Texas Rangers to investigate Bonnen meeting, new building for Uber, Cowboys roster projection: Your Monday evening roundup

A panel of state lawmakers on Monday asked the Texas Rangers to investigate allegations of impropriety during a June 12 meeting between House Speaker Dennis Bonnen, Republican Caucus Chairman Dustin Burrows and conservative activist Michael Quinn Sullivan.  [Evening roundup]( 08/12/2019 By Wayne Carter Good Evening! Here is a look at the top headlines of the day. 🔎 Prefer the online view? It's [here.]( A Texas House committee on Monday asked the Texas Rangers to investigate allegations of impropriety related to a June 12 meeting between Speaker Dennis Bonnen, Rep. Dustin Burrows and conservative activist Michael Quinn Sullivan. (2019 File Photo/Ashley Landis) POLITICS [Texas Rangers to investigate meeting between House Speaker Dennis Bonnen and conservative activist]( A panel of state lawmakers on Monday asked the Texas Rangers to investigate allegations of impropriety during a June 12 meeting between House Speaker Dennis Bonnen, Republican Caucus Chairman Dustin Burrows and conservative activist Michael Quinn Sullivan. That meeting has mired Bonnen, Burrows and the entire Republican Party in controversy after Sullivan alleged he was offered a quid pro quo during the rendezvous. In late July, Sullivan wrote in a blog post that Bonnen offered writers for his website, Texas Scorecard, media credentials in the next legislative session. The credentials would be awarded if his affiliated political action committee, Empower Texans, refrained from criticizing the session, did not spend money on some Republican incumbents and went after a group of 10 GOP incumbents, Sullivan wrote. The allegation that Bonnen targeted 10 fellow Republicans went directly against a pronouncement he made at the end of the legislative session that any incumbent who campaigned against another sitting member of the House would be punished. Bonnen denied the allegations and said he asked Burrows, who has yet to publicly comment on the matter, to stay quiet. By an unanimous vote, [t]( committee referred the investigation to the Texas Rangers' Public Integrity Unit]( and asked the investigative unit to present their findings to the committee, which is made up of three Republicans and two Democrats. Crowded field: Activist Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez [is joining the Democratic race to challenge Republican Sen. John Cornyn.]( Editorial: The state is on the verge of taking over leadership of Houston ISD — [and it may spark the reform it needs.]( ADVERTISEMENT BUSINESS [New Dallas building on the way could house thousands of Uber workers]( Developers of the huge Epic mixed-use project in Dallas' Deep Ellum district are taking the first step toward constructing another building. Uber is considering the high-rise complex on the eastern edge of downtown Dallas for a large new office that would employ thousands of people. Epic owner Westdale Properties has filed a request with the Dallas City Plan Commission to replat the west side of the property at Elm and Hawkins streets to allow for construction of Epic Dallas Phase 2. Real estate brokers say that Westdale and Dallas developer KDC [plan to build an office tower on the tract to accommodate Uber's workspace needs.](   Off the schedule: American Airlines [is dropping its only DFW-to-Reyjavik flight]( as Iceland's tourism sector chills. SPORTS [Cowboys roster projection 1.0: Dallas keeps two QBs, Taco Charlton doesn't make the 53]( From Cowboys beat writer Calvin Watkins: With the first preseason game complete, along with nearly two weeks' worth of training camp practices, the Cowboys' roster is developing into something they hope will take them into a deep playoff run. Here is our first roster projection of training camp, with more changes to come down the line. We're thinking Ezekiel Elliott will get signed by the start of the season and suspended players, such as Robert Quinn, don't count on the 53-man roster. [So here we go.](  Back in the limelight: The Mavericks' 2019-20 schedule includes [vastly increased national TV exposure and fewer games on back-to-back days.](   Housewarming gift: Twelve of the Texas Rangers' first 18 games in 2020 [will be in their new, air-conditioned home]( at Globe Life Field.  ADVERTISEMENT (Tom Fox/Staff Photographer) PHOTO OF THE DAY A fan listens to a main-stage interview during the third day of LeakyCon on Sunday at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in downtown Dallas. The convention for fans of the Harry Potter series of books by J.K. Rowling drew about 10,000 people, [many of them in fantastic costumes]( over the weekend. EDITORS' PICKS - Special occasion: Willie Nelson is coming to Billy Bob's Texas in Fort Worth [for one night only.]( - Animal cruelty case: Dallas police investigating an Instagram video showing a girl [putting a dog in a clothes dryer.]( - Summer swelter: [Expect the highest heat indexes of the summer]( before a cold front brings a dip in temperatures and a chance of rain. FINALLY... [Why two Fort Worth bourbon lovers grew Texas’ biggest distillery, and then sold it]( When Troy Robertson and Leonard Firestone began making batches of whiskey nine years ago, they dreamed of a global brand with a Texas flair. Their homegrown Fort Worth brand known as TX is now on its way with last week’s sale to Paris-based Pernod Ricard, the world’s second-biggest producer of wines and spirits. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed. The purchase includes Texas’ largest distillery, Whiskey Ranch, a 112-acre distillery and tasting room built on a golf course where legends Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson used to caddy. All of the TX whisky found on shelves and in Whiskey Ranch’s tasting room are produced on the property, from grain to bottle. How Firestone and Robertson built one of the most popular spirits brands in Texas [is more of a coincidence than a true plan.]( 👋 That's all for this afternoon! For up-to-the-minute news and analysis, check out [DallasNews.com](. Share the love! If you like this newsletter, please forward this email to a friend and [check out our other newsletters here](. Do you have feedback? Send your thoughts, questions, praise and corrections to [newsletter-feedback@dallasnews.com](mailto:newsletter-feedback@dallasnews.com?subject=). 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