First to ABC: DNC ramps up anti-redistricting efforts in Texas with calls to ‘persuadable’ GOP voters

First to ABC: DNC ramps up anti-redistricting efforts in Texas with calls to ‘persuadable’ GOP voters
First to ABC: DNC ramps up anti-redistricting efforts in Texas with calls to ‘persuadable’ GOP voters
Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images

(AUSTIN, Texas.) — The national Democratic Party is ramping up its offensive against potential mid-decade redistricting in Texas with a new organizing effort launching Monday, according to plans shared first with ABC News.

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) says it will deploy 30,000 volunteers to make calls to “persuadable Republican Texas voters” in Republican-held districts to discuss the push by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Texas state legislators — and rubber-stamped by President Donald Trump — to consider redrawing Texas’ congressional map, which the DNC claims in a statement is an attempt to “rig the Texas maps at the behest of Donald Trump.”

The group will also have volunteer organizers contact state representatives, share public comments, and organize both in person and virtually.

This endeavor from the Democrats comes as Texas lawmakers convene for a special legislative session called by Abbott, who set an agenda that included considering congressional district redistricting “in light of constitutional concerns raised by the U.S. Department of Justice.”

In a letter earlier this month, the Department of Justice told Texas that four majority-minority districts represented by Democrats needed to be redrawn, arguing they were “unconstitutional racial gerrymanders.”

The Texas legislature is also set to tackle flood relief after the devastating flash flooding that killed more than 130 people earlier this month, taxes, and standardized testing during the session, which can last a maximum of 30 days.

Trump told reporters recently he wants his party to pick up five seats if Texas redraws its congressional map, and has suggested that other Republican-led states could follow suit.

Democrats claim that the efforts to redistrict is meant to give Republicans an advantage ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

The DNC says it has already sent text messages to recruit Texans to go to field hearings and to share stories through public comments about how redrawing the districts could impact them. DNC Chair Ken Martin traveled to the state last week to strategize with state leaders.

“The DNC is all hands on deck to hold Donald Trump and Greg Abbott accountable for their scheme to use the tragic Texas floods as cover to redraw the Texas maps in a last-ditch effort to save the Republican majority,” Martin told ABC News in a statement.

“Republicans know that the only way they hold onto the majority is by rigging the system but it won’t work. Democrats will hold Republicans across the country accountable for their vote to rip away health care and food access and that starts with organizing from the ground up,” he added.

Texas state Rep. Gene Wu, the Texas Democratic House Caucus Leader, wrote in a statement thanking the DNC shared with ABC News, “Their new initiative to contact persuadable Republican voters across the state and deploy organizers directly against Republican state reps is exactly the type of partnership Texas Democrats need.”

Monday’s effort comes ahead of the third in a series of field hearings about redistricting being held in different areas of Texas, and as some Democratic governors including California Gov. Gavin Newsom say they are keeping options open for possibly redrawing their state’s own Congressional districts, but many would face logistical and legal hurdles to redraw their maps mid-cycle.

In a statement earlier this month responding to Democratic claims about the redistricting effort, Andrew Mahaleris, a spokesperson for Abbott, wrote, “While partisan activists focus solely on political issues, Governor Abbott is dedicated to delivering results on issues important to Texans, such as flood relief, property tax cuts, and the elimination of the STAAR [standardized] test. The Governor looks forward to the legislature addressing these topics, along with other critical issues, during this special session.”

The Texas Republican Party, meanwhile, has praised the inclusion of redistricting in the special session as “an essential step to preserving GOP control in Congress and advancing the President Trump’s America First agenda.”

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GOP Rep. Massie says he wants more from Epstein estate than his reported ‘birthday book’

GOP Rep. Massie says he wants more from Epstein estate than his reported ‘birthday book’
GOP Rep. Massie says he wants more from Epstein estate than his reported ‘birthday book’
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — Republican Rep. Thomas Massie said Sunday he stands with Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna’s calls to subpoena Jeffrey Epstein’s estate for documents related to his case, including, as reported by the Wall Street Journal, a birthday letter to Epstein allegedly written by President Donald Trump in 2003.

