November 21, 2025: All Newsclips

Lead Stories

The White House believes Ted Cruz is working to undermine Trump due to his 2028 ambitions

The White House and its allies believe Sen. Ted Cruz is taking positions antithetical to President Donald Trump from his perch as chair of the Senate Commerce Committee as a way to position himself against Vice President JD Vance ahead of 2028. And they’re not happy about it. Cruz has been making life difficult for the White House behind the scenes. He’s gone to battle over nominations, called a hearing for and been vocally critical of a top Trump appointee and unsuccessfully sought universal subpoena power, which would have given him the ability to call in anybody from the Trump administration and its close allies in the tech world. More recently, Cruz has thrown himself into the fight over who will run NASA. Sources told NOTUS that Cruz was gunning for Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who was previously the interim NASA administrator, to permanently head up the agency.

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Vance and the White House chief of staff, Susie Wiles, were pushing for Jared Isaacman — whom Trump originally nominated before withdrawing amid a feud with Elon Musk — making the NASA administrator fight a proxy battle between the two 2028 hopefuls. Vance and Wiles ultimately prevailed, and Isaacman was reappointed to the position. But Trumpworld believes Cruz is still creating roadblocks for Isaacman’s nomination. When the Senate returned after a record-long government shutdown, Republicans were surprised to see that Isaacman wasn’t listed on the markup schedule, despite having already undergone a confirmation hearing in April, three sources familiar with the matter told NOTUS. Instead, Cruz scheduled a hearing for Isaacman in early December. “The roadblocks that Ted is putting up in front of the president’s nominee for NASA administrator — someone who’s gone through the hearing and is qualified — only serve as a desperate attempt to relaunch a political career as a protest candidate,” a source close to Trump told NOTUS. “Ted has been terribly unserious as of late.”

Tariff impact on Texas economy revealed in Dallas Fed report

A report from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas reveals the initial effects of tariffs on Texas' economy during the first year of their implementation. The state's economy appears to generally have cooled in the fall after heating up over the summer, the report says.

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The most notable impact of the tariffs imposed on much of the world by the Trump administration has been rising prices. Of the 279 Texas businesses surveyed for the study, nearly half reported that input prices had risen as a direct cause of the tariffs, and more than a quarter of respondents said they also increased selling prices as a result. The report says firms with increased selling costs were those negatively affected by tariffs. Those unaffected by tariffs saw an inverse effect. What they're saying: "Input prices continue to increase as duties and tariffs take effect and remain in place," a respondent in textiles said. "We are unsure of demand and will also need to increase our prices due to rising costs." In addition to tariffs, policy uncertainty, declining immigration and other risks weigh on the economic outlook for Texas. Oil prices have dropped below $65 per barrel, which the report notes is the generally accepted minimum price to indicate profitability for drilling new wells.

Delayed September report shows U.S. added 119,000 jobs, more than expected; unemployment rate at 4.4%

The U.S. economy added substantially more jobs than expected in September, according to a long-awaited report Thursday from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Nonfarm payrolls increased by 119,000 in the month, up from the 4,000 jobs lost in August following a downward revision. The Dow Jones consensus estimate for September was 50,000. The July total also was revised down to 72,000, a decrease of 7,000 from the prior release. In addition to the headline jobs number, the BLS said the unemployment rate edged higher to 4.4%, the highest it’s been since October 2021. A broader measure that includes those not looking for jobs or working part-time for economic reasons edged lower to 8%. Average hourly earnings increased 0.2% for the month and 3.8% from a year ago, compared to respective forecasts for 0.3% and 3.7%.

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The report ends a data drought on the labor market that began in early September and continued through the record 44-day government shutdown. Agencies including the BLS, the Bureau of Economic Analysis and others were prohibited from collecting or releasing data during the period. This was the first BLS jobs report since the count for August that was released Sept. 5. It also was the second since Trump fired then-BLS Commissioner Erika McEntarfer on Aug. 1, following a July jobs report that contained massive revisions for prior months. “September’s jobs report shows the labor market still had resilience before the shutdown, beating payroll expectations, but the picture remains muddy with August jobs revised to a job loss and the unemployment rate increasing,” said Daniel Zhao, chief economist at jobs site Glassdoor. “These numbers are a snapshot from two months ago and they don’t reflect where we stand now in November.”

Short on cash, D.N.C. took out $15 million loan in October

The Democratic National Committee took out a $15 million loan last month to replenish its shrunken coffers before elections in Virginia and New Jersey and to keep operations fully funded entering 2026, according to party officials and documents reviewed by The New York Times. Tapping a line of credit outside the crucible of a midterm or presidential election year is unusual for a major party committee, and it is the latest sign of financial distress for the official arm of the Democratic Party. The D.N.C. entered November with $18.3 million on hand — $15 million of which came from the loan. By contrast, the Republican National Committee entered November with $91.2 million in the bank and no debts. New filings arrived on Thursday with the Federal Election Commission. A summary of the D.N.C.’s monthly financial statement was reviewed in advance by The Times.

