1 00:00:04,480 --> 00:00:09,960 Speaker 1: It's that time, time, time, time, luck and load. 2 00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:14,480 Speaker 2: So Michael Verie Show is on the air. 3 00:00:14,840 --> 00:00:16,520 Speaker 1: Tell me one bad thing that you've done, and it 4 00:00:16,560 --> 00:00:21,639 Speaker 1: better be evil, hell evil, really evil, like so evil 5 00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:25,279 Speaker 1: that you would say it was evil, like it's the 6 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:28,160 Speaker 1: fruits of the devil evil. 7 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:37,440 Speaker 3: Two separate judges of firm Garcia was a member of 8 00:00:37,600 --> 00:00:40,400 Speaker 3: MS thirteen, which is a gang that may be even 9 00:00:40,479 --> 00:00:43,680 Speaker 3: worse than trend Dear Rock one and may be worse. 10 00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:44,559 Speaker 2: They kill people with. 11 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:48,440 Speaker 3: Knives because it's more painful, very famous for the knifing 12 00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:51,080 Speaker 3: and killing of two young sixteen year old girls walking 13 00:00:51,120 --> 00:00:53,600 Speaker 3: to school one day and they slice them up into 14 00:00:53,640 --> 00:00:56,440 Speaker 3: little pieces and kill them. That's MS thirteen. 15 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:12,200 Speaker 2: My middle name, where evo? So you. 16 00:01:19,360 --> 00:01:23,080 Speaker 3: Two separate judges affirmed Garcia was a member of MS thirteen. 17 00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:26,039 Speaker 3: When Garcia was originally arrested, he was wearing a sweatshirt 18 00:01:26,080 --> 00:01:29,240 Speaker 3: with rolls of money pouring out in an MS thirteen 19 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:32,920 Speaker 3: gang symbol that he was driving with two other known 20 00:01:33,080 --> 00:01:36,600 Speaker 3: violent MS thirteen gang members, two of the most violent 21 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:39,959 Speaker 3: members that we know of in the MS thirteen Gang 22 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:40,800 Speaker 3: of thirty. 23 00:01:51,600 --> 00:02:10,600 Speaker 4: Where if you wanted to destroy a powerful, wealthy, stable country, 24 00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:14,240 Speaker 4: you would do exactly what they're doing now. It's not 25 00:02:14,360 --> 00:02:19,919 Speaker 4: by accidents accident. You heard the story about the MS 26 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:24,720 Speaker 4: thirteen member. Yesterday, there was another person killed by an 27 00:02:24,840 --> 00:02:28,840 Speaker 4: MS thirteen member in the state of Maryland. While the 28 00:02:29,200 --> 00:02:35,359 Speaker 4: senator is playing foot seats with the MS thirteen gangbanger 29 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:40,880 Speaker 4: down in El Salvador, the MS thirteen member in Maryland 30 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:48,120 Speaker 4: killed another person. And you know it's aggravating, and get 31 00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:52,400 Speaker 4: me wrong, it is aggravating. But imagine that's your family member. 32 00:02:54,440 --> 00:02:59,000 Speaker 4: Imagine that's your family. I can tell you the day 33 00:02:59,040 --> 00:03:03,639 Speaker 4: my mother died. I can tell you the final week. 34 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:08,760 Speaker 4: I can tell you eight days before when she said 35 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:10,240 Speaker 4: she wanted to come off the machine. 36 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:10,920 Speaker 2: She was done. 37 00:03:11,200 --> 00:03:14,720 Speaker 4: The pain was unbearable, she couldn't do this anymore. I 38 00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:19,119 Speaker 4: can tell you the call I got from my brother's 39 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:23,880 Speaker 4: police chief when he died, and my mother was shrieking 40 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:26,919 Speaker 4: in the background, and it was a sound I hadn't 41 00:03:26,960 --> 00:03:30,200 Speaker 4: heard so much, so my brother being a jokester, that 42 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:33,079 Speaker 4: I thought my brother's police chief, who's friends of ours, 43 00:03:33,639 --> 00:03:37,080 Speaker 4: was friends with my brother and with me, that I 44 00:03:37,120 --> 00:03:39,400 Speaker 4: thought my brother was in the back playing a joke. 45 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:42,280 Speaker 4: Because my mother's shriek was so high and she was saying, 46 00:03:42,320 --> 00:03:47,280 Speaker 4: Chris is dead. I can remember those details, and there's 47 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:49,440 Speaker 4: not a day that goes by I don't think about them. 48 00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:53,880 Speaker 4: But in both of those cases, I am angry over 49 00:03:53,920 --> 00:03:57,280 Speaker 4: my brother's death because I'm certain it was the COVID shot. Yes, 50 00:03:59,280 --> 00:04:02,080 Speaker 4: there is some uncounseled and never will be counseling, but 51 00:04:02,120 --> 00:04:06,119 Speaker 4: there is some uncounseled anger mixed with grief. 52 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:06,320 Speaker 2: To be sure. 53 00:04:07,400 --> 00:04:11,320 Speaker 4: But he lived fifty four years and he chose even 54 00:04:11,360 --> 00:04:12,760 Speaker 4: though I begged him not to, and he really didn't 55 00:04:12,760 --> 00:04:15,280 Speaker 4: want to to take the shot. There's anger at Big 56 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:18,960 Speaker 4: Farma there. But in these cases of these murders, these 57 00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:23,760 Speaker 4: shootings by people who just keep shooting people and shooting 58 00:04:23,800 --> 00:04:26,160 Speaker 4: people and shooting people and shooting people. 