The Brief: Aug. 20, 2014
Call it the frozen custard heard round the world. Gov. Rick Perry and his booking on two felony counts late Tuesday afternoon captured national attention — on social media, most of all. Full Story
The latest Henry Cuellar news from The Texas Tribune.
Call it the frozen custard heard round the world. Gov. Rick Perry and his booking on two felony counts late Tuesday afternoon captured national attention — on social media, most of all. Full Story
A new report raises fresh doubts about a key witness instrumental in securing the execution of Cameron Todd Willingham. This new evidence forces again the question as to whether Texas executed an innocent man. Full Story
Can those National Guard troops being sent to the border arrest people? The latest word is they can. And the reason why is that Rick Perry sent them, and not the federal government. Full Story
If lawmakers do not act to address the immigration crisis on Texas' southern border before their August break, smugglers will get the message that the government does not take the crisis seriously, U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar says. Full Story
Story lines continue to spin out from Gov. Rick Perry's Monday announcement that he was activating up to 1,000 National Guard troops to back up existing DPS border operations. Full Story
Wendy Davis' fundraising figures from Tuesday that showed her raising slightly more money than her GOP rival for governor are now being questioned. Full Story
A bipartisan effort by two Texas lawmakers — GOP U.S. Sen. John Cornyn and Democratic U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar — grabbed headlines as having the potential to break the logjam as to what to do about the surge in unaccompanied minors across the border. Full Story
While the federal and state governments squabble over what to do about immigrant children on the Texas-Mexico border, Gov. Rick Perry is scoring political points on an issue of high importance to Republican voters. Full Story
Attorney General Greg Abbott reversed himself Thursday on whether the Texas prison system can withhold information about companies that make drugs used by the state in executions. Full Story
Texas' recent designation as one of six test states for a federal project that seeks to expand the use of drones is spotlighting how far apart border lawmakers are on using more unmanned aircraft for border security. Full Story
The political conversation is wasting no time in 2014 pivoting to what is expected to be the biggest story of the year — the November clash between Greg Abbott and Wendy Davis. Full Story
The Federal Aviation Administration has selected Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi as a test site to further study the uses of unmanned aircraft systems. Full Story
Republican leaders in the U.S. House have publicly rejected the U.S. Senate's comprehensive immigration reform bill, calling it a rushed-through measure with too many flaws and not enough security guarantees. Full Story
Aerial surveillance in the form of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft will replace about 900 National Guard troops on the U.S.-Mexico border as early as next year, a strategy not all Texas lawmakers like. Full Story
A decision by the White House to reduce the number of National Guard soldiers on the country’s border with Mexico has provoked a fierce but expected reaction from Gov. Rick Perry, a longtime advocate for more boots on the ground in Texas. Full Story
The breakdown raised new questions about the way forward for Congress and the trickle-down effects for politics and federal spending in Texas. Full Story
A balanced-budget constitutional amendment fell short in the U.S. House today. Only one Texas Republican, U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert, of Tyler, voted against the measure. Full Story
With American troops leaving Iraq and an eventual withdrawal from Afghanistan expected, advocates for tighter border security hope to bring military technology — and soldiers' expertise — to the border. Full Story
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn has asked congressional colleagues to investigate whether federal officials ran a gun-walking program in Texas similar to the controversial and now defunct Fast and Furious operation. Full Story
Texas congressional incumbents raised more than $4.7 million during the third quarter of the year, but some of them face challengers who also displayed a knack for raising political cash. Full Story