1 00:00:03,920 --> 00:00:11,280 Speaker 1: It's that time, time, time, time, luck and load. So 2 00:00:11,480 --> 00:00:13,880 Speaker 1: Michael Verie Show is on the air. 3 00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:31,520 Speaker 2: Legendary engineer Bob Jones, along with Alan Watson, ensued the 4 00:00:31,560 --> 00:00:35,680 Speaker 2: City of Houston for not funding drainage. You might have 5 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:40,080 Speaker 2: noticed that water stands longer and higher than it. 6 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:41,520 Speaker 1: Did years ago. 7 00:00:41,960 --> 00:00:45,159 Speaker 2: That's because the city has neglected its infrastructure. You can 8 00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:51,200 Speaker 2: only imagine where they spent the money and on whom. 9 00:00:51,320 --> 00:00:51,640 Speaker 1: Well. 10 00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:57,080 Speaker 2: In twenty ten, a nice porker was mayor and Stephen Costello, 11 00:00:57,200 --> 00:01:02,280 Speaker 2: a prominent engineer in town, was on city council, and 12 00:01:02,360 --> 00:01:10,760 Speaker 2: there was a movement called Renew Houston, and it basically said, yes, yes, 13 00:01:11,080 --> 00:01:14,440 Speaker 2: we've done wrong in the past. Yes bad things have happened, 14 00:01:15,080 --> 00:01:19,040 Speaker 2: but if you'll give us a bunch of money going. 15 00:01:18,920 --> 00:01:22,280 Speaker 1: Forward, we won't let it happen again. 16 00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:29,720 Speaker 2: And the politicians won't be able to divert one penny 17 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:30,520 Speaker 2: of it. 18 00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:33,280 Speaker 1: It'll all go for drainage. Right. 19 00:01:33,920 --> 00:01:36,319 Speaker 2: Here was an ad that ran at that time. 20 00:01:39,040 --> 00:01:41,240 Speaker 1: This is the flood of eighty three. Now here's the 21 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:42,040 Speaker 1: flood of one. 22 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:44,920 Speaker 3: Water got so high police and fire couldn't get through. 23 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:47,600 Speaker 3: The city said they'd fix it, but they spent the 24 00:01:47,640 --> 00:01:50,720 Speaker 3: money on something else. And here is where I'm voting 25 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:53,640 Speaker 3: for Prop one, a pay as you go plan to 26 00:01:53,720 --> 00:01:57,840 Speaker 3: finally rebuild our streets, fix these drainage problems, and create jobs. 27 00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:01,480 Speaker 3: And the best part, the politicians can't divert a single cent. 28 00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:04,840 Speaker 3: I'm voting for Prop one because it's time to draw 29 00:02:04,920 --> 00:02:06,520 Speaker 3: the line on deficit spending. 30 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:11,600 Speaker 2: The politicians can't divert a cent. Bob Jones, you filed 31 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:14,440 Speaker 2: a lawsuit against the City of Houston because they did, 32 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:19,240 Speaker 2: in fact divert quite a few cents, correct, it's correct. 33 00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:21,920 Speaker 2: Do you have an estimate on how much they diverted? 34 00:02:23,639 --> 00:02:27,960 Speaker 4: Well, absolutely do. To start with, there are three funding 35 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:31,360 Speaker 4: components eleven point eight cents add lorm pax all the 36 00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:35,560 Speaker 4: Metro reachiablebility money, and a drainage fee. We file suit 37 00:02:35,639 --> 00:02:39,679 Speaker 4: on the eleven point eight cents, and today that fund 38 00:02:40,240 --> 00:02:42,519 Speaker 4: is being short at about one hundred and ten million 39 00:02:42,560 --> 00:02:45,520 Speaker 4: dollars per year. When we file the suit, it was 40 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:49,040 Speaker 4: only fifty million, but it's growing every year. They also 41 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:53,760 Speaker 4: were diverting our shorting about forty to forty five million 42 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:56,360 Speaker 4: dollars out of the metro funds and about ten million 43 00:02:56,440 --> 00:03:01,280 Speaker 4: now the drainage fee. The agreement that we have tentatively 44 00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:05,280 Speaker 4: reached with Mayor Whitmyer solves not only the eleven eight 45 00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:07,960 Speaker 4: cents shortfall, but he's agreed to fix the rest of 46 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:12,680 Speaker 4: the program, which means restoring the full metro money, restoring 47 00:03:12,720 --> 00:03:17,520 Speaker 4: the full drainage s fee money in FY twenty eight, 48 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:22,560 Speaker 4: which will happen in July of twenty twenty seven. The 49 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:26,600 Speaker 4: city will be funding two hundred million dollars more money 50 00:03:26,680 --> 00:03:31,639 Speaker 4: into streets and drainings than it is doing today. Will 51 00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:35,640 Speaker 4: be monumental, and it's going to be one more attempt 52 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:38,559 Speaker 4: at locking it in to prevent the diversions. 