59 00:04:27,880 --> 00:04:29,400 Speaker 2: There is such. 60 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:37,360 Speaker 4: Anger in our country at this sort of thing. It's 61 00:04:37,400 --> 00:04:41,760 Speaker 4: a case yesterday at the Family Law Center in downtown Houston, 62 00:04:42,320 --> 00:04:45,200 Speaker 4: which as of yet hasn't been named for. They just 63 00:04:45,279 --> 00:04:48,040 Speaker 4: named the administration building for Sheila Jackson Lee. And maybe 64 00:04:48,040 --> 00:04:51,600 Speaker 4: they'll name this one for Sylvester Turner or maybe get 65 00:04:51,640 --> 00:04:53,560 Speaker 4: a good wife beater, because that's kind of the sort 66 00:04:53,600 --> 00:05:01,400 Speaker 4: of thing they do. And this fellow Parnell Bland, he's 67 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:06,000 Speaker 4: walking around the building. He has not one felony conviction, 68 00:05:06,520 --> 00:05:10,960 Speaker 4: not two, not three. That's a lot, not four, not five, 69 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:17,839 Speaker 4: six felony convictions. He was released on bond last week. 70 00:05:19,800 --> 00:05:24,640 Speaker 4: This is a bad, bad, bad guy. He's carrying two 71 00:05:24,760 --> 00:05:29,400 Speaker 4: separate pistols. I don't know why they're only charging him 72 00:05:29,440 --> 00:05:32,160 Speaker 4: with aggravated assault on a peace officer as well as 73 00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:34,719 Speaker 4: felon in possession of a firearm. It won't matter the 74 00:05:34,720 --> 00:05:36,480 Speaker 4: fellon in possession of firearm. They just put him back 75 00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:38,320 Speaker 4: out on the street. The gun laws only matter to 76 00:05:38,520 --> 00:05:41,800 Speaker 4: only apply to you and me. But what's amazing about 77 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:45,919 Speaker 4: this is what's disturbing about it. To me, This is 78 00:05:45,920 --> 00:05:49,880 Speaker 4: attempted murder. But he shoots this woman, Sheila Jones, who's 79 00:05:49,920 --> 00:05:57,320 Speaker 4: a thirty year law enforcement veteran, Army veteran, and but 80 00:05:57,520 --> 00:06:00,560 Speaker 4: for her bullet proofst he would have killed her. And 81 00:06:00,640 --> 00:06:03,120 Speaker 4: he was just released on bond last week. KPRC TV 82 00:06:03,200 --> 00:06:03,719 Speaker 4: with the story. 83 00:06:04,200 --> 00:06:07,039 Speaker 5: A law enforcement source has confirmed the identity of the 84 00:06:07,080 --> 00:06:10,400 Speaker 5: suspect today. He's a convicted felon who just got arrested 85 00:06:10,440 --> 00:06:19,440 Speaker 5: and released on bond last week. This eruption of gunfire 86 00:06:19,560 --> 00:06:22,440 Speaker 5: captured on cell phone video during the lunch hour downtown 87 00:06:22,520 --> 00:06:23,360 Speaker 5: Houston Monday. 88 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:26,760 Speaker 6: Bill here a post fake a vail. 89 00:06:26,760 --> 00:06:30,080 Speaker 5: A shooter carrying two guns, and a longtime law enforcement officer, 90 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:33,479 Speaker 5: both injured by bullets outside the Harris County Family Law Center. 91 00:06:33,680 --> 00:06:35,880 Speaker 6: Dabasso is being transported. 92 00:06:35,360 --> 00:06:37,960 Speaker 5: Responding to the men with guns and cut in a shootout. 93 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:41,120 Speaker 5: Former Harris County Sheriff's Office major and current Precinct one 94 00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:44,120 Speaker 5: Deputy Constable Sheila Jones had to be flown to Memorial 95 00:06:44,120 --> 00:06:45,880 Speaker 5: Herman after being shot. One time. 96 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:48,840 Speaker 4: The bullet actually came in contact with her bullet proof vest. 97 00:06:49,000 --> 00:06:50,080 Speaker 6: She felt heat. 98 00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:52,800 Speaker 5: There Constable Alan Rosen outside the hospital. 99 00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:55,479 Speaker 4: She cares about protecting the public, which is why she 100 00:06:55,760 --> 00:06:57,240 Speaker 4: was where she was. 101 00:06:57,520 --> 00:07:00,000 Speaker 5: Jones is an Army veteran with more than thirty years 102 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:03,120 Speaker 5: in law enforcement, usually assigned to the Harris County Attorney's 103 00:07:03,120 --> 00:07:06,520 Speaker 5: Office and Law Library building. The suspect is thirty four 104 00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:09,920 Speaker 5: year old Parnell Bland, A law enforcement source tells KPRC 105 00:07:10,080 --> 00:07:12,960 Speaker 5: two News. His criminal record dates back to two thousand 106 00:07:12,960 --> 00:07:16,400 Speaker 5: and nine. He's been convicted six times and beaytime. Police 107 00:07:16,440 --> 00:07:19,560 Speaker 5: arrested him just last week for criminal trespassing after he 108 00:07:19,640 --> 00:07:22,480 Speaker 5: was found in a vacant apartment He got released on 109 00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:25,720 Speaker 5: bond the next day in custody at the hospital. Now 110 00:07:25,720 --> 00:07:28,240 Speaker 5: he's being charged with felon in possession of a weapon 111 00:07:28,480 --> 00:07:30,560 Speaker 5: and aggravated assault of a peace officer. 112 00:07:30,800 --> 00:07:32,800 Speaker 2: She is the consummate hero. 113 00:07:34,400 --> 00:07:39,000 Speaker 5: She saw a situation that could have been catastrophic. District 114 00:07:39,040 --> 00:07:41,800 Speaker 5: Attorney Shawn Tier says, Deputy Jones comes from a law 115 00:07:41,880 --> 00:07:45,640 Speaker 5: enforcement family, running toward what others would run away from. 116 00:07:45,640 --> 00:07:48,680 Speaker 5: Because of her, we don't have a mass casualty of 117 00:07:48,760 --> 00:07:50,040 Speaker 5: thee because of her. 118 00:07:50,520 --> 00:07:51,680 Speaker 2: So she's a hero. 119 00:07:53,160 --> 00:07:56,520 Speaker 4: You're being told six felony convictions in Harris County and 120 00:07:56,560 --> 00:07:59,840 Speaker 4: released on bond last week. He also has a series 121 00:07:59,880 --> 00:08:03,160 Speaker 4: of cases in Liberty County criminal trespass, possession of a 122 00:08:03,200 --> 00:08:08,480 Speaker 4: control substance, criminal trespass, assault, DWI, criminal trespass, possession of 123 00:08:08,480 --> 00:08:12,680 Speaker 4: a control substance in twenty sixteen, possession of marijuana. This guy, 124 00:08:12,960 --> 00:08:15,760 Speaker 4: this is a bad dude. So remember the story about 125 00:08:15,760 --> 00:08:18,920 Speaker 4: Coliny Ridge. The reporter who wrote it breaking a lot 126 00:08:18,960 --> 00:08:22,280 Speaker 4: of details on Greg Abbott is our guests coming up? 127 00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:29,960 Speaker 2: There is. 128 00:08:32,480 --> 00:08:37,000 Speaker 4: In yours Yesterday I read to you from an article 129 00:08:37,080 --> 00:08:40,200 Speaker 4: by Spencer Lindquist at The Daily Wire. The headline was 130 00:08:40,280 --> 00:08:43,800 Speaker 4: Colony Ridge gave Greg Abbott one point five million dollars. 131 00:08:44,400 --> 00:08:49,280 Speaker 4: Here's what Greg Abbot gave Colony Ridge. The outrage over 132 00:08:49,320 --> 00:08:53,280 Speaker 4: this story is no longer the colonia just outside of Houston, 133 00:08:54,240 --> 00:08:58,120 Speaker 4: is no longer the business practices of Colony Ridge. It 134 00:08:58,240 --> 00:09:02,360 Speaker 4: is that the Republican governor and state Senator Brandon Creighton, 135 00:09:03,160 --> 00:09:08,400 Speaker 4: we're seemingly doing favors for these people and receiving cash 136 00:09:09,080 --> 00:09:12,760 Speaker 4: in exchange. Not the sort of thing we voted for. 137 00:09:14,120 --> 00:09:19,040 Speaker 4: Isn't it odd that no local newspaper seemed to be 138 00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:22,120 Speaker 4: picking up this detail. I think Spencer Linquist is based 139 00:09:22,160 --> 00:09:26,559 Speaker 4: in Nashville. Spencer, Welcome to the program, sir, Thank you 140 00:09:26,679 --> 00:09:27,080 Speaker 4: very much. 141 00:09:27,240 --> 00:09:27,920 Speaker 2: Glad to be with you. 142 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:30,080 Speaker 4: When you and I first spoke, I seem to have 143 00:09:30,160 --> 00:09:31,640 Speaker 4: lost a sense of time. I don't know if it 144 00:09:31,640 --> 00:09:33,520 Speaker 4: was a year or two years ago, and I don't 145 00:09:33,520 --> 00:09:36,480 Speaker 4: know if you remember, but you were relatively new onto 146 00:09:36,520 --> 00:09:38,640 Speaker 4: this beat. But you were hot and heavy, and you 147 00:09:38,679 --> 00:09:40,319 Speaker 4: have stayed on it. I don't know what else you've 148 00:09:40,320 --> 00:09:42,440 Speaker 4: done in the meantime, but everything you do on this 149 00:09:42,559 --> 00:09:45,720 Speaker 4: I get flagged. And you stayed on this story pretty heavily, 150 00:09:45,760 --> 00:09:48,320 Speaker 4: which is what it takes to uncover this sort of detail. 