Texas secessionists feel more emboldened than ever
At a recent conference that featured a sitting state senator, so-called “TEXIT” supporters celebrated their movement’s incremental gains. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/a0a6a4bdd76de5f4ec12b8504213c74d/Re-edit%201111%20TexitCon%20Waco%20TT%2006.jpg)
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/profiles/Robert_Downen_2x3.jpeg)
Robert Downen was a reporter covering democracy and the threats to it, including extremism, disinformation and conspiracies. Before joining the Tribune in 2022, he worked for five years at the Houston Chronicle. As a Hearst Media fellow, he developed what would become "Abuse of Faith," a landmark investigation into child sexual abuse in the Southern Baptist Convention that prompted a Department of Justice investigation. Before coming to Texas, Robert was a business reporter in New York's capital region and the managing editor of six newspapers in his home state of Illinois. He is a 2014 graduate of Eastern Illinois University.
Latest Contributions
-
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy for The Texas Tribune -
Texas activist David Barton wants to end separation of church and state. He has the ear of the new U.S. House speaker.
Barton has been a staple of Texas’ Christian conservative movement, offering crucial support to politicians and frequently being cited or called on to testify in favor of bills that critics say would erode church-state separations. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Texas GOP chair stays silent on allies’ connections to antisemitic extremists
Matt Rinaldi has been defiant amid calls for him to cut ties with political ally Jonathan Stickland after meeting with white supremacist Nick Fuentes. Rinaldi is also accused of embracing antisemitic leaders of a new young Republicans organization. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/66b5496b602f0edcf31e7034d323dc67/Texas%20Freedom%20Caucus%20Presser%20MGO%20TT%2011.jpg)
![Texas GOP Chair Matt Rinaldi at a press conference on Aug. 30, 2021, amid talk about punishing House Democrats for breaking quorum.]()
Credit: Michael Gonzalez/The Texas Tribune -
Leader of anti-immigration group Texans for Strong Borders also runs anonymous, hate-filled social media accounts
Chris Russo has anonymously aligned himself with Nick Fuentes’ white supremacist movement on various social media platforms under the username “Optics Respecter.” Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/8f91272fb92d31eac58ce70c456ef0d6/1006%20Fuentes%20and%20Russo%20TT%2001.jpg)
![Nick Fuentes (middle) is seen exiting the offices of Pale Horse strategies with Chris Russo, founder and president of Texans for Strong Borders (right) in Fort Worth on Oct. 6, 2023.]()
Credit: Azul Sordo for the Texas Tribune -
Nick Fuentes is just the latest white supremacist embraced by Defend Texas Liberty
While Fuentes’ unapologetic hate mongering has made him one of the nation’s best-known white supremacists, he was merely the latest in a long line of people who have been embraced by Defend Texas Liberty and its close allies. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/ef1203fd8857e37cfe9d48e6761a1bbe/1006%20Fuentes%20AS%20TT%2017.jpg)
![Nick Fuentes (middle) is seen exiting the offices of Pale Horse strategies with Chris Russo, founder and president of Texans for Strong Borders (right) in Fort Worth on Oct. 6, 2023.]()
Credit: Azul Sordo for the Texas Tribune -
Dan Patrick to use $3 million from Defend Texas Liberty to buy Israeli bonds
More than two weeks after the influential PAC’s leader met with a Hitler admirer, Lt. Gov. Patrick said the GOP must ”root out” antisemitism. Patrick had initially said he’d keep the PAC’s money. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/0fb3a41c67ee10645fa0eff90b7dff3f/0606%20Dan%20Patrick%20Presser%20JT%20TT%2015.jpg)
![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick discusses property tax cuts for homeowners during a media briefing at the state Capitol on June 6, in Austin.]()
Credit: Joe Timmerman/The Texas Tribune -
Defend Texas Liberty PAC names new president after leader met with white supremacist Nick Fuentes
Luke Macias, a longtime conservative political consultant, is listed as the new president of the conservative PAC on its website. Jonathan Stickland, the former president, met with Fuentes for nearly seven hours. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/5169a20b9052230f997ff4226cd75d1e/0521%20Jonathan%20Stickland%20JF%20TT%20349.jpg)
![State Rep. Jonathan Stickland, R-Bedford, on the House floor on May 21, 2019.]()
Credit: Juan Figueroa/The Texas Tribune -
Dan Patrick says PAC leader’s meeting with white supremacist was a “blunder,” but will keep group’s $3 million contribution
Two other Republican lawmakers are giving away donations after Nick Fuentes was seen visiting the office building associated with Defend Texas Liberty PAC President Jonathan Stickland. The meeting has roiled the party, leading to many Republicans calling on their peers to return money from the PAC. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/5264fc567107bf52acc4686bf2b62dcf/0613%20DP%20HTX%20Presser%20AM%20TT%2012.jpg)
![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick speaks to media during a press conference in the offices of Blakemore &
Associates in Houston, TX, on Tuesday, June 13, 2023.]()
Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune -
What to know about Nick Fuentes, the white supremacist who was just hosted by a major Texas PAC leader
Fuentes often praises Adolf Hitler and has publicly fantasized about marrying a 16-year-old. Last week, he visited the office of a Texas operative who runs a deep-pocketed political group. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/fc3074750f702acc0c208a824bc11953/Nick%20Fuentes%20REUTERS%20TT%2001.jpg)
![Supporters of the America First ideology and U.S. President Donald Trump cheer on Nick Fuentes, a leader of the America First movement and a white nationalist, as he makes his way through the crowd for a speech during the "Stop the Steal" and "Million MAGA March" protests after the 2020 U.S. presidential election was called for Democratic candidate Joe Biden, in Washington on Nov. 14, 2020.]()
Credit: REUTERS/Leah Millis -
Conservative PAC leader’s meeting with white supremacist Nick Fuentes leads to condemnations, escalates GOP infighting
House Speaker Dade Phelan called on Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and other officials to redirect any money they received from the PAC. Patrick called on Phelan to resign. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/702961ae23c6b8a3b676bbc06e6ac8b9/San%20Patrick%20Day%20One%20BD%20TT%2006.jpg)
![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on the dais in the Senate chamber as senators are in recess at the start of the 3rd special session of the 88th Legislature on Oct. 9, 2023.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/ce3304c12c048d392c33fa8f29b1eb09/BD%20INC%20Barton%20David%202012)