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The D.N.C. moved quickly to use the borrowed money, sending $3.2 million each to the New Jersey and Virginia governor’s races in recent months, as well as giving $175,000 to the Pennsylvania Democratic Party to mobilize voters before elections for the state’s Supreme Court. Democrats swept all those contests, and others across the nation. Ken Martin, the chairman of the D.N.C., said in a statement to The Times that the decision to take out loans in his first year leading the party arm had been strategic. “We can’t win elections or fight back against Trump if the D.N.C. downsizes operations like it often does after a presidential cycle,” Mr. Martin said. “I made a bet that investing early would build power, rack up wins and rally supporters back to the table. That bet is paying off.” Mr. Martin, a former state party chairman in Minnesota, has a deep-seated belief in the importance of spending early on organizing. The party said that Democratic-coordinated campaigns this year in New Jersey, Virginia, Pennsylvania and California had trained 17,000 volunteers, knocked on 2.5 million doors and made 8.5 million phone calls. The national party itself has approximately 250 people on staff this fall, federal records show, growing after post-election layoffs in 2024 had reduced the footprint to closer to 200.

State Stories

Dan Crenshaw disputes report that House leaders banned him from foreign travel

U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw disputed a news report Wednesday that the chair of the House Select Committee on Intelligence banned him from traveling abroad following an incident on a trip to Mexico in August. According to a Punchbowl News story based on anonymous sources, during drinks one evening, a Mexican official made a "crude joke" that made one of the women present uncomfortable. Crenshaw, a Houston Republican who chairs the select committee's Subcommittee on Defense Intelligence & Overhead Architecture, reportedly toasted the comment, prompting Rep. Rick Crawford, an Arkansas Republican who chairs the select committee, to block him from traveling on the committee's behalf for three months. In a social media post Wednesday, Crenshaw said he had "big problems with this clickbait story," adding the House Ethics Committee had cleared him for a trip in October that was ultimately cancelled due to the government shutdown.

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"Once again, we are dealing with the usual media playbook of publishing sensational stories based on anonymous sources and incorrect facts," he wrote. Crawford's congressional office and the select committee on intelligence did not respond to requests for comment Thursday. Punchbowl News stood by its report Thursday, pointing out that the House Ethics Committee only signs off on trips paid for by outside groups, not committee-sanctioned travel. "Crenshaw was barred from international taxpayer travel for 90 days by the chair of his committee," wrote Jake Sherman, founder of Punchbowl. Crenshaw's office confirmed that the October trip was to Lebanon and paid for by the non-profit American Task Force on Lebanon. The office declined to comment on whether Crenshaw had been placed under a travel ban by Crawford.

Texas braces for heavy rain and flash flooding as storm continues

Storm conditions are expected to continue in Texas, which has already had impressive rainfall this week. A flash flood watch is in effect for 12 million people in parts of north-central Texas, including Dallas and stretching all the way to the Mexican border at Del Rio. It is expected to remain in effect through Friday morning. The heaviest rain is forecast to hit west of San Antonio through noon, with expected rainfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour and the possibility of up to 4 inches in three hours. The same area faces a marginal risk of severe storms with the possibility of damaging winds, hail and an isolated tornado. By Thursday night, areas in south-central Texas are expected to get 1 to 3 inches of rain, with isolated totals possibly reaching 6 to 8 inches. Parts of north-central Texas could get 1 to 2 inches of rain locally, with possible totals of up to 4 inches. So far, areas north of Dallas, including Plano, have gotten over 3 inches of rain.

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Jasmine Crockett says person made ‘white supremacist threats’ at her office

Representative Jasmine Crockett says her congressional office was targeted by a man who delivered what she described as "white supremacist threats." In a statement, Crockett said the episode underscored what she views as a climate of rising political hostility, fueled in part by rhetoric from national leaders. "Today an individual showed up to my D.C. office and made white supremacist threats and hand gestures. Everyone is safe, and I want to thank Capitol Police for their swift response," she said, warning that "this cannot become the norm."

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The incident highlights growing concerns about the safety of elected officials amid an environment of escalating political aggression. Crockett’s warning that such behavior is becoming normalized reflects broader fears that violent rhetoric—especially when amplified by national figures—can translate into real-world danger. Crockett argued that incendiary language from the president has heightened risks for members of Congress, saying that when he "spreads hate and lies," targets opponents, and "openly calls for the death of sitting Members of Congress," it "puts a literal target on our backs." She said the incident illustrates why she requires security and why threats intensify "every time I speak truth, stand up for my constituents, or call out corruption." On Thursday, President Trump accused a group of Democratic lawmakers of committing "SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH" and called for their arrest in a post on Truth Social after they released a video urging military personnel not to follow unlawful commands.