151 00:09:48,360 --> 00:09:51,679 Speaker 4: How long have you been working on this story? 152 00:09:51,679 --> 00:09:52,280 Speaker 2: Well, thank you. 153 00:09:52,280 --> 00:09:55,040 Speaker 7: We first visited this development, we drove through, we flew 154 00:09:55,080 --> 00:09:57,520 Speaker 7: over it in the helicopter in what I believe was 155 00:09:57,720 --> 00:10:00,800 Speaker 7: early August of twenty twenty three. About a month later, 156 00:10:00,880 --> 00:10:04,720 Speaker 7: in mid September, we released our first investigation on Colony Ridge, 157 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:06,679 Speaker 7: and that was really a table setter. 158 00:10:06,760 --> 00:10:08,800 Speaker 2: It gave us. It gave the country a picture of 159 00:10:08,800 --> 00:10:10,120 Speaker 2: what Colony Ridge is. 160 00:10:10,520 --> 00:10:14,959 Speaker 7: It's scale, it covers thirty four thousand acres, roughly sixty 161 00:10:15,000 --> 00:10:18,520 Speaker 7: square miles, and we documented the business practices that are 162 00:10:18,559 --> 00:10:23,200 Speaker 7: specifically engineered to attract the legal aliens. But one of 163 00:10:23,200 --> 00:10:25,160 Speaker 7: the questions that we had after that investigation, and a 164 00:10:25,240 --> 00:10:28,280 Speaker 7: question that I think everybody's had since that investigation, is 165 00:10:28,720 --> 00:10:32,080 Speaker 7: why did the developer, Trey Harris give one point five 166 00:10:32,120 --> 00:10:36,000 Speaker 7: million dollars collectively with his wife to the governor of Texas, 167 00:10:36,000 --> 00:10:38,319 Speaker 7: Governor Greg Abbott. And the story that we have now 168 00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:40,640 Speaker 7: I think paints a very good picture of why he 169 00:10:40,720 --> 00:10:43,200 Speaker 7: may have given that money, and what he may and 170 00:10:43,240 --> 00:10:46,120 Speaker 7: what he received from the governor from the Governor's office, 171 00:10:46,160 --> 00:10:48,800 Speaker 7: and how it helped boost the development and its growth. 172 00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:52,360 Speaker 4: And let's talk about those details. Spencer Lindquist the Daily Wire, 173 00:10:53,000 --> 00:10:55,439 Speaker 4: the pieces entitled Colonie Ridge gave Greg Abbot one point 174 00:10:55,480 --> 00:10:57,760 Speaker 4: five million dollars. Here's what Greg Abbott gave Colonie Ridge. 175 00:10:57,840 --> 00:11:01,480 Speaker 4: I read some of the piece yesterday. But Trey Harris 176 00:11:01,520 --> 00:11:03,920 Speaker 4: has a meeting with the governor and Trey Harris's wife. 177 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:06,040 Speaker 4: See to me, that raises more flags than Trey Harris 178 00:11:06,160 --> 00:11:08,560 Speaker 4: just writing the check. Who's going to pretend that his 179 00:11:08,640 --> 00:11:10,640 Speaker 4: wife giving the check is not him giving the check? 180 00:11:10,679 --> 00:11:12,560 Speaker 4: And why did you need to do that? You already 181 00:11:12,600 --> 00:11:14,760 Speaker 4: know the optics are bad. Or Abbot's people know the 182 00:11:14,760 --> 00:11:17,200 Speaker 4: optics are bad, and then they have a meeting with 183 00:11:17,240 --> 00:11:19,720 Speaker 4: the governor, and the governor senys not one, not two, 184 00:11:19,760 --> 00:11:24,760 Speaker 4: but three letters to the federal government seemingly advocating for 185 00:11:24,840 --> 00:11:30,199 Speaker 4: this opportunity zone for Trey Harris. That seems out of line. 186 00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:33,840 Speaker 4: But what are the advantages of having this opportunity zone? 187 00:11:34,120 --> 00:11:38,679 Speaker 7: Spencer, Well, the opportunity zone status this is monumental when 188 00:11:38,679 --> 00:11:40,600 Speaker 7: you're trying to grow an area. You know, people who 189 00:11:40,640 --> 00:11:43,360 Speaker 7: followed the Cali Ridge story will know that this area 190 00:11:43,400 --> 00:11:45,960 Speaker 7: before it was developed by Trey Harris and his brother 191 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:46,600 Speaker 7: John Harris. 192 00:11:46,840 --> 00:11:50,520 Speaker 2: This was wetlands. This was hunting land. This was you know, 193 00:11:50,640 --> 00:11:51,160 Speaker 2: it wasn't. 194 00:11:51,000 --> 00:11:53,400 Speaker 7: Developed really in any way, shape or form. And the 195 00:11:53,559 --> 00:11:56,400 Speaker 7: entire Opportunity Zone program is meant to speed up, It's 196 00:11:56,440 --> 00:11:59,920 Speaker 7: meant to accelerate development. This Coli Ridge, it's a place. 197 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:02,400 Speaker 7: It's been called the fastest growing development in Texas. It's 198 00:12:02,400 --> 00:12:04,760 Speaker 7: referred to itself as the fastest growing development in the 199 00:12:04,920 --> 00:12:07,200 Speaker 7: entire country. And the hopes to have a population of 200 00:12:07,240 --> 00:12:10,199 Speaker 7: a quarter million people, two hundred and fifty thousand people. 201 00:12:10,200 --> 00:12:13,240 Speaker 7: That would that would be larger than various mid sized 202 00:12:13,280 --> 00:12:16,600 Speaker 7: cities across the country. I pointed out Knoxville, Tennessee, or Boise, Idaho, 203 00:12:17,040 --> 00:12:20,040 Speaker 7: just for reference. But an opportunity zone status what it 204 00:12:20,080 --> 00:12:23,360 Speaker 7: does is it allows investors to take their capital gains 205 00:12:23,400 --> 00:12:26,200 Speaker 7: from various other ventures and to put them invest them 206 00:12:26,440 --> 00:12:30,760 Speaker 7: in an opportunity zone to shield those capital gains from taxes. 207 00:12:31,000 --> 00:12:33,960 Speaker 7: If they hold those capital gains in an Opportunity zone 208 00:12:33,960 --> 00:12:37,280 Speaker 7: fund for five years, they get a ten percent exclusion 209 00:12:37,320 --> 00:12:39,840 Speaker 7: from capital gains tax on those gains. If they hold 210 00:12:39,840 --> 00:12:41,840 Speaker 7: it for seven years, they get a fifteen percent. If 211 00:12:41,840 --> 00:12:43,560 Speaker 7: they hold it for a decade, they don't have to 212 00:12:43,559 --> 00:12:46,720 Speaker 7: pay capital gains on that money whatsoever. So this is 213 00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:49,760 Speaker 7: a way to just streamline capital into a development. It 214 00:12:49,800 --> 00:12:52,080 Speaker 7: gives a special tax break. I think it's really important 215 00:12:52,120 --> 00:12:55,000 Speaker 7: to understand this tax break wasn't for people who had 216 00:12:55,040 --> 00:12:58,400 Speaker 7: already invested in Colony Ridge. This was a tax break 217 00:12:58,400 --> 00:13:01,240 Speaker 7: for people who had yet to invest in Colony Ridge. 