“Well, I think we should get a lot more than just the book. Let’s get the financial records of the estate. Where is it — follow the money, as they say up here,” Massie told ABC News’ “This Week” co-anchor Jonathan Karl. “We should look at the plea bargain. Open that up. See what was the deal? What was the deal that was cut? I think there’s a lot more than just that letter.”

The Wall Street Journal reported on a birthday message Trump allegedly wrote in a book of messages for Epstein’s 50th birthday — the president denies it exists and has sued the Journal for defamation over the report. ABC News has not been able to confirm the existence of the letter.

Massie and Khanna’s joint legislation would force a House vote on the release of the Epstein files. However, Speaker Mike Johnson sent the House on an August recess a day early, effectively skirting the vote. Massie and Khanna are now seeking a discharge petition, which with 218 votes from House members, would bypass Johnson.

Massie said: “It would force a full release of the files. It has the force of law. It’s not a subpoena. It’s not a ‘Pretty please, would you release the files?’ It’s the force of law and, it’s got protections to redact victims’ names and to prevent, you know, release of child pornography.”

Khanna added the Democratic interest in this case is not new, despite claims that the party has latched on to the case as it causes infighting among some of Trump’s MAGA base.

“We have been pushing for transparency during the Biden administration, both in 2021 and 2024 the court ordered release of documents, but Donald Trump raised the stakes and he did it in a way in the campaign that was justified. He said, ‘Look, when I get there, I’m going to release the files,'” Khanna said.

 

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Suspect is sought after man and woman found dead in Arkansas’ Devil’s Den State Park, police say

Suspect is sought after man and woman found dead in Arkansas’ Devil’s Den State Park, police say
Suspect is sought after man and woman found dead in Arkansas’ Devil’s Den State Park, police say
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — A man and woman were found dead on a walking trail in Devil’s Den State Park on Saturday afternoon, Arkansas State Police said, adding that a suspect is being sought and the deaths are being investigated as a potential double homicide.

Police were called to the area at about 2:40 p.m., according to a press release. The bodies of the 43-year-old man and 41-year-old woman were transported to the Arkansas State Crime Lab, where cause of death will be determined, police said.

“The suspect in their deaths is an unknown white male wearing dark shorts, a dark tank top and weight-lifting type gloves,” police said. “He was seen driving toward a park exit in a black, four-door sedan.”

The suspect’s vehicle may have been “a Mazda with a license plate covered by electrical or duct tape,” police said. That vehicle may have been traveling on State Highway 170 or State Highway 220, police said.

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders released a statement on social media, saying her office was in close contact with law enforcement and park authorities investigating the deaths.

“We are praying for the family and friends of the victims, and know that law enforcement will not rest until the perpetrator is brought to justice,” she said.

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IDF says it will conduct aid airdrops in Gaza as hunger crisis deepens

IDF says it will conduct aid airdrops in Gaza as hunger crisis deepens
IDF says it will conduct aid airdrops in Gaza as hunger crisis deepens
Hassan Jedi/Anadolu via Getty Images

The Israel Defense Forces announced changes Saturday in humanitarian aid procedures in Gaza amid ongoing international pressure as the malnutrition crisis worsens.

The IDF said in a statement that it was taking several actions, including dropping “seven pallets of aid containing flour, sugar, and canned food” at the behest of the Israeli government to “refute the false claim of deliberate starvation in the Gaza Strip.”

In addition to the airdrops, the IDF said it would create a “humanitarian pause in civilian centers and in humanitarian corridors” Sunday morning to allow for the passage of aid. The hours and locations of this short “pause” have not yet been announced publicly.

The Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health said on Saturday that 127 Palestinians have died from malnutrition since the war began on Oct. 7, 2023, 85 of whom were children. Five Palestinians died from malnutrition in the last 24 hours, according to the Ministry of Health.

Several humanitarian groups have pushed for help and more assistance in the region in the last week, as they say aid workers on the ground are running out of supplies and need help. Repeated deadly shootings around aid distribution centers have killed hundreds, according to the United Nations.

