The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments Tuesday in a Texas redistricting case that has flagged two congressional districts and nine Texas House districts. Here’s a closer look at one of the districts in question: U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett’s curiously shaped 35th Congressional District.
Jim Malewitz
Jim Malewitz was a reporter at the Tribune from 2013 to 2017, covering energy and environment and then working on investigations. Previously, he covered those issues for Stateline, a nonprofit news service in Washington, D.C. The Michigan native majored in political science at Grinnell College in Iowa and holds a master’s from the University of Iowa. There, he helped launch the nonprofit Iowa Center for Public Affairs Journalism, where he currently serves on the board of directors. Jim also coaches the Texas Tribune Runoffs, which, sources say, is the scrappiest coed newsroom softball team west of the Mississippi.
Posted inState Government
In Texas, you probably won’t get welfare benefits — even if you qualify
Texas’ rolls of cash assistance recipients under its TANF program have steadily shrunk over the last two decades. Some experts say the bureaucracy guarding the state’s safety net makes it difficult to access those benefits, even for Texans who fit the requirements.
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Economy
Amid opioid crisis, Texas subsidized drug distributor it’s now investigating
In 2016, Gov. Greg Abbott announced a $9.75 million grant to McKesson Corporation. Now, Texas is among the states investigating the giant drug distributor’s role in a growing opioid crisis.
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Guides
What will Joe Straus do with his $10 million in unspent campaign funds?
State ethics laws grant elected officials wide latitude on how they use their political contributions while in office — meaning there’s a lot outgoing House Speaker Joe Straus could do with his $10 million campaign war chest.
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Lock the Vote
How the Texas redistricting lawsuit outlived a voter who sued
The six-year battle over the state’s redistricting plan illustrates how a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling four years ago has shifted the burden in challenges of such laws.
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Texas Elections 2018
To fund bid against Ted Cruz, former mayor puts up building as prize in “essay and rib contest”
Months after spending a turbulent 37-day stint as Corpus Christi mayor and then resigning, Dan McQueen is trying to unseat U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz – and hoping an “essay and rib” contest will both fund his bid and unload some property.
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In Harvey's Wake
Hegar: Harvey response will strain Texas budget, shouldn’t slow economy
Hurricane Harvey probably won’t wallop Texas’ economy in the long run, Comptroller Glenn Hegar said. But the state’s response to the storm could ultimately mean a multibillion-dollar hit to the state budget.
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State Government
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton under probe for legal defense gift
A district attorney has been probing whether Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton broke any laws by accepting a $100,000 gift from a CEO whose company was being investigated for alleged fraud, according to news reports.
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Health care
East Texas county sues drug companies, alleges role in opioid crisis
Upshur County is suing a slew of prescription painkiller manufacturers and distributers in federal court, accusing them of fueling a nationwide opioid addiction epidemic. Other Texas governments may follow suit.
Posted inState Government
Texas to change voting in nursing homes — for one election, by accident
Election administrators hope to avoid confusion as Texans living in nursing homes test a new system of voting during the state’s constitutional election — a one-time change prompted by a new law set to vanish in December.