53 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:44,760 Speaker 2: Worth noting, the Texas Supreme Court struck down in January 54 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:47,600 Speaker 2: the city's appeal of this case. So you had won 55 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:50,440 Speaker 2: the case, and now it was up to the city 56 00:03:51,080 --> 00:03:54,119 Speaker 2: and this new mayor to strike a deal to do, 57 00:03:54,680 --> 00:03:58,480 Speaker 2: oddly enough, what had been promised. And in fairness to Whitmyer, 58 00:03:58,640 --> 00:04:01,560 Speaker 2: it wasn't his promise. It was a promise two mayors ago, 59 00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:03,880 Speaker 2: but it was a promise to the taxpayers, and the 60 00:04:03,880 --> 00:04:06,960 Speaker 2: taxpayers I would argue, have been fleeced from all of this. 61 00:04:07,560 --> 00:04:10,880 Speaker 2: Bob Jones is our guest. He's an engineer of note 62 00:04:10,920 --> 00:04:15,040 Speaker 2: in this town for fifty four years. You know, if 63 00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:18,520 Speaker 2: somebody gets murdered on your street, you know that crime 64 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:20,839 Speaker 2: is up. You can go look at the crime data 65 00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:27,160 Speaker 2: and see, oh, crime is up. Anecdotally we know, I 66 00:04:27,200 --> 00:04:29,000 Speaker 2: know streets that I used to be able to drive. 67 00:04:29,400 --> 00:04:32,359 Speaker 2: And now when there is a light rain the water 68 00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:35,520 Speaker 2: is rising. There is there a way to measure how 69 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:38,840 Speaker 2: much worse, how bad the drainage is. Is there some 70 00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:41,360 Speaker 2: sort of a way you can calculate that. 71 00:04:43,200 --> 00:04:47,960 Speaker 4: Well, yeah, it could be calculated on individual drainage systems, 72 00:04:48,040 --> 00:04:53,640 Speaker 4: because every subdivision has a separate drainage system. Major thoroughfares 73 00:04:53,720 --> 00:04:57,960 Speaker 4: have separate drainage systems, you know, about every mile. So 74 00:04:58,839 --> 00:05:02,360 Speaker 4: you can individually look at I mean, you can individually 75 00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:09,560 Speaker 4: solve the bad points in the various draining systems. But 76 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:12,760 Speaker 4: first you have to make decision to do that, and 77 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:16,040 Speaker 4: you have to commit the money to make it happen. 78 00:05:16,640 --> 00:05:21,560 Speaker 4: And so this very very deceptive diversion of funds that 79 00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:27,960 Speaker 4: really took place in the prior administration have created this 80 00:05:28,240 --> 00:05:32,520 Speaker 4: horrendous shortfall. I mean, in the last six and a 81 00:05:32,560 --> 00:05:37,000 Speaker 4: half years, we underfunded what was promised to the voters 82 00:05:37,040 --> 00:05:41,720 Speaker 4: by about six hundred million dollars. Going forward, under the 83 00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:47,360 Speaker 4: agreement we have with Mary Whitmyer, we will add about 84 00:05:47,560 --> 00:05:50,320 Speaker 4: four and a half to five billion dollars over the 85 00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:54,159 Speaker 4: next twenty years to what was being done and what 86 00:05:54,520 --> 00:05:58,800 Speaker 4: was the standard that the prior administration put in place. 87 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:04,560 Speaker 2: Unfortunately, the station chose to do an EAES during much 88 00:06:04,560 --> 00:06:08,880 Speaker 2: of that conversation. So I guess people didn't hear everything 89 00:06:08,920 --> 00:06:11,280 Speaker 2: you said according to emails, not that we didn't have 90 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:13,920 Speaker 2: a news break before that when it could have been done. 91 00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:17,320 Speaker 2: So some of this money that will pay for this 92 00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:20,040 Speaker 2: drainage will come from Metro. 93 00:06:22,440 --> 00:06:25,239 Speaker 4: That's correct. Some of it will come from Metro reachable 94 00:06:25,240 --> 00:06:28,880 Speaker 4: ability money, some will come from the drainage fee that 95 00:06:29,520 --> 00:06:30,400 Speaker 4: was put in play. 96 00:06:30,520 --> 00:06:33,120 Speaker 2: Say the third one, Bob, all the good I've done 97 00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:35,840 Speaker 2: you you'll undercut it all. Don't say where the third 98 00:06:35,839 --> 00:06:41,280 Speaker 2: one's coming. All right, No, you gotta do it. 99 00:06:41,520 --> 00:06:42,000 Speaker 1: Go ahead. 100 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:47,240 Speaker 4: The eleven point eight cents of the ADALRM tax revenue, 101 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:51,880 Speaker 4: which is the primary money that was being diverted, is 102 00:06:52,320 --> 00:06:57,720 Speaker 4: perpetually dedicated to streets and draine and that is exactly 103 00:06:57,760 --> 00:07:02,240 Speaker 4: what the court ruled on. It said, In reality, Citi's 104 00:07:02,279 --> 00:07:06,159 Speaker 4: got to follow its own charter Charter was elected, voted 105 00:07:06,160 --> 00:07:09,640 Speaker 4: on by the people, and the court said, yeah, you 106 00:07:09,840 --> 00:07:12,400 Speaker 4: acted in an illegal manner, and now you've got to 107 00:07:12,440 --> 00:07:14,680 Speaker 4: go back and follow the Charter the way that's written. 108 00:07:15,960 --> 00:07:18,240 Speaker 1: So it's not a tax increase. 109 00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:21,520 Speaker 4: It is not a tax, Okay, it's just. 110 00:07:21,480 --> 00:07:25,560 Speaker 2: A diversion of funds from where they're being spent to drainage. 