218 00:13:01,280 --> 00:13:04,760 Speaker 7: This means that it was designed to streamline the flow 219 00:13:04,800 --> 00:13:06,199 Speaker 7: of capital into Colony. 220 00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:08,680 Speaker 2: Ridge to accelerate its growth. And that's exactly what we've seen. 221 00:13:08,679 --> 00:13:10,600 Speaker 7: If you look at a map of the development from 222 00:13:10,760 --> 00:13:14,160 Speaker 7: twenty seventeen or twenty eighteen up until the present, this 223 00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:17,240 Speaker 7: thing has grown incredibly fast and it's no wonder that 224 00:13:17,280 --> 00:13:20,040 Speaker 7: it advertises itself as the fastest going development in the 225 00:13:20,160 --> 00:13:20,920 Speaker 7: entire country. 226 00:13:21,679 --> 00:13:24,880 Speaker 4: They also advertise themselves, as you noted with the red 227 00:13:24,920 --> 00:13:27,760 Speaker 4: block around it, as being part of an opportunity zone 228 00:13:28,320 --> 00:13:32,920 Speaker 4: exclamation mark. Was that a pitch deck or a prospectus 229 00:13:32,920 --> 00:13:35,960 Speaker 4: to investors or was that to the general public. I 230 00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:36,800 Speaker 4: wasn't clear on that. 231 00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:41,079 Speaker 7: So those listings were there's two different listings. There's one 232 00:13:41,080 --> 00:13:43,800 Speaker 7: for commercial land and there was another for industrial land. 233 00:13:43,840 --> 00:13:44,640 Speaker 2: So this isn't just. 234 00:13:44,720 --> 00:13:46,600 Speaker 7: An individual who wants to buy a home for their 235 00:13:46,640 --> 00:13:47,800 Speaker 7: own just just to live in. 236 00:13:47,880 --> 00:13:50,400 Speaker 2: You know, this isn't for somebody buying a personal residence. 237 00:13:50,800 --> 00:13:51,920 Speaker 2: This is for large. 238 00:13:51,679 --> 00:13:54,360 Speaker 7: Companies that are looking to move into the area. So 239 00:13:54,720 --> 00:13:57,160 Speaker 7: this is a way to lure outside investment. And we 240 00:13:57,280 --> 00:13:59,360 Speaker 7: know that one of the companies that appears to have 241 00:13:59,400 --> 00:14:01,400 Speaker 7: invested in it, invested. 242 00:14:01,000 --> 00:14:03,040 Speaker 2: After, critically invested after the. 243 00:14:03,040 --> 00:14:06,480 Speaker 7: Opportunity zone is that real estate company that employs Senator 244 00:14:06,559 --> 00:14:09,200 Speaker 7: Brandon Creighton, the Signarell the Signarelli Company. 245 00:14:09,440 --> 00:14:10,839 Speaker 2: They announced that they'd. 246 00:14:10,559 --> 00:14:13,280 Speaker 7: Be building homes inside the development, and that was roughly 247 00:14:13,480 --> 00:14:15,560 Speaker 7: a year, maybe a year and a half after that 248 00:14:15,640 --> 00:14:18,960 Speaker 7: opportunity Zone designation was made official. So of course that 249 00:14:19,120 --> 00:14:22,760 Speaker 7: raises some questions, particularly given that Brandon Creyton was at 250 00:14:22,760 --> 00:14:26,320 Speaker 7: that Governor's Mansion meeting in early twenty eighteen with the 251 00:14:26,360 --> 00:14:29,160 Speaker 7: Governor of Texas and with Coliny Ridge developer Tray Harris. 252 00:14:29,760 --> 00:14:32,440 Speaker 4: And you find that of note, not just because he's 253 00:14:32,480 --> 00:14:35,720 Speaker 4: a prominent state senator, well liked by Dan Patrick, pretty 254 00:14:36,120 --> 00:14:40,520 Speaker 4: popular amongst the Senate, expected to be a statewide elected official. 255 00:14:40,560 --> 00:14:43,920 Speaker 4: Many people have said that Dan Patrick has chosen him 256 00:14:43,920 --> 00:14:48,520 Speaker 4: to be his replacement as a lieutenant governor when eventually 257 00:14:48,640 --> 00:14:52,280 Speaker 4: dan Patrick moves on and that's not tomorrow, but that 258 00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:54,800 Speaker 4: the rumor I've heard is that he has said this 259 00:14:54,840 --> 00:14:56,560 Speaker 4: is the guy I want to replace me and should 260 00:14:56,600 --> 00:14:59,840 Speaker 4: replace me. And Creyton is built quite a power base 261 00:14:59,840 --> 00:15:04,920 Speaker 4: for himself. And you note he's at this meeting and 262 00:15:05,040 --> 00:15:10,320 Speaker 4: he's the vice president of the home builder that then 263 00:15:10,440 --> 00:15:14,840 Speaker 4: begins building homes in Colony Ridge after the meeting, right. 264 00:15:16,480 --> 00:15:17,920 Speaker 2: Exactly, That's exactly right. 265 00:15:17,920 --> 00:15:20,120 Speaker 7: And not only that, he does have some financial ties 266 00:15:20,120 --> 00:15:23,160 Speaker 7: that are interesting as well. He received five thousand dollars 267 00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:27,240 Speaker 7: in twenty fourteen from Trey Harris, he received seventeen thousand 268 00:15:27,280 --> 00:15:30,040 Speaker 7: dollars from Coats and Rose that the lobbying group, the 269 00:15:30,160 --> 00:15:33,480 Speaker 7: legal firm that actually runs some of the political districts 270 00:15:33,680 --> 00:15:36,400 Speaker 7: on behalf of Colony Ridge. And his biggest donor is 271 00:15:36,400 --> 00:15:39,960 Speaker 7: the CEO of the Signarelli company, Daniel Signarelli, who gave 272 00:15:40,040 --> 00:15:43,360 Speaker 7: him sixty seven thousand dollars. So he's got financial ties 273 00:15:43,600 --> 00:15:46,480 Speaker 7: to all of these entities, and it very clearly looks 274 00:15:46,520 --> 00:15:49,440 Speaker 7: like they stood to gain, that company stood to gain 275 00:15:49,520 --> 00:15:53,320 Speaker 7: from this opportunity zone status. What's really rich is he's 276 00:15:53,360 --> 00:15:55,760 Speaker 7: the only one out of the three that responded when 277 00:15:55,800 --> 00:15:59,000 Speaker 7: I asked specifically what happened at this meeting. We've got 278 00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:01,680 Speaker 7: the meeting logs. These meeting logs came straight from the 279 00:16:01,680 --> 00:16:04,600 Speaker 7: Governor's office, so we know that everything here is completely 280 00:16:04,640 --> 00:16:07,520 Speaker 7: in one hundred percent accurate. What happened at this meeting? 281 00:16:07,640 --> 00:16:10,040 Speaker 7: What did you guys talk about? You guys? 282 00:16:11,320 --> 00:16:15,000 Speaker 4: Spencer Lindquist with the Daily Wire, who broke this story 283 00:16:15,040 --> 00:16:16,960 Speaker 4: and has been on this story for quite some time, 284 00:16:17,000 --> 00:16:32,080 Speaker 4: the Colony Ridge story coming up. Listen, Tomway. Spencer Linquist 285 00:16:32,400 --> 00:16:37,560 Speaker 4: with the Daily Wire has really owned the Colony Ridge story. 