A volunteer with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), or Doctors Without Borders, told ABC News there are only four stabilization centers for malnutrition in Gaza, and the admission capacity is severely limited due to the overcrowding of facilities.

On Thursday, MSF said 25% of children and pregnant or breastfeeding women screened at clinics in Gaza are malnourished, and cases of severe malnutrition in children under the age of 5 have tripled in just two weeks.

The Israeli government has denied that it is limiting the amount of aid entering Gaza and has claimed Hamas steals aid meant for civilians. Hamas has denied these claims.

Electricity will be provided to a desalination plant, increasing the amount of water available tenfold, according to the IDF.

“The IDF is prepared to implement humanitarian pauses in densely populated areas and will continue to operate to dismantle terrorist infrastructure and eliminate terrorists in the areas of activity,” the IDF said in a statement.

The IDF reiterated claims from the Israeli government that there is no starvation in the Gaza Strip and it is merely “a false campaign promoted by Hamas.”

“Responsibility for food distribution to the population in Gaza lies with the UN and international aid organizations,” the IDF said in a statement.

Earlier this week, 115 humanitarian groups described in a joint statement the dire food shortage in Gaza as “mass starvation,” and accused the Israeli government of implementing “restrictions, delays, and fragmentation under its total siege [that] have created chaos, starvation, and death.”

The ongoing Gaza war erupted after Hamas led a surprise terror attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people there and taking 251 others hostage, according to figures from the Israeli government. Since then, Israeli forces have killed more than 59,000 people in Gaza, according to data released by the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health.

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Passengers exit plane via emergency slide after aborted takeoff

Passengers exit plane via emergency slide after aborted takeoff
Passengers exit plane via emergency slide after aborted takeoff
Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images

(DENVER, Colo.) — Passengers on an American Airlines flight evacuated onto the runway via emergency slides after the plane aborted its takeoff on the runway in Denver on Saturday. One person was taken to the hospital with minor injuries, officials said.

American Airlines flight 3023, which was headed to Miami, reported a “possible landing gear incident during departure,” according to the Federal Aviation Administration, which is investigating the incident.

Data from flight tracking website FlightRadar24 shows the plane reached a top speed of 127 knots — nearly 150 miles — on the runway before slowing down.

In air traffic control audio obtained from LiveATC.net, the pilot told the controller they were “aborting on the runway.” The controller told the pilot, “You got a lot of smoke.” A moment later, the controller said, “There was some flames, it looks like the smoke’s kind of dying down a bit.”

The FAA said passengers evacuated the plane on the runway and were taken back to the terminal by bus. Video showed passengers evacuating the aircraft on slides.

The flight was operated on a Boeing 737 Max 8. There were 173 passengers and six crew members on board, according to the airline.

Mark Tsurkis, 50, a passenger aboard the flight, told ABC News he heard “a loud boom,” as the plane was about to take off.

“I said, ‘That’s not good,'” Tsurkis said, at which point the plane began to slow down, he said, and passengers could see one of the wheels pass by.

“When the plane stopped about 30 seconds to a minute later, somebody said, ‘Smoke, fire.’ And then a lot of people, of course, started panicking,” Tsurkis said.

According to the Denver International Airport, the plane was met by first responders. The Denver Fire Department said it extinguished a fire on the plane. The airport said six people were evaluated and one was taken to the hospital. The airline said the person transported had minor injuries.

“It’s definitely not a pleasant experience, but we got lucky,” Tsurkis said. “It happened before the plane took off, so [the pilot] was able to slow down before actually going full speed or before flying.”

American Airlines said the passengers will go to Miami on a replacement plane later Saturday, while the original plane will be taken out of service and inspected.

The airline said in a statement, “We thank our team members for their professionalism and apologize to our customers for their experience.”

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6 people in critical condition after 11 stabbed at Michigan Walmart in ‘brutal act’

6 people in critical condition after 11 stabbed at Michigan Walmart in ‘brutal act’
6 people in critical condition after 11 stabbed at Michigan Walmart in ‘brutal act’
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino. Courtesy Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images

(TRAVERSE CITY, Mich.) — Authorities in Michigan say a man entered a Walmart in Traverse City on Saturday afternoon armed with a folding knife and stabbed 11 people before being taken into custody.

