Infomaniacs: August 23, 2016 (7:00am)

Media Release 10/29/2026:   (AUSTIN, TX) – The Office of the Attorney General (“OAG”) filed a lawsuit against the Harris County Clerk and the Clerk’s Director of Communications for running racially discriminatory advertisements. The Harris County Clerk’s office used Meta’s ad tools to intentionally target its “Get Out the Vote” style ads to certain racial and ethnic groups while avoiding targeting other demographics.    By classifying based upon race when advertising to provide Harris County voters with election information, the County Clerk’s office exceeded its authority. It engaged in racially discriminatory advertising in an effort to increase voter turnout among particular races and ethnicities, but not others.    The Office of the Attorney General identified racial discrimination in the County Clerk’s targeting of their “Get Out the Vote” advertisements on Instagram and Facebook. Meta’s platforms allow advertisers to “select the demographics, interests and behaviors of people they want to see their ads.” Publicly available advertising data shows that the County Clerk’s office intentionally directed these ads to certain racial and ethnic groups, but avoided similarly targeting other groups. Meta’s Ad Library shows that the Harris County Clerk’s office spent an estimated $43,429 in the past thirty days on one set of advertisements that it set to be shown preferentially to certain populations.    Because Attorney General Ken Paxton is a candidate on the November ballot, he has recused himself from the lawsuit. The State of Texas brings this action through the Office of the Attorney General. The State brings this ultra vires suit to ensure that all Texans have an equal opportunity to be informed of and participate in the electoral process, regardless of race or demographic.    To read the filing, click here.  Got a news tip? e-mail us at news@wtaw.com, text us at (979) 695-1620, or reach out on Facebook or Twitter/X.

The Brazos County Republican Party recently issued a resolution of condemnation against Bryan Mayor Pro-Tem James Edge. This comes after Edge publicly endorsed the Democratic Party candidate for United States Senate, James Talarico. The PDF order is attached at the end of this story. Here is the text from the organization released 10/29/2026: On the evening of October 3rd, the CEC of the Brazos County Republican Party approved a Resolution of Condemnation of James Edge, Mayor Pro-tem of the City of Bryan, Texas and City Councilmen Place 3, regarding the Democratic endorsement of United States Senate Candidate for the State of Texas, James Talarico. Mr. Edge, a former long time District Staff member of Republican Congressional House Member Bill Flores, fundraiser and long time party member, made the choice to not only endorse but Co-Chair “Republicans for Talarico” in an effort to use his resources and energy to ensure a radical Democratic prevails over a Republican for the United States Senate seat of The State of Texas. His previous, long term efforts for the Republican Party and advocacy for Conservative values makes his decision only more confusing and thus demands a clear and concise response. Additionally by use of the title of “Republican”, Mr. Edge has by his own actions, subverted and hijacked our Party’s name for his own personal political goals. This, specifically, is rejected by The Brazos County Republican Party. The title of “Republican” belongs to the members there-of and is not to be used to manipulate or confuse the public. James Talarico, should he win, might very well be the deciding vote on the passage of radical left policy’s that do not reflect Texas cultural and faith values. None of the positions held by him and thus endorsed and or supported for the United States Senate by Mr. Edge, reflect any of the Republican Party of Texas stated values nor a self described “conservative”. For the reasons described above and endorsed below and approved by the CEC membership of the Brazos County GOP, it is resolved: REPUBLICAN PARTY OF BRAZOS COUNTY County Executive Committee (CEC) RESOLUTION OF CONDEMNATION Concerning the public endorsement of the Democratic nominee for United States Senate by Bryan City Council Member and Mayor Pro Tem James Edge WHEREAS, James Edge serves as a member of the Bryan City Council and currently holds the office of Mayor Pro Tem of the City of Bryan, Texas; and WHEREAS, on or about September 10, 2026, the campaign of James Talarico, the Democratic nominee for United States Senate from Texas, publicly announced the formation of a group styled “Republicans for Talarico” and identified Mr. Edge as a founding member, listing him by his municipal offices and as a former Republican Party of Texas state convention delegate; and WHEREAS, in the statement attributed to him in that announcement, Mr. Edge described himself as a lifelong conservative Republican and stated that he is proud to support the Democratic nominee in the November 2026 general election; and WHEREAS, Ken Paxton is the nominee of the Republican Party of Texas for United States Senate, having been selected by the Republican primary voters of this state, including the Republican primary voters of Brazos County; and WHEREAS, the Republican Party of Brazos County exists to organize, support, and elect the nominees of the Republican Party, and the County Executive Committee is charged with carrying that purpose forward on behalf of the Republican primary voters of this county; and WHEREAS, Mr. Edge’s endorsement was made publicly, in his own name, and with express reference to his standing as a Republican and to the offices he holds in Brazos County, and was distributed statewide and nationally in that form; and WHEREAS, the members of this County Executive Committee are elected by Republican primary voters and owe those voters a clear statement of the Party’s position when a person publicly identified with this county’s Republican electorate campaigns for the opposing party’s nominee; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the County Executive Committee of the Republican Party of Brazos County hereby expresses its formal condemnation of the public endorsement by James Edge of the Democratic nominee for United States Senate; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this Committee reaffirms its support for the nominees of the Republican Party of Texas as chosen by Republican primary voters, and its commitment to working for their election in November 2026; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this Committee recognizes the right of every citizen to vote his or her conscience, and directs this resolution solely to the public campaign activity described above and not to any private ballot choice; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this resolution is an expression of the sense of this Committee only. It is not a censure under Rule No. 44 of the Rules of the Republican Party of Texas, it is not submitted to the State Republican Executive Committee (SREC) for concurrence, and it carries no penalty, sanction, or effect upon ballot access under those Rules; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Secretary of this Committee shall transmit a true copy of this resolution to Mr. Edge at his address of record and shall enter it in the minutes of this meeting; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that this resolution takes effect upon its adoption. Adopted by the County Executive Committee of the Republican Party of Brazos County on this 3rd day of October, 2026, by a vote of: 19 in favor, 1 opposed, 0 abstaining.   Got a news tip? e-mail us at news@wtaw.com, text us at (979) 695-1620, or reach out on Facebook or Twitter/X.