286 00:16:38,360 --> 00:16:42,760 Speaker 4: Colony Ridge being the colonia east of Houston in Liberty 287 00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:46,960 Speaker 4: County that has reached national fame with all the deportations 288 00:16:47,000 --> 00:16:52,000 Speaker 4: when they began under the second Trump administration. Spencer has 289 00:16:52,040 --> 00:16:59,720 Speaker 4: done real thorough quality, groundbreaking journalism on this subject. He's 290 00:16:59,720 --> 00:17:06,119 Speaker 4: ours his latest piece, creating quite a ripple with the 291 00:17:06,160 --> 00:17:09,840 Speaker 4: headline Colony Ridge gave Greg Abbott one point five million dollars. 292 00:17:10,200 --> 00:17:15,200 Speaker 4: Here's what Greg Abbott gave Colony Ridge. So Spencer, let's 293 00:17:15,240 --> 00:17:20,639 Speaker 4: fast forward. Trey Harris of Coliney Ridge has dinner with 294 00:17:20,720 --> 00:17:23,920 Speaker 4: the governor his wife, not him, his wife. Oh it's 295 00:17:23,920 --> 00:17:28,159 Speaker 4: so clever, gives one hundred thousand dollars to Greg Abbott. 296 00:17:29,119 --> 00:17:33,000 Speaker 4: Then Greg Abbott immediately sends not one, not two, but three. 297 00:17:33,119 --> 00:17:36,639 Speaker 4: I mean, last time I've seen anybody act like this, 298 00:17:36,800 --> 00:17:38,840 Speaker 4: they were a high school kid trying to get their 299 00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:43,280 Speaker 4: girlfriend on a landline. I mean, leave us alone, Governor Abbott, 300 00:17:43,280 --> 00:17:44,320 Speaker 4: this is it. 301 00:17:44,359 --> 00:17:45,080 Speaker 2: Is a bad look. 302 00:17:45,240 --> 00:17:48,040 Speaker 4: He's going on and on and on to get this 303 00:17:48,119 --> 00:17:53,200 Speaker 4: opportunity zone for Coliny Ridge, which they did. Some folks 304 00:17:53,280 --> 00:17:55,760 Speaker 4: will say, well, how did Greg and I have had 305 00:17:55,800 --> 00:17:59,040 Speaker 4: listeners say how does Greg Abbott know what's going on there? 306 00:17:59,080 --> 00:18:01,760 Speaker 4: Maybe he didn't know it was a colonia. Do you 307 00:18:01,800 --> 00:18:04,199 Speaker 4: get a sense in any part of all this? I mean, 308 00:18:04,240 --> 00:18:06,879 Speaker 4: at some point he jumps up and says, uh, you 309 00:18:06,920 --> 00:18:09,320 Speaker 4: know this is bad, we got to stop it, and 310 00:18:09,359 --> 00:18:10,720 Speaker 4: Trey Harris feels betrayed. 311 00:18:11,200 --> 00:18:11,960 Speaker 2: But do you get a. 312 00:18:11,920 --> 00:18:14,159 Speaker 4: Sense anywhere along the way that there's any reference to 313 00:18:14,160 --> 00:18:15,080 Speaker 4: what's going on here? 314 00:18:17,440 --> 00:18:20,359 Speaker 7: Well, it's really impossible to know exactly what Abbott knew 315 00:18:20,400 --> 00:18:21,880 Speaker 7: about calling your ridge at the time. 316 00:18:22,200 --> 00:18:23,160 Speaker 2: What I will say is. 317 00:18:23,119 --> 00:18:26,000 Speaker 7: That you know, govern Rabbit looks over the state of taxes, 318 00:18:26,119 --> 00:18:34,280 Speaker 7: Senator create between it and Trey Harris mansion. 319 00:18:36,200 --> 00:18:38,280 Speaker 4: Spencer, hold on, are you not even around because we 320 00:18:38,480 --> 00:18:40,240 Speaker 4: lost you when you said, Senator Creyton. 321 00:18:40,280 --> 00:18:49,400 Speaker 2: It went quiet Spencer area that you know or from 322 00:18:49,520 --> 00:18:50,560 Speaker 2: Creighton's district. 323 00:18:52,560 --> 00:18:55,359 Speaker 4: I'm sorry we lost you when you first said Senator Creyton. 324 00:18:55,359 --> 00:18:57,680 Speaker 4: You said, Senator Creyton. And then your your phone. I 325 00:18:57,680 --> 00:18:59,040 Speaker 4: don't know if you're moving around or not, but your 326 00:18:59,040 --> 00:19:00,840 Speaker 4: phone went out for a few seconds. 327 00:19:02,240 --> 00:19:03,200 Speaker 2: Here. Well. 328 00:19:03,480 --> 00:19:07,119 Speaker 7: So Senator Creighton, what happened with him is he was 329 00:19:07,160 --> 00:19:10,560 Speaker 7: also at this Governor's Mansion meeting between Greg Abbott and 330 00:19:10,640 --> 00:19:15,399 Speaker 7: Trey Harris and his district it neighbors Colony Ridge. So 331 00:19:16,040 --> 00:19:20,320 Speaker 7: we've asked Creighton what happened at this meeting. We asked 332 00:19:20,359 --> 00:19:23,640 Speaker 7: him if he was aware of the status of Coloney Ridge, 333 00:19:23,960 --> 00:19:26,520 Speaker 7: and he really told us that he didn't have a 334 00:19:26,560 --> 00:19:29,520 Speaker 7: business meeting at that lunch. And he says that they 335 00:19:29,600 --> 00:19:32,720 Speaker 7: discussed the history of the grounds, the. 336 00:19:32,600 --> 00:19:34,040 Speaker 2: History of the Governor's mansion. 337 00:19:34,440 --> 00:19:36,000 Speaker 7: This is a little bit hard to believe, given that 338 00:19:36,040 --> 00:19:38,360 Speaker 7: it was an hour and a half long meeting and 339 00:19:38,600 --> 00:19:40,600 Speaker 7: that it was in the middle of being nominated as 340 00:19:40,640 --> 00:19:43,600 Speaker 7: an opportunity zone, which of course is something that the 341 00:19:43,640 --> 00:19:46,120 Speaker 7: company that he works for seized on roughly a year 342 00:19:46,200 --> 00:19:49,400 Speaker 7: later when it began building homes in Coloney Ridge. 343 00:19:51,800 --> 00:19:55,800 Speaker 4: And he was specially invited as the Senator to sit 344 00:19:55,840 --> 00:19:57,960 Speaker 4: in on a meeting and he's a vice president at 345 00:19:58,000 --> 00:19:58,640 Speaker 4: that company. 346 00:20:00,520 --> 00:20:01,000 Speaker 2: Exactly. 347 00:20:01,440 --> 00:20:08,040 Speaker 4: Wow. Okay, then you make reference to the Siesta kickoff party. 348 00:20:08,160 --> 00:20:10,119 Speaker 4: Is that the same meeting or is that a later meeting. 349 00:20:11,880 --> 00:20:15,520 Speaker 7: No, So Trey Harris actually made four different appearances at 350 00:20:15,560 --> 00:20:18,600 Speaker 7: the Governor's mansion and he gave a total of one 351 00:20:18,600 --> 00:20:21,200 Speaker 7: point four million one point five million if you include 352 00:20:21,200 --> 00:20:23,840 Speaker 7: one hundred thousand dollars that his wife gave. And by 353 00:20:23,880 --> 00:20:27,520 Speaker 7: the way, both his wife and him personally, they lift 354 00:20:27,560 --> 00:20:30,400 Speaker 7: their occupation as the Colony Ridge development, so we can 355 00:20:30,440 --> 00:20:34,439 Speaker 7: say that this money came through Coloney Ridge into Governor 356 00:20:34,480 --> 00:20:38,399 Speaker 7: at its hands. So this what we saw is that 357 00:20:38,400 --> 00:20:40,720 Speaker 7: that was a There was one first meeting between the 358 00:20:40,760 --> 00:20:43,879 Speaker 7: governor and Trey Harris and Senator Creighton, and that was 359 00:20:43,920 --> 00:20:45,840 Speaker 7: in late mark excuse me, that was. 360 00:20:45,840 --> 00:20:47,359 Speaker 2: An early April of twenty eighteen. 