111 00:07:25,120 --> 00:07:27,560 Speaker 1: Which was the commitment that was made originally. Okay, I'm 112 00:07:27,560 --> 00:07:28,920 Speaker 1: happy to hear that. Good. 113 00:07:29,440 --> 00:07:32,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, absolutely, Okay, Well then they won't hate you now, 114 00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:34,320 Speaker 2: y'all can go back to liking him again. 115 00:07:36,880 --> 00:07:40,600 Speaker 4: Yeah, we're not proposing any additional tax at all. And 116 00:07:40,960 --> 00:07:43,880 Speaker 4: in fact, you know, the premise of this Charter amendment 117 00:07:43,960 --> 00:07:47,840 Speaker 4: originally was to do two things. To perpetually fund streets 118 00:07:47,840 --> 00:07:50,480 Speaker 4: and drainage on a pay as you go basis, which 119 00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:54,000 Speaker 4: is unique in the whole United States. And the second 120 00:07:54,200 --> 00:07:57,680 Speaker 4: is to separate funding for streets and drainage from police 121 00:07:57,720 --> 00:08:00,000 Speaker 4: and fire, so you never had to have an argument 122 00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:04,200 Speaker 4: ever again that police were being shorted because you did 123 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:08,119 Speaker 4: something on the street. We separated the funding, and going 124 00:08:08,240 --> 00:08:12,600 Speaker 4: forward with what Mary Whitmers now agreed to, I think 125 00:08:12,640 --> 00:08:13,640 Speaker 4: we'll have that working. 126 00:08:14,920 --> 00:08:16,480 Speaker 2: It's sad that it had to come to this, but 127 00:08:16,560 --> 00:08:19,160 Speaker 2: I'm glad y'all were willing to go forward and bring 128 00:08:19,200 --> 00:08:22,160 Speaker 2: this lawsuit and win it. You are a great man 129 00:08:22,200 --> 00:08:24,720 Speaker 2: and a dear friend, Bob Jones, thanks for sharing with us. 130 00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:30,360 Speaker 4: Thank you, Michael. 131 00:08:26,720 --> 00:08:31,280 Speaker 1: Show Day. 132 00:08:32,800 --> 00:08:35,439 Speaker 2: Eighty nine years ago, one hundred and eighty nine years 133 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:39,319 Speaker 2: ago today. On April twenty first, eighteen thirty six, Texas 134 00:08:39,360 --> 00:08:46,200 Speaker 2: forces won the Battle of San Jacinto, the concluding military 135 00:08:46,320 --> 00:08:51,640 Speaker 2: event of the Texas Revolution. Facing General Santa Anna's Mexican 136 00:08:51,760 --> 00:08:54,360 Speaker 2: army of some twelve hundred men in camped in what 137 00:08:54,520 --> 00:08:59,480 Speaker 2: is now southeastern Harris County, General Sam Houston disposed his 138 00:08:59,559 --> 00:09:05,840 Speaker 2: forces in battle order about three thirty pm during cesta 139 00:09:05,920 --> 00:09:09,080 Speaker 2: time that has always been one of my favorite parts 140 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:14,160 Speaker 2: of the story. The Texans' movements were screened by trees 141 00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:17,199 Speaker 2: and the rising ground, and evidently Santa Anna had no 142 00:09:17,240 --> 00:09:21,480 Speaker 2: lookouts posted. The Texan line sprang forward on the run 143 00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:26,360 Speaker 2: with the cries remember the Alamo and remember Goliad. The 144 00:09:26,400 --> 00:09:31,360 Speaker 2: battle lasted but eighteen minutes. According to Houston's official report, 145 00:09:31,440 --> 00:09:36,040 Speaker 2: the casualties were six hundred thirty Mexicans killed and seven 146 00:09:36,120 --> 00:09:41,040 Speaker 2: hundred thirty taken prisoner. Against this only nine of the 147 00:09:41,120 --> 00:09:45,319 Speaker 2: nine hundred, ten Texans were killed or mortally wounded, and 148 00:09:45,440 --> 00:09:49,920 Speaker 2: thirty were wounded less seriously. That is from the very 149 00:09:50,160 --> 00:09:56,920 Speaker 2: Wonderful Handbook of Texas produced by the Texas State Historical Association. 150 00:09:57,920 --> 00:09:58,800 Speaker 1: If you would like to. 151 00:09:58,840 --> 00:10:07,679 Speaker 2: Learn more TSHA Texas State Historical Association t SHA online 152 00:10:07,920 --> 00:10:12,679 Speaker 2: dot org. They I get a friend of mine, Donnie Meismer, 153 00:10:12,760 --> 00:10:17,240 Speaker 2: sends me every morning the post for the day of 154 00:10:17,280 --> 00:10:20,520 Speaker 2: what happened on this day in Texas history, and ninety 155 00:10:20,600 --> 00:10:22,880 Speaker 2: nine days out of one hundred. I don't use it 156 00:10:22,920 --> 00:10:24,840 Speaker 2: on the show because I forget about it or something 157 00:10:24,840 --> 00:10:28,240 Speaker 2: else happens, but I read it every morning and I 158 00:10:28,360 --> 00:10:32,520 Speaker 2: enjoy it's a good In one year of reading that 159 00:10:32,920 --> 00:10:37,280 Speaker 2: on the daily, you will have a pretty good working 160 00:10:37,360 --> 00:10:41,320 Speaker 2: knowledge of Texas history. And then of course you just 161 00:10:41,760 --> 00:10:45,600 Speaker 2: start over the next year. But it's a wonderful site 162 00:10:46,520 --> 00:10:51,800 Speaker 2: created by wonderful people preserving Texas history. That was written 163 00:10:51,920 --> 00:10:55,720 Speaker 2: at the time as fifteen minutes that Changed the world. 164 00:10:55,800 --> 00:11:00,760 Speaker 2: It was actually eighteen. One of those thirty who was 165 00:11:01,080 --> 00:11:07,319 Speaker 2: wounded less seriously but not mortally, was Sam Houston himself. 166 00:11:07,880 --> 00:11:12,160 Speaker 2: When astride his steed, he was shot in the ankle 167 00:11:12,920 --> 00:11:16,760 Speaker 2: story goes a pretty brutal wound, but he knew this 168 00:11:16,960 --> 00:11:20,160 Speaker 2: was his moment. Sam Houston understood his place in history, 169 00:11:20,679 --> 00:11:25,800 Speaker 2: much as Winston Churchill famously rode the lines in South 170 00:11:25,840 --> 00:11:30,400 Speaker 2: Africa with bullets whizzing and famously said, there is no 171 00:11:30,480 --> 00:11:33,880 Speaker 2: great thrill like a bullet shot at you that missed. 