The attack began unfolding at 4:43 p.m., the Grand Traverse Sheriff’s Office said in a statement posted online.

The victims were being treated at the Munson Medical Center in Traverse City. As of Saturday evening, six of the victims were in critical condition and five were in serious condition, the hospital said in an update online.

At a news conference Saturday evening, Grand Traverse Sheriff Michael Shea said the victims include six males and five females. Authorities have not yet provided the ages of any of the victims.

The suspect has been identified by authorities only as a 42-year-old man.

“We believe he acted alone at this time,” Shea said during the news conference. “There is no information indicating there were additional suspects.”

The sheriff said a deputy arrived at the Walmart within 3 minutes of a 911 call being made about the stabbing and took the suspect into custody. The sheriff also credited “citizen involvement” with apprehending the suspect, who was armed with a folding knife, he said.

“Thankfully no one else was injured,” the sheriff said, adding “11 is 11 too many — but thank God it wasn’t more.”

The sheriff said the suspected appeared to attack the victims at random.

“It appears that these were all random acts,” the sheriff said.

He said the incident began near the checkout area.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement on X that she was monitoring the situation.

“I’m in touch with law enforcement about the horrible news out of Traverse City. Our thoughts are with the victims and the community reeling from this brutal act of violence,” she said.

FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said in a statement on social media that FBI personnel were responding to the scene, “to provide any necessary support to the Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office in their investigation of the attacks at the Walmart.”

State police asked people to avoid the area as the investigation continues.

In a statement, a Walmart spokesperson said: “Violence like this is unacceptable. Our thoughts are with those who were injured and we’re thankful for the swift action of first responders. We’ll continue working closely with law enforcement during their investigation.”

Traverse City, a city of about 16,000 people, is in northern Michigan, about 150 miles north of Grand Rapids.

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18-year-old suspect charged in shooting at University of New Mexico that left 14-year-old dead

18-year-old suspect charged in shooting at University of New Mexico that left 14-year-old dead
18-year-old suspect charged in shooting at University of New Mexico that left 14-year-old dead
sshepard/Getty Images/STOCK

(ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.) — A shooting inside a dorm room at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque early Friday morning left a 14-year-old boy dead and another teen wounded, state police said.

The suspect in the shooting, identified by police as 18-year-old John Fuentes, was taken into custody hours after the shooting during a traffic stop in Los Lunas, New Mexico, about 25 miles south of Albuquerque, New Mexico State Police said during a news conference Friday evening.

Fuentes was booked on one count of first-degree murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault and tampering with evidence.

Fuentes made his first court appearance in Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court on Saturday morning via Zoom. Fuentes will remain in custody and will be held without bond while his case is pending transfer to the New Mexico District Court. He will be back in court next week.

According to court documents, Fuentes allegedly drove to the UNM campus at around 8 p.m. local time Thursday in a vehicle registered to his father.

Fuentes met up with three other people, one of them being a freshman at UNM, and walked inside the Gila Dorm. The four were allegedly playing video games in a dorm room when the incident occurred, according to court documents.

“At some point, for reasons still being investigated, the suspect began shooting a firearm at the other occupants in the room. The 14-year-old victim was fatally shot while the other occupants, along with the suspect, fled from the room,” state police said in a statement Saturday.

The other person who was wounded in the shooting is 19, according to police, and had injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening, the university said earlier.

One of the victims believed Fuentes was on drugs when he shot the 14-year-old victim in the head, killing him, according to court documents. Fuentes allegedly threatened the other two people in the room, shooting one of them in the head as well. Those two were able to escape through a dorm window to seek aid.

Fuentes fled the dorm room and ended up on the first-story roof of the Mesa Vista building, where police say he allegedly smashed multiple windows, injuring himself.

University of New Mexico Police officers responded to an alarm call at the dorm at around 1:30 a.m. local time Friday. Upon arrival, officers found broken windows and blood, according to New Mexico State Police.