361 00:20:47,440 --> 00:20:50,960 Speaker 7: But there was three other times when when Trey Harris 362 00:20:51,280 --> 00:20:53,359 Speaker 7: made an appearance at the Governor's mansion. There was the 363 00:20:53,680 --> 00:20:57,159 Speaker 7: Summer Kickoff Fiesta, which was on May tenth of twenty eighteen, 364 00:20:57,480 --> 00:21:00,240 Speaker 7: and there was two other occasions, the most recently which 365 00:21:00,240 --> 00:21:03,360 Speaker 7: was an intimate six person dinner that was in December 366 00:21:03,720 --> 00:21:06,760 Speaker 7: of twenty twenty. So we've seen that he appeared a 367 00:21:06,840 --> 00:21:10,280 Speaker 7: number of times and gave a string of donations, not 368 00:21:10,359 --> 00:21:12,320 Speaker 7: just in one lump sum, but he kind of carried 369 00:21:12,320 --> 00:21:14,280 Speaker 7: out his donation the one hundred thousand dollars here, three 370 00:21:14,320 --> 00:21:18,399 Speaker 7: hundred thousand dollars here, And that relationship does seem to 371 00:21:18,400 --> 00:21:22,760 Speaker 7: have soured. Trey Harris told The New York Times that 372 00:21:23,240 --> 00:21:25,800 Speaker 7: Greg Abbitt wasn't getting a million dollars next year because 373 00:21:26,119 --> 00:21:28,320 Speaker 7: that was just in the wake of our first investigation, 374 00:21:28,880 --> 00:21:31,880 Speaker 7: which prompted Greg abb to take some action against the development. 375 00:21:32,560 --> 00:21:37,120 Speaker 4: Also worth noting, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick was creating quite 376 00:21:37,160 --> 00:21:39,879 Speaker 4: a stir over this. He flew over the top of it, 377 00:21:40,359 --> 00:21:43,080 Speaker 4: he visited, He was making a big deal about how 378 00:21:43,160 --> 00:21:47,760 Speaker 4: awful Colony Ridge was. And there's Abbott sitting over there 379 00:21:47,800 --> 00:21:51,400 Speaker 4: on a stockpile of one point five million dollars from 380 00:21:51,480 --> 00:21:54,480 Speaker 4: the developer, probably thinking wins the next shoe going to drop. 381 00:21:54,800 --> 00:21:57,160 Speaker 4: And so at some point he comes out and as 382 00:21:57,160 --> 00:22:00,439 Speaker 4: he does and issues a little press release that Coliny 383 00:22:00,480 --> 00:22:02,800 Speaker 4: Ridge is real bad, which must have been quite the 384 00:22:02,840 --> 00:22:05,359 Speaker 4: punch in the gut to Trey Harris. But to be clear, 385 00:22:06,000 --> 00:22:08,720 Speaker 4: there were a series of things swirling. We were talking 386 00:22:08,800 --> 00:22:13,280 Speaker 4: about it. Your story hits Dan Patrick, the other high 387 00:22:13,359 --> 00:22:19,280 Speaker 4: ranking statewide elected official, lieutenant governor, is creating a star 388 00:22:19,480 --> 00:22:21,960 Speaker 4: over it, and then Abbot's kind of in a pickle, 389 00:22:22,280 --> 00:22:25,720 Speaker 4: and that's the point at which he found Jesus. 390 00:22:27,600 --> 00:22:28,159 Speaker 2: Absolutely. 391 00:22:28,200 --> 00:22:30,640 Speaker 7: You know, I didn't see any from the public comments 392 00:22:30,680 --> 00:22:33,960 Speaker 7: from Greg Abbott on Colney Ridge until we released our 393 00:22:34,560 --> 00:22:37,080 Speaker 7: investigation in mid September of twenty twenty three. 394 00:22:37,320 --> 00:22:38,760 Speaker 2: After that, it was national news. 395 00:22:38,800 --> 00:22:40,560 Speaker 7: It was covered not only on the Daily Wire and 396 00:22:40,600 --> 00:22:42,520 Speaker 7: on the Morning Wire podcast. 397 00:22:42,080 --> 00:22:44,000 Speaker 2: That we have, it was also in Fox News. 398 00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:46,480 Speaker 7: It was in outlets across the country, The New York Times, 399 00:22:46,520 --> 00:22:52,879 Speaker 7: the Associated Press, the Washington Post, really outlets across the 400 00:22:52,880 --> 00:22:56,080 Speaker 7: political spectrum began covering Coliney Ridge. And that is when 401 00:22:56,080 --> 00:22:58,880 Speaker 7: Abbot first started taking action. So you can read his 402 00:22:59,000 --> 00:23:02,520 Speaker 7: comment in our article and our investigation that we published 403 00:23:02,520 --> 00:23:05,119 Speaker 7: this yesterday at the Daily Wire, and he says that 404 00:23:05,359 --> 00:23:07,399 Speaker 7: he took all these actions against Colony Ridge. You know, 405 00:23:07,480 --> 00:23:10,600 Speaker 7: recently there is one hundred and eighteen people arrested who 406 00:23:10,640 --> 00:23:13,879 Speaker 7: are expected to be deported from Colony Ridge. But it 407 00:23:13,960 --> 00:23:16,439 Speaker 7: is worth noting that these actions only came in the 408 00:23:16,440 --> 00:23:19,880 Speaker 7: wake of the investigations and the media pressure, it didn't 409 00:23:19,880 --> 00:23:22,080 Speaker 7: come before them. And we see this relationship, and I 410 00:23:22,080 --> 00:23:23,840 Speaker 7: think we have an understanding of why that might be. 411 00:23:25,200 --> 00:23:28,040 Speaker 4: Have you looked further into what's going on at Colony 412 00:23:28,119 --> 00:23:31,879 Speaker 4: Ridge today. I know the deportations hit them hard. I 413 00:23:31,960 --> 00:23:34,400 Speaker 4: know that things are not well. Trey Harris was arrested 414 00:23:34,680 --> 00:23:39,240 Speaker 4: and jailed in Waller County, northwest of Town for a DWI. 415 00:23:39,760 --> 00:23:41,760 Speaker 4: It seems to have spiraled out of control. But do 416 00:23:41,800 --> 00:23:43,440 Speaker 4: you get a sense of what's going on there now? 417 00:23:45,720 --> 00:23:45,920 Speaker 2: Well? 418 00:23:45,960 --> 00:23:48,720 Speaker 7: I do know that there are currently federal investigations in 419 00:23:48,720 --> 00:23:50,600 Speaker 7: the Colony Ridge. I know that there is still the 420 00:23:50,680 --> 00:23:54,760 Speaker 7: ongoing Department of Justice lawsuit against Colony Ridge, and there's 421 00:23:54,760 --> 00:23:57,000 Speaker 7: talk that there might be investigations from the IRS and 422 00:23:57,000 --> 00:24:01,680 Speaker 7: the EPA and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. So 423 00:24:02,640 --> 00:24:05,520 Speaker 7: there's a ton of scrutiny. It goes beyond media scrutiny 424 00:24:05,560 --> 00:24:08,600 Speaker 7: at this point. There are very different federal agencies looking 425 00:24:08,640 --> 00:24:13,399 Speaker 7: into the environmental aspects of the development. There is the 426 00:24:13,440 --> 00:24:17,000 Speaker 7: IRS looking into the development. There's also this political body 427 00:24:17,119 --> 00:24:18,000 Speaker 7: that was awarded to. 428 00:24:17,960 --> 00:24:20,960 Speaker 2: Colony Ridge, the MMD or the mud. These are two 429 00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:23,240 Speaker 2: different political jurisdictions that. 430 00:24:23,160 --> 00:24:28,359 Speaker 7: Were awarded to Colony Ridge, and we actually found back 431 00:24:28,400 --> 00:24:31,480 Speaker 7: in twenty twenty three that there was a multimillion dollar 432 00:24:31,600 --> 00:24:34,720 Speaker 7: more than a ten million dollar contract that was doled 433 00:24:34,760 --> 00:24:36,880 Speaker 7: out to people with connections to the. 434 00:24:36,800 --> 00:24:37,959 Speaker 2: Developer and his family. 435 00:24:38,040 --> 00:24:41,480 Speaker 7: So there is no shortage of threats to pull on 436 00:24:41,520 --> 00:24:43,000 Speaker 7: when it comes to Colony Ridge. It really is a 437 00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:46,639 Speaker 7: story that has everything. It's got political donations, it's got 438 00:24:46,800 --> 00:24:50,480 Speaker 7: allegations of corruption, it's got environmental concerns, and of course 439 00:24:50,720 --> 00:24:54,119 Speaker 7: more than anything, it's got a massive amount of illegal 440 00:24:54,119 --> 00:24:57,000 Speaker 7: immigrants in this area of crime and cartel members as well. 441 00:24:57,080 --> 00:25:00,760 Speaker 7: So there's no shortage for journalists or even federal agents 442 00:25:01,200 --> 00:25:03,760 Speaker 7: to no shortage of topics or threats to pull out 443 00:25:03,800 --> 00:25:05,480 Speaker 7: for journalists or federal agents. 