Dan Patrick-led religious liberty commission is solidly rooted in Texas

The Houston Republican was in New York for a meeting shortly after the November 2024 election, when his cell phone lit up. “Dan, are you looking for me?” President-elect Donald J. Trump asked the surprised Patrick, who described the call to The Dallas Morning News. “No, sir,” he replied in confusion. But as Patrick listened to his friend of more than a decade chat about his to-do list for a White House return – choosing his Cabinet and hiring roughly 1,000 staffers and advisers, for starters – Patrick thought of something to ask for. The government, Patrick told the president-elect, could create a commission of faith leaders and legal experts to explore ideas Trump floated during his first term as president – a strong, public response to “the belief by a lot of Christians” that there had been “an assault on people of faith” during the Obama years, Patrick told The News.

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“I think this is the perfect time to talk about this issue,” he told Trump. “Let’s do it,” Trump responded, according to Patrick. The nation’s first Religious Liberty Commission was officially announced six months later, on May 1, 2025, with Patrick at the helm and an unpaid, handpicked, Texas-heavy panel that’s capped at 17 members charged with exploring the issue of religious liberty in the U.S. and making recommendations to Trump on how to craft policies to protect it. Their mission: Make recommendations in the weeks leading up to the nation’s 250th anniversary that President Trump can turn into executive orders or laws he can push Congress to pass. Patrick said the commission’s goal through the public hearings is to “remind people of this magnificent inheritance that we have of religious liberty.”

“Ticking time bomb”: A pregnant mother kept getting sicker. She died after she couldn’t get an abortion in Texas.

Tierra Walker had reached her limit. In the weeks since she’d learned she was pregnant, the 37-year-old dental assistant had been wracked by unexplained seizures and mostly confined to a hospital cot. With soaring blood pressure and diabetes, she knew she was at high risk of developing preeclampsia, a pregnancy complication that could end her life. Her mind was made up on the morning of Oct. 14, 2024: For the sake of her 14-year-old son, JJ, she needed to ask her doctor for an abortion to protect her health. “Wouldn’t you think it would be better for me to not have the baby?” she asked a physician at Methodist Hospital Northeast near San Antonio, according to her aunt. Just a few years earlier, Walker had developed a dangerous case of preeclampsia that had led to the stillbirth of her twins. But the doctor, her family said, told her what many other medical providers would say in the weeks that followed: There was no emergency; nothing was wrong with her pregnancy, only her health.

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Just after Christmas, on his birthday, JJ found his mom draped over her bed, lifeless. An autopsy would later confirm what she had feared: Preeclampsia killed her at 20 weeks pregnant. Walker’s death is one of multiple cases ProPublica is investigating in which women with underlying health conditions died after they were unable to end their pregnancies. Walker had known that abortion was illegal in Texas, but she had thought that hospitals could make an exception for patients like her, whose health was at risk. The reality: In states that ban abortion, patients with chronic conditions and other high-risk pregnancies often have nowhere to turn. They enter pregnancy sick and are expected to get sicker. Yet lawmakers who wrote the bans have refused to create exceptions for health risks. As a result, many hospitals and doctors, facing the threat of criminal charges, no longer offer these patients terminations, ProPublica found in interviews with more than 100 OB-GYNs across the country. Instead, these women are left to gamble with their lives.

Austin ISD approves final school consolidation plan

The Austin Independent School District Board of Trustees voted early Friday morning to approve the district’s finalized school consolidation plan. It’s after the Thursday meeting ran long with community feedback. Over the last few weeks the district has taken feedback and changed the plan up twice before the overnight vote. The final recommendation that the board voted on includes the closure of 10 schools, including eight elementary schools and two middle schools. The district has delayed a vote on closing three additional elementary schools — Bryker Woods, Maplewood and Palm — until next year. A vote on district-wide school zone boundary changes has also been delayed until next year. With the closure of 10 schools, a total of 3,796 students have been reassigned to new schools based on their address. A total of 6,319 seats in the district have been eliminated under this proposal. After this final vote, the district’s turnaround plan will be sent to the Texas Education Agency for final review.

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Star-Telegram colleagues recall fearless editor who ‘lived and breathed news’

John Gravois, a man whose passion for journalism shaped both the Star-Telegram’s political coverage and the reporters who worked for him, died on Nov. 11. He was 67. Colleagues remembered Gravois for his passion for the craft and ability to make the people around him better. “I wanted to be John Gravois when I grew up,” said New York Times investigative reporter Jay Root, who worked under Gravois at the Star-Telegram. He had the best instincts, Root said, recounting how Gravois had a sixth sense that allowed him to envision how a story would play out after only learning a few facts. The Louisiana native took to journalism like a fish to water starting with his sixth grade school newspaper and graduating to a sports reporter position at his hometown paper at 16.

