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Texas AG Paxton won't contest facts of whistleblower lawsuit central to his 2023 impeachment

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Texas AG Paxton won't contest facts of whistleblower lawsuit central to his 2023 impeachment


AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sought to end a whistleblower lawsuit by former top staff members on Thursday, announcing his agency would not contest the facts of the case and would accept any judgement.

The lawsuit was brought by a group of former top deputies. They alleged they were improperly fired for reporting Paxton to the FBI on claims he was misusing his office to protect a friend and campaign donor, who in turn was helping Paxton conceal an extramarital affair.

The allegations in the lawsuit were among the impeachment charges brought against the Republican last year by the state House of Representatives, of which he was ultimately acquitted after a Senate trial. Republicans hold large majorities in both chambers.

Paxton’s attempt to push the lawsuit to closure comes as he faces the likelihood of having to sit for a deposition and answer questions under oath. Paxton did not testify during his impeachment trial.

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“There is clearly no length to which Ken Paxton will go to to avoid putting his hand on a Bible and telling the truth, including confessing to violating the whistleblower act and opening up the states’ coffers to an uncontested judgement,” said TJ Turner, lawyer for David Maxwell, one of the former assistants who sued Paxton.

Turner said he’s reviewing the motion and evaluating his client’s legal options.

“It does not end the case,” said Tom Nesbitt, a lawyer for another one one of the whistleblowers, Blake Brickman. “This is a pathetic bid for more delay by a coward.”

It was Paxton’s initial attempt to settle the case for $3.3 million and ask the state to pay for it that prompted House lawmakers to conduct their own investigation and vote to impeach him. As a term of that preliminary deal, the attorney general agreed to apologize for calling his accusers “rogue” employees.

But in a statement Thursday, Paxton again called the group “rogue former employees” and said it would be up to the Legislature to determine what they would be paid, if anything.

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“It has become increasingly clear their objective is not to resolve an employment lawsuit but to sabotage my leadership and this agency, ultimately aiming to undermine Texas as the nation’s leader against the federal government’s unlawful policies,” Paxton said.

___

Associated Press writer Jake Bleiberg contributed to this report from Dallas.





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Austin, TX

This Texas city has replaced Austin as the 4th-largest in the state. See the new list

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This Texas city has replaced Austin as the 4th-largest in the state. See the new list


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Another Texas city has replaced Austin as the fourth-largest city in the state, according to 2023 data released in November.

Population figures for Texas counties and places from July 1, 2023, and Jan. 1, 2024, were collected in the Texas Demographic Center’s 2023 Population Estimates report. Data from January 2024 shows a shift in the top four largest cities in the state, knocking Austin to No. 5.

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Here’s what the latest population estimates reveal.

Fort Worth replaces Austin as 4th-largest Texas city

Fort Worth has surpassed Austin as the fourth-most populous city in the Lone Star State, according to the Texas Demographic Center.

Population estimates from January 2024 show Fort Worth having 989,878 residents — nearly 3,000 more than Austin. Between 2020 and 2024, Fort Worth had an estimated 7.7% population increase, compared to Austin’s 2.6% population increase over the same period.

Another population analysis by Smart Asset showed New Braunfels and three other Central Texas cities had among the highest population growth rates in the entire U.S. over the past year. New Braunfels, Georgetown, Atascocita and Conroe were listed among the top ten cities with the highest population increases.

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LIST: 5 largest Texas cities as of January 2024

Here are the five most populous Texas cities, according to January 2024 data:

City 2020 Census Count July 2023 Pop. Estimate Jan. 2024 Pop. Estimate 2020-2023 Percent Change 2020-2024 Percent Change
Houston 2,304,580 2,318,653 2,318,657 0.6% 0.6%
San Antonio 1,434,625 1,487,588 1,496,876 3.7% 4.3%
Dallas 1,304,379 1,306,537 1,308,404 0.2% 0.3%
Fort Worth 918,915 978,863 989,878 6.5% 7.7%
Austin 961,855 984,290 986,928 2.3% 2.6%
Table by Alexis Simmerman/American-Statesman | Data by the Texas Demographic Center



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The 2025 BLAST.tv Austin Major: Date, Prize Pool, Info

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The 2025 BLAST.tv Austin Major: Date, Prize Pool, Info


The 2025 Counter-Strike season is upon us, and BLAST.tv’s next Major is drawing closer. This year’s Major will occur in Austin, Texas, and BLAST estimates it will be “one of the biggest esports events ever in the US” with an estimated “50,000 fans, plus millions tuning in from over 150+ territories and broadcast in 28 languages.” As we look forward to the upcoming year’s Counter-Strike esports, let’s examine everything we know about the 2025 BLAST.tv Austin Major, its key dates and prize pool.

