Past Contributions

• Top Texas Republicans order investigation into mother who supports child’s gender transition

  By Emma Platoff and Stacy Fernández Oct. 24, 2019

  A bitter child custody dispute became a flashpoint in the state’s culture wars this week as Gov. Greg Abbott and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton urged state involvement. Full Story 

• With a lame-duck speaker, Texas House confronts the work of the interim

  By Emma Platoff and Alexa Ura Oct. 22, 2019

  For the next 14 months, the powerful committee chairs who called for House Speaker Dennis Bonnen to step down will be asked to carry out his will — and every decision the speaker makes will be viewed in the shadow of demise. Full Story 

• House Speaker Dennis Bonnen says, “No laws were broken.” Legal hurdles remain.

  By Emma Platoff and Jolie McCullough Oct. 15, 2019

  Bonnen has been eager to dismiss speculation that he did anything illegal during a June 12 meeting with conservative activist Michael Quinn Sullivan. But a probe into the event is ongoing. Full Story 

• Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen offered media access to Empower Texans, suggested it target certain Republicans, recording shows

  By Cassandra Pollock, Emma Platoff and Patrick Svitek Updated: Oct. 15, 2019

  Bonnen also spoke disparagingly about multiple Democrats, calling one House member “vile” and suggesting that another’s “wife’s gonna be really pissed when she learns he’s gay.” Full Story 

• Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton recuses himself from opinion, citing conflict of interest

  By Emma Platoff Oct. 11, 2019

  A local official had asked Paxton for legal guidance on special prosecutor pay — a major question in the criminal case against Paxton himself. Full Story 

• TribCast: Texas Democrats get their debate moments; a gun debate at home

  By Emma Platoff and Michael Rey de Leon Sept. 18, 2019

  In this edition of the TribCast, Emma talks to Ross, Patrick and Alexa about the Democratic debate, background checks for stranger-to-stranger gun purchases and a Fort Worth woman who faces a five-year prison sentence for casting a ballot that didn’t count. Full Story 

• Crystal Mason's ballot was never counted. Will she still serve five years in prison for illegally voting?

  By Emma Platoff and Alexa Ura Sept. 17, 2019

  Her lawyers say if her sentence stands, it could discourage low-information voters from going to the polls at all. Full Story 

• To her Texas supporters, Marianne Williamson has already won

  By Emma Platoff Sept. 12, 2019

  The Houston native may have missed the cutoff for a presidential debate this week in her native city. But in Texas' liberal enclaves, she's built a small base of support all her own. Full Story 

• Gov. Greg Abbott selects former appeals court judge Jane Bland for Texas Supreme Court

  By Emma Platoff Aug. 26, 2019

  Bland lost her Houston appeals court seat in the November 2018 election. Full Story 

• 5th Circuit upholds Indian Child Welfare Act as constitutional, reversing lower court

  By Emma Platoff Updated: Aug. 12, 2019

  The appeals court overturned a 2018 decision from a federal district judge who ruled that the law, which gives adoption placement preference to Native American tribes, was unconstitutional. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton challenged the law in 2017. Full Story