Texas leads the nation in executions, but its death row population is dropping
Texas executed more people than any other state this year, but fewer new death sentences has led to a shrinking death row population. Full Story
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Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman -
The Taking: How the federal government abused its power to seize property for a border fence
A decade ago, many border Texans got a raw deal when the federal government seized land for a barrier — while others pushed up the price. Will the government's rushed, haphazard process be repeated as it pushes for a border wall? Full Story
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![Juan Cavazos at his home on Oklahoma Avenue in Brownsville, Texas. The federal government took part of the former teacher's land to build the border fence.]()
Credit: Martin do Nascimento for The Texas Tribune -
U.S. Rep. Williams endorses Farenthold challenger as sexual harassment scandal grows
U.S. Rep. Roger Williams is set to help fundraise for an opponent of a fellow Republican congressman, embattled U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold, R-Corpus Christi.]()
Credit: U.S. House Website -
Texas campaign season opens with conflict-of-interest questions
Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller says Travis County GOP Chairman Matt Mackowiak should resign over a conflict of interest, an accusation Mackowiak denies. Questions of conflicts are also being raised elsewhere as the 2018 election season gets underway. Full Story
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Credit: Todd Wiseman -
Texan Don Willett confirmed by U.S. Senate to federal 5th Circuit Court
The U.S. Senate confirmed Don Willett, a Texas Supreme Court justice, to the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals Wednesday. A confirmation vote on Jim Ho, a former state solicitor general, is expected later this week. Full Story
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![Texas Supreme Court Justice Don R. Willett testifies during a U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee hearing to confirm him and Dallas attorney James C. Ho to the 5th Circuit Court, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on November 15, 2017.]()
Credit: Allison Shelley for The Texas Tribune -
Straus says "decency trumped tribalism" in Roy Moore defeat
House Speaker Joe Straus praised Alabama for rejecting Roy Moore in Tuesday's special election and urged mainstream Texas voters to get involved in 2018 primaries to keep people like Moore out of power. Full Story
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![Texas House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, gives a lunchtime speech to the Greater Austin Crime Commission on Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott asks Texas Rangers to investigate sexual abuse at youth lockups
Gov. Greg Abbott wants the Texas Rangers to investigate sexual abuse at the Texas Juvenile Justice Department. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott gives a briefing to the media regarding Hurricane Harvey at the DPS command center in Austin, Texas, on August 25, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Two controversial federal judge nominees will not be confirmed, Senate Republican says
The Senate Judiciary Committee’s top Republican said Wednesday that two of President Trump’s nominees for open seats on the federal bench will not be confirmed. One of them, Jeff Mateer, was nominated to serve as a federal judge in the Eastern District of Texas. Full Story
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![Ken Paxton's first assistant attorney general, Jeff Mateer.]()
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An Alabama Senate shake-up, a Bush-Patterson faceoff and a border land grab project (podcast)
On this week's TribCast, Emily talks to Evan, Patrick, Kiah and former (and aspiring) Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson about Roy Moore's defeat in Alabama, Patterson's attempt to unseat George P. Bush and a soon-to-land reporting project called "The Taking." Full Story
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Credit: Emily Albracht / Todd Wiseman -
Texas General Land Office official to head regional EPA office
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Monday that Anne Idsal – a top official in the Texas General Land Office – will become the agency's Region 6 administrator. Full Story
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![Texas General Land Office Chief Clerk Anne Idsal has been named the EPA's regional administrator for Region 6.]()
Credit: General Land Office -
This Texas lawmaker could finish his term from jail
State Rep. Ron Reynolds recently lost his appeal to a 2016 conviction of five misdemeanor ambulance-chasing charges. If his last effort to have his conviction overturned fails, he faces a yearlong jail sentence. Full Story
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![Rep. Ron Reynolds, D-Missouri City, during a House Environmental Regulations Committee meeting on April 16, 2013.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Analysis: What recent election results in Texas congressional districts tell us about 2018
Past congressional elections in Texas have favored Republicans, but Texas Democrats are hopeful. Here's a look back. Full Story
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Texas graduate students worry they'll lose big in the federal tax cut bill
One version of the proposed tax cut bill would count tuition waivers received by graduate students as taxable income, a move that could increase some students' federal income taxes by nearly 400 percent. Full Story
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![Students on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin.]()
Credit: Tamir Kalifa -
Reps. Kyle Biedermann and Jason Isaac talk school funding, sexual harassment and Speaker Straus
Watch the full video of our conversation with state Reps. Kyle Biedermann and Jason Isaac in San Marcos. Or check out our recap below. Full Story
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T-Squared: A fresh look for The Texas Tribune
Today we launched the first major redesign of The Texas Tribune homepage in four years. Tell us: What do you think of our new look? Full Story
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Credit: Graphic by Ben Hasson -
The Brief: Texas has its field of candidates for the 2018 primaries, new pressure on Farenthold
The field for the 2018 elections crystallized Monday evening when Texas' month-long candidate filing period came to a relatively quiet close, and U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold is under more pressure after The New York Times published a report in which former staffers alleged the congressman bullied aides and had a volatile temper. Full Story
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![As the deadline for filing nears, GOP candidates Chip Roy (right) and Stefano de Stefano finish up filling out paperwork at the Republican Party of Texas headquarters in Austin on Dec. 11, 2017. Roy is running for the seat now held by retiring U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith, R-San Antonio; de Stefano is challenging incumbent U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz in the Republican primary.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Paul Pressler, former Texas judge and religious right leader, accused of sexually assaulting teen for years
A lawsuit filed this fall alleges that Paul Pressler, a former state judge, lawmaker and leader on the religious right, repeatedly sexually assaulted a young man over a period of decades, beginning when the boy was just 14. Full Story
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![Paul Pressler, retired justice of the Texas 14th Circuit Court of Appeals.]()
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Analysis: Why George P. Bush is jealous of Ken Paxton
The months leading up to Monday's candidate filing deadline were full of talk about who might challenge whom, a drawn-out round of punditry. Now we know who filed for what, and some of the results were unexpected. Full Story
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![Former General Land Office Commissioner Jerry Patterson announces he's running to again head the agency, at the Austin Club on Dec. 11, 2017. He will face incumbent George P. Bush in the Republican primary in March 2018.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Filing period comes to calm close after chaotic 30 days
A hectic candidate filing period came to a relatively calm close Monday evening, with few major surprises as the field was set for the 2018 primaries in Texas. Yet it's been a tumultuous few weeks across the state's political landscape. Full Story
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![Former General Land Office Commissioner Jerry Patterson announces he's running to again head the agency, at the Austin Club on Dec. 11, 2017. He will face incumbent George P. Bush in the Republican primary in March 2018.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Amid sexual harassment controversy, U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold faces tough re-election
Despite speculation he might withdraw his re-election bid, U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold appears on track to run for a fifth term. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold, R-Corpus Christi.]()
Credit: Official House portraits