Tag: texas

REPORT: Travis County Prosecutors Allegedly Drop CAPITAL MURDER Charges Against Two of the Four Suspects in Brutal Killing of InfoWars Reporter Jamie White

Travis County prosecutors have allegedly dropped CAPITAL MURDER charges against two of the four suspects involved in the brutal, racially-motivated killing of InfoWars reporter Jamie White—a 36-year-old father and journalist murdered outside his Austin apartment earlier this year.

Jamie White, 36, was found fatally shot in the parking lot of his apartment complex in March.

According to police, the murder occurred during an attempted vehicle burglary by a group of four teenage suspects. White later died from his injuries at the hospital.

One of the suspects, Eloy Adrian Camarillo, 17, confessed to police that he and three of his friends were attempting to break into cars when they encountered White.

During the altercation, White was shot and killed.

Camarillo was originally charged with capital murder, and police made it clear that this was no random crime.

One of the suspects even bragged about the killing in a rap verse, calling the victim a “white boy,” strongly suggesting a racial motive behind the attack.

“White boy came outside / Hit his damn a– with a 9,” the disturbing lyrics from the phone of suspect Rodney Charles Hill reportedly stated.

Hill, 17, was the final suspect arrested, while two others—both under the age of 17—have not been publicly identified due to Texas law.

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Supreme Court Greenlights Online Digital ID Checks

With a landmark ruling that could shape online content regulation for years to come, the US Supreme Court has upheld Texas’s digital ID age-verification law for adult websites and platforms, asserting that the measure lawfully balances the state’s interest in protecting minors with the free speech rights of adults.

The 6-3 decision, issued on June 27, 2025, affirms the constitutionality of House Bill 1181, a statute that requires adult websites to verify the age of users before granting access to sexually explicit material.

Laws like House Bill 1181, framed as necessary safeguards for children, are quietly eroding the rights of adults to access lawful content or speak freely online without fear of surveillance or exposure.

Under such laws, anyone seeking to view legal adult material online (and eventually even those who want to access social media platforms because may contain content “harmful” to minors) is forced to provide official identification, often a government-issued digital ID or even biometric data, to prove their age.

Supporters claim this is a small price to pay to shield minors from harmful content. Yet these measures create permanent records linking individuals to their browsing choices, exposing them to unprecedented risks.

We obtained a copy of the opinion for you here.

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Karmelo Anthony’s spokesperson calls for unity ‘in the fight against White supremacy’ after first-degree murder indictment

A spokesperson for Karmelo Anthony, the now 18-year-old who admitted to fatally stabbing student Austin Metcalf at a Texas track meet, has asked people to stand with them “in the fight against White supremacy.”

Dominique Alexander, the founder and president of the Next Generation Action Network (NGAN), took to X to announce that “the legal process will move forward toward trial.”

“This case involves multiple minors and sensitive details that I cannot and will not speak about publicly,” he said. “That is why, from the beginning, I have refused to let this be tried in the court of public opinion.”

He then continued by speaking directly to those who he says have “targeted” Anthony. 

“To the racists, the bigots, and those filled with hate who’ve targeted Karmelo, his family, and even myself – you do not intimidate us. We are not backing down.”

“This case is yet another example of what it means to be Black in America, where even our self-defense is questioned, scrutinized and politicized. My involvement – like many others — came as a direct response to the overwhelming hate, threats and outside influence that have surrounded this case since day one.”

Alexander concluded by asking Anthony’s supporters for prayers, to support due process, and to “stand with us in the fight against White supremacy.”

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Gov. Abbott Signs Bill Removing Short-Barrel Rifles from Texas Prohibited Weapons List

Gov. Greg Abbott (R) signed legislation Saturday to remove short-barrel rifles and shotguns from Texas prohibited weapons list.

On May 29, 2025, Breitbart News reported that the legislation, Senate Bill 1596, had passed the Texas legislature and was headed to Gov. Abbott’s desk.

Now that the bill has been signed, KVUE noted  it will take effect September 1, 2025.

It should be noted that SB 1596 removes short-barrel firearms from the prohibited firearms list in Texas, but does not remove them from National Firearms Act (NFA) oversight.

