After riot at the U.S. Capitol, Ted Cruz gets fierce blowback for his role in sowing doubts about Joe Biden’s victory
Wednesday’s chaos led to calls for Cruz’s resignation from Texas Democrats. But Cruz says he “ain’t going anywhere.” Full Story
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![U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, during a committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., in September of 2020.]()
Credit: Erin Schaff/Pool via REUTERS -
Ken Paxton told Trump supporters to "keep fighting." When they breached the Capitol, he falsely claimed it wasn't them.
At a low point in his rollercoaster political career, Paxton is betting on the Trump base to bring him back up the hill, lending the legitimacy of office to debunked claims that have motivated violence. Full Story
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![Ken Paxton at the inauguration ceremony of Judge Michelle Slaughter at the state Capitol in Austin on Jan. 11, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Already in crisis, Texas hospitals treat record numbers of COVID-19 patients while preparing for another post-holiday surge
The state has reported at least 28,545 fatalities tied to the virus, available intensive care unit beds are at a low and health experts say Texans can’t vaccinate their way out of the current surge. Full Story
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![A nurse visits a patient in the COVID-19 ward at Doctors Hospital at Renaissance Health System in Edinburg on June 30, 2020.]()
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About 200,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses will be shipped next week to Texas, mostly for large “vaccination hubs”
Some doses will also go to smaller providers, while hubs will set up registration phone numbers and websites to streamline distribution, according to the state health agency. Full Story
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![Infectious Disease Specialist Dr. Linda Yancey receives the fifth Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at Memorial Hermann Hospital in the Medical Center in Houston on Dec. 15, 2020.]()
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First Texas case of more contagious coronavirus variant identified in Harris County
It does not cause a more severe disease, and vaccines “are expected to be effective against it,” the health services department said of the strain. Full Story
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![A sign urges resident to stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic in Hidalgo County. Dec. 7, 2020.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Texas House Democrats ask Gov. Greg Abbott to overhaul COVID-19 vaccine distribution process
“The dearth of reliable public information leads to skepticism over the government’s ability to look out for the public health,” state Rep. Vikki Goodwin wrote in the letter, which 37 other House Democrats signed. Full Story
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![Eager valley residents look amongst the rows of cars lined up at the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show Grounds in Mercedes. Area residents lined up overnight to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Jan 5, 2021.]()
Credit: Jason Garza for The Texas Tribune -
Most Texan Republicans in the U.S. House voted in favor of objections to certifying Joe Biden's win
Congress overwhelmingly voted against an objection by U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, to the certification of Arizona's results and another to the results from Pennsylvania. Full Story
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![Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi preside over a joint session of Congress to certify the 2020 Electoral College results, after supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol earlier in the day.]()
Credit: Erin Schaff/Pool via REUTERS -
After a day of chaos at U.S. Capitol, Congress rejects Ted Cruz-led effort to dispute election results
Hours after pro-Trump protesters swarmed the U.S. Capitol, the House and Senate returned to resume certification of the Electoral College votes for president. Early this morning, they certified the results for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Full Story
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![Pro-Trump rioters clashed with Capitol police during a rally to contest the certification of the 2020 U.S. presidential election results by Congress at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021.]()
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Julián and Joaquin Castro call on Ted Cruz to resign after he objected to Joe Biden's victory just before pro-Trump rioters breached Congress
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner also said, “Texans should hold Sen. Ted Cruz accountable for this fiasco.” Full Story
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![U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, right, Sen. Edward Markey, D-Massachusetts, left, and Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Missouri, center, walk from the House of Representatives to the Senate at the U.S. Capitol after a challenge was raised during the joint session to certify the 2020 election results, in Washington, D.C., Jan. 6, 2021.]()
Credit: REUTERS/Mike Theiler -
Watch: Joaquin Castro discusses pro-Trump rioters storming U.S. Capitol
The Texas Tribune's multimedia reporter Alana Rocha spoke Wednesday afternoon with Castro, D-San Antonio, who was in lockdown in his office. Full Story
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![The Texas Tribune multimedia reporter Alana Rocha speaks with U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, on the violence in the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.]()
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TribCast: The Texans objecting to Joe Biden's Electoral College victory
In this edition of the TribCast, Emma talks to Abby, Ross and Cassi about Electoral College drama at the U.S. Capitol — and a new session about to start at the Texas Capitol. Full Story
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![U.S. President-elect Joe Biden during a briefing where he delivered remarks on the U.S. response to the COVID-19 outbreak, at his transition headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware, on Dec. 29, 2020.]()
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Texas politicians united in pleading for calm as Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol
The chaos began shortly after some GOP lawmakers, led by U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, launched a dispute to the certification of Arizona’s electoral votes. Full Story
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![Pro-Trump rioters stormed the Capitol during a joint session of Congress in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021. The joint session of the House and Senate was sent to recess after the breach as it convened to confirm the Electoral College votes cast in November's election.]()
Credit: Chris Kleponis/Sipa via REUTERS -
Texas closes its Capitol building following chaos in Washington, D.C.
“The Capitol and Capitol Complex are closed to the public effective immediately,” said Freeman Martin, the Texas Department of Public Safety’s deputy director of homeland security. Full Story
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![Trump supporters rally at the Texas Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. The Capitol and surrounding grounds have closed after supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Congressman Kevin Brady says he’s tested positive for COVID-19
Brady, a ranking member of the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee, said he will begin treatment Wednesