Texas
Texas Republican hits back after Trump Jab: “New phone. Who dis?”
Former Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan hit back at President Donald Trump’s criticism of him on Tuesday about his retirement from politics, saying, “New phone. Who Dis?”
Why It Matters
The strained relationship between Trump and Phelan continues to potentially underscore divisions within the Republican Party, particularly in Texas.
Trump’s previous attempts to unseat Republicans who may have crossed him, coupled with Phelan’s survival against a Trump-endorsed primary challenger, highlighted the ongoing power struggle between establishment figures and Trump-aligned conservatives.
What To Know
In 2024, Phelan fended off a fierce primary runoff challenge from David Covey, who had received an explicit endorsement from President Trump. Phelan secured victory in the GOP runoff, despite Trump rallying support for Covey.
President Trump’s opinion toward Phelan—who represented Texas House District 21 and served as Speaker from 2021 until 2025— potentially originated in 2023 when Phelan led the failed Texas House impeachment of Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, a high-profile Trump ally.
Trump has previously described Phelan’s impeachment of Paxton as “fraudulent” and an “absolute embarrassment” in prior Truth Social posts.
Taking to Truth Social on Tuesday, Trump took a new swipe at Phelan, saying, “Fortunately for the Great State of Texas, their Former Speaker, who is no longer Speaker, Dade Phelan, is quitting Politics. He was the one responsible for killing every Bill having to do with Voter Integrity and School Choice. Good luck in your next life, Dade!”
Phelan hit back on X on Tuesday, saying, “New phone. Who dis?”
What People Are Saying
D. Stephen Voss, political science professor at the University of Kentucky, to Newsweek via email on Tuesday night: “Trump has shown a consistent desire to remake the Republican Party in his image. Phelan did not toe the line, on occasion leading the Texas statehouse in a bipartisan way. In particular, Phelan cooperated in the impeachment of Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, one of the leading contenders for a Texas seat in the U.S. Senate.”
Voss continued: “For Trump to take swipes at Phelan is consistent with his past behavior. The bigger question is whether Trump’s unnecessary rhetorical volley at Phelan is a sign that he might wade into the Republican Senate primary on Paxton’s behalf, given that Paxton is thought to be neck and neck with incumbent Senator John Cornyn in the Republican Senate primary.”
Phelan in August on X announcing his retirement: “This video from Chuck Norris about my retirement in 2026 is my last #txlege House political ad. paid for by Texans for Dade. May God Bless the House and may God Bless the Great State of Texas! #HD21 #SETX”
Trump on Truth Social last year backing Covey: “David Covey is running against Dade Phelan, the Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, who led the Fraudulent Impeachment of the recently re-elected, in a landslide, Attorney General of Texas, Ken Paxton. David is an America First Conservative who will Secure the Border, Restore Election Integrity, Protect our Families and Military/Vets, and Defend our under siege Second Amendment.”
The president continued, “David Covey has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Texas’ 21st State House District—He will never let you down! Any Republican backing Phelan is a fool, and should be disassociated from the Republican Party — that’s how bad Phelan is, especially on, Election Integrity!”
What Happens Next
Phelan’s retirement will leave a vacancy in the Texas House, prompting speculation about who might succeed him and how the GOP will position itself in future legislative battles.
Dustin Burrows, a Phelan ally, has succeeded him as Speaker.
Update 11/11/25 11:05 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from D. Stephen Voss.
Texas
Co‑worker confesses to killing missing North Texas man and stealing his car, police say
A North Texas man reported missing earlier this week was found dead Friday, and police say a co‑worker has confessed to fatally shooting him and stealing his car.
The suspect, Gregory D. Lewis, 34, remains in custody and faces a forthcoming capital murder charge, according to the Fort Worth Police Department.
Lewis is accused of killing 31‑year‑old Thomas King, who had been last seen in his Taco Casa work uniform. King was reported missing on Tuesday after failing to return home Monday from the fast‑food restaurant in the 1100 block of Bridgewood Drive.
Car found at Arlington motel
Police said King’s car was found at the Quality Inn on I‑20 in Arlington, and surveillance video showed Lewis arriving in King’s vehicle shortly after King left work.
Detectives identified the man in the video and arrested him on unrelated charges.
Body discovered on Fort Worth’s East Side
King’s body was located on Friday in an open field on Fort Worth’s East Side, authorities said.
According to police, Lewis confessed to shooting the victim and stealing his car.
Medical examiner review pending
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner will determine the cause of death.
CBS News Texas has reached out to Taco Casa for comment.
Texas
Exclusive | Mexican mayor urged relatives in US to vote for Texas Dem for Congress who would ‘take care’ of their city
WASHINGTON — A Mexican mayor earlier this month urged her constituents to get their relatives in Texas to vote for House Democratic candidate Bobby Pulido because he would “take care” of their city if elected to Congress.