“1o1.9 The Bull” reported:

Senate Bill 1596 will remove short-barrel firearms from the list of illegal weapons in Texas law.  Texans would be able to own these guns as long as the proper federal rules are followed:

1) A background check

2) To register the gun with the ATF

3)To pay a $200 tax.

Would-be purchasers of short-barrel firearms will also still have to be fingerprinted and photographed per NFA requirements.

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Texas Governor Tells Lawmakers To Regulate Hemp THC Products Like Alcohol After Vetoing Bill To Ban Most Consumable Cannabinoids

The governor of Texas says that, rather than outright ban consumable hemp products, lawmakers should establish a regulatory framework that treats cannabinoids “similar to the way alcohol is regulated.”

After vetoing a controversial bill on Sunday that would have effectively eliminated the state’s hemp market, Gov. Greg Abbott (R) proposed an extensive list of policy changes that he says he would support—and which the legislature will have the chance to enact during a special session the governor is convening next month.

“Texans on each side of the Senate Bill 3 debate raise serious concerns. But one thing is clear—to ensure the highest level of safety for minors, as well as for adults, who obtain a product more dangerous than what they expected, Texas must strongly regulate hemp, and it must do so immediately,” Abbott said.

Part of the rationale behind his veto was the risk of litigation over “valid constitutional challenges” that he suggested would hold up in court. And to that end, multiple top Texas hemp companies did file a preemptive lawsuit challenging the legislation, SB 3, before the governor’s veto.

“If I were to allow Senate Bill 3 to become law, its enforcement would be enjoined for years, leaving existing abuses unaddressed,” Abbott said in his veto message. “Texas cannot afford to wait.”

“At worst, Senate Bill 3 would be permanently invalidated by the courts; at best, its implementation would be delayed for years as the case winds its way through the legal system,” he said. “We can do better.”

Rather than face the possibility of having the law enjoined, or indefinitely delayed, the governor said the state “must enact a regulatory framework that protects public safety, aligns with federal law, has a fully funded enforcement structure, and can take effect without delay.”

“Legislators could consider a structure similar to the way alcohol is regulated, with strict enforcement by an agency like the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission,” he said, adding a list of recommended policies he wants to see lawmakers adopt that include age restrictions, zoning requirements and bans on public consumption.

Here’s the full list of the governor’s recommended hemp regulations:

  • Selling or providing a THC product to a minor must be punishable as a crime.
  • Sales must be prohibited near schools, churches, parks, playgrounds, and other areas frequented by children.
  • Packaging must be child-resistant, tamper-evident, and resealable;
  • Products must not be made, packaged, or marketed in a manner attractive to children.
  • Any store selling these products must have a permit and restrict access to anyone under the age of 21, with strict penalties for any retailer that fails to comply.
  • Products containing THC may not contain other psychoactive substances (e.g., alcohol, tobacco, kratom).
  • Testing must be required at every phase of production and manufacturing, including for both plants and derivative consumable products.
  • Manufacturing and processing facilities must be subject to permitting and food safety rules.
  • Permit and registration fees must suffice to support robust enforcement and testing by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, in partnership with other state agencies.
  • An operator’s permit and warning/danger signs must be posted at any store selling these products.
  • Sales must be limited to the hours between 10:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., and prohibited on Sundays.
  • The amount of THC permissible in each product must be restricted and an individual may make only a limited number of purchases in a given period of time.
  • Labels must include a surgeon general-style warning, a clear disclosure of all ingredients, including the THC content, and a scannable barcode or QR code linking to test results.
  • Fraudulently creating or displaying manifests or lab results must be punishable as felony offenses.
  • Public consumption, consumption on the premises of any store that sells these products, and possession of an open container in a vehicle must be punishable as crimes.
  • The Attorney General, district attorneys, and county attorneys must have authority to pursue violations under the Deceptive Trade Practices Act.
  • Local governments must have the option to prohibit or limit stores selling these products.
  • Excise taxes must be assessed on these products to fund oversight and enforcement.
  • Additional funding must be provided to ensure law enforcement have sufficient resources to vigorously enforce restrictions.

