Judge allows Kate Rogers’ First Amendment lawsuit against Texas officials to proceed - Texas Public Radio | TPR

Kate Rogers led the Alamo Trust through a $700 million renovation before she was pressured out of the role. She sued Lt. Governor Dan Patrick and State Land Commissioner Don Buckingham, alleging both officials violated her First Amendment rights when they pushed her to resign.

San Antonio Federal Judge Xavier Rodriguez issued the ruling, keeping all defendants in the case and allowing nearly all of the major allegations to proceed. The Alamo sits in San Antonio, not Lubbock, but the officials named are statewide figures who answer to every Texan, including people here on the South Plains.

The core of Rogers' argument is that state officials used their political power to silence her and force her out of a public-facing leadership role. If the courts agree, the ruling could set a significant precedent for how Texas officials interact with the heads of state-connected institutions.

Rogers' attorneys said they were pleased the court preserved nearly the full scope of the case, signaling confidence heading into what figures to be a drawn-out legal fight with two of the state's most powerful elected figures.

The woman who ran one of America's most recognizable landmarks says she was pushed out for speaking her mind.