172 00:11:34,400 --> 00:11:36,000 Speaker 2: The quote's not coming to me right now. I know 173 00:11:36,040 --> 00:11:40,240 Speaker 2: the quote, but basically there is. There is no human 174 00:11:40,280 --> 00:11:44,440 Speaker 2: emotion quite as wonderful, sensation quite as wonderful as being. 175 00:11:44,280 --> 00:11:47,040 Speaker 1: Shot out, shot at without ah. 176 00:11:47,120 --> 00:11:50,360 Speaker 2: I like to remember quotes, but anyway, Winston Churchill knew 177 00:11:50,360 --> 00:11:53,720 Speaker 2: that moments like that would define his legacy, and Houston 178 00:11:53,840 --> 00:11:57,240 Speaker 2: knew that this moment would define his legacy, and despite 179 00:11:57,280 --> 00:12:01,120 Speaker 2: the pain of the injury, jumped on another horse and 180 00:12:01,679 --> 00:12:08,840 Speaker 2: continued the route. The speech that he gave that is 181 00:12:08,920 --> 00:12:12,000 Speaker 2: known as the Waterloose Speech. If you're wondering the reference, 182 00:12:12,600 --> 00:12:16,360 Speaker 2: Santa Anna referred to himself as the Napoleon of the West. 183 00:12:16,800 --> 00:12:20,199 Speaker 2: Little grandiose, mind you, and remember that while Santa Anna 184 00:12:20,320 --> 00:12:24,840 Speaker 2: was the general of the Mexican forces, he was also 185 00:12:24,960 --> 00:12:28,719 Speaker 2: the President of Mexico at the time. It's referred to 186 00:12:28,760 --> 00:12:32,800 Speaker 2: as the Waterloose Speech as if Houston is attacking Napoleon, 187 00:12:33,000 --> 00:12:35,840 Speaker 2: the Napoleon of the West. It was quite the gambit 188 00:12:36,480 --> 00:12:41,200 Speaker 2: if you think about that moment. It was not preordained 189 00:12:41,240 --> 00:12:44,520 Speaker 2: that they would be victorious, and had they lost, it 190 00:12:44,720 --> 00:12:47,040 Speaker 2: likely would have been the end of Texas as we 191 00:12:47,120 --> 00:12:51,320 Speaker 2: know it. But of course they won. It's a glorious, 192 00:12:51,320 --> 00:12:54,840 Speaker 2: glorious moment. And we have audio of Sam Houston's speech 193 00:12:54,920 --> 00:12:57,040 Speaker 2: to his men twenty. 194 00:12:56,840 --> 00:12:57,640 Speaker 5: Five years ago. 195 00:12:58,920 --> 00:13:03,920 Speaker 6: Napoleon returns, max Hallandnilbo, puts together an army and moves 196 00:13:03,960 --> 00:13:09,280 Speaker 6: east swiftly before an alliance of nations can occur. 197 00:13:12,320 --> 00:13:15,960 Speaker 5: Wellington, the fewer men, fewer. 198 00:13:15,720 --> 00:13:20,480 Speaker 6: Armaments, stays one step ahead of the French, teasing them 199 00:13:20,480 --> 00:13:23,480 Speaker 6: with his presence, knowing that a large army will have 200 00:13:23,520 --> 00:13:24,679 Speaker 6: to splinter, but keep her. 201 00:13:25,559 --> 00:13:30,040 Speaker 5: He moves and waits, moves and waits for Napoleon to 202 00:13:30,080 --> 00:13:33,440 Speaker 5: make a mistake, to fall into a scenario that condemns 203 00:13:33,480 --> 00:13:39,760 Speaker 5: him to defeat. Wellington chooses a setting for victory before 204 00:13:39,760 --> 00:13:43,240 Speaker 5: it exists for him, before he lays eyes on it. 205 00:13:43,240 --> 00:13:49,640 Speaker 5: It has an open battleground, sloping plane cover for encampment, 206 00:13:50,520 --> 00:13:59,360 Speaker 5: and an opportunity to flank the enemy. The Mexican army 207 00:13:59,440 --> 00:14:03,440 Speaker 5: is splinter and though they do not know it, Santa 208 00:14:03,480 --> 00:14:06,920 Speaker 5: Anna's troops subsist on gasps of their SIPs of hope. 209 00:14:08,960 --> 00:14:11,920 Speaker 5: I share Wellington's battleground vision, though I do not know 210 00:14:12,000 --> 00:14:17,160 Speaker 5: the name of the place that I imagine. I, sir, 211 00:14:17,280 --> 00:14:22,640 Speaker 5: do not consider myself Wellington. Santa Anna, however, does consider 212 00:14:22,720 --> 00:14:27,600 Speaker 5: himself to be the Napoleon of the West. We shall 213 00:14:27,640 --> 00:14:33,560 Speaker 5: move and wait until he makes a mistake and presents 214 00:14:33,640 --> 00:14:35,120 Speaker 5: us with his own waterloo. 215 00:14:39,200 --> 00:14:42,520 Speaker 2: Ramon thinks Santa Anna was a dumb dumb for not 216 00:14:42,840 --> 00:14:44,280 Speaker 2: all he had to do is climb up in that 217 00:14:44,400 --> 00:14:45,840 Speaker 2: monument and look out. 218 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:47,920 Speaker 1: And need to seen him coming. That's all he had 219 00:14:47,960 --> 00:14:52,720 Speaker 1: to do. 220 00:14:58,160 --> 00:15:06,560 Speaker 2: Well, it is one of the great moments in world history, 221 00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:13,000 Speaker 2: one of the great moments in world history. Now, had 222 00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:20,080 Speaker 2: Greg Abbott have been there and Trey Harris, greg Abbot 223 00:15:20,080 --> 00:15:29,240 Speaker 2: would have probably given them an opportunity zoned dispensation. It 224 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:34,640 Speaker 2: is now being reported by The Daily Wire exclusive. Greg 225 00:15:34,680 --> 00:15:38,680 Speaker 2: Abbott hosted the Colony Ridge Developer for a private lunch 226 00:15:38,840 --> 00:15:43,560 Speaker 2: at the Governor's mansion and took one point five million 227 00:15:43,640 --> 00:15:50,040 Speaker 2: dollars in donations as he's secured federal tax breaks for 228 00:15:50,320 --> 00:15:57,120 Speaker 2: its investors. Here's how Greg Abbot supercharged the rise of 229 00:15:57,160 --> 00:16:04,440 Speaker 2: America's largest illegal alien unclove. The story that he then tells, 230 00:16:04,680 --> 00:16:10,400 Speaker 2: which I will read to you coming up, is disturbing 231 00:16:11,640 --> 00:16:14,920 Speaker 2: the wife of the developer of Colony Ridge giving all 232 00:16:14,960 --> 00:16:17,960 Speaker 2: this money to Greg Abbott. But I guess some of 233 00:16:17,960 --> 00:16:20,280 Speaker 2: you out there will say, why are you criticizing Abbot 234 00:16:20,280 --> 00:16:22,720 Speaker 2: because he's a Republican. I guess better to be sold 235 00:16:22,760 --> 00:16:32,960 Speaker 2: out by Republicans and Democrats, Hunts MacLeod Central. Zach Parker 236 00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:38,400 Speaker 2: an Army veteran who deployed to Afghanistan as a medic 237 00:16:38,480 --> 00:16:42,400 Speaker 2: and near the end of his deployment, specialist Parker's team 238 00:16:42,520 --> 00:16:49,120 Speaker 2: encountered a deeply buried improvised explosive device IED that had 239 00:16:49,200 --> 00:16:55,000 Speaker 2: shifted due to heavy rains. The ied explosions severely injured 240 00:16:55,080 --> 00:16:59,400 Speaker 2: him and several others. He lost his left arm, his 241 00:16:59,560 --> 00:17:03,320 Speaker 2: right leg at the hip, and his left leg above 242 00:17:03,360 --> 00:17:08,920 Speaker 2: the knee, making him one of the rare triple amputees 243 00:17:09,560 --> 00:17:10,320 Speaker 2: in our country. 