The 2025 BLAST.tv Austin major will be BLAST’s second hosted Major tournament after the Paris Major in 2023. It will be the first BLAST.tv Major since Counter-Strike 2’s 2023 release, and the first United States Counter-Strike major since 2018. The event will feature 24 of the best Counter-Strike teams worldwide and progress through three stages: Opening, Elimination and Playoffs.

Related Article: All-Women’s CS2! 2025 ESL Impact Tour Schedule, Prize Pool

The 2025 Austin Major will take place in Austin’s Moody Center. BLAST.tv’s CEO Robbie Douek commented excitedly about the event:

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We are incredibly excited to bring the BLAST.tv Major to Austin, Texas. The city’s dynamic atmosphere, the cutting-edge Moody Center and track record of hosting world-leading events provide the perfect setting for what promises to be an unforgettable event. We look forward to showcasing the best of esports to a global audience and making a positive impact on the local community.

– Robbie Douek, CEO of BLAST

The 2025 BLAST.tv Austin major will occur in June 2025, with the summer in full swing. According to the event’s Liquipedia page, it will run from June 9 to June 22, 2025. Here’s a quick summary of each stage’s specific dates:

The 2025 BLAST.tv Austin Major has a sizeable cumulative prize pool of 1,250,000 USD. This prize pool will be split between the top eight teams in the event’s final standings. The winning team will receive a 500,000 USD grand prize, while second, third and fourth-place teams will also receive high rewards. The fifth to eighth-place teams will each score smaller shares of 45,000 USD.

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Related Article: Big Esports Tournaments of 2025





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Texas' goal-line wall will be tested by Arizona State

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Texas' goal-line wall will be tested by Arizona State


AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas defense seems to have built a big burnt orange wall at the goal line.

Late-game goal-line stands have helped keep the Longhorns moving toward a possible national championship. The latest was Saturday night in Texas’ 34-28 win over Clemson in the first round of the College Football Playoff.

“We’ve got big people, and they know how to play a physical brand of football,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said. “When we get challenged like that … I think that’s part of our identity.”

So here comes Cam Scattebo, Arizona State’s 5-foot-11, 215-pound All-American wrecking ball of a running back to try to knock it down.

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Texas’ win over Clemson sent the No. 5 seed Longhorns (12-2) to the quarterfinals against the Big 12 champion and No. 4 seed Sun Devils (11-2) in the Peach Bowl on New Year’s Day.

Skattebo put on a show the last time the Sun Devils were on the field. He scored three touchdowns, had 170 yards rushing and 208 all-purpose yards in Arizona State’s 45-19 win over Iowa State in the Big 12 championship game.

Skattebo bounced off tacklers, ran through others and outraced some more. He struck the Heisman Trophy pose a few times, then had a few things to say about it all afterward.

“Nobody respects the fact that I’m the best running back in the country. And I’m going to stand on that,” he said after the game. “I’m going to keep proving people wrong. And whatever NFL team takes me is going to get a gem.”

Skattebo brings some gaudy numbers to Atlanta to back it up.

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The AP All-American’s 19 rushing touchdowns and 22 overall are both tied for school records. He needs 75 yards to break the program’s single-season rushing record of 1,642.

He was twice the AP national player of the week. The first time was for his career-high 262 yards rushing amid his 297 all-purposed yards in Week 2 against Mississippi State. The second was for his game against Iowa State.

Texas players say they are ready for the Sun Devils’ battering ram.

“Yeah, I’m excited,” Longhorns defensive tackle Barryn Sorrell said. “My time being here, I feel like I’ve heard that a lot, that a team is going to come in here and run the ball on us, and I’d like to say there was a different result a lot of those times.

“Just looking forward to that challenge again,” Sorrell said.

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Sorrell was in the middle of fourth-quarter goal line stands that helped save wins against Texas A&M and Clemson.

Texas was clinging to a 17-7 lead in College Station when the Longhorns stuffed four consecutive runs inside their own 5. The win sent Texas to the SEC championship game.

Clemson had a chance Saturday to get within a touchdown in the final 8 minutes. A touchdown could have completely swung momentum their way.

But after reaching the Texas 1, two straight runs failed to reach the goal line. Sorrell was in on the tackle that stopped Clemson’s Keith Adams Jr. just short of a touchdown on fourth down.

“We take pride in not letting guys score or get in our paint,” Texas safety Andrew Mukuba said.

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Texas is not perfect at the goal line, however. Georgia won the SEC championship in overtime when Trevor Etienne bowled into the endzone from the Texas 4.

But they’ve been close enough to it to keep charging deep into the postseason.

“It’ll be an amazing challenge,” Texas All-American cornerback Jahdae Barron said of facing Skattebo. “He’s a hard downhill running back.”



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