University police then received more calls reporting gunshots and another one from a hospital that a 19-year-old male came in with a gunshot wound and said he had been shot at UNM campus, according to state police.

While conducting a sweep of the surrounding buildings, officers found the 14-year-old dead, state police said.

Police said Fuentes left blood stains, a stolen Glock 9 mm handgun, keys and a pair of jeans on the roof he escaped to. He also left a trail of blood stains as he traveled across campus before being picked up by two individuals in a pickup truck at around 1:40 a.m. Friday morning.

Eventually, authorities said they arrested Fuentes in Los Lunas at around 2:30 p.m. local time Friday on Highway 314.

The university initially issued a shelter-in-place, which lasted much of the day. By Friday afternoon local time, the university said there was “still an active crime scene” in the central part of the campus, but that the shelter-in-place order had been lifted. The central campus remained closed, the university said.

New Mexico State Rep. Marianna Anaya said new student orientation was underway this week.

“Waking this morning to the news of this act of violence has shaken the entire UNM community,” she said in a statement. “It is especially heartbreaking that this occurred during the time of a new student orientation — a time when students and their families should be filled with hope, excitement, and a sense of possibility.”

She added, “This heartbreaking incident is yet another reminder of the urgent need to address gun violence and historical trauma in our state.”

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USAID analysis finds no evidence of widespread aid diversion by Hamas in Gaza

USAID analysis finds no evidence of widespread aid diversion by Hamas in Gaza
USAID analysis finds no evidence of widespread aid diversion by Hamas in Gaza
Amir Levy/Getty Images

(WASHINGTON) — An analysis compiled by USAID officials examining more than 150 reported incidents involving the theft or loss of U.S.-funded humanitarian aid in the war-torn Gaza Strip says it failed to find any evidence that Hamas — the militant rulers of the Palestinian enclave — engaged in widespread diversion of assistance, according to a presentation reviewed by ABC News.

The findings of the report appear to undercut the Trump administration’s repeated claims that Hamas has regularly interfered with aid distribution in the past — assertions it has used to justify its support for the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) and for measures undertaken by Israel to limit the flow of assistance to neighboring Gaza through other pathways.

The GHF — with Israel’s approval and despite rejection from the United Nations — took over most of the aid distribution system in Gaza on May 27, after an 11-week Israeli blockade on all supplies from entering the strip. Israel has long accused Hamas of stealing aid provided by the U.N. — formerly the main distributor — and others to fund its militant activity — claims which Hamas denies.

Israel has allowed a limited amount of supplies into Gaza since lifting the blockade and, according to an Israeli security official, is “coordinating future airdrops of aid” by foreign countries “that are expected to take place in the coming days.” This comes after a coalition of more than 100 organizations warned this week that “mass starvation” is spreading in Gaza with “supplies now totally depleted.”

USAID officials behind the presentation say they analyzed alleged incidents of fraud, abuse and waste reported between October 2023, when the ongoing Israel-Hamas war began, and last May. It was compiled before the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) — once the world’s largest single donor of humanitarian aid — officially ceased independent operations on July 1. The Trump administration canceled more than 80% of the agency’s programs, while the remainder were absorbed by the U.S. Department of State.

USAID officials say their findings indicate that in the majority of cases involving the loss of aid, the perpetrator could not be definitively identified.

The Israel Defense Forces denied the report in a statement to ABC News, saying “not only does the report ignore clear and explicit evidence that Hamas exploits humanitarian aid to sustain its fighting capabilities, it goes so far as to criticize the IDF for routing decisions made specifically to protect humanitarian staff and shipments.”

The IDF added that when it “directs aid deliveries along specific routes, it is based on the operational reality and intelligence assessments, aimed at safeguarding both the aid and the humanitarian actors — precisely the issue the report claims is not being addressed.”

The State Department is also pushing back forcefully on the analysis.

A State Department spokesperson called it “astonishing” that “the media is busy debating whether the masterminds of Oct. 7 are somehow too principled to loot.”