444 00:25:05,680 --> 00:25:08,560 Speaker 4: Trying to put some distance between himself and this scandal, 445 00:25:08,600 --> 00:25:10,960 Speaker 4: Greg Abbott during the last special session, as you noted, 446 00:25:11,640 --> 00:25:14,159 Speaker 4: got forty million dollars for state troopers to patrol the 447 00:25:14,200 --> 00:25:16,720 Speaker 4: development no matter how bad things are, and three hundred 448 00:25:16,720 --> 00:25:19,720 Speaker 4: and fifty pounds of meth were found there. Spencer Lindquist, 449 00:25:19,800 --> 00:25:22,320 Speaker 4: great job. This is what real journalists do. Bravo. 450 00:25:23,400 --> 00:25:25,840 Speaker 1: By Michael. 451 00:25:35,800 --> 00:25:40,639 Speaker 4: Listen as your day unfold, challenge what very important elections 452 00:25:40,680 --> 00:25:45,679 Speaker 4: happen without most folks even noticing we are in just 453 00:25:45,800 --> 00:25:52,320 Speaker 4: such a moment. This is May of an odd numbered year, 454 00:25:52,760 --> 00:25:59,400 Speaker 4: twenty twenty five, and many local political subdivisions that could 455 00:25:59,440 --> 00:26:04,439 Speaker 4: be cities, school districts, water districts have their regular general 456 00:26:04,480 --> 00:26:08,159 Speaker 4: elections for members of their governing bodies or special elections 457 00:26:08,160 --> 00:26:13,920 Speaker 4: to fill vacancies. That's your school boards, that's your mud boards. 458 00:26:15,560 --> 00:26:22,000 Speaker 4: This is the election where local political subdivisions pass measures 459 00:26:22,040 --> 00:26:26,959 Speaker 4: that raise your property taxes. Sitting where I'm sitting, I 460 00:26:27,000 --> 00:26:30,840 Speaker 4: get emails throughout the course of the year from people 461 00:26:30,880 --> 00:26:34,040 Speaker 4: who are angry and what a school board has done, 462 00:26:34,800 --> 00:26:40,879 Speaker 4: whether an action taken, books in the library, drag Queen 463 00:26:41,160 --> 00:26:46,800 Speaker 4: story hour, building a new stadium, floating a new bond 464 00:26:46,840 --> 00:26:49,960 Speaker 4: that taxpayers have to pay for, and people are upset. 465 00:26:50,880 --> 00:26:54,120 Speaker 4: And the important thing to remember is the people who 466 00:26:54,119 --> 00:26:57,879 Speaker 4: are making those decisions are voted on by you. But 467 00:26:58,040 --> 00:27:03,320 Speaker 4: those elections are in intentionally held at a time when 468 00:27:03,359 --> 00:27:06,880 Speaker 4: most voters don't show up, So the voters who do 469 00:27:07,000 --> 00:27:10,960 Speaker 4: show up tend to be voters with more of a 470 00:27:11,080 --> 00:27:16,320 Speaker 4: vested interest. Example, in a school district if you are 471 00:27:17,040 --> 00:27:20,720 Speaker 4: building new buildings because you've decided that the buildings we 472 00:27:20,800 --> 00:27:24,560 Speaker 4: have are just not good enough, and it's a judgment call. 473 00:27:24,600 --> 00:27:26,800 Speaker 4: I guess depends on whose ox is being goreed. 474 00:27:26,920 --> 00:27:27,080 Speaker 2: Right. 475 00:27:28,560 --> 00:27:31,840 Speaker 4: If you have kids who are in kindergarten or preschool 476 00:27:31,920 --> 00:27:34,520 Speaker 4: who are going to be going to that school, then 477 00:27:34,560 --> 00:27:37,800 Speaker 4: perhaps you think, yeah, it's worth another one hundred two 478 00:27:37,880 --> 00:27:41,000 Speaker 4: hundred dollars a year on my property tax bill for 479 00:27:41,080 --> 00:27:43,240 Speaker 4: the school to build new schools for my kid to 480 00:27:43,280 --> 00:27:48,280 Speaker 4: go to and enjoy. If you're getting up in age 481 00:27:49,359 --> 00:27:53,679 Speaker 4: or you don't have kids, you may say, no, we 482 00:27:53,760 --> 00:27:59,080 Speaker 4: don't renovate at every turn, nor should they, And that's 483 00:27:59,080 --> 00:28:03,440 Speaker 4: an honest disagreement. That's an honest disagreement that should be had. 484 00:28:04,440 --> 00:28:08,800 Speaker 4: The problem becomes, these elections are held in May rather 485 00:28:08,840 --> 00:28:12,520 Speaker 4: than November of a presidential year. Why are we holding 486 00:28:12,600 --> 00:28:15,040 Speaker 4: votes now? Why are we going to the cost of 487 00:28:15,119 --> 00:28:20,280 Speaker 4: extra elections now when we just had an election in November. Well, 488 00:28:20,320 --> 00:28:26,200 Speaker 4: i'll tell you because quadrinial elections every four years. Presidential 489 00:28:26,280 --> 00:28:31,119 Speaker 4: elections draw a massive crowd of people who don't otherwise vote, 490 00:28:32,359 --> 00:28:38,160 Speaker 4: and those people show up and vote against tax increases. 491 00:28:39,320 --> 00:28:44,800 Speaker 4: They vote against activist city councilmen or activist Board of 492 00:28:44,880 --> 00:28:49,680 Speaker 4: directors members. They vote against bonds, and so the schools 493 00:28:50,040 --> 00:28:55,719 Speaker 4: are very careful to keep those in May. There is 494 00:28:55,920 --> 00:28:59,800 Speaker 4: a bond in Spring Branch right now, and it's a 495 00:28:59,800 --> 00:29:03,440 Speaker 4: big one, and as I said earlier, I think it's 496 00:29:03,560 --> 00:29:09,160 Speaker 4: perfectly acceptable to have a disagreement. I was very supportive 497 00:29:09,160 --> 00:29:11,400 Speaker 4: of Chris Ernest, who's the chairman of the board, and 498 00:29:11,440 --> 00:29:13,360 Speaker 4: I will give some deference to the fact that I 499 00:29:13,360 --> 00:29:16,280 Speaker 4: don't think he's a tax and spend guy. He's not 500 00:29:16,280 --> 00:29:19,800 Speaker 4: making any money off this. He's got a passle of 501 00:29:19,880 --> 00:29:22,480 Speaker 4: kids that go to that go to those Spring Branch schools. 502 00:29:23,120 --> 00:29:25,479 Speaker 4: I think that the Spring Branch Independent School District has 503 00:29:25,520 --> 00:29:27,080 Speaker 4: buy and large done a very good job. It doesn't 504 00:29:27,040 --> 00:29:30,280 Speaker 4: mean I agree with everything. Tom Ramsey, who I do 505 00:29:30,480 --> 00:29:33,200 Speaker 4: like and respect, who's the county commissioner there, has come 506 00:29:33,240 --> 00:29:37,800 Speaker 4: out and supported this bond and donated to the pack 507 00:29:38,080 --> 00:29:41,680 Speaker 4: that was created to promote this. That doesn't mean I 508 00:29:41,760 --> 00:29:45,200 Speaker 4: necessarily agree that the bond should be passed. Now, the 509 00:29:45,200 --> 00:29:50,600 Speaker 4: Harris County Republican Party did endorse against the bond, and 510 00:29:50,640 --> 00:29:52,800 Speaker 4: a lot of taxpayers think that this is money that's 511 00:29:52,840 --> 00:29:56,120 Speaker 4: not needed I had put in a call a text 512 00:29:56,160 --> 00:29:58,040 Speaker 4: to Chris Ernest earlier that if he could come on 513 00:29:58,080 --> 00:30:00,200 Speaker 4: and talk about this, and we have him now. He's 514 00:30:00,200 --> 00:30:03,080 Speaker 4: the chairman of the board at Spring Branch Independent School District. Chris, 515 00:30:03,080 --> 00:30:03,720 Speaker 4: thanks for being with. 516 00:30:03,680 --> 00:30:04,080 Speaker 2: Us, buddy. 