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At the Houma Courier, Gravois took on the persona of “Pierre the Cajun,” making weekly picks for high school football games. “The players, every time I got them wrong, they loved throwing me in the shower,” Gravois said in a 2023 interview with television station HTV Houma. Gravois’s sports reporting expanded from high school to college and professional sports before he made the switch to politics. Making the change was a natural fit, because in Louisiana and Texas there is not a lot of difference between the worlds of sports and politics, Gravois said in the same 2023 interview A story that uncovered a pyramid scheme in his hometown of Houma led Gravois to his first experience getting death threats. Still, he noted that people concerned about the pyramid scheme were looking to the local newspaper to uncover what was going on. “You have to have a willingness to confront power and not be afraid to ask powerful people questions,” Root said, adding that was something he learned from Gravois.

Public universities like UT-Austin don’t want to discuss Trump's Compact

As the stated deadline to sign the “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education” arrived Friday, multiple universities have already rejected the deal while only a few institutions have expressed interest. But among the public universities that were either formally invited to sign the compact or that participated in a call with the White House to provide feedback on higher education issues, none are willing to discuss their deliberations about the proposal or interactions with federal officials. Last month, Inside Higher Ed sent public records requests to Arizona State University, the University of Arizona, the University of Kansas, the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Virginia, seeking emails, text messages, internal presentations and other documents related to how presidents, trustees and other officials discussed the compact.

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As of Friday, none had provided those records. Only the University of Kansas indicated a willingness to do so, but it requested an up-front $100 fee for staff time to conduct the search. However, officials said they could not guarantee the requested records would be provided. Texas, meanwhile, has appealed to the state attorney general to avoid releasing the requested records. Now uncertainty abounds about what UT Austin will do on the day of the initial deadline, though conservative media has reported the Trump administration could push that date back (which officials did not confirm Thursday) as it struggles to find signatories. Some public universities, such as Arizona and Virginia, have rejected the compact outright, but others, like Arizona State, have noted they never received a formal invitation to join and therefore they have nothing to decline. But UT Austin has remained silent about whether it will sign the compact. Although University of Texas system Board of Regents chairman Kevin P. Eltife issued an early statement saying that he welcomed the “the new opportunity presented to us and we look forward to working with the Trump Administration on it,” officials have said little since then. In response to an Oct. 22 public records request from Inside Higher Ed, UT Austin shared only the initial emails exchanged by federal and university officials inviting the university to consider the compact, a copy of the proposal itself, and Eltife’s statement. The rest it wants to keep private. UT system officials argued in a letter sent Tuesday to the attorney general’s office that the requested records are protected by attorney-client privilege and should not be disclosed.

New U.S. attorney appointed for North Texas, DOJ announces

North Texas has a new United States attorney, officials with the Department of Justice announced on Wednesday. The attorney, Ryan Raybould, was nominated by President Donald Trump in October and named to the post this week by attorney general Pam Bondi, according to a statement. Raybould succeeds Leigha Simonton, who was appointed in 2022 by then-president Joe Biden. Simonton had previously served the district as an assistant U.S. attorney for 18 years, and resigned from the office in January, one day before Trump’s inauguration.

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As the chief federal law enforcement officer for the Northern District of Texas, Raybould will oversee roughly 220 U.S. attorneys in Dallas-Fort Worth, Amarillo, Lubbock, Abilene and surrounding areas, according to the statement. Prior to serving in the role, Raybould was a litigation partner at Kirkland & Ellis in the Government, Regulatory, and Internal Investigations Practice Group, officials said. He also served as a federal prosecutor in the Department of Justice for seven years, and as chief counsel to Texas Senator John Cornyn, according to the statement. Raybould received his juris doctor from Notre Dame Law School, officials said. His nomination is pending confirmation in the U.S. Senate.

'More than our mortgage': Texans weigh insurance options as premiums rise, federal subsidies expire

At the Prosper Health Coverage Center off I-35 in South Austin, volunteers and specialists are busy manning the phones and meeting in-person with Texans throughout the month of November. Clients who walk through the nondescript office’s doors seek free assistance enrolling in health insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace. Around 4 million Texans are currently enrolled in marketplace plans, often because they are self-employed or work for a small employer that does not offer insurance. This year, many of these customers — like Britta Lee, who asked to be referred to by her first and middle name due to privacy concerns — are being confronted with higher premiums. “We had to scramble to find a plan that even gives me close to the amount of coverage I had before, which means half of my doctors I have now I won't be able to go to next year,” Lee said after her Prosper Health appointment.

