Tribpedia: Texas Ethics Commission

Tribpedia

The Texas Ethics Commission is responsible for administering and enforcing sections of the election code and other statutory provisions generally governing politics and ethics in the state.

Among its key duties is the collecting and maintaining of records related to political fundraising and spending, lobbying activity reports and the filing of personal financial disclosure statements by state elected officials and ...

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TribWeek: Top Texas News for the Week of 10/4/10

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Ramsey on whether Bill White at the top of the ballot helps Houston-area candidates, Aaronson and Stiles present a treemap of Texas political ads, Stiles and Ramsey on the latest campaign finance filings, Aguilar on the Laredo mayor's race, Hamilton on anonymous tweeters who make mischief, Ramshaw interviews a disability rights activist with a thing for iPads and bibles, Hu on the accidental release of Rick Perry's "secret" schedule, M. Smith on the bitter back-and-forth over a voter registration effort in Harris County, Philpott's micro-debate on education between two House candidates, Grissom on this week's twist in the Cameron Todd Willingham investigation and, in our latest collaboration with a big-city Texas newspaper, Stiles, Grissom and John Tedesco of the San-Antonio Express News on what kind of Texans, exactly, are applying to carry concealed handguns: The best of our best from Oct. 4 to 9, 2010.

A joint meeting between the House Elections and Judiciary committees on Aug. 26, 2010
Enlarge photo by: Marjorie Cotera
A joint meeting between the House Elections and Judiciary committees on Aug. 26, 2010

Will SCOTUS Opinions Affect TX Judicial Elections?

Do two recent U.S. Supreme Court opinions have the far-reaching effects on Texas judicial elections that some in our legal community fear? Or do the state's current campaign finance laws adequately address the issues presented by both cases?

Enlarge graphic by: Todd Wiseman

TribWeek: Top Texas News for the Week of July 26, 2010

Stiles' and Torres' three-parter on the changing Texas political map, Ramsey on questions about Brian Birdwell's voting history and residency, Aguilar on the Obama administration's immigration crackdown, Reed on hospitals that won't induce early labor, Stiles on what Troy Fraser left off his financial disclosure form, the latest installment of Hu's Face-Off video debate series, Grissom on the problem-plagued Driver Responsibility Program, Galbraith on the controversy over fracking and M. Smith's interview with former Texas Supreme Court Justice Harriet O'Neill: The best of our best from July 26 to 30, 2010.

Enlarge graphic by: Justin Dehn/Todd Wiseman

Search Texas Officials' Financial Disclosures

Politicians, candidates and other state officers are required to disclose their personal finances, 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 isn’t easy, so we've put all 3,070 available online.

The Texas Ethics Commission recently released more than 3,000 personal financial statements — documents that detail state officials' financial interests and liabilities. Read, download or embed them with our new application.
Enlarge photo by: Matt Stiles
The Texas Ethics Commission recently released more than 3,000 personal financial statements — documents that detail state officials' financial interests and liabilities. Read, download or embed them with our new application.

Read 3,000 Officials' Personal Financial Docs

The Texas Ethics Commission recently released more than 3,000 personal financial statements — documents that detail state officials' financial interests and liabilities. Read, download or embed them with our new application.

Enlarge graphic by: Todd Wiseman

Lawsuit Between Rival Lobby Shops Shakes Profession

HillCo's lawsuit against two of its departing partners is threatening business as usual in the insular world of the Texas lobby, raising the specter of open combat in an industry that prefers to settle its fights behind closed doors. But as its allegations make plain, HillCo believes that two rogue employees are the ones who crossed the line, turning competition for clients into espionage and biting down hard on the hand that fed them.

State Rep. Linda Harper-Brown, R-Irving.
Enlarge photo by: WFAA-TV
State Rep. Linda Harper-Brown, R-Irving.

Car Driven by N Texas Lawmaker Raises Ethics Questions

Tribune news partner WFAA-TV reports that state Rep. Linda Harper-Brown, R-Irving, and her husband are driving cars owned by a highway contractor doing millions of dollars in business with the state. All the while, Harper-Brown sits on the influential House Transportation Committee.

Farouk Shami on November 19, 2009
Enlarge credit: Todd Wiseman
Farouk Shami on November 19, 2009

Shami Gave to Gilbert but Didn't Report It

In spite of what both campaigns said last month, agriculture commission candidate Hank Gilbert got two-thirds of his money from gubernatorial candidate Farouk Shami. Gilbert reported it to the state; Shami didn't. And both Democrats say the money had nothing to do with Gilbert's decision to get out of Shami's race.

Enlarge credit: Jacob Villanueva

The Ways Former Candidates Unload Campaign Cash

Let's say you're a donor to a candidate or an elected official who quits a race mid-campaign or chooses to not run for reelection. What if you made a contribution to one of the nine Texas legislators who decided not to seek reelection this year, or to a former diplomat who toyed with a bid for governor but ultimately thought better of it, or to a tech executive who considered a challenge to a member of Congress but decided against running at the last minute? What happens to your money?