{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://sylviagarcia.house.gov/media/press-releases/reps-garcia-adams-lead-letter-raising-concerns-over-governor-abbott-s-rushed-texas-southern-university-investigation", "Reps. Garcia, Adams Lead Letter Raising Concerns Over Governor Abbott's Rushed Texas Southern University Investigation", "2025-12-18", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "TX", "Sylvia R. Garcia", "G000587", "sylviagarcia.house.gov", "sylviagarcia", "https://sylviagarcia.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Today, Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (D-TX-29), and founder and co-chair of the Bipartisan Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Caucus Congresswoman Alma Adams (D-NC-12), led a letter to Texas Governor Greg Abbott expressing deep concern over his decision to order a law enforcement investigation into Texas Southern University (TSU) before a state audit is finalized.\n\n\u201cTexas Southern University is being put at risk before the facts are even on the table,\u201d said Congresswoman Garcia. \u201cLaunching a law enforcement investigation while an audit is still underway threatens TSU\u2019s funding, damages its reputation, and creates uncertainty for students and faculty. Accountability matters, but so does fairness. The governor owes Texans a clear explanation for why this step was taken early and how he plans to protect the future of the state\u2019s only independent public HBCU.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur country\u2019s Historically Black Colleges and Universities deserve fair due process when facing investigations, not political theater that threatens their ability to serve their students and communities,\u201d said Congresswoman Adams. \u201cGovernor Abbott\u2019s treatment of Texas Southern University, calling in the Texas Rangers to investigate and having his Lieutenant Governor threaten to freeze the school\u2019s funds before the state\u2019s audit report is even released, is extremely inappropriate, and we will not stand for it. I look forward to Governor Abbott\u2019s answers to our questions because the students, teachers, and alumni of TSU deserve accountability for these actions.\u201d\n\nGovernor Abbott ordered the Texas Rangers and the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts to investigate TSU\u2019s finances after a state auditor issued preliminary findings identifying possible financial mismanagement involving hundreds of millions of dollars. However, the State Auditor\u2019s Office has not released final findings, and the audit remains ongoing.\n\nThe Members emphasize that while any confirmed misuse of funds must be addressed and those responsible held accountable, ordering a law enforcement investigation before the audit is finalized raises serious concerns. They also note that TSU\u2019s Board of Regents has pledged full cooperation and reform.\n\nTSU is the only independent public Historically Black College and University in Texas and is not affiliated with a larger university system. The Members warn that an open-ended investigation, combined with threats to the university\u2019s funding, places TSU\u2019s autonomy and long-term mission at risk.\n\nThe letter further notes that all current members of TSU\u2019s Board of Regents were appointed by Governor Abbott, including three new appointees this year, and raises concerns about initiating a law enforcement probe before final audit findings are issued.", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://sylviagarcia.house.gov/media/press-releases/reps-garcia-adams-lead-letter-raising-concerns-over-governor-abbott-s-rushed-texas-southern-university-investigation"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7635860238224268, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}