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After Lee learned her 2025 plan wouldn’t be affordable for next year, she searched the marketplace for a plan she could afford. She was able to find one, partly due to premium assistance she receives as a resident of affordable housing operated by Foundation Communities, the organization that oversees Prosper Health Coverage. But her monthly payment will still be higher. She said that will mean trimming an already tight household budget — from eating less meat to forgoing the occasional night at the movies. “Anything fun that we want to do, it has to be free, and we cannot travel at all,” she said. Lee isn’t alone. In states like Texas that use healthcare.gov, insurers are charging around 30% more next year, according to an analysis from the nonpartisan health policy organization KFF. Most Americans have their ACA insurance costs offset to some extent by federal subsidies called premium tax credits, depending on their household income. Back in 2021, the Biden administration enhanced those tax credits, giving poorer households more support and giving some middle income earners a subsidy for the first time. But that pandemic-era enhancement is set to expire in January. That means higher costs — more than double for many folks, according to KFF.

Muslim civil rights group sues Texas governor after terrorist accusation

The Council on American-Islamic Relations is fighting against Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s labeling of the Muslim civil rights group as a foreign terrorist organization, calling his action “illegal” and “defamatory” in a lawsuit filed Thursday (Nov. 20). On Tuesday, Abbott filed a “proclamation designating the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR as Foreign Terrorists and Transnational Criminal Organizations under the Texas Penal and Texas Property Codes” and argued that in doing so he could allow the state to shut down CAIR’s Texas chapters and ban them from purchasing land in the state. The federal lawsuit argues that Abbott improperly used his office to target the domestic nonprofit without due process and in violation of federal law. Attorneys representing the Texas chapters also allege Abbott’s designation is retaliatory, meant to silence CAIR after the group won three lawsuits against the governor in recent months.

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“This attempt to punish the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization simply because Governor Abbott disagrees with its views is not only contrary to the United States Constitution, but finds no support in any Texas law,” lawyers wrote in the suit filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. In recent years, several bills have been proposed in Congress to designate CAIR as a terrorist group, but none have passed. The U.S. State Department, under federal law, alone has the power to designate foreign terrorist organizations. States do not have the authority to make such a designation at a federal level and Abbott appears to be the first governor to attempt to do so at a state level. “Governor Abbott decided to appropriate that power to himself to retaliate against CAIR,” said attorney Charlie Swift of the Muslim Legal Fund of America, one of the groups suing Abbott and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. In Abbott’s proclamation, he alleged CAIR had ties to Hamas, which is designated as a terrorist group by the State Department. CAIR denies any such connection.

Trump Burger had four Texas restaurants. They've all changed their names

As Texas-born mini-chain Trump Burger expanded, it made headlines for its unabashed pro-Trump branding and walls covered in merchandise celebrating the president. Now, none of its four locations are going by the name Trump Burger. The Bellville outpost has become President Burger. The one in Flatonia bears signage reading MAGA Burger. The Kemah spot rebranded first as MAGA Burger USA, and then as Freedom Burgers & Beer Garden. The central Houston restaurant closed; it now appears to be in the process of reopening as Empire Pizza. The Houston Chronicle confirmed all of these name changes by visiting the stores in person this week.

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Roland Beainy, the public face of Trump Burger, declined to comment for this article, and his lawyer did not respond to requests for comment. Meanwhile, couple Suad Hamedah and Iyad Abuelhawa — who founded the original iteration of this concept, Trump Cafe, in 2016 before bringing Beainy on board then falling out with him — have accused Beainy of stealing the brand from them. They said they’re determined to get it back, and Abuelhawa told the Chronicle he plans to open a Trump Burger in Tomball next month. “I’m taking the restaurants back from him, because they’re mine,” Abuelhawa said. “Everything is mine.” The name Trump Burger, however, has raised trademark concerns. Trademark experts Vicky Smolyar and Feras Mousilli of Houston law firm Lloyd & Mousilli told the Chronicle in September that they did not think the restaurant name could be trademarked, because President Trump already owns the rights to use his name for restaurant branding. The Fayette County Record reported that the Trump Organization had sent a cease-and-desist letter to Trump Burger in February about its use of the Trump name. The Chronicle has not been able to independently confirm this with the Trump Organization. Hamedah told the Chronicle in July that she’d received a cease-and-desist letter from the Trump Organization. Trump Burger is mired in several other legal problems, including disputes between Abuelhawa and Beainy and between Beainy and a former landlord, as well as problems with immigration enforcement. ICE arrested both Beainy and Abuelhawa this year. Beainy was released on bond in June, pending future proceedings, according to an ICE spokesperson. Beainy declined to comment on the current status of his case.