“This list, of course, is not exhaustive. But it may provide items to consider in a regulatory system that is strict, fair, and legally sustainable,” Abbott said. “Passing a law is not the same thing as actually solving a problem. Texas needs a bill that is enforceable and will make our communities safer today, rather than years from now. Next month, the Legislature will have the opportunity to address this serious issue. I look forward to working with them to ensure that we get it right.”

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Texas Governor Signs Bill To Significantly Expand State’s Medical Marijuana Program

The governor of Texas has approved a bill to to significantly expand the state’s medical marijuana program.

As advocates and stakeholders await the fate of a separate measure banning consumable hemp products, Gov. Greg Abbott (R) on Saturday signed into law the medical cannabis legislation from Rep. Ken King (R).

The new law will expand the state’s list of medical cannabis qualifying conditions to include chronic pain, traumatic brain injury (TBI), Crohn’s disease and other inflammatory bowel diseases, while also allowing end-of-life patients in palliative or hospice care to use marijuana.

The measure additionally allows patients to access a wider range of cannabis product types—including patches, lotions, suppositories, approved inhalers, nebulizers and vaping devices.

And, it mandates that the Department of Public Safety (DPS) increase the number of medical cannabis business licenses from the current three to 15. It further allows dispensaries to open satellite locations.

Before moving to the governor’s desk, House lawmakers had rejected Senate changes to the bill, which largely scaled back the scope of the proposed expansion to the medical marijuana program.

The version passed by the House last month would have extended the currently limited list of medical cannabis qualifying conditions to include chronic pain, glaucoma, TBI, spinal neuropathy, Crohn’s disease or other inflammatory bowel disease and degenerative disc disease.

It would also have allowed military veterans to become registered cannabis patients for any medical condition—and authorized the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to further expand the list of qualifying conditions.

But those provisions were removed in the Senate State Affairs Committee before the bill reached the floor of that chamber.

Rep. Tom Oliverson (R) suggested there was an agreement around adding chronic pain with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R), the presiding officer of the Senate. While Patrick disputed the characterization of their conversation, the lieutenant governor and lawmakers ultimately reached a deal to reinsert the condition into the bill with an amendment that passed on the Senate floor, among others.

Whereas the Senate version had said that chronic pain patients could only access medical cannabis if they had first tried opioids for 90 days, the final version crafted by the conference committee does not contain such a stipulation. And, under the agreement, TBI is being added back in as a new qualifying condition as well.

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Texas Hemp THC Ban and Medical Marijuana Expansion Set to Become Law on Monday

With the deadline for gubernatorial action falling on Sunday, June 22, both bills are now expected to become law without Abbott’s signature unless he issues a rare weekend veto.

If no veto is delivered by the end of Sunday, the measures will automatically take effect. House Bill 46 would significantly broaden the state’s limited compassionate use program by adding eligibility for patients with chronic pain, terminal illness, and traumatic brain injuries. It would also expand the number of licensed dispensaries from three to fifteen and legalize new product forms, such as patches and inhalers.

Senate Bill 3 would prohibit nearly all hemp-derived THC products—including delta-8, delta-10, and THCO—when intended for ingestion, inhalation, or topical use. Only trace THC amounts would be allowed in non-intoxicating products like CBD. If enacted, the ban would deal a major blow to Texas’ multibillion-dollar hemp THC industry. The restrictions would take effect September 1.

Despite both bills passing with strong bipartisan support, Abbott said earlier this week that he was still undecided on the hemp ban. With time running out, stakeholders are bracing for the likelihood that both measures will quietly become law on Monday, June 23.

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New video footage blows up the ‘self-defense’ lie in Austin Metcalf’s brutal murder…

It was supposed to be an ordinary high school track meet in Frisco, Texas. Kids stretching, coaches meandering around, and parents huddled under tents waiting for the rain to pass. But then, in the blink of an eye, it turned into a bloody murder scene. All because a 17-year-old black kid named Karmelo Anthony brought a deadly weapon to a sports event and used it to stab 17-year-old Austin Metcalf to death.

You’d think that would be a clear-cut tragedy, right? Well, not if you’re a left-winger in America. The second this story broke, the usual race hustlers and propaganda media swooped in to twist Karmelo Anthony into their latest civil rights martyr. They tried to turn this vicious teen thug into the next Rosa Parks. Their version was a noble black teen, unfairly harassed by a racist white kid for daring to sit under the “wrong” tent, who was forced to defend himself from bigoted aggression.

