Eye on Politics: Border standoff in Eagle Pass
NORTH TEXAS — The State of Texas says it's holding the line in Eagle Pass after the Supreme Court rules the Biden administration can cut razor wire installed by the state. A judge in the whistleblower case against the Texas Attorney General's Office orders Ken Paxton to be deposed, but he's appealing the decision. Congressman Colin Allred goes one-on-one with Jack Fink to discuss how he plans to discuss his campaign for U.S. Senate.
Jack covers these stories and more in this episode of Eye on Politics (original air date: Jan. 25).
Every week, CBS News Texas political reporter Jack Fink breaks down some of the biggest political stories grabbing headlines in North Texas and beyond. Watch the latest episode of Eye on Politics in the video player above and stream new episodes live every Thursday at 6 p.m. on CBS News Texas.
Stand-off at the U.S.-Mexico border
This week the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that Border Patrol agents can cut razor wire put up by the state to keep migrants from illegally crossing the border.
Gov. Greg Abbott posted on X that Texas won't back down from its "efforts to secure the border in Biden's absence." The state is installing more wire.
This comes as the Texas National Guard is preventing Border Patrol from going into Shelby Park, which is along the Rio Grande in Eagle Pass, except for a boat to be launched on a ramp there.
CBS News Texas anchor and reporter Ken Molestina recently returned from Eagle Pass. You can watch his report below and watch his discussion with Jack about the trip in the video player at the top of this page.
AG Paxton ordered to sit for deposition in whistleblower case
A judge in Austin has ordered Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to sit for a deposition on Feb. 1 as part of the civil lawsuit filed by four whistleblowers against the AG's office.
This comes after Paxton and his office filed court papers saying they are no longer contesting the lawsuit. Paxton asked the judge to vacate her order, but the judge decided against that. Paxton has appealed the judge's decision to the Third Court of Appeals in Austin.
The four whistleblowers went to the FBI nearly three and a half years ago accusing Paxton of bribery, among other things. The allegations led to the Attorney General to be impeached by the Texas House last year, but he was acquitted on all impeachment articles by the Texas Senate.
Jack spoke with Blake Brickman, one of the whistleblowers last Friday.
"It's remarkable, a complete 180 he's done," Brickman said.
Watch Jack's interview with Brickman below:
One-on-one with Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Colin Allred
One of the key political races this year is for U.S. Senate. Nine Democrats are vying or their party's nomination to unseat two-term incumbent Ted Cruz.
A new poll by Emerson College Polling and Nexstar Media found 29% of Democratic primary voters surveyed planned to support Congressman Colin Allred, while 7% said they will back State Sen. Roland Gutierrez and 6% support former Nueces County District Attorney Mark Gonzalez.
Jack went one-on-one with Allred this week to ask how he plans to win the primary and whether he'll be able to do it without going to a runoff.
Watch that interview below:
