The Brief: Women Take the Stage for Clinton

The Big Conversation

Women with connections to Texas took the stage on the second night of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia to rally support for Hillary Clinton, whom the party officially nominated for president on Tuesday.

As the Tribune’s Abby Livingston reports from Philadelphia, Cecile Richards, the president of Planned Parenthood and the daughter of the late former Gov. Ann Richards, argued that Clinton will best advocate for women and abortion rights. Richards referenced the recent Supreme Court ruling overturning some of Texas’ restrictions on abortion in her address.

Richards also offered what she thought her mother might say about the first woman being nominated for the presidency by a major party: “I can almost hear Mom saying, 'Well, it sure took y’all long enough,'” she said.

Geneva Reed-Veal, the mother of Sandra Bland, also addressed the convention. The death a year ago of Bland in a Waller County Jail a few days after her arrest during a traffic stop brought national attention to the issue of race and police action.

In other convention news, Patrick Svitek reports in the Tribune that “U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, has set off a new stir in Texas politics with his remark that he will consider challenging U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, in 2018.”

Trib Must Reads

Texas vs. the Feds — A Look at the Lawsuits, by Neena Satija, Lindsay Carbonell and Ryan McCrimmon — Since President Obama took office in 2009, the state of Texas has sued his administration at least 42 times. Here's a look at each of those cases.

Abortion Booklet Revisions Called Even More Inaccurate, by Aneri Pattani — Texas health officials are revising a controversial booklet that doctors are required to give to women seeking abortions. Some medical experts say the new version contains even more misinformation than the old one.

Analysis: A Temporary Hitch in Plans for Some of Texas’ Political A-List, by Ross Ramsey — A couple of rising stars in Texas — Ted Cruz and Julián Castro — have left their predictable political orbits for uncharted journeys. Although you’ll hear otherwise, it’s silly to say they’ll never get up. Time is on their side.

Major Ken Paxton Donor Paying $3.5 Million Federal Fine, by Khorri Atkinson — Embattled Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's office assisted with a federal probe involving a major donor who gave the indicted Paxton a $100,000 gift last year to offset his growing legal bill.

Lawmaker Asks Ken Paxton to Step In on Car Registration Spat, by Madlin Mekelburg — Amid a turf battle between the state's Department of Motor Vehicles and some Texas counties over who should handle vehicle registration renewals, a state lawmaker has asked Attorney General Ken Paxton to weigh in.

Tensions Erupt at Texas Democrats' Convention Breakfast, by Patrick Svitek and Abby Livingston — A contentious scene unraveled in Philadelphia Tuesday morning at a meeting of Texas delegates after one criticized Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee and a favorite of Lone Star State Democrats.

Charges Dismissed Against Anti-Abortion Activists Who Made Video, by Alexa Ura — Criminal charges against the anti-abortion activists behind undercover recordings of a Houston Planned Parenthood facility were dismissed on Tuesday.

News From Home

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Elsewhere

(Links below lead to outside websites; content might be behind paywall)

Mexican-American history textbook already being sold, despite controversy, Houston Chronicle

Abortion rights activist tells Texas Dems that Trump wants to keep 'women in the home,' The Dallas Morning News

San Antonio begins process to fund big-ticket infrastructure projects, San Antonio Express-News

Texas leads nation in deaths of law enforcement officers, The Associated Press

Grand jury will soon hear case against officer in Breaion King arrest, Austin American-Statesman

State officials work to shut down casino-style gaming in East Texas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Officer says he wasn't allowed to testify in Bland case, Houston Chronicle

Pope Francis tells Valley youth to overcome walls in pursuit of their dreams, San Antonio Express-News

Quote to Note

“Hillary knows that when a young black life is cut short, it’s not just a personal loss. It is a national loss. It is a loss that diminishes all of us.” 

— Geneva Reed-Veal, the mother of Sandra Bland, in an address to the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia

Trib Events for the Calendar

•   Life on the Border: Rhetoric or Reality? on Aug. 4 at The Centennial Club in McAllen

•   The Texas Tribune Festival on Sept. 23-25 at the University of Texas at Austin

•   TribFeast: A Dinner To Support Nonprofit Journalism on Sept. 24 at the University of Texas at Austin's Etter-Harbin Alumni Center