With the Texas House of Representatives set today to once again consider SB 14 — a bill that would interfere with parents’ ability to make healthcare decisions for their own children by banning gender-affirming healthcare for transgender minors in Texas — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton today announced his intention to investigate Dell Children’s Medical Center in Auston for allegedly performing “illegal” “gender transitioning” procedures on minor children.

Paxton also issued a statement criticizing Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza for dropping charges against an activist who Paxton claims assaulted a Texas DPS trooper during protests last Tuesday, May 2, at the Capitol against SB 14.

It is worth noting that throughout his tenure as AG, Paxton has been under federal indictment on charges of securities fraud, and, since late 2020, he has been under federal investigation related of abuse of office allegations coming from his own former top deputies at the AOG. Those whistleblowers have also filed a civil suit claiming Paxton retaliated against them.

Dell Children’s Medical Center

Paxton has issued a “request to examine” to Dell Children’s Medical Center which “seeks to determine whether any state laws have been violated or any misrepresentations have been made to parents and patients” regarding gender-affirming healthcare provided at the facility, according to a press release today from Paxton’s office.

In that press release, Paxton as quoted as saying, “It is now alarmingly common for fringe activists to use their positions in medicine and health care to force experimental, life-altering procedures onto children,” said Attorney General Paxton. “Across the country, there are doctors and health care professionals who appear willing to sacrifice the long-term health of American children, all in service to the increasingly dangerous fad of ‘transgender’ extremism. It is deeply disturbing, and there is no place for it in Texas.

“Along these lines, there have been a number of recent reports about potentially illegal activity at Dell Children’s Medical Center, and this investigation aims to uncover the truth,” the quote continues.

You can read the RTE document here.

Dell Children’s said in a statement that it prohibits surgery and prescribing hormone therapy for the treatment of gender transitioning and that hospital officials are “conducting a thorough review of this situation. To the extent that care provided at our clinic may have been inconsistent with our organization’s position on this important issue, we intend to take appropriate action.”

Gender-affirming care for minors under 18 does not generally include surgical procedures or other irreversible procedures. Treatments such as puberty blockers are reversible and are not illegal.

In addition, “Most major U.S. medical associations, including those in the fields of pediatrics, endocrinology, psychiatry, and psychology, have issued statements recognizing the medical necessity and appropriateness of gender affirming care for youth, typically noting harmful effects of denying access to these services. These include statements from the American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, the Endocrine Society, American Psychological Association, American Psychiatric Association, and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, among others,” according to KKF, an independent resource for health policy research, polling and news.

Among those opposing SB 14 is Vivint Health, a nonprofit healthcare service fighting HIV/AIDS: “Later this week, the Texas House of Representatives is scheduled to debate SB14, a dangerous bill that would ban doctors from providing gender-affirming care to trans youth and prevent health insurance plans from covering these services in the state. The data is overwhelmingly clear that this care is safe, evidence-based, and lifesaving. Legislation like SB14 is grounded in misinformation and prejudice, and they represent a larger effort by some to exclude trans people from society. At Vivent Health, we proudly believe that all people should have access to the care they need. We stand with trans Texans in opposing SB14 and strongly urge Texas legislators to reject this harmful bill.”

Criticizing the Travis County DA:

In a separate statement issued today Paxton attacked the Travis County DA for dropping charges against an activist arrested by DPS troopers Tuesday at the Capitol.

Paxton’s statement, which also calls on the House to pass SB 14, reads:

“This week, a state trooper was assaulted in the Texas Capitol by an individual who participated in a demonstration by transgender activists who were attempting to disrupt the proceedings of the Texas House of Representatives. The individual was arrested and charged with assault on a peace officer, resisting arrest, and disturbing a public meeting. The individual was then booked into the Travis County jail.

“Within hours, Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza dropped the charges. Jose Garza is a rogue District Attorney who is endangering the safety of law enforcement officers by signaling that violence against them will not be punished as long as an assailant shares Garza’s extremist political views. His contempt for the law risks encouraging more violent acts, especially against law enforcement officers and legislators.

“Garza’s indifference to political violence is a threat to public safety and an attempt to intimidate those who disagree with his extremist agenda. I encourage the Legislature to act swiftly to rein in rogue prosecutors like Mr. Garza to protect the public. Furthermore, the Texas House should demonstrate that they will not be intimidated and immediately pass Senate Bill 14 to ban acts of child abuse such as so-called ‘gender transitioning’ surgical procedures and prescribing puberty-blocking drugs for minors.”

While Paxton does not name the activist who was arrested, we do know that on Tuesday state troopers detained Adri Pérez, organizing director for Texas Freedom Network, as protesters were making their way out of the House Gallery and down the stairs after Speaker Dade Phelan ordered the Gallery cleared.

Video of the incident shows Pérez standing at the back of the large crowd of protesters headed down the stairs when a trooper approaches Pérez from behind, grabs them, then wraps his arm around Pérez’s upper chest and begins wrestling the activist to the ground. Other troopers then converge, shoving other protesters as two of the officers help the first trooper throw Pérez to the floor and then one sits on the activist’s back while a second handcuffs Pérez and a third holds Pérez’s feet.

The video does not show Pérez assaulting the officers in any way. And while his initial reaction to being suddenly grabbed from behind without any apparent warning was to pull away, the video does not show Pérez trying to fight with or resist the officers.

— Tammye Nash