(C) Texas Tribune This story was originally published by Texas Tribune and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . The Blast: It’s a nerds’ world [1] [] Date: 2024-06 Jun 26, 2024 | View in browser Renzo Downey is out until tomorrow. This edition of The Blast is brought to you by Texas Tribune fellow Isaac Yu and the rest of the Tribune politics team. 1 day until the first presidential debate NERD ALERT In a since-deleted Facebook comment, Houston Mayor John Whitmire wrote that Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo’s fiancé “sure looks like a nerd” — prompting Hidalgo and other self-professed nerds to hit back at the mayor. Hidalgo told Houston Public Media she thought Whitmire’s comment was “cruel,” though she also embraced the nerd label at a press conference Tuesday, saying, “Not only is [my fiancé] a nerd, but I’m a nerd too.” Whitmire left the comment Monday evening on a Facebook photo Hidalgo posted from her bridal shower, in which she was seen posing next to her fiancé, David James. A spokesperson for Whitmire told Houston outlets that the mayor “was having a lighthearted moment and meant no harm,” adding that he “congratulates the happy couple and wishes them well.” The episode was the latest in a series of clashes between the Houston area’s top two elected leaders, both of whom are Democrats. The bad blood dates back to Hidalgo’s 2022 reelection campaign, when Whitmire criticized the county’s approach to public safety, drawing an angry retort from Hidalgo. Some of Hidalgo’s allies also called Whitmire out for not endorsing Hidalgo in her tough battle against Republican Alexandra del Moral Mealer, whom she narrowly defeated in November. Hidalgo last year backed Whitmire’s rival in the Houston mayoral election, U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee. The tension has carried over into Whitmire’s mayoral tenure, which began in January. Last month, Hidalgo and Whitmire held dueling press conferences to brief residents about severe weather conditions hitting the area. Weeks later, after a major thunderstorm rolled through Houston, Hidalgo and Whitmire held a joint presser where they awkwardly clashed. Hidalgo sought to deliver her remarks in Spanish while Whitmire tried to call up another official to speak. Former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, who privately butted heads with Hidalgo but was publicly aligned with her on disaster response, jabbed at Whitmire’s “nerd” comment in a social media post, writing, “I am honored to always be included and be among fellow nerds.” — Jasper Scherer The Texas Tribune thanks its sponsors. Become one. HIDDEN AD ETHICS COMMISSION FINES BIEDERMANN It was a rough primary season for House Republican candidate Kyle Biedermann, who falsely suggested the governor and lieutenant governor supported his campaign, defended the conduct of disgraced former Rep. Bryan Slaton and then was defeated by state Rep. Ellen Troxclair of Lakeway. To make matters worse, the Texas Ethics Commission this week fined Biedermann $5,000 for failing to disclose $55,000 in political contributions during his unsuccessful campaign. Biedermann's campaign attributed the error to a clerical mistake. The fine was one of several the Ethics Commission issued to candidates and officeholders of both parties this week. Another notable enforcement action was levied against Democratic Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo for making a political endorsement during a news conference using county resources. She'll have to pay a $500 fine for that infraction. — Zach Despart The Texas Tribune thanks its sponsors. Become one. HIDDEN AD CASAR’S CHILD LABOR FIGHT U.S. Rep. Greg Casar, a Democrat from Austin, protested a House Agriculture Committee meeting with meat industry leaders after his amendment to combat child labor in the meatpacking industry got nixed from the Farm Bill. The amendment would have barred the Department of Agriculture from contracting with meat packing facilities with “serious, repeated, or pervasive” records of child labor. The committee voted down the amendment last month, opting instead to commission a study into child labor. Industry advocates asserted it can be challenging to assess workers’ ages. Republicans criticized Casar for introducing the amendment late in the process without giving members enough time to review it. The Ag committee met with industry leaders Wednesday. Before joining the meeting, Casar called the meeting a “sham” for industry leaders to cook up excuses for not cracking down on child labor. “We know that bartenders aren't serving 13-year-olds when they walk into the bar because they can tell regardless of what their ID says that that child is 13 or 14,” Casar said. “I think multibillion-dollar companies can do the same thing.” — Matthew Choi The Texas Tribune thanks its sponsors. Become one. HIDDEN AD Join us in Dallas or online Thursday, July 11, for “Inside the Interim: A conversation with Dallas lawmakers.” Whether it’s education, the state budget or housing affordability, state lawmakers will have a long list of priorities to address during the 2025 Texas legislative session. Nathan Johnson, D-Dallas, and State Rep. Morgan Meyer, R-University Park, will talk about their priorities for the 2025 Texas legislative session and what it all means for the city. Dallas lawmakers including state Sen., D-Dallas, and State Rep., R-University Park, will talk about their priorities for the 2025 Texas legislative session and what it all means for the city. James Barragán , the Tribune’s politics reporter, will moderate. RSVP today HIDDEN IMAGE U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz will join victims’ advocates in Dallas tomorrow for a field hearing on deepfake pornography. His new bill seeks to force social media platforms and websites to more quickly remove revenge porn. will join victims’ advocates in Dallas tomorrow for a field hearing on deepfake pornography. His new bill seeks to force social media platforms and websites to more quickly remove revenge porn. U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt will be among a handful of special guests at the RNC’s presidential debate watch party in Atlanta tomorrow night, along with a handful of Trump VP hopefuls. Dinner tickets are $10,000 per couple. will be among a handful of special guests at the RNC’s presidential debate watch party in Atlanta tomorrow night, along with a handful of Trump VP hopefuls. Dinner tickets are $10,000 per couple. U.S. Reps. Colin Allred, Marc Veasey, and Lizzie Fletcher introduced a bill to study staffing shortages and other issues at agencies operating on the southern border. HIDDEN IMAGE Gov. Greg Abbott appointed Norman Roy Garza Jr. to head the Texas Space Commission, which was created last year. to head the Texas Space Commission, which was created last year. Laura Atlas Kravitz will join the state government affairs team at the Texas Department of Transportation. HIDDEN IMAGE HIDDEN IMAGE SPONSOR MESSAGES Healthcare has changed. Shouldn't your communications strategy? Groundswell Health works only with healthcare organizations. And we do it differently. See how. BeforeDuringAfter is designed to help Texas small businesses prepare for, respond to, and ultimately recover from natural disasters and other unpredictable incidents. UTSA has an exclusive formula for keeping our best and brightest In Texas. You won’t believe their impact! 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