a tough sell.” @stevebenen.com www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddo...
The GOP has something to say about kicking 17 million Americans off their health care
NEWS: Republican lawmakers quietly buried an obscure line in their tax cut bill that gives a $200 billion tax cut to their private equity donors when they take over companies, load them up with debt and fire all their workers. www.levernews.com/wall-street-...
The Senate bill “is projected to cost more than $3 trillion during that time, but it would be partially paid for with about $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid. Almost 12 million lower-income Americans would lose their health insurance by 2034.” @nateweixel.bsky.social thehill.com/policy/healt...
This is bullshit. Trump’s withholding billions for afterschool programs, professional development, student enrichment and other public education investments. On the same day a billionaire tax cut and Betsy DeVos school voucher scheme pass the Senate.
Trump’s Labor Department is seeking to hack labor protections for workers from federal minimum wage and overtime protections for home care workers to organizing protections for farm workers. news.bloomberglaw.com/daily-labor-...
A beautifully written piece by @chiltontippin.bsky.social about how Conchos Valley farmers, fishermen, and everyday residents are impacted by the shrinking Rio Conchos and the U.S.-Mexico struggle for water from the river. www.texasobserver.org/rio-conchos-...
After Texas made performing abortions a felony, miscarriage became more dangerous. The number of blood transfusions in ED visits for first-trimester pregnancy loss shot up by 54%. My latest: www.propublica.org/article/texa...
“Republican Sen. Thom Tillis went to the Senate floor and slammed the GOP’s plans for drastic Medicaid cuts — warning Republicans they are about to ‘make a mistake on health care and betray a promise.’” www.politico.com/live-updates... Inside Congress Live
After Hurricane Beryl @texasobserver.org reported on the need for generators at Houston’s community centers. www.texasobserver.org/hurricane-be... It looks like it’s finally coming. www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/hou...
“The Justice Department is aggressively prioritizing efforts to strip some Americans of their U.S. citizenship.” @jaclynmdiaz.bsky.social www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/new...
Zohran Mamdani: “This Is The Heart Of The Battle For The Future Of The Democratic Party” www.levernews.com/zohran-mamda...
Featured story: "Fundamentally, I don’t think that the House on the Republican side was prepared to operate in the environment that’s normally here. And that is: It’s not necessarily D versus R. It’s often House versus Senate at the end."
From the archives, by @kitoconnell.com: Lawrence v Texas was a landmark Supreme Court decision that changed lives for LGBTQ Americans everywhere, but it built on decades of activism and direct action in our state.
Our top story: Meet Dinastía Charra, a team of escaramuzas from Alvarado who perform intricate competitive riding to music. It’s traditionally the only all-female event in the Mexican equestrian sport known as charrería. www.texasobserver.org/dancing-on-h...
Beyond stereotypes: "As we celebrate Pride Month, I am struck by the contrast of what I know to be true about this region and what the popular narratives may be—behind the curtain of these filters imposed by outsiders, the Valley boasts an abundance of creative, powerful, and joyful communities."
Introducing the July/August 2025 issue of our magazine, with reporting from @sandywestreporter.bsky.social on predatory adoption agencies, Chilton Tippin on international politics & natural resources, & much more. Become a member, starting at just $3/month: texasobserver.fundjournalism.org/join/
“Petty had played a dual role as prosecutor and judicial clerk in Midland County … often performing both duties on the same cases and even drafting judicial orders in response to motions he’d filed as a prosecutor.” @liseolsen.bsky.social www.texasobserver.org/moonlighting...
“‘It’s not a detention center, it’s a prison,’ said Islam Musaev, a Kyrgyzstani man who remains detained as his successful asylum case is appealed by the government. ‘There is no difference.’” www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...
jordanbarab.com/confinedspac...
“Our extremist state officials and their billionaire backers have created a perfect storm of putting profits over people.” No one should risk their health and safety so billionaires can make a few more cents. Every worker deserves a water break! (via @josephinelee.bsky.social / @texasobserver.org)
There hasn’t been mass firings (yet) but 11 OSHA offices are expected to close.
It’s getting hotter here in Texas and a long-awaited hearing on a proposed OSHA workplace heat protection rule is set for June 16, but workers are uncertain to get relief under Trump. @jbarab.bsky.social @repcasar.bsky.social @texasaflcio.bsky.social www.texasobserver.org/osha-heat-st...
New from @josephinelee.bsky.social: “For far too long, Texas workers have been forced to work through extreme heat—at times even losing their lives. The basic rights of all workers—and lives—are at stake.”
A deep investigation by @oldpete45.bsky.social using open source data uncovers new clues in a cold case on the murder of a Texas oilman. 👇 www.texasobserver.org/new-leads-in...
How John Fetterman Became “Trump’s Favorite Democrat”: Grassroots progressives used to love him. Now they wonder what the hell happened to him. @abbyvesoulis.bsky.social www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Ten Sneaky Sleeper Provisions in Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill prospect.org/blogs-and-ne...
For decades, the Texas Apartment Association has influenced lawmakers to weaken tenants’ rights. Now they want the right to evict tenants without a court proceeding. @megankimble.bsky.social www.houstonchronicle.com/projects/202...
