Robert Morris’ accuser sues him, Gateway Church, alleging defamation over past statements ... and more news

A woman who said she was sexually abused as a child by Gateway Church founder Robert Morris has sued him and the church, alleging she was defamed by statements categorizing the abuse as an “inappropriate relationship.” In other news, developer Ruel Hamilton, who was convicted in 2021 for paying two Dallas City Council members to advance his housing projects, was acquitted on all federal counts Thursday. Hamilton was originally found guilty in 2021 by a Dallas jury and sentenced to eight years in federal prison; Gov. Greg Abbott announced Thursday that he deployed over 2,000 troopers from the Texas Department of Public Safety and more than 5,000 Texas National Guard soldiers across the state ahead of the planned protests on Saturday; and Garland dad Greg Artkop was sitting at Smokey Joe’s BBQ in southern Dallas recently, it was his first stop on a quest to eat at Texas’ 50 best barbecue joints. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices