Austin, TX
Texas House Democrats fined over $9,000 each for 2025 quorum break
AUSTIN, TEXAS – AUGUST 5: Many seats remain empty during the session in the House Chamber at the Capitol in Austin, Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025. A quorum was not present after most Democrat state representatives left Texas to break quorum and block a vote
AUSTIN, Texas – Texas House Democrats who broke quorum in August 2025 while attempting to stop a Republican-led redistricting effort received letters letting them know they would face fines.
Fines and financial breakdown
What we know:
In the letter addressed to Minority Leader of the Texas House of Representatives, Rep. Gene Wu, Texas House of Representatives Committee’s House Administration Chair, Rep. Charlie Geren, confirmed the House of Representatives would fine Representatives $9,354.25 each for their two-week quorum break.
The fines include a $500 per day penalty over the 14-day quorum break, totaling $7,000 per member. House Democrats also face an additional $2,354.25 fine. Rep. Geren says that penalty pays for the $124,940.08 spent attempting to compel members’ attendance.
Redistricting and the quorum break
The backstory:
Democrats left the state in an attempt to block the redrawn Texas congressional maps that were eventually passed on Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2026, in an 88-52 vote.
Fines are being assessed under rules enacted in 2023, after the Texas House Democrats members broke quorum after leaving the state for 38 days to block GOP voting restrictions in 2021. Those rules prohibit members from using campaign funds or fundraising to pay the fines, forcing them to pay out-of-pocket.
Democratic response
What they’re saying:
In a news release by the Texas House Democrats on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, Chair Rep. Gene Wu referred to the redistricting map and once again explained the reasoning for breaking quorum in August 2025.
AUSTIN, TEXAS – AUGUST 18: Rep. Gene Wu, D-Houston, holds his permission slip, granting him permission to leave the House Chamber, after the session ended for the day at the Capitol in Austin, Monday, Aug. 18, 2025. (Jay Janner/Austin American-States
“We broke quorum because Governor Abbott held flood victims’ hostage for his intentionally racist map designed to steal the voices of millions of Black and Latino Texans,” said Texas House of Representatives Minority Leader Rep. Gene Wu.
“Faced with Republican inaction on flooding and voting rights, we took action, and every day we were gone, we did exactly what our constituents wanted us to do: fight for them. Breaking quorum is a constitutional right, and we will use every tool available to challenge these fines.”
The Source: Information in this article was provided by the Texas House Democratic Caucus and previous FOX 7 reporting.
Austin, TX
Antisemitic incidents in Rhode Island fell by half in 2025, ADL says
There was a significant reduction in the number of antisemitic incidents in Rhode Island in 2025, according to a national Jewish advocacy group.
According to the Anti-Defamation League’s latest Audit of Antisemitic Incidents, there were 26 antisemitic incidents in the state last year. That’s down from the 52 incidents counted by the group in 2024.
Samantha Joseph, New England regional director of the Anti-Defamation League, says a big reason for the reduction is a steep decline in antisemitism on college campuses.
“It shows that campus administrators are taking their responsibilities very seriously to provide a safe environment for all of their students,” said Joseph.
Brown University had over $500 million in federal funding frozen by the Trump administration last year following investigations into alleged antisemitism on campus. The funding was restored after Brown reached a settlement with the administration.
The reduction in antisemitic incidents in Rhode Island reflects a wider trend in New England as a whole. According to the ADL’s report, there were 400 antisemitic incidents in the region in 2025, compared to 638 the previous year.
While she’s pleased about the overall drop in antisemitic incidents in Rhode Island, Joseph says a number of concerning trends continue to persist. In particular, the state is still seeing more anti-Jewish incidents than it did prior to the October 7 attacks on Israel that launched the Gaza War in 2023.
Joseph is also concerned about the violent nature of local incidents of antisemitism.
“Even though overall incidents are down, assaults are up and assaults with a deadly weapon are up significantly,” said Joseph. “Our communities remain concerned for their safety, and our work is far from done.”
Austin, TX
Live blog: Severe thunderstorms possible in Central Texas
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Severe thunderstorms are possible Sunday evening as a cold front arrives in Central Texas. KXAN’s First Warning Weather Team will keep you updated on the weather coverage.
Risks to be aware of are damaging wind gusts that could reach as high as 60 to 75 mph and large hail up to quarter size.
Weather Resources:
Live Updates:
5:22 p.m.: A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is issued for all counties except for Milam County.
3:51 p.m.: A Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been issued for Mason, San Saba, and Lampasas County until 9:00 p.m.

3:30 p.m.: The primary risk for Sunday’s severe weather is damaging wind gusts which could cause power outages.
3:26 p.m.: Storms will likely move toward the I-35 corridor around 6 p.m. Most of the storms will enter the Hill Country around 6 p.m. and the Austin metro counties after 8 p.m.
Austin, TX
Letter to the editor from Texas emeritus professor on Dell donation
Video of new Texas Tech System chancellor home at historic Lubbock property
The Texas Tech System is acquiring the historic Tudor Revival ‘English Home’ in Lubbock to serve as the new chancellor’s residence.
Money and rankings don’t make a great university. Providing opportunities for disadvantaged students and protecting academic freedom, however, do.
Case in point: Michael and Susan Dell recently surpassed $1 billion in giving to the University of Texas at Austin, launching a plan to build a new medical center and advanced research campus in north Austin.
To be sure, this is a magnanimous gift that will fund important initiatives. While enormously grateful for this contribution, I am disappointed that this gift was not accompanied with a strong message from Michael Dell admonishing the University for gutting DEI and infringing upon academic freedom.
As a colleague of mine astutely observed: “Good luck recruiting doctors and med students. The attacks on DEI and political climates will mean a lot more than rankings and money long-term.”
UT System Board of Regents Chairman Kevin Eltife, referencing the Dell gift, is right: “We are transforming this site into a new campus the world has never seen before.” Yes, never seen, but in a very negative and dangerous way!
Last week, I received a message from the Texas Exes: “This is your last chance to show your support during 40 Hours for the Forty Acres, UT Austin’s Texas-sized fundraising event. Can we count on you?”
My answer: “No, absolutely not. I won’t give one dime to a university that no longer is committed to diversity and preserving academic freedom.”
Having proudly taught at UT for 41 years, I am sad to say this.
– Richard Cherwitz, Ph.D. is the Ernest A. Sharpe Centennial Professor Emeritus, Moody College of Communication and Founding Director, Intellectual Entrepreneurship Consortium (IE) at The University of Texas at Austin.
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