“There is endless video evidence of Hamas looting, not to mention members of the aid-industrial complex who have admitted that looting exists by reporting it as ‘self-distribution,’ in a poor attempt at an aid corruption coverup,” the spokesperson said. “Available intelligence confirms what is reflected in open-source information: that a significant portion of non-GHF aid trucks have been diverted, looted, stolen, or ‘self-distributed.'”

Despite this, the Trump administration — a staunch ally of Israel — has provided no evidence of Hamas carrying out widespread aid diversion to date.

The IDF said it is “making tremendous efforts to enable the safe distribution of humanitarian aid under complex operational conditions.”

The ongoing Gaza war erupted after Hamas led a surprise terror attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people there and taking 251 others hostage, according to figures from the Israeli government. Since then, Israeli forces have killed more than 59,000 people in Gaza, according to data released by the strip’s Hamas-run Ministry of Health.

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Scandal-plagued former congressman George Santos begins 7-year federal prison sentence

Scandal-plagued former congressman George Santos begins 7-year federal prison sentence
Scandal-plagued former congressman George Santos begins 7-year federal prison sentence
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — Scandal-plagued former congressman George Santos reported to federal prison Friday to begin his more than seven-year sentence after pleading guilty to a series of fraudulent schemes after being convicted of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.

The ex-congressman did not speak with reporters as he entered the facility. However, in the days leading up to his incarceration, Santos had a lot to say.

On Wednesday, Santos posted a clip of Frank Sinatra singing a portion of “My Way,” beginning with the lyrics “…and now, the end is near, and so I face the final curtain.”

He offered one final, emotional goodbye in an hour-and-a-half long spaces conversation on X Thursday evening.

Santos began the stream by addressing questions on whether he would receive a pardon, saying that only President Donald Trump has the answer.

“The only person that could answer that question is, you know, whoever the President of the United States is — in this case, President Donald Trump.”

At one point, over 800 people were on the call as several of his supporters calling on listeners to sign an effort launched prior to the call asking Trump to pardon Santos.

Santos advised listeners not to follow his example.

“I think that the importance here is for people to understand: make better choices, be smarter than me, that’s for sure,” Santos said.

“I’ve made a string of s— choices in my life and for that, I’m sorry. To those I’ve disappointed, to those I’ve let down, to those that I have caused irreparable damage even, I’m sorry,” Santos said.

The event saw a host of supporters bid goodbye to Santos, including Matt Gaetz’s wife Ginger Gaetz. He said he hosted the call because he had been “curled up in a ball … for the last week” and wanted to do “something normal.”

Santos repeatedly thanked fellow speakers and listeners for their support and, at several points, he became choked up as several friends started to cry during their remarks.

“I love you,” Santos said. “We built common ground through trust and transparency, and I wouldn’t have done it any other way.”

Santos, along with some supporters who chimed in, called his sentence unfair.

“Incarceration is not supposed to be a demonic torture or torturous process,” Santos said. “I think a lot of our sentencing in our country tends to be punitive and full of reprisal.”

Santos also criticized the broader criminal justice system.

“There’s something to be said about the prison industrial complex, by the way. They’re selling f—— Twinkies for $5. I mean, they have to be making banging profits,” he said. “I mean, I’m thinking maybe when I get out of prison, I open a prison.”

Santos joked about advice he had gotten about living behind bars, saying he had heard that finding the “biggest person” in prison and beating them up to establish his toughness was not a good idea.

Taking a more serious tone, Santos said he was hoping to teach civics inside the prison and planned to bring a standard white notepad, a Bible his grandmother gave him and a pocket constitution with him.

He also said he had not yet made a decision regarding whether he would keep his social media running throughout his sentence or delete his accounts, but had “spoken to some people who have voluntarily elected” to post on his behalf.

Santos promised to go into and come out of prison in style, saying “I’m surrendering in Ferragamo so I can walk out in Ferragamo.”

Santos said he had learned through the experience the need to be “unapologetically, 100% authentically yourself.”

“I would not change much of what I decided to do with my career, I would just change the how,” he said. “I’m every congressperson and politician’s nightmare because I set such a high standard for transparency and communication.”