244 00:17:12,600 --> 00:17:13,480 Speaker 1: He would. 245 00:17:15,359 --> 00:17:21,600 Speaker 2: Go on to marry Misty, an nco in the Army, 246 00:17:22,760 --> 00:17:31,560 Speaker 2: and they it's an incredible story, incredible story. Today at 247 00:17:31,560 --> 00:17:36,600 Speaker 2: eleven o'clock they will in a ceremony receive the keys. 248 00:17:36,359 --> 00:17:37,119 Speaker 1: Open to the public. 249 00:17:37,160 --> 00:17:40,520 Speaker 2: By the way, at Republic Grand Ranch, they will receive 250 00:17:40,600 --> 00:17:43,920 Speaker 2: the keys to their new home. It's a beautiful picture 251 00:17:43,920 --> 00:17:47,199 Speaker 2: in the I'll post it to Facebook of him and 252 00:17:47,240 --> 00:17:49,440 Speaker 2: his kids sitting on the dock at the lake that 253 00:17:49,520 --> 00:17:52,920 Speaker 2: you drive over at the entrance to Republic Grand Ranch. 254 00:17:53,960 --> 00:17:57,800 Speaker 2: And special thanks to our friends at Republic Grand Ranch, 255 00:17:57,880 --> 00:18:01,560 Speaker 2: Gary Sumner and his family, Mike Patton, who's the chairman 256 00:18:01,600 --> 00:18:02,639 Speaker 2: of that company. 257 00:18:03,800 --> 00:18:04,879 Speaker 1: For donating the land. 258 00:18:05,440 --> 00:18:08,720 Speaker 2: Special thanks to Mike Fheigen of another of our show 259 00:18:08,720 --> 00:18:12,600 Speaker 2: sponsors with Design Tech Homes for building this beautiful home. 260 00:18:13,720 --> 00:18:17,119 Speaker 1: DT dot com. 261 00:18:17,560 --> 00:18:22,120 Speaker 2: It's really an amazing story. It's an incredible story, an 262 00:18:22,320 --> 00:18:26,960 Speaker 2: entire beautiful home. And if you are retired or off 263 00:18:27,000 --> 00:18:32,159 Speaker 2: work or maybe out and about, Republic Grand Ranch is 264 00:18:32,200 --> 00:18:35,280 Speaker 2: in Willis and you can find the entrance to it's 265 00:18:35,280 --> 00:18:38,000 Speaker 2: pretty easy to find, and that will be at eleven o'clock. 266 00:18:38,680 --> 00:18:42,960 Speaker 2: I suspect they'll have some more it says special Guests, 267 00:18:43,800 --> 00:18:47,800 Speaker 2: Surprise special Guests. I would not be surprised to see 268 00:18:47,840 --> 00:18:50,919 Speaker 2: Marcus Latrell there. I would not be surprised to see 269 00:18:51,920 --> 00:18:54,720 Speaker 2: some other folks in the community that you'd probably like 270 00:18:54,760 --> 00:19:00,639 Speaker 2: to meet anyway, That is today at eleven o'clock. So 271 00:19:01,240 --> 00:19:04,800 Speaker 2: let's go to the reporting of Spencer Lindquist on the 272 00:19:04,840 --> 00:19:07,040 Speaker 2: subject of Colony Ridge. 273 00:19:08,560 --> 00:19:09,080 Speaker 1: Exclusive. 274 00:19:09,160 --> 00:19:11,840 Speaker 2: Greg Abbott hosted the Colony Ridge developer for a private 275 00:19:11,920 --> 00:19:14,160 Speaker 2: lunch at the governor's mansion and took one point five 276 00:19:14,280 --> 00:19:17,560 Speaker 2: million dollars in donations as he secured federal tax breaks 277 00:19:17,600 --> 00:19:18,840 Speaker 2: for its investors. 278 00:19:19,600 --> 00:19:20,520 Speaker 1: Here is how. 279 00:19:20,400 --> 00:19:24,359 Speaker 2: Abbot supercharged the rise of America's largest illegal alien on 280 00:19:24,560 --> 00:19:28,200 Speaker 2: clov Nice to know we're home to America's largest illegal alien. 281 00:19:28,359 --> 00:19:31,960 Speaker 2: All right, here's the story Abbot took the sus Spencer Lindquist. 282 00:19:32,280 --> 00:19:35,280 Speaker 2: Abbot took one hundred thousand dollars from the wife of 283 00:19:35,359 --> 00:19:38,840 Speaker 2: the Colony Ridge developer in March of twenty eighteen. Now 284 00:19:39,720 --> 00:19:43,480 Speaker 2: do you think the wife had any interest in giving 285 00:19:43,520 --> 00:19:47,440 Speaker 2: money to the governor? What does that sound like to you? 286 00:19:49,040 --> 00:19:51,760 Speaker 2: Just two days later? Two days later, It's amazing the 287 00:19:51,760 --> 00:19:56,600 Speaker 2: coincidence of time. The day of the nomination deadline, the 288 00:19:56,640 --> 00:20:03,119 Speaker 2: governor recommended Colony Ridge for opportune the zone status, unlocking 289 00:20:03,280 --> 00:20:10,320 Speaker 2: major investment incentives. Records obtained by Daily Wire reveal. So 290 00:20:10,400 --> 00:20:12,880 Speaker 2: there is the letter signed by Greg Abbott to then 291 00:20:13,119 --> 00:20:17,000 Speaker 2: Secretary of the Treasury Stephen Nuken, saying, Hey, these guys 292 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:19,320 Speaker 2: should get this. As the governor of state of Texas, 293 00:20:19,359 --> 00:20:23,800 Speaker 2: I really hope they'll get this. Two weeks later, Harris 294 00:20:23,840 --> 00:20:28,359 Speaker 2: met Abbot and a powerful state senator at the governor's mansion. 295 00:20:29,280 --> 00:20:31,720 Speaker 1: Take a guess the state senator. I'll tell you a minute. 296 00:20:33,119 --> 00:20:37,560 Speaker 2: Abbot sent another letter nominating it as an opportunity zone. 297 00:20:37,960 --> 00:20:38,800 Speaker 2: Two days later. 298 00:20:39,000 --> 00:20:41,040 Speaker 1: Wow, that is great. 299 00:20:41,760 --> 00:20:45,080 Speaker 2: Greg Abbott out there just fighting for the people of Texas. 