The Texas Report 7/21

The Texas Report 7/21

What’s Happening:

• Texas officially withdraws from a multi-state voter registration and crosscheck tool (More here)

• Department of Justice assessing allegations of “inhumane” treatment of migrants at Texas border (More here)

• Texas energy company ordered to pay $1.3 million over pollution in the Permian Basin (More here)

• Kidnapped Texas teen rescued in California after waving “help me” sign (More here)

Texas officially withdraws from a multi-state voter registration and crosscheck tool

On Thursday, the Secretary of State's office submitted Texas's resignation from a multi-state partnership used to combat voter fraud by cross-checking voter rolls and helping identify voters who have moved, died, or have duplicate registrations.

The program is the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) and has been a source of concern for conservative activists and some Republican states for the last few years.

ERIC was initially founded in 2012 by bipartisan election officials nationwide. Republicans held up the organization as the best resource for keeping up-to-date voting lists and combatting election fraud.

When Texas originally joined ERIC, Former Director of Texas Election Keith Ingram said, "Today's announcement that the Lone Star State will join ERIC is an important next step as we strive to identify and conduct outreach to eligible but unregistered voters. Through this outreach, our state will continue to foster an active and engaged citizenry by encouraging all eligible Texans to play an active role in our democratic process."

Ingram is still at the Secretary of State's office and is leading the state's efforts to create a new system going forward.

To give a little background on ERIC, the system was developed by a private sector company that essentially sold the platform at cost instead of charging a market price for the resource. States pay dues to fund the partnership and subsequently get access to resources to help clean their voter rolls.

Texas is the ninth Republican state to leave the program in the last year-and-a-half, joining Louisiana, Alabama, Missouri, Florida, West Virginia, Iowa, Ohio, and Virginia.

What's the concern

• ERIC has faced attacks from election deniers and conservative activists claiming that the organization was a front to allow progressives access to sensitive voter information.

• Other states have cited frustrations with the program, citing the cost to participate and requirements to contact potential voters eligible to vote but still need to register.

• ERIC supporters have raised concerns that there is no real alternative to the system, meaning states won't have similar access to resources to protect their voter rolls if they leave the partnership.

Some states have moved to try to replicate some of ERIC's services. POLITICO previously reported that Ohio was leading a group of states looking to find a way to police double voting without the organization's resources. But at this stage, there is little solid information about an alternative.

Texas withdrawing isn't a surprise as during the most recent 88th session, the legislature passed S.B. 1070 by Senator Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola), which essentially added limitations in statute to prevent Texas from participating in a program like ERIC unless it cost below $100,000 (among other things.)

ERIC isn't a well-known policy issue, but it is important because it signals a continuing concern about election security. Additionally, the state has regularly recognized the importance of participating in some program, like ERIC, due to it's ability to provide otherwise unavailable information on voter registration.

The Secretary of State's office is now tasked with establishing (or potentially joining) a new system, which comes as they're choosing a new vendor to retrofit the state's electronic elections administration system. Per the state, budget it appears Texas was paying $1.5 million for it’s participation in ERIC.

There will certainly be a significant amount of attention from both sides of the party, and we will keep you in the loop on the facts.

Department of Justice assessing allegations of “inhumane” treatment of migrants at Texas border

The Department of Justice is officially assessing the situation along the Texas-Mexico border following recent reports that Texas troopers were ordered to push migrants into the Rio Grande and not give them water.

This situation was first reported by the Houston Chronicle after a DPS medic shared emails he'd sent to his supervisors regarding the mistreatment of migrants along the Texas-Mexico border.

In a joint statement, The Office of the Governor, Texas Border Czar Mike Banks, Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Director Steve McCraw, and Texas Adjutant General Major General Thomas Suelzer denied any allegations of orders or directions being given that would compromise "those attempting to cross the border illegally."

The Governor also defended the decision to deploy tools and resources like the buoys and concertina wire, explaining that it's intended to discourage migrants from "making potentially life-threatening and illegal crossings."

This is the first public acknowledgment that the Department of Justice is assessing the issue, but does not constitute an open investigation.

"The department is aware of the troubling reports, and we are working with DHS and other relevant agencies to assess the situation," DOJ spokeswoman Xochitl Hinojosa told CNN.

The Inspector General for the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has received several additional complaints from DPS personnel on the front lines of the Texas-Mexico border regarding the treatment of migrants.

Texas was also recently sued by a Texas canoe and kayaking company for its decision to start deploying buoys as a barrier to attempt and deter migrants from crossing the river between the U.S. and Mexico.

It's not yet clear what action the Federal Government may try and take against the state, but the Justice Department has previously sued on border-related matters. Many prominent Democrats nationwide (primarily from Texas) have written letters encouraging the Justice Department to take action.

Texas energy company ordered to pay $1.3 million over pollution in the Permian Basin

A Houston-based oil company with facilities in the Permian Basin agreed to pay $1.3 million in penalties and place new measures to reduce pollution per the Environmental Protection Agency.

Callon Permian LLC, the EPA said “failed to comply with requirements for flares, tanks, and combustors as well as general requirements” of Texas’ federally approved plan to improve air quality.”

Callon must now work to decrease their excess emissions of methane, which is the primary component of natural and greenhouse gas accounting for about 20% of global emissions.

“This settlement will help protect residents of the Permian Basin from hazardous emissions and sends a strong message to facilities in the area that violate the health standards outlined in the Clean Air Act,” said the agency in a statement, adding these measures could reduce as much as 1.2 million pounds of VOCs and 4.6 million pounds of methane emissions.

Additionally the EPA expects Callon to incorporate changes in all 13 of its facilities by introducing inspections, equipment upgrades, and permitting reviews.

Kidnapped Texas teen rescued in California after waving “help me” sign

A 13-year-old girl from Texas was rescued in California after waving a "help me" note to a passerby after being kidnapped, sexually assaulted, and dragged across the country.

Steven Robert Sablan, 61, of Cleburne, Texas, was charged in the indictment with one count each of kidnapping and transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a press release. He is scheduled to be arraigned in downtown Los Angeles, California July 31.

According to the indictment, the victim was walking in San Antonio when Sablan raised a black handgun and ordered the victim to get into his vehicle. Sablam then drove the victim to California and went into a laundromat. While her kidnapper was preoccupied, the victim wrote "help me" on a piece of paper and got the attention of someone nearby, who informed police.

While searching the vehicle, officers retrieved a black BB gun, a "Help me" sign, and handcuffs.

Sablan was arrested, and authorities quickly discovered that the victim was reported missing from Texas.

Officials said Sablan could be sentenced to maximum life in federal prison once convicted.