It was a typical, ready-made narrative: brave black Karmelo refused to give up his seat, and evil white Austin got what he deserved. They spread it far and wide. Donations poured in by the hundreds of thousands. The mainstream press all but sainted the little thug who brought a deadly weapon to a school track meet. Who does that? Not an innocent victim. Not some misunderstood hero. A menace to society does that.

But now, right on cue, that carefully crafted defense story is falling apart at the seams, all thanks to chilling new surveillance footage that the Daily Mail got their hands on. The exclusive, unreleased video shows exactly what happened in the moments before Austin Metcalf was brutally murdered, and now we know there was no threat to his personal safety. No chaos. No racist mob forcing Karmelo to “stand his ground.” The video shows it was a calm scene until Anthony committed murder.

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“What in the World Would Justify Doing This?”: A Texas Vet and Hemp-Business Owner on the Looming THC Ban

By Sunday, Texans will know whether the hemp-derived THC products that have been legal in the state since 2019 will be banned as of September 1. During the Eighty-Ninth Legislature, lawmakers passed Senate Bill 3, which would end a $5.5 billion industry and which now sits on Governor Greg Abbott’s desk. Sunday is the deadline for him to either veto the bill—breaking with Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, who made SB 3 a priority during the session and pushed it through both chambers with zeal—or allow it to become law. 

Lukas Gilkey, an Austin-based U.S. Coast Guard veteran, cofounded the cannabis company Hometown Hero, which has been producing hemp-derived THC products since 2019, and has emerged as one of the most outspoken opponents of the ban. The 44-year-old has gone viral for his social media posts responding to Patrick and defending the industry. With just days to go before Abbott determines the fate of the industry, we asked him to explain his position and make his pitch to the governor for why weed is good for Texas.  

Texas Monthly: So there’s an argument that legalization of these products in 2019 was kind of an accident: The Legislature legalized hemp, mirroring language that appeared in the federal farm bill the previous year, and in the process allowed the proliferation of certain derivatives that it did not consider. And so the argument goes that what it has done this session is just correcting an oversight. Does that hold water for you? 

Lukas Gilkey: Knowingly or unknowingly, they legalized these products, and subsequently a fully legal industry was created from that decision. This industry has over four billion dollars in retail sales in Texas. It’s created over 53,000 jobs, over eight thousand small businesses. If they wanted to correct it, it should have been done much sooner, rather than letting so many Texans enter this industry under the assumption it was legal and the politicians were okay with it. They allowed this thing to grow and then changed their mind six years later when they could have done it in 2021. Why did they not? 

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Texas medical marijuana companies spent big on Republican lobbyists to push THC ban

Gov. Greg Abbott has a choice when it comes to banning hemp-derived delta-8 and delta-9 THC products: listen to hundreds of thousands of Texans who enjoy them or a handful of powerful Republican lobbyists working for marijuana investors.

Abbott is in the crossfire of a cannabis civil war. Medical marijuana and retail hemp companies are fighting over who can legally get people high. The standoff is typical Texas politics, with the medical marijuana companies hiring former aides to Abbott and Lt. Gov Dan Patrick to lobby for them, and the hemp industry relying on public pressure.

The Texas Legislature authorized medical marijuana in 2017 for a tiny number of patients. Three medical cannabis companies have spent millions complying with the Texas Compassionate Use Program to legally sell products with THC, the ingredient in marijuana that makes you high. They expected exclusivity. Since then, lawmakers have steadily expanded TCUP to treat more conditions, adding people with chronic pain this year.

In 2021, cannabis-focused venture capital firm AFI Capital Partners led a $21 million Series B investment in Texas Original Compassionate Cultivation. The company supplied 77% of the medical cannabis consumed in 2022, the latest full-year data available in an annual Texas Department of Public Safety TCUP analysis.

The investment had horrible timing. In 2019, federal and state lawmakers legalized hemp, a type of cannabis with low levels of THC. Hemp entrepreneurs figured out how to concentrate the THC, and today, the hemp industry primarily sells edibles containing enough THC to get you stoned.

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