300 00:20:45,520 --> 00:20:47,160 Speaker 1: Well, not really. 301 00:20:48,240 --> 00:20:52,399 Speaker 2: He sent a final letter four days after that. Greg, 302 00:20:53,640 --> 00:20:56,360 Speaker 2: you're pestering us. Now we got it. Well, a guy, 303 00:20:56,400 --> 00:20:58,480 Speaker 2: give you a million and a half bucks. You're getting 304 00:20:58,480 --> 00:21:04,040 Speaker 2: on our nerves. The plan worked. Now investors receive special 305 00:21:04,080 --> 00:21:08,040 Speaker 2: tax breaks. He's included the two letters in there, three 306 00:21:08,080 --> 00:21:12,480 Speaker 2: separate letters. Wow, he's quite interested in this case, isn't he. 307 00:21:13,760 --> 00:21:19,120 Speaker 2: Trey Harris, the founder of Colony Ridge, attended the mansion 308 00:21:19,200 --> 00:21:22,720 Speaker 2: again for a quote summer kickoff fiesta. 309 00:21:22,800 --> 00:21:25,720 Speaker 1: Oh how nice a fiesta, and. 310 00:21:25,600 --> 00:21:29,159 Speaker 2: Then gave one hundred thousand dollars to Abbott. Or at 311 00:21:29,240 --> 00:21:32,440 Speaker 2: least that's the part that we've filed. We don't really know. 312 00:21:33,119 --> 00:21:36,560 Speaker 2: Maybe more who knows the first of what would become 313 00:21:36,640 --> 00:21:41,120 Speaker 2: one point four million dollars in donations. 314 00:21:41,160 --> 00:21:44,440 Speaker 1: It's odd. It's like, all right, they have a meeting 315 00:21:44,440 --> 00:21:45,080 Speaker 1: with the governor. 316 00:21:46,160 --> 00:21:49,719 Speaker 2: Two days later, the governor tells the federal government, Hey, hey, 317 00:21:49,760 --> 00:21:51,959 Speaker 2: you got to give them opportunity Zone, which unlocks up 318 00:21:52,640 --> 00:21:58,000 Speaker 2: fortune to them. And then the governor tells the federal 319 00:21:58,000 --> 00:22:00,160 Speaker 2: government again, come on, guys, you got give them this 320 00:22:00,160 --> 00:22:03,840 Speaker 2: this certification. Then the government governor does it again, and 321 00:22:03,880 --> 00:22:09,040 Speaker 2: then right after that, Trey Harris gets invited to the 322 00:22:09,040 --> 00:22:15,199 Speaker 2: governor's mansion and gives him money again. It's it's so 323 00:22:15,440 --> 00:22:17,600 Speaker 2: crazy because if I didn't know any better, it would 324 00:22:17,600 --> 00:22:18,520 Speaker 2: sound like a pay to play. 325 00:22:18,800 --> 00:22:20,720 Speaker 1: Now, I know, I know Greg Abbot wouldn't do that. 326 00:22:20,720 --> 00:22:22,920 Speaker 2: You don't want me criticizing him because you'd rather be 327 00:22:23,000 --> 00:22:25,760 Speaker 2: ripped off by Republicans and Democrats. But it just crazy, 328 00:22:25,800 --> 00:22:29,080 Speaker 2: isn't It's like, give them money, have a meeting after 329 00:22:29,119 --> 00:22:32,159 Speaker 2: the meeting, governor Pester's the federal government. He gets on 330 00:22:32,200 --> 00:22:35,879 Speaker 2: the opportunity zone, have another meeting, give him more money. 331 00:22:36,680 --> 00:22:42,600 Speaker 2: It's it's really interesting stuff here. So Harris attended the 332 00:22:42,640 --> 00:22:45,880 Speaker 2: mansion again for a summer kickoff fiesta and then gave 333 00:22:45,920 --> 00:22:47,960 Speaker 2: abbot one hundred thousand dollars, the first of what would 334 00:22:47,960 --> 00:22:51,600 Speaker 2: become one point four million in donations. The IRS made 335 00:22:51,600 --> 00:22:54,560 Speaker 2: it official on July ninth. You're not gonna believe this 336 00:22:54,960 --> 00:23:00,000 Speaker 2: Colony Ridge was named an opportunity zone. Yeah, for Mexicans. 337 00:23:01,440 --> 00:23:08,440 Speaker 2: Now they use it to lure investments. On their statement, 338 00:23:08,520 --> 00:23:14,240 Speaker 2: their promotional statement, they call themselves the fastest growing development 339 00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:20,360 Speaker 2: in the United States, and they note located in an 340 00:23:20,440 --> 00:23:24,320 Speaker 2: opportunity zone. That's separate, not the largest growing development in 341 00:23:24,359 --> 00:23:25,640 Speaker 2: the US that is located. 342 00:23:25,800 --> 00:23:27,280 Speaker 1: They're the largest growing development in. 343 00:23:27,240 --> 00:23:29,800 Speaker 2: The US, they say, and they also note that it's 344 00:23:29,840 --> 00:23:34,560 Speaker 2: located in an opportunity zone. Colony Ridge knew the designation 345 00:23:34,680 --> 00:23:38,840 Speaker 2: would fuel its rapid growth. It tells commercial buyers that 346 00:23:38,880 --> 00:23:44,280 Speaker 2: the land is quote located in an opportunity zone. Colony 347 00:23:44,440 --> 00:23:47,560 Speaker 2: Ridge says it will hit two hundred and fifty thousand 348 00:23:47,640 --> 00:23:52,520 Speaker 2: residents in less than a decade, outgrowing cities like Knoxville 349 00:23:52,680 --> 00:23:59,439 Speaker 2: or Boise as it attracts illegals. The senator at the 350 00:23:59,480 --> 00:24:05,480 Speaker 2: Governor's Mansion meeting was Brandon Creighton. He told me, this 351 00:24:05,560 --> 00:24:09,240 Speaker 2: is Spencer Lindquist talking that they discussed the quote history 352 00:24:09,320 --> 00:24:12,320 Speaker 2: of the grounds. Oh it's an old Indian burial tomb 353 00:24:12,359 --> 00:24:15,720 Speaker 2: with the history of the grounds. Good to know, Okay, 354 00:24:15,760 --> 00:24:20,600 Speaker 2: But Creighton, a state senator, is the vice president of 355 00:24:20,680 --> 00:24:26,040 Speaker 2: a company that announced it was building homes in Colony 356 00:24:26,119 --> 00:24:33,360 Speaker 2: Ridge after it received its Opportunity Zone status. Huh So 357 00:24:33,440 --> 00:24:38,840 Speaker 2: the Republican state senator who's present in the meetings to 358 00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:45,840 Speaker 2: get Colony Ridge Opportunity Zone tax status is also the 359 00:24:45,920 --> 00:24:52,200 Speaker 2: vice president of the company building the homes at Colony Ridge. 360 00:24:53,560 --> 00:24:58,280 Speaker 1: What are the chances? It's almost It's. 361 00:24:58,520 --> 00:24:59,760 Speaker 2: All mos. 362 00:25:01,040 --> 00:25:10,800 Speaker 1: Nah. They wouldn't do that. The Michael Berry Show. 363 00:25:13,160 --> 00:25:16,399 Speaker 2: When I was thinking about doing the RCC and looking 364 00:25:16,400 --> 00:25:19,520 Speaker 2: for spaces, I wanted to see if we had the 365 00:25:19,600 --> 00:25:23,000 Speaker 2: draw to get people to come out to concerts. Because 366 00:25:23,520 --> 00:25:25,679 Speaker 2: I talk into a microphone. I look across the glass 367 00:25:25,680 --> 00:25:30,600 Speaker 2: at Ramone talk to Chad Kunda mud all day. But 368 00:25:30,640 --> 00:25:32,480 Speaker 2: I don't you know, I get a lot of emails. 369 00:25:32,480 --> 00:25:35,600 Speaker 2: But our folks tend to be older, not all, but 370 00:25:35,680 --> 00:25:39,320 Speaker 2: a lot, and people are spread all over the region 371 00:25:39,400 --> 00:25:42,119 Speaker 2: and beyond. Would there be enough people to come to 372 00:25:42,160 --> 00:25:47,320 Speaker 2: a show? So I thought, well, let's try it, and 373 00:25:46,560 --> 00:25:54,040 Speaker 2: we our first show we did, Cody Johnson performed for 374 00:25:54,160 --> 00:25:59,119 Speaker 2: me for free, now the radius clauses require that an 375 00:25:59,200 --> 00:26:06,080 Speaker 2: artist cannot perform before or promote a show after within 376 00:26:06,119 --> 00:26:10,240 Speaker 2: a certain number of days thirty sixty ninety and Cody 377 00:26:10,359 --> 00:26:13,600 Speaker 2: was not. He got big, really big, but at that 378 00:26:13,720 --> 00:26:16,320 Speaker 2: point he was on the way up. He didn't have 379 00:26:16,400 --> 00:26:18,480 Speaker 2: to do that for me. It was very kind that 380 00:26:18,560 --> 00:26:24,359 Speaker 2: he did. And he had a show that night, and 381 00:26:24,440 --> 00:26:26,680 Speaker 2: so he drove in with his wife and I think 382 00:26:26,720 --> 00:26:28,440 Speaker 2: his parents, because his parents were fans of the show, 383 00:26:28,920 --> 00:26:32,040 Speaker 2: and he did a show for he No, no, no, 384 00:26:32,160 --> 00:26:34,800 Speaker 2: must have been the show next night. Anyway, So we 385 00:26:34,840 --> 00:26:37,160 Speaker 2: did four shows at the House of Blues, three or four, 386 00:26:37,200 --> 00:26:38,600 Speaker 2: I think it was four. One of them was a 387 00:26:38,600 --> 00:26:43,000 Speaker 2: Skinner tribute. One of them Corey morrowin Bellaman Brothers did it. 388 00:26:43,119 --> 00:26:46,520 Speaker 1: Josh Fuller played at all of them. Anyway. 389 00:26:47,160 --> 00:26:52,680 Speaker 2: I'll never forget that he did that. So Daily Wire 390 00:26:52,800 --> 00:26:55,719 Speaker 2: has revealed I'm going to read you the whole story now, 391 00:26:55,800 --> 00:26:58,199 Speaker 2: or the whole series of tweets, and this will be 392 00:26:58,240 --> 00:27:00,399 Speaker 2: posted and this will be on our blast today. So 393 00:27:00,440 --> 00:27:02,880 Speaker 2: if you want more information on this, you can find 394 00:27:02,920 --> 00:27:05,480 Speaker 2: it there. Go to Michael berryshow dot com, click on 395 00:27:05,640 --> 00:27:11,159 Speaker 2: sign up for our Blast. Abbott Greg Abbott, Governor of 396 00:27:11,160 --> 00:27:13,040 Speaker 2: Texas took a one hundred thousand dollars from the wife 397 00:27:13,040 --> 00:27:16,080 Speaker 2: of the Colony Ridge developer in March twenty eighteen. For 398 00:27:16,080 --> 00:27:18,159 Speaker 2: those of you who don't know, Colony Ridge is an 399 00:27:18,200 --> 00:27:23,439 Speaker 2: illegal alien settlement outside of Houston that over one hundred 400 00:27:23,520 --> 00:27:28,080 Speaker 2: people I believe were deported as the first round of deportations. 401 00:27:28,480 --> 00:27:32,240 Speaker 2: The people living around this are in hell. There's stray dogs, 402 00:27:32,320 --> 00:27:37,920 Speaker 2: it's filthy, there's gunshots. It's all illegal aliens. And we 403 00:27:38,520 --> 00:27:41,320 Speaker 2: had Trey Harris, the guy that developed it, on there, 404 00:27:42,119 --> 00:27:46,679 Speaker 2: and he made no excuses for the fact that, you know, 405 00:27:46,720 --> 00:27:48,040 Speaker 2: when you buy a house you have to show all 406 00:27:48,040 --> 00:27:51,000 Speaker 2: these documents. These people have no documents, and it's like 407 00:27:51,040 --> 00:27:53,560 Speaker 2: a tote the note car loot. These people put their 408 00:27:53,600 --> 00:27:56,800 Speaker 2: money down, the illegal aliens put their money down, and 409 00:27:56,800 --> 00:27:59,359 Speaker 2: they end up getting kicked out for you know, being slow. 410 00:27:59,359 --> 00:28:01,880 Speaker 2: Pays on it to get the house back again. They're shanties. 411 00:28:01,880 --> 00:28:05,240 Speaker 2: The houses are shanties. But anyway, Abbot took one hundred 412 00:28:05,240 --> 00:28:07,800 Speaker 2: thousand dollars from the wife of the Colony Ridge developer 413 00:28:08,040 --> 00:28:11,560 Speaker 2: in March of twenty eighteen. Oh how clever his wife 414 00:28:11,600 --> 00:28:14,760 Speaker 2: gave it so we don't even notice who her husband 415 00:28:14,840 --> 00:28:19,040 Speaker 2: is gosh, Abbot, that's so clever you got the wife 416 00:28:19,040 --> 00:28:23,399 Speaker 2: to give it. Just two days later, the day of 417 00:28:23,440 --> 00:28:27,560 Speaker 2: the nomination deadline, the governor recommended Colony Ridge for Opportunity's 418 00:28:27,600 --> 00:28:33,560 Speaker 2: own status, unlocking major investment incentives. Two weeks later, Colony 419 00:28:33,640 --> 00:28:37,639 Speaker 2: Ridge developer Harris met Abbot and a powerful state senator 420 00:28:37,640 --> 00:28:41,120 Speaker 2: at the Governor's mansion. Abbot sent another letter nominating it 421 00:28:41,120 --> 00:28:43,959 Speaker 2: as an opportunity zone. Two days later, he sent a 422 00:28:43,960 --> 00:28:47,480 Speaker 2: final letter. Four days after that. The plan worked. Now 423 00:28:47,640 --> 00:28:53,000 Speaker 2: investors received special tax breaks. Harris attended the mansion again 424 00:28:53,560 --> 00:28:57,080 Speaker 2: for a summer kickoff fiesta, and then gave one hundred 425 00:28:57,120 --> 00:28:59,800 Speaker 2: thousand dollars to Abbot, the first of what would become 426 00:28:59,800 --> 00:29:02,960 Speaker 2: one point four million dollars in donations in this pay 427 00:29:03,000 --> 00:29:06,680 Speaker 2: to play scheme. My words not Daily Wire the last line. 428 00:29:06,800 --> 00:29:10,160 Speaker 2: The IRS made it official on July ninth. Colony Ridge 429 00:29:10,240 --> 00:29:13,240 Speaker 2: was named an opportunity zone. Now they use it to 430 00:29:13,320 --> 00:29:17,800 Speaker 2: lure investors. Colony Ridge knew the designation. 