Latest Contributions

• Five takeaways from Uvalde schools police Chief Pete Arredondo’s interview with The Texas Tribune

  by James Barragán and Zach Despart June 9, 2022

  This week, Uvalde schools police Chief Pete Arredondo and his attorney granted an exclusive interview to The Texas Tribune to detail his version of what happened inside Robb Elementary School on May 24, when a shooter killed 21 people. Full Story 

• Waiting for keys, unable to break down doors: Uvalde schools police chief defends delay in confronting gunman

  by James Barragán and Zach Despart June 9, 2022

  Criticized by law enforcement experts for slowness in taking out the shooter, Pete Arredondo described an agonizing wait for a key that would work. In an interview with The Texas Tribune, he said he hadn’t spoken out sooner because he didn’t want to compound his hometown’s grief or point blame. Full Story 

• At first meeting since massacre, Uvalde school board takes no action on police chief

  by Zach Despart June 3, 2022

  Chief Pete Arredondo has been faulted for a slow response to the mass shooting at Robb Elementary. Full Story 

• In battered Uvalde, where a police chief is in hiding, grief gives way to calls for accountability

  by Zach Despart Updated: June 4, 2022

  As chief of the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District Police Department, it was Arredondo’s call to wait more than an hour for backup instead of ordering officers on scene to immediately charge the shooter. Full Story 

• After another mass shooting, Texas Democrats again push for gun control measures

  by James Barragán and Zach Despart May 30, 2022

  The question moving forward is whether Democrats, outnumbered in the Texas Legislature for two decades, will be able to put enough pressure on lawmakers to move on a previously intractable issue in gun-friendly Texas and that Republicans, who support looser gun laws, will fight tooth and nail. Full Story 

• At NRA convention after Uvalde massacre, attendees describe a culture under siege

  by Zach Despart, The Texas Tribune, and Lomi Kriel, The Texas Tribune and ProPublica May 27, 2022

  Deflecting blame from guns, attendees said a breakdown in society — including removing God from schools and a rise in mental illness — causes mass shootings, echoing the rhetoric of Gov. Greg Abbott and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz. Full Story 

• This time, Gov. Greg Abbott has few suggestions on how the state might prevent future mass shootings

  by Zach Despart May 25, 2022

  After previous mass killings during his more than seven years in office, Abbott has pledged that lawmakers and his administration would search for solutions. He made no substantive suggestions Wednesday. Full Story 

• Texas GOP primary runoff results show most legislative incumbents prevailing, bucking past trends

  by Zach Despart and James Barragán May 24, 2022

  In Texas Legislature runoffs, three of four Republican House incumbents succeed, while Democrats set their sights on retaining a South Texas Senate seat. Full Story 

• Businesses that help employees get abortions could be next target of Texas lawmakers if Roe v. Wade is overturned

  by Zach Despart May 23, 2022

  Fourteen GOP legislators warned Lyft that they’d seek to ban companies that pay for abortions from doing business in Texas. The extent of support for the idea is unclear. Full Story 

• New Texas plan for federal Hurricane Harvey aid yields same old result: Funds diverted away from Gulf Coast

  by Zach Despart May 16, 2022

  Despite an admonition from federal authorities, Land Commissioner George P. Bush’s plan still steers aid disproportionately to whiter, inland counties at less risk of natural disasters. Full Story