Santos ended the call by calling on listeners to come together despite political differences.

“I hope you all keep doing exactly what you’ve been doing, which is keeping each other honest and engaging in very much needed discourse, because we are in a time in our life where we need to come closer as humans and not further,” he said.

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Texas Democrats escalate fight against Republican-led redistricting efforts with Pritzker, Newsom meetings

Texas Democrats escalate fight against Republican-led redistricting efforts with Pritzker, Newsom meetings
Texas Democrats escalate fight against Republican-led redistricting efforts with Pritzker, Newsom meetings
Brandon Bell/Getty Images

(AUSTIN, Texas) — Texas Democrats on Friday traveled to California and Illinois for meetings with Democratic governors who have criticized Republicans’ plans to redraw the Texas congressional map to protect the GOP House majority.

The day of meetings with Gov. Gavin Newsom of California and Gov. JB Pritzker of Illinois comes as Texas Democrats are weighing a walkout from the ongoing special legislative session where redistricting could be considered in Austin – in a bid to obstruct and delay the efforts.

“They’re changing the rules in the middle of the game… this is cheating,” Pritzker said on Friday of the GOP-led effort in Texas. “Everything is on the table.”

Texas state Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins, chair of the Texas Legislative Black Caucus, told ABC News she was hoping to receive guidance on how to navigate the redistricting situation from Newsom, who has frequently sparred with the Trump administration.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, proclaiming a special legislative session that focused largely on flood relief, included redistricting on the agenda “in light of constitutional concerns raised by the U.S. Department of Justice.”

In a letter earlier this month, the Trump Justice Department told Texas that four majority minority districts represented by Democrats needed to be redrawn, citing a recent federal court decision and arguing they were now “unconstitutional racial gerrymanders.”

President Donald Trump has rubber-stamped the Texas effort, saying he wants his party to pick up five seats if Texas redraws its congressional maps. (States redo their maps every decade with new Census data, and rarely attempt to do so absent a court order mid-decade.)

Taken with Republican-led redistricting efforts in Ohio and other GOP-controlled states, the changes to Texas’ map could help Republicans insulate their fragile House majority from the historic midterm backlash presidents traditionally face from voters.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday suggested his state could revisit its map, which Republicans remade after the 2020 Census, because, in part, of “the way the population has shifted around Florida just since the census was done in 2020 — I think the state is malapportioned.”

In response, Democratic leaders in states like California, Illinois and New Jersey have raised the possibility of revisiting their maps if Texas moves forward, though some states face more legal and constitutional restrictions than Texas to do so.

While there has been speculation that Texas Democrats could interrupt the special session by walking out or breaking quorum, the travels on Friday do not break quorum and members are not framing it as a walkout.

In the state House, Democrats would need 51 members to agree to break quorum, and they’d all risk fines for doing so. The effort, which Democrats have attempted in the past, would be unlikely to do more than delay Republicans’ efforts to redraw the maps.

“I am more than willing to participate in a quorum break,” State Rep. Gina Hinojosa told ABC News on Friday while cautioning that discussion of one is premature.

Some Democrats, who for years have advocated for nonpartisan redistricting, say the party should respond in kind to GOP efforts.

“I think one of the things we can say while maintaining a reform principle is that we believe in an independent commission and independent redistricting, but that should only kick in when Texas agrees to it, or when Florida agrees to it,” said Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif.

The chair of the Texas redistricting committee, Republican state Rep. Cody Vasut, said during a Thursday hearing that “it is prudent and proper” for the committee to deal with items the governor put on the agenda, and that “we have no plans to change any particular district.”

Others are waiting to see if Texas actually moves forward with changes to its map.

“We have to think about what should our response be, and how do we make sure that we have a response that’s actually meeting voters with what they’re hoping for, instead of actually making a system worse for voters,” Gov. Wes Moore, D-Md., told ABC News.

Experts have told ABC News that either party could risk backlash from voters or in court, depending on how they redraw their state maps. And efforts to make Democrat-held districts in Texas more friendly to GOP pickup could weaken Republicans’ hold on neighboring red districts.

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