The Evening Brief: June 19, 2013

Culled

•    Texan Perry’s New York Shopping Trip (Bloomberg): "The eyes of Texas are on New York businesses. Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s 2013 business poaching tour rolled into New York City today with a meeting for potential recruits at Hill Country Barbecue in the Flatiron District. … Perry said he would make a decision to run again for governor before July 1. 'Later in the year, if there’s more expansive plans than that we’ll announce at the appropriate time.'"

•    Cruz tells Rush Limbaugh that Gang of 8 immigration bill might prompt flood of 30 million undocumented workers (Houston Chronicle): "In a radio interview with Rush Limbaugh on Wednesday, Sen. Ted Cruz warned that the Gang of Eight immigration plan would prompt a flood of illegal immigration — 20 million or 30 million undocumented workers within the next decade or two. When asked by the conservative commentator why Democrats support the Gang of Eight bill, the freshman Republican from Houston said that it is pure politics and that it is a way to create more Democratic voters."

•    Ted Cruz: Put IRS agents on the border to stop illegal immigration (The Dallas Morning News): "Sen. Ted Cruz says he has a way of dealing with two hot-button issues – illegal immigration and IRS targeting conservative groups — at the same time. 'Take every one of those IRS agents and put them on our southern border.' Speaking to Tea Party activists at a rally in Washington, the freshman Texas senator allowed that the idea was mostly as a joke, but suggested it could have some merit. “If you were crossing the border illegally and you saw an army of IRS agents, you’d turn around and go home.'"

New in The Texas Tribune

•    Dewhurst Tweet on Abortion Bill Raises Eyebrows: "A tweet by Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst that uses an advertisement by a reproductive rights group to praise the Senate’s approval of abortion restrictions late Tuesday evening was the subject of plenty of attention Wednesday."

•    Texas School Finance Trial Goes for Round Two: "After hearing brief arguments on whether to reopen evidence in the school finance case because of laws passed during the legislative session, state district court Judge John Dietz announced Wednesday that a new, six-week trial will begin in January."

•    North Texas Town Upset With Perry's Veto of Water System Measure: "State Rep. Charlie Geren and leaders in the North Texas town of Blue Mound are upset that Gov. Rick Perry vetoed a bill that would have made it easier for the town to gain control of its water system, which is currently in private hands."

•    U.S. House Immigration Bill Sets Up Reform Fight: "As stakeholders focus on the U.S. Senate during the debate on comprehensive immigration reform, the House has begun marking up a measure that would expand local immigration enforcement powers."