Anna McAdams and Maurine Molak: We need Ted Cruz to help rein in Big Tech and protect kids

(Anna McAdams is the mother of Elliston Berry, who together worked to enact the federal Take It Down Act, making it a crime to publish nonconsensual intimate images online. Maurine Molak is the mother of David Molak, forever 16, the inspiration behind David’s Law, which empowers school administrators and law enforcement in Texas to fight cyberbullying. She is also the co-founder of Parents for Safe Online Spaces.) Parents all over the country are waking up to the dangers social media companies pose to their children. Sadly, many of them will discover, as we did, that the law has not caught up with the dangers posed by Big Tech. As the mothers of children who were victimized online, we tried to appeal to social media companies to change their policies to protect kids. They ignored us, choosing profits over kids’ safety. We’ve learned the hard way that without new laws to protect our children — especially in a world increasingly shaped by AI — Big Tech will ignore any ethical limits in pursuit of their bottom line. That’s why we’re calling on Sen. Ted Cruz, who has stood up to Big Tech before, to help us pass the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA).

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Anna McAdams’ daughter, Elliston Berry of Aledo, was a victim of deepfake technology when she was only 14. A male classmate found innocent photos of Elliston and eight of her friends in their homecoming dresses on Instagram and used an AI editing tool to remove their clothing. These fake nude images circulated widely online despite appeals to social media companies to take them down. Anna and her daughter were helpless, and the fake images stayed on Snapchat and other online platforms for nine agonizing months. Cruz understood the dilemma: Anna’s daughter and her friends had clearly been victimized but had no power to make Big Tech act responsibly. Anna worked with Cruz’s office to draft the Take It Down Act, which made it a felony to target, objectify and abuse a real person this way. The bill also created an obligation for Big Tech to take deepfake images down from their platforms within 48 hours of being notified by the victim. Under the senator’s leadership, the Take It Down Act was drafted and signed into law in just about four months. Now we are asking for Cruz to use his influence as chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce to shepherd through another critical piece of legislation. KOSA is desperately needed to help parents protect their kids from social media’s predatory designs.

US gangs now answer to Mexican cartels, Texas sheriff says

A curious thing happened when Mexico’s Gulf cartel began distributing cocaine in some South Texas counties. Local criminals who took pride in their toughness and independence suddenly found themselves answering to the cartel in their own turf. “The presence of Mexican cartels in the United States has changed how domestic organizations function. Street gangs, motorcycle gangs and other domestic criminal organizations have all been relegated to the status of mere contractors and subcontractors,” said Goliad County Sheriff Roy Boyd. “As such, they are beholden to act as commanded by their masters.” In Victoria and surrounding counties in South Texas, only cartel authorized dealers – namely the Houston chapter of the Mexican Mafia – could distribute and sell high-purity cocaine. All other dealers had to dilute their product by 50 percent or face consequences, Boyd said.

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The Gulf cartel then sent “undercover” buyers to test the purity of the product of independent dealers. Some people received warnings; others began to disappear, the sheriff said. “In total, our contacts on street advised that at least 10 dealers had refused to dilute their product and disappeared. Only one family went public and sought justice for their son. We never found him nor his remains,” Boyd said. The veteran lawman recently testified at a U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary hearing that the Mexican cartels about a decade ago took over control of migrant smuggling at the Texas-Mexico border. No migrant enters the country without paying a cartel tax, and being smuggled to jobs in the interior of the United States leaves each of them with a long-term debt that basically turns them into indentured servants, he said.

National Stories

Bush, Biden and former vice presidents honor Dick Cheney, while Trump, Vance snubbed for funeral invitation

Political figures from across the aisle gathered Thursday in Washington, DC, for former Vice President Dick Cheney’s funeral — sending off a key figure of pre-MAGA Republican politics. The funeral, which was attended by two former presidents and all living former vice presidents, was a bipartisan who’s who of Washington dignitaries yet with the notable absence of two of the country’s current leaders. Neither President Donald Trump nor Vice President JD Vance attended the service, and they were not invited to the funeral, according to a source familiar with the matter. Vance said Thursday that the former vice president was “a guy who served his country,” and wished his family “all the best in this moment of grieving.” Trump has not publicly expressed his condolences or commented on Cheney’s death.

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Cheney received full military honors at the invitation-only memorial service at Washington’s National Cathedral. Former Presidents Joe Biden and George W. Bush and former first ladies Jill Biden and Laura Bush attended as well as former Vice Presidents Kamala Harris, Mike Pence, Al Gore and Dan Quayle. Bush eulogized his former vice president as a consummate public servant who could be relied on, and who “lifted the standards” of those around him. “His abilities were self-evident, without need of calculation or self-promotion,” Bush said. “His talent and restraint exceeded his ego.” The former president recalled that Cheney was initially tapped to help him find a running mate during his 2000 presidential run. But after going over the list of names, Bush said he came to realize that Cheney himself was the best man for the job. The former president said Cheney rattled off a list of reasons why he should not serve as his running mate when Bush approached him with the idea. “I told him that, at such a moment, most in his position would have jumped at the chance, but Dick stayed detached and he analyzed it before I made my decision,” Bush said. “He insisted on giving me a complete rundown of all of the reasons I should not choose him.” Cheney would go on to serve two terms with Bush, becoming one of the most influential and powerful vice presidents in modern history.

Thousands of US hazardous sites are at risk of flooding because of sea level rise, study finds

If heat-trapping pollution from burning coal, oil and gas continues unchecked, thousands of hazardous sites across the United States risk being flooded from sea level rise by the turn of the century, posing serious health risks to nearby communities, according to a new study. Researchers identified 5,500 sites that store, emit or handle sewage, trash, oil, gas and other hazards that could face coastal flooding by 2100, with much of the risk already locked in due to past emissions. But more than half the sites are projected to face flood risk much sooner — as soon as 2050. Low-income, communities of color and other marginalized groups are the most at risk. With even moderate reductions to planet-warming emissions, researchers also determined that roughly 300 fewer sites would be at risk by the end of the century.

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“Our goal with this analysis was to try to get ahead of the problem by looking far out into the future,” said Lara J. Cushing, associate professor in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences at the University of California, Los Angeles who co-authored the paper published in the science journal Nature Communications. “We do have time to respond and try to mitigate the risks and also increase resilience,” she added, speaking at a media briefing Wednesday ahead of the study’s release. The study was funded by the Environmental Protection Agency and builds on previous research from California. Climate change is driving and accelerating sea level rise. Glaciers and ice sheets are melting, and the sea’s waters are expanding as they warm. In many places along the coastal U.S., sea level rise is accelerating faster than the global average because of things like erosion and land sinking from groundwater pumping, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Democrats are debating how to approach the new Marjorie Taylor Greene

Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett watched GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene apologize on national television for her role in perpetuating divisive rhetoric and immediately instructed her staff to see if the Georgia Republican wanted to work with her on a bill addressing lawmaker safety. Crockett had reached out to Greene on the issue shortly after Charlie Kirk’s assassination in September, without response. But now, with Greene’s public rebuke of President Donald Trump and her own party, Crockett sees even more potential in teaming up. “If you can put Marjorie and myself as co-leads on anything, it automatically gets attention, and it also reveals to the American public that we can bridge these gaps if we just decided that we want to,” Crockett told CNN.

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The pair don’t necessarily have a friendly history. Often seen trading insults during House Oversight Committee meetings, Crockett has dismissed Greene as racist and once referred to the congresswoman as a “bleach blonde, bad built, butch body.” No, Crockett said, she wouldn’t consider Greene a “Democratic bestie,” but she hopes they can develop a new working relationship. Crockett’s attempts to find common ground with Greene reflect a broader discussion in the Democratic Party about whether they should embrace Greene or if the congresswoman’s history of offensive, at times violent, rhetoric and conspiracy theories – often directed at Democrats – makes the idea just too unpalatable. In conversations with over a dozen Democratic lawmakers and aides, the proverbial scars from Greene’s incendiary past statements cut deep and, as a result, there’s no clear consensus on how to best work with her in the future. Greene’s office declined to comment for this story, but she called for unity in her recent interview with CNN’s “State of the Union.”

Viral warnings of planned ICE raids on churches have pastors worried

On Tuesday (Nov. 18), the pastor of an 80-person Latino Pentecostal church got a concerning WhatsApp audio message. The message, allegedly created by an unidentified pastor, circulating among Atlanta-area evangelical faith leaders, claimed massive immigration raids would occur there on Thursday and Friday. Soon, church members were sending him messages asking what they should do about the potential raids. By that evening at their teaching and prayer service, he had to address the rumor with his congregation. “Stay calm,” he told them in Spanish, but “take care of yourselves. Don’t go out if you don’t need to go out.” The pastor, who requested anonymity to protect his congregation, said he’d evaluate the situation on Thursday and make a decision about whether to cancel that day’s service three hours before its scheduled start.

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By Thursday afternoon, he decided to go on with his service, having seen a video from Luis Estrada, a Telemundo Atlanta anchor, saying the viral message was unreliable because of lack of evidence. The anchor noted the Trump administration’s pattern of targeting Democratic-led states, which if consistent, would exclude Georgia. But other pastors canceled their services, and Estrada said in the video he received over 100 messages asking about the mysterious audio. Faith leaders in other parts of the country were also worried this week, after a local news site in Massachusetts published a story warning of potential U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids on churches over the upcoming holidays went viral. The story was shared through social media channels and messaging apps before leaders could sort out whether the reports were true or not. ICE and other Department of Homeland Security officials have yet to raid a church building. But immigration agents have arrested immigrants on or near church property in at least a dozen instances so far this year, after the Trump administration rescinded an internal government policy discouraging raids on sensitive places like houses of worship. And fear of further escalation remains at the forefront in the minds of many worshippers at immigrant-heavy and Spanish-speaking churches, where attendance is down in many congregations.

‘I wanna blow this up’: How Bari Weiss is trying to overhaul CBS News

For a sense of Bari Weiss’s approach to leading CBS News in her first weeks on the job, consider a phrase the new editor in chief has used as a rallying cry in meetings with colleagues: “I wanna blow this up.” Weiss, the former New York Times columnist turned anti-woke crusader, is working to overhaul the organization’s evening news program, counter what she sees as a left-leaning bias in legacy media and make the newsroom operate more efficiently. She has been given a mandate for change by David Ellison, the new owner of CBS parent company Paramount, which bought her news and opinion platform the Free Press for $150 million. At the time of her appointment, Ellison said he tapped Weiss to bring to CBS “news that reflects reality” and journalism that “doesn’t seek to demonize, but seeks to understand.” Weiss is operating with Ellison’s full backing. His support gives Weiss the freedom to reshape the news division as she sees fit.

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She travels to New York City CBS offices with a caravan of SUVs and a gaggle of bodyguards, according to current and former employees. While some have poked fun at her entourage, Weiss has received threats that people close to her say warrant the protection. Weiss reports directly to Ellison. CBS News President Tom Cibrowski, meanwhile, reports to chair of TV media at Paramount, George Cheeks. Weiss and Cibrowski, who oversees much of the day-to-day business of CBS News, have developed a working rapport while she sketches out her vision for the future, people familiar with the matter said. Weiss has also spent time with some high profile talent, including Norah O’Donnell and Margaret Brennan. In recent days, Weiss has started talking more frequently with Cheeks about her strategy and approach, people with knowledge of the situation said. The hiring of a former opinion journalist with strong views on Israel and diversity, equity and inclusion is a major change for a traditional news organization known for award-winning programs such as “60 Minutes” and storied newscasters such as Edward R. Murrow and Walter Cronkite. Since the arrival of Weiss, high-profile departures have included the heads of standards and talent strategy.

Trump to meet with Zohran Mamdani in the Oval Office on Friday

President Donald Trump and Zohran Mamdani are set to meet in person on Friday, days after Mamdani, the New York mayor-elect, reached out to the White House to arrange a sit-down. Trump wrote Wednesday night on Truth Social post that Mamdani had asked for a meeting and that they "agreed that this meeting will take place at the Oval Office" this Friday. Trump said "further details" were forthcoming. A spokesperson for Mamdani confirmed the plans.

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“As is customary for an incoming mayoral administration, the Mayor-elect plans to meet with the President in Washington to discuss public safety, economic security and the affordability agenda that over one million New Yorkers voted for just two weeks ago,” spokesperson Dora Pekec said in a statement Wednesday night. Mamdani told reporters Monday that his team had contacted the White House to propose a meeting as part of a pledge to voters to “address the affordability crisis that is pushing so many of them out of the city” and that Trump's economic policies were contributing to high costs of living in New York. In an interview last week with NBC New York, Mamdani called a relationship with Trump “critical to the success of the city.” Trump, who endorsed former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who ran for mayor as an independent, has repeatedly referred to Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist, as a “communist,” while downplaying concerns from voters about the economy and costs of living. Trump recently hinted at a cooling of tensions with Mamdani after months of heated criticism between the two, saying Sunday that Mamdani had expressed an interest in coming to Washington and that “we want to see everything work out well for New York.” During his mayoral campaign, Mamdani pitched himself as a strong opponent to Trump and highlighted an agenda of curbing costs of child care, housing, groceries and transportation for New Yorkers.

Border Patrol has left Charlotte and plans to mobilize in New Orleans next

Border Patrol has ended its immigration enforcement operation in Charlotte, North Carolina, nearly a week after the agency first deployed agents to the state’s most populated city, the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office told NBC News Thursday. According to an official at the Department of Homeland Security, Border Patrol has been in contact with state and local officials in Louisiana as it plans to mobilize to New Orleans for its next operation. A senior DHS official tells NBC News the Border Patrol agents deployed to New Orleans will not begin operations until after the Thanksgiving holiday, though prep work may begin ahead of time.

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The Associated Press reported this week that Customs and Border Protection would begin a new operation targeting Louisiana and Mississippi, with troops preparing there as soon as Friday for an operation to begin on Dec. 1, according to documents obtained by the AP and three people familiar with the operation. The goal is to arrest 5,000 people who are in the country illegally in the coming weeks in a move the agency has dubbed “Swamp Sweep,” according to the AP. Two DHS officials who spoke with NBC News said it is unclear when Border Patrol will wind down the operation the agency kicked off in Charlotte on Saturday. One official said that the start date for the operation in New Orleans is unknown but that it could begin any day. In Charlotte this week, the operation dubbed “Charlotte’s Web” by DHS resulted in the immigration arrests of more than 250 people. The arrests put many residents and business owners in the state’s largest city on edge, sparking fears among immigrant families and prompting small businesses to shut down due to concerns around Border Patrol activity.

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