517 00:30:05,560 --> 00:30:06,520 Speaker 6: Hi, Michael, how are you? 518 00:30:06,800 --> 00:30:09,720 Speaker 4: I have you sound thrilled to be here. 519 00:30:10,120 --> 00:30:12,280 Speaker 2: I have a review. Hey, the text. 520 00:30:12,960 --> 00:30:16,200 Speaker 4: It's a very thorough text you sent about your support 521 00:30:16,200 --> 00:30:18,440 Speaker 4: of the bond. Let's do the nuts and bolts first 522 00:30:18,440 --> 00:30:20,200 Speaker 4: of what the bond looks like? How much is it 523 00:30:20,240 --> 00:30:25,320 Speaker 4: for six hundred million and how much does that cost 524 00:30:25,480 --> 00:30:29,080 Speaker 4: the individual taxpayer in Spring Branch Independent School District? 525 00:30:30,720 --> 00:30:32,680 Speaker 6: Well, I guess first to back up, I mean six 526 00:30:32,800 --> 00:30:35,800 Speaker 6: hundred million carved up into four different propositions. So if 527 00:30:35,840 --> 00:30:39,920 Speaker 6: all four passed, then it would be a six hundred 528 00:30:39,960 --> 00:30:42,240 Speaker 6: million dollar bond, and it would cost about one hundred 529 00:30:42,280 --> 00:30:45,360 Speaker 6: and forty dollars a year for every half a million 530 00:30:45,400 --> 00:30:46,400 Speaker 6: dollar home that you own. 531 00:30:48,040 --> 00:30:49,960 Speaker 4: Okay, so a million dollar home would pay two eighty 532 00:30:50,640 --> 00:30:52,040 Speaker 4: two million, five to sixty yep. 533 00:30:52,240 --> 00:30:55,880 Speaker 6: Okay, all right, yeah, which which I understand. I mean 534 00:30:55,920 --> 00:30:58,000 Speaker 6: I went back and listened to what you had to 535 00:30:58,040 --> 00:31:00,240 Speaker 6: say the other day, and look I know that it's 536 00:31:00,240 --> 00:31:03,440 Speaker 6: not necessarily a popular thing, but at some point, it's like, man, 537 00:31:03,560 --> 00:31:06,640 Speaker 6: we're paying so much property tax already, and when you 538 00:31:06,680 --> 00:31:09,120 Speaker 6: look around this region and you look around the state, 539 00:31:09,160 --> 00:31:12,800 Speaker 6: and you've got kids that are participating in extracurriculars, and 540 00:31:13,000 --> 00:31:16,560 Speaker 6: every single facility in Spring Branch is sixty years old, Like, 541 00:31:16,600 --> 00:31:18,800 Speaker 6: at some point it's like, man, Okay, I'm paying thirty 542 00:31:18,840 --> 00:31:22,000 Speaker 6: thousand dollars a year for what for crap? And what's 543 00:31:22,000 --> 00:31:25,160 Speaker 6: another three hundred bucks so that I can my kids 544 00:31:25,200 --> 00:31:29,760 Speaker 6: in the community can participate in first class facilities. At 545 00:31:29,760 --> 00:31:31,640 Speaker 6: some point you're just like, man, we're paying so much, 546 00:31:31,760 --> 00:31:35,800 Speaker 6: Like what's another few hundred dollars to have what everybody 547 00:31:35,840 --> 00:31:36,760 Speaker 6: else has? 548 00:31:37,400 --> 00:31:40,480 Speaker 4: Well, I guess the argument would be, and there was 549 00:31:40,520 --> 00:31:43,080 Speaker 4: an allusion to that, is that if there is a 550 00:31:43,160 --> 00:31:46,000 Speaker 4: voucher and if there is increasing choice, which I think 551 00:31:46,080 --> 00:31:47,920 Speaker 4: is the future. And I know y'all are against that, 552 00:31:48,040 --> 00:31:50,800 Speaker 4: but I do think that forms of that are the future. 553 00:31:51,000 --> 00:31:53,960 Speaker 6: I'm not against that. I'm not against that, Michael. I 554 00:31:54,000 --> 00:31:56,240 Speaker 6: just think we need to be able to stay competitive then, 555 00:31:57,920 --> 00:31:59,720 Speaker 6: because I mean, look around, who are we going. 556 00:31:59,720 --> 00:32:00,440 Speaker 2: To be peting with. 557 00:32:00,480 --> 00:32:04,440 Speaker 6: We're going to be Spring Branch, specifically Second Baptist, Kinkaid, 558 00:32:04,560 --> 00:32:07,920 Speaker 6: Houston Christian Saint John's. Look at the athletic facilities of 559 00:32:08,000 --> 00:32:12,840 Speaker 6: those places. I mean, find me one one of those 560 00:32:12,840 --> 00:32:15,239 Speaker 6: schools that doesn't have a turf baseball field. I mean, 561 00:32:15,280 --> 00:32:18,440 Speaker 6: Second Baptist is putting in a jumbo tron on the 562 00:32:18,520 --> 00:32:22,160 Speaker 6: church campus this summer. I mean, so you know, we've 563 00:32:22,160 --> 00:32:24,480 Speaker 6: got a we've got a school board at Tolley Stadium 564 00:32:24,480 --> 00:32:26,320 Speaker 6: that looks like it walked right out of the astronom. 565 00:32:26,680 --> 00:32:29,680 Speaker 6: And you know, I mean porta potties. So I mean, 566 00:32:29,680 --> 00:32:33,440 Speaker 6: at some point, like whether your kids go to those 567 00:32:33,480 --> 00:32:35,800 Speaker 6: schools or they go to our schools or wherever they go, 568 00:32:35,880 --> 00:32:38,400 Speaker 6: at some point like the community at large, I mean 569 00:32:39,200 --> 00:32:41,680 Speaker 6: the properties in Spring Branch are propped up by Spring 570 00:32:41,720 --> 00:32:42,440 Speaker 6: Branch isd. 571 00:32:42,840 --> 00:32:43,360 Speaker 2: I mean. 572 00:32:44,680 --> 00:32:46,520 Speaker 6: You know, I mean, you know, so we want to 573 00:32:46,560 --> 00:32:49,479 Speaker 6: take pride in our facilities, and to me, quite frankly, 574 00:32:49,520 --> 00:32:52,200 Speaker 6: it's embarrassing for Spring Branch that we've got a sixty 575 00:32:52,360 --> 00:32:57,000 Speaker 6: year old football stadium where there's concrete steps that literally 576 00:32:57,160 --> 00:33:00,440 Speaker 6: literally collapsed and disintegrated this year, that we have to 577 00:33:00,480 --> 00:33:04,440 Speaker 6: bring in twenty to thirty porta potties. Whenever Memorial and 578 00:33:04,480 --> 00:33:08,160 Speaker 6: Stratford play in Tolley Stadium because the plumbing doesn't work. 579 00:33:09,000 --> 00:33:12,160 Speaker 6: You know, we literally had sewage and I could use 580 00:33:12,200 --> 00:33:15,120 Speaker 6: another S word, but I won't on air, literally coming 581 00:33:15,160 --> 00:33:19,440 Speaker 6: down the berm after Memorial's homecoming game because the sewage 582 00:33:19,480 --> 00:33:22,640 Speaker 6: backed up. And you know it's at some point, like 583 00:33:22,760 --> 00:33:24,440 Speaker 6: I know it's you're liking Rod to say we need 584 00:33:24,440 --> 00:33:25,920 Speaker 6: a new football stadium. 585 00:33:25,480 --> 00:33:28,680 Speaker 4: But you can say sludge on the air, Chris. 586 00:33:29,240 --> 00:33:31,479 Speaker 6: Sludge, Yeah, I know, I know. Hold yeah, I mean, 587 00:33:32,240 --> 00:33:32,520 Speaker 6: just do. 588 00:33:32,600 --> 00:33:36,560 Speaker 4: Something quick break. Chris Ernest is the president of the 589 00:33:36,600 --> 00:33:41,280 Speaker 4: school board at SBISD. I supported him proudly to be 590 00:33:41,560 --> 00:33:43,560 Speaker 4: in that position, and I think they've done a very 591 00:33:43,600 --> 00:33:45,880 Speaker 4: good job. It was it was a taking back by 592 00:33:46,000 --> 00:33:49,080 Speaker 4: parents of that school district, and I think by and 593 00:33:49,160 --> 00:33:53,400 Speaker 4: large you've seen great strides made there. Today begins early 594 00:33:53,520 --> 00:33:55,840 Speaker 4: voting in these in these elections. We'll talk about it 595 00:33:55,840 --> 00:33:56,240 Speaker 4: coming up.