431 00:29:17,440 --> 00:29:18,880 Speaker 1: Would fuel its rapid growth. 432 00:29:19,320 --> 00:29:22,600 Speaker 2: It tells commercial buyers that the land is quote located 433 00:29:22,720 --> 00:29:27,200 Speaker 2: in an opportunity zone exclamation mark. Coliny Ridge says it 434 00:29:27,200 --> 00:29:30,120 Speaker 2: will hit two hundred and fifty thousand residents in less 435 00:29:30,160 --> 00:29:34,440 Speaker 2: than a decade, outgrowing cities like Knoxville, Tennessee, or Boise, 436 00:29:34,520 --> 00:29:39,120 Speaker 2: Idaho as it attracts illegals. The senator at the governor's 437 00:29:39,120 --> 00:29:43,000 Speaker 2: mansion meeting was Brandon Creighton. He told me, this is 438 00:29:43,000 --> 00:29:45,600 Speaker 2: Spencer Lindquist for the Daily Wire writing this that they 439 00:29:45,680 --> 00:29:49,400 Speaker 2: discussed the history of the grounds. Oh how sweet this 440 00:29:49,440 --> 00:29:50,560 Speaker 2: talk about the history. 441 00:29:50,680 --> 00:29:52,120 Speaker 1: It was real pretty dirt out there. 442 00:29:52,600 --> 00:29:55,880 Speaker 2: But Creighton is the vice president of a company that 443 00:29:56,000 --> 00:30:00,120 Speaker 2: announced it was building homes in Colony Ridge after it 444 00:30:00,160 --> 00:30:04,840 Speaker 2: received its Opportunity zone status. How very convenient. It's almost 445 00:30:04,880 --> 00:30:07,600 Speaker 2: like you're using your state Senate seat to get a 446 00:30:07,600 --> 00:30:10,840 Speaker 2: big paying job for a home builder that's building in 447 00:30:10,920 --> 00:30:14,640 Speaker 2: Colony Ridge that got opportunity zone status from the governor 448 00:30:14,800 --> 00:30:16,360 Speaker 2: who collected a million and a half. 449 00:30:18,560 --> 00:30:18,920 Speaker 1: Wow. 450 00:30:19,640 --> 00:30:23,840 Speaker 2: Harris went on to visit Abbot's mansion four times. Really 451 00:30:23,920 --> 00:30:28,200 Speaker 2: likes him, including for a tight knit dinner in twenty twenty. 452 00:30:28,760 --> 00:30:33,680 Speaker 2: The relationship soured after my investigations into Colony Ridge, Harris 453 00:30:33,760 --> 00:30:36,920 Speaker 2: said of Abbot to The New York Times, quote, don't 454 00:30:36,960 --> 00:30:40,400 Speaker 2: expect a million dollars next year. It ain't happening again. Brother, 455 00:30:41,600 --> 00:30:44,920 Speaker 2: Abbot maintains that others in the area advocated for the 456 00:30:44,960 --> 00:30:47,760 Speaker 2: census tract to become an opportunity zone, and that the 457 00:30:47,840 --> 00:30:50,840 Speaker 2: designation is not to blame for the problems at the development. 458 00:30:52,200 --> 00:30:56,120 Speaker 2: He pointed to his enforcement actions against Coloney Ridge, which 459 00:30:56,160 --> 00:31:01,520 Speaker 2: came after our investigations. Trey Harris's cousin, Monte Harris Lane 460 00:31:01,920 --> 00:31:05,040 Speaker 2: told me that Colony Ridge is selling out our nation. Quote, 461 00:31:05,360 --> 00:31:09,040 Speaker 2: they're selling out Texas America and the Constitution and our 462 00:31:09,080 --> 00:31:12,680 Speaker 2: freedoms and liberties for money. I think my grandpa would 463 00:31:12,720 --> 00:31:15,480 Speaker 2: turn over in his grave. Well, then we'd have something 464 00:31:15,480 --> 00:31:17,680 Speaker 2: to talk about the history of the grounds. 465 00:31:19,520 --> 00:31:22,920 Speaker 1: So there is a. 466 00:31:25,480 --> 00:31:32,000 Speaker 2: There's a documentary on Amazon Prime right now called Spy High. 467 00:31:32,280 --> 00:31:34,520 Speaker 2: And it turned out that the high school would give 468 00:31:34,520 --> 00:31:36,360 Speaker 2: the kids a computer at the beginning of the year, 469 00:31:37,400 --> 00:31:41,880 Speaker 2: and then the it department could turn on the camera 470 00:31:42,160 --> 00:31:45,760 Speaker 2: of the kids' computers while they were at home so 471 00:31:45,800 --> 00:31:46,920 Speaker 2: they could see them. 472 00:31:47,080 --> 00:31:49,520 Speaker 1: You know, wherever the kids' computer. Kids leave their computers 473 00:31:49,600 --> 00:31:49,960 Speaker 1: up all. 474 00:31:49,880 --> 00:31:53,440 Speaker 2: The time, they don't turn them down, so they would 475 00:31:53,520 --> 00:31:58,080 Speaker 2: look at these kids, you know, keep the kids safe 476 00:31:58,160 --> 00:32:00,280 Speaker 2: while they're at home. Right, kids never knew, the parents 477 00:32:00,280 --> 00:32:03,440 Speaker 2: never knew, so they called a kid in and said, 478 00:32:03,480 --> 00:32:06,760 Speaker 2: you're dealing in pills. He wasn't you're dealing in pills, 479 00:32:07,480 --> 00:32:09,880 Speaker 2: and the kids said, I'm going to sue you. You've 480 00:32:09,920 --> 00:32:12,600 Speaker 2: been spying on me through the computer you gave me 481 00:32:12,640 --> 00:32:15,600 Speaker 2: and never told me. There were parents in the district 482 00:32:15,680 --> 00:32:19,440 Speaker 2: who did not want the district to be criticized. They 483 00:32:19,480 --> 00:32:22,000 Speaker 2: thought they shouldn't have brought the lawsuit, which became national 484 00:32:22,040 --> 00:32:23,240 Speaker 2: news that schools. 485 00:32:22,880 --> 00:32:26,160 Speaker 1: Are doing this, which is highly illegal. 486 00:32:27,520 --> 00:32:30,240 Speaker 2: So it'll be interesting to see what Republican voters do 487 00:32:30,760 --> 00:32:33,240 Speaker 2: to these individuals who were involved in this