Eye on Politics: Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson becomes a Republican, prompts backlash and praise

NORTH TEXAS (CBSNewsTexas.com) — Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson is going through calls to surrender after he introduced he is turning into a Republican. Some of Attorney General Ken Paxton’s former best deputies say they will stay pursuing their whistleblower lawsuit in opposition to the state. And a pass judgement on has declared the state’s new regulation restricting drag presentations unconstitutional. 

Jack Fink breaks down those tales and extra in the most recent version of Eye on Politics (unique air date: Sept. 28). 

Every week, CBS News Texas political reporter Jack Fink breaks down one of the most greatest political tales grabbing headlines in North Texas and past. Watch the most recent episode of Eye on Politics within the video participant above and flow new episodes reside each Thursday and Friday at 6 p.m. on CBS News Texas.

Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson switches political events

Days after Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson introduced that he is turning into a Republican in a Wall Street Journal op-ed, Dallas County Democratic Party Chair Kardel Coleman went to a City Council assembly and known as on the mayor to surrender. 

Mayor Eric Johnson was once no longer provide when Coleman stood to talk Wednesday.

“There were hundreds, thousands, working to elect you,” Coleman mentioned. “We hear from them on your political change. You have betrayed their trust.”

Johnson ran unopposed and was once reelected in May. During his marketing campaign for the nonpartisan seat, he touted his document on violent crime aid, decreasing taxes and construction extra parks.  

But ultimate week, Johnson introduced he is leaving the Democratic Party, announcing partly: 

“The future of America’s great urban centers depends on the willingness of the nation’s mayors to champion law and order and practice fiscal conservatism … that has long been a defining characteristic of the GOP.”

Critics at City Hall accused Johnson of creating the mayor’s seat partisan and defrauding Dallas electorate. The Dallas County Democratic Party has a petition out looking for signatures to give a boost to his resignation. 

Jack spoke with Matt Angle, director of the Lone Star Project, a Democratic analysis and communications PAC about Mayor Eric Johnson switching events. Watch that interview underneath:

Republican leaders in the meantime have welcomed the mayor to the birthday celebration, together with Sen. John Cornyn who was once in Dallas this week at an unrelated news convention about his legislative combat in opposition to fentanyl. 

“I know that his concern of the burden that high taxes have imposed on taxpayers in Dallas and I know his concern about public safety,” Cornyn mentioned. “Those are two issues that frankly as a Republican, low taxes and public safety, that I can identify with and I think he can too.”

Watch Jack’s interview with Vinny Minchillo, a Republican strategist with the Glass House Strategy, about Johnson’s birthday celebration transfer underneath:

Drag display felony fight

A pass judgement on has declared the state’s new regulation restricting drag presentations unconstitutional. The newly handed SB 12, makes it unlawful for sexually orientated performances to be proven in puts the place minors can see them.     

In his ruling, Judge David Hittner mentioned the regulation is overly extensive and infringes on the First Amendment and chills unfastened speech. 

State Rep. Julie Johnson, a Farmers Branch Democrat, praised the pass judgement on’s ruling: 

“It’s already illegal to take children into a strip club …  but this goes far beyond that,” she mentioned. “A Miley Cyrus concert, any Super Bowl Halftime show could come under the purview of this bill in terms of its gestures, it’s clothing, its attire.”

But on the opposite aspect of the aisle, State Rep. Matt Shaheen, a Republican from Plano, criticized the ruling: 

“If you read, the bill has very specific desctiptions of sexual activity in front of a child,” he mentioned. “We’re talking about simulating sexual activity, those types of things.”    

The regulation’s sponsors and supporters mentioned they’re interesting the verdict the the Fifth Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals. It’s a case both sides may attraction to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Jack spoke with Rep. Johnson and Democratic Rep. Venton Jones of Dallas in June about their worry over anti-LGBTQ+ law that handed the Texas Legislature ultimate consultation. Watch that dialog underneath.

Whistleblower lawsuit transferring ahead

Attorney General Ken Paxton is again on the task after being acquitted of wrongdoing within the impeachment trial in opposition to him. But there’s an outdated problem for Paxton that’s not going away.

Former best deputies for the lawyer basic are vowing to maintain their whistleblower lawsuit agaisnt their former boss. 

The 4 whistleblowers filed a movement with the state best court docket Monday, to permit their wrongful termination lawsuit in opposition to Paxton to proceed. The court docket put it on grasp in February, when it seemed there was once a $3.3 million agreement settlement, however the legislature by no means agreed to pay it.

“If the legislature chooses to fund it, that’s great,” mentioned Mark Penley, a former AG worker. “If they choose not to fund it we’re asking the Supreme Court to rule and let it go back to the district court.”

If the case does cross to court docket, Paxton may well be requested to testify, together with his wie Sen. Angela Paxton, his alleged mistress Laura Olson and actual property investor and donor Nate Paul. 

The lawyer basic may be going through a long-delayed securities fraud trial. A listening to if that’s the case has been set for Oct. 9.

Jack spoke one-on-one with one of the most whistleblowers, Blake Brickman. Watch that interview underneath.

Other headlines

• While in Dallas, Sen. Cornyn was once requested about feedback Attorney General Ken Paxton made in an interview with Tucker Carlson, announcing he might problem Cornyn in a March 2026 number one. Cornyn mentioned he is “focused on a lot more important and urgent things.” 
• Gov. Greg Abbott mentioned he is calling a 3rd particular legislative consultation in October to take on faculty selection. We have no idea when that is set to start out but, but when faculty selection does not cross, he mentioned he’s going to name a fourth particular consultation. 
• Meanwhile, the governor was once in New York this week. On Thursday, he rang the final bell on the New York Stock Exchange. But previous within the week, he made an look at The Yale Club the place he responded questions in regards to the migrant bus operation. He defended sending greater than 15,000 migrants into the town, reiterating that they were given onto the buses voluntarily. He additionally blamed President Joe Biden’s immigration insurance policies for the rise in migrant crossings.