“We need to get out the vote for him,” said Patricia Frinee Cantú Garza, mayor of General Bravo in Nuevo León, less than two hours from the US border, in a recent Spanish-speaking Facebook reel,which The Post reviewed and translated.
“Talk to your families in the United States. Make sure they go vote,” Garza added, noting that she would be presenting the keys to the city to Pulido, a two-time Latin Grammy winner, on April 3.
“When he becomes a congressman,” she also said, “we want him to take care of Bravo.”
The city ceremony celebrating Pulido in General Bravo never received enough funding and was cancelled, the Mexican outlet El Norte reported.
Pulido has headlined concerts in General Bravo as recently as November 2023. Local officials promoted the show and the current mayor and her husband, then-mayor Edgar Cantu Fernandez, appeared.
“Bobby doesn’t know the mayor and has never met her,” a Pulido campaign spokesperson said in a statement. “He declined the invitation, didn’t attend the event, and isn’t responsible for unsolicited comments made by other people.”
Bradley Smith, a former chairman of the Federal Election Commission, said the statements wouldn’t pose legal or ethical issues for Pulido — but that the remarks may have a political cost, given the focus on foreign involvement in US elections in recent years.
“If you were making financial contributions, that would be a different thing, but just to exhort people to vote,” Smith said, “I don’t think that’s going to be a problem for them.”
Jessica Furst Johnson, a partner at the Republican-aligned campaign finance and election law firm Lex Politica, noted that event appeared to function as an in-kind contribution to Pulido’s campaign but it would be difficult to determine without “more details.”
Congressional Republicans have thus far failed to pass a bill this session aimed at beefing up identification requirements for voters when registering, though many have said laws as currently written are too lax and could lead to non-citizens casting ballots.
State investigations and audits have shown in recent years that thousands of non-citizens ended up being registered, but few have ever illegally voted. Those who have are federally prosecuted.
Pulido is challenging incumbent GOP Rep. Monica De La Cruz in the Texas district this November and has faced questions from the press about his ties to Mexico, where he has said he maintains a home for parts of the year.
The Latino music star admitted to splitting time with his family between there and Texas just two years before launching his campaign, telling a YouTube show in a 2023 interview that he’s a “summer Mexican” but “winter Texan.”
“We live on the border,” he has also said. “My wife and I have a house in Mexico. So, we travel there, and we spend time over there.”
There was no indication of a current mortgage on a property either there or in the US, according to financial disclosures that Pulido filed April 15 with the House. Those filings also revealed he holds a checking account at a Mexican bank.
“Bobby lives in his family home in Edinburg, Texas, where he was born, raised, and is raising his own family,” the Pulido campaign rep noted. “He is in complete compliance with all House disclosure rules — the property you are referencing is not his primary residence so is not required to be listed.”
Texas
Pushback grows over Texas governor’s threat to withhold public safety money
AUSTIN, Texas — Criticism is mounting over the threat to withhold public safety grants from Austin and other major Texas cities, with opponents arguing the move is politically motivated as both the governor and attorney general seek office this year.
“Defunding the public safety for political reasons was wrong when the Democrats did it; still wrong when the Republicans do it,” the former executive director of the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas, Charley Wilkison, wrote on X.
Criticism is mounting over the threat to withhold public safety grants from Austin and other major Texas cities, with opponents arguing the move is politically motivated as both the governor and attorney general seek office this year. (Photo: CBS Austin)
The statement came hours after Governor Greg Abbott threatened to cut $2.5 million in public safety funding to Austin. The governor expressed opposition to Austin’s decision to update its policy governing how police handle administrative warrants used by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in immigration detentions.
“The city has updated its general orders to align with state and federal law and also to protect the Fourth Amendment of Austin residents who should be free from unlawful search and seizure,” said Austin City Councilmember Mike Siegel.
ALSO| Gov. Abbott threatens to withhold $2.5 million from Austin regarding APD ICE policies
KEYE
Houston and Dallas are also facing similar threats from the governor.
“The statement from the governor’s office was really disappointing and frankly it’s wrong on the law and it’s wrong on what’s good for public safety,” Siegel said.
In a statement provided in response to a request for an interview, the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas said, “Law enforcement officers continue to be dragged into political warfare while real public safety issues are ignored.”
The president of the Austin Police Association did not respond to a request for comment regarding the potential impact on officers.
A request for comment to the governor’s office received a previously issued statement from Abbott’s press secretary, which read: “A city’s failure to comply with its contract agreement with the state to assist in the enforcement of immigration laws makes the state less safe. It can have deadly consequences. Cities in Texas are expected to make the streets safer, not more deadly.”
Siegel defended the city council’s position, stating, “I can speak for myself as one of 11 voting members of our city council. We’re not going to sell our values for a couple million dollars in public safety grants.”
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