Texas Republicans just passed a bill forcing every teacher to post the Ten Commandments in their classroom. They passed it on the Sabbath… breaking the 4th Commandment. Maybe they should try following the Ten Commandments before mandating them.
Texas Republicans want to force every public school teacher to display the Ten Commandments in their classroom. I asked the bill author a simple question: “Is there a separation of church and state?” She refused to answer.
“I wanted to show that people aren’t what you make them out to be. You don’t have to kill us. You don’t have to throw us away for the rest of our life. We’re capable of changing and making the right decisions in life.” @michellepitcher.bsky.social www.texasobserver.org/life-after-d...
SCOTUS rules against publicly funded religious charter schools. www.cnn.com/2025/05/22/p...
A detailed summary of Health Provisions in the 2025 Federal Budget Reconciliation Bill www.kff.org/tracking-the...
“In 15 states this year, according to a review by The Lever, lawmakers have introduced so-called “judicial deference” laws, which would stack the deck against state regulators.” @katyaschwenk.bsky.social www.levernews.com/the-new-war-...
“If you ever needed evidence that Trump is phoniest of phony populists, here it is. He's not even bothering to lip-sync anymore.” @jaredb-econ.bsky.social open.substack.com/pub/econjare...
“Judge blocks Trump administration’s mass layoffs at Education Department” www.dallasnews.com/news/2025/05...
🔥 WATCH: “They won’t even read their own bill!” Rep. Leger-Fernandez (D) shames Rep. Jason Smith (R) for refusing to read a part of the Republican bill that gives a tax break for TANNING BEDS while slashing trillions in health care for seniors and the poor. 🤔 #TrumpsTrillionsTransfer
To understand what the GOP is forcing through at midnight: •Gutting $880 billion from Medicaid •Gutting $500 billion from Medicare •Gutting funding for SNAP (food assistance) •Gutting clean energy protections, which will also cost 400,000 jobs 1/2
Featured story, from @josephinelee.bsky.social: The Observer carried out a wide-ranging investigation into whether Texas Partnerships, state-backed charter arrangements. have actually benefited Lone Star State kids in struggling schools. The results were troubling.
"Some National Weather Service offices, including Jackson, no longer have overnight staff from midnight to 7AM. All three Kentucky offices - Jackson, Paducah and Louisville - are short-staffed. There is no meteorologist in charge at any of the three offices..." www.kentucky.com/news/state/k...
“I’m for truth, no matter who tells it. I'm for justice, no matter who it is for or against. I'm a human being, first and foremost, and as such I'm for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” — Minister Malcolm X He was born 100 years ago today. Rest in power.
Ilyasah Shabazz, daughter of Malcolm X, remembers her father on what would have been his 100th birthday.
The GOP's plan to gut Medicaid in order to pay for billionaires’ tax cuts would force hospitals to close. Help us raise awareness about the dangers of Trump’s Tax Scam: docs.google.com/document/d/1...
While folks were wrapping up their weekends, House Republicans were sneaking through Trump’s tax scam—one that slashes Medicaid, cuts food assistance, and makes the rich richer. If this bill passes all the way through, 13.7 million people will lose their healthcare coverage.
“The Senate substitute for the bill represents just 4% of the funding necessary to address increased costs to operate student programs and fund classrooms,” says Northwest ISD. www.nisdtx.org/news-events/...
Superintendent Mark Estrada at Lockhart ISD says that under the Senate plan, “The added impact for students is zero.”https://x.com/lockhartisd/status/1923516035639943470?s=46
Midway ISD Superintendent says the Senate plan would leave the district with a $5 million deficit. www.midwayisd.org/announcement...
“A record amount of money with a very narrow scope will produce this continuation of deficit budgets across Texas. I promise you that,” Bobby Ott, superintendent of Temple ISD in Central Texas, said in this video. www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAyn...
Texas school districts slam the Senate’s school finance plan: “It’s like your house being on fire, and the fire department showing up with a 12 oz cup of water.” @texasaft.org @texasdemocrats.bsky.social @raiseyourhandtexas.bsky.social @everytexan.bsky.social @idraedu.bsky.social
New from @josephinelee.bsky.social: A state Senate education bill offers just $55 in additional funding per student, a paltry sum (even compared to the House version). Public school advocates and superintendents say its not nearly enough to cover their deficits.
A GOP budget proposal would give $5 billion to federal vouchers for private-school tuition for all 50 states; provide a tax kickback to the rich; and drain $3 billion+ annually from public schools across America. @danagoldstein.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/2025/05/13/u...
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Texas Already Gives Public Ed Dollars to Private Operators: A third of these campus private partnerships have already ended. Many have failed state academic ratings. @texasaft.org @atpe.bsky.social @menendez4texas.bsky.social @nathanfortexas.bsky.social www.texasobserver.org/texas-partne...
“We’re giving away hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars without any real accountability.” From @josephinelee.bsky.social: Our investigation into "Texas Partnership" charter schools revealed academic and financial issues, in a program with little oversight.