Texas politicians, candidates and other state officials must file personal financial disclosure forms that list their income, assets and liabilities. The Legislature years ago required this transparency to discourage conflicts of interest and, according to the law, "strengthen the faith and confidence of the people of this state in state government."

Yet getting these documents — and making sense of them — isn’t too easy for "the people".

Texans who want to read them must file official requests with the Texas Ethics Commission, the state agency responsible for administering and enforcing sections of the election code and other statutory provisions generally ...

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