Media Release 10/29/2026: (AUSTIN, TX) — Texas Comptroller Don Huffines today announced an executive order barring any entity with financial participation by a convicted human‑trafficking offender from receiving a Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts contract or grant. Under the order, every contractor and grantee must certify that it is eligible under Texas Government Code Section 2155.0061, which bars financial participation by any person who, in the preceding five years, has been convicted of an offense related to the direct support or promotion of human trafficking, and must acknowledge that the agency may withhold payment or terminate the agreement immediately if the certification is inaccurate. “Human trafficking is pure evil, and Texas will not allow a single dollar of public money to flow to anyone connected to it,” Huffines said. “The government’s first duty is to defend the innocent. No agency, no nonprofit, no contractor should ever benefit from state funding if the organization has financial participation from someone convicted of such a horrific crime. “Texans should never have to worry that their tax dollars are supporting criminals engaged in the exploitation of women, children, or any vulnerable person. I am humbled and honored to defend Texans’ freedoms by ensuring our state funds are used responsibly, ethically, and in full alignment with our values. Zero tolerance means zero tolerance.” Texas law already bars a state agency from accepting a bid or awarding a contract that includes financial participation by a person who, in the preceding five years, has been convicted of any offense related to the direct support or promotion of human trafficking. That prohibition applies to state contracts but not to grants. Huffines’ executive order closes that gap by writing the eligibility certification into every contract and grant administered by the Comptroller’s office. Under the order, contractors and grantees must certify that they: Are eligible to enter the agreement under Texas Government Code Section 2155.0061, meaning no person with financial participation in the entity has been convicted in the preceding five years of an offense related to the direct support or promotion of human trafficking. Acknowledge that the Comptroller’s office may withhold payment if the certification is inaccurate. Acknowledge that the Comptroller’s office may terminate the agreement immediately, without further obligation, if the certification is inaccurate. These requirements will apply to all future contracts and grants administered by the Comptroller’s office. The agency will incorporate the human trafficking certification into all relevant solicitations and agreements going forward. The Comptroller’s office is writing payment-withholding and immediate-termination authority into its agreements to enforce the certification. The order follows Huffines’ Oct. 13 executive order banning the use of Comptroller grant money for Flock cameras, automated license plate readers, and other vehicle-identification systems; his Oct. 15 order barring taxpayer dollars for discriminatory Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives; and his Oct. 21 order barring businesses that demand COVID-19 vaccine passports from Comptroller contracts and grants. It is the latest in a series of new standard terms Huffines is writing into Comptroller contracts and grants to protect taxpayers and enforce Texas law. More will be announced in the coming weeks. Got a news tip? e-mail us at news@wtaw.com, text us at (979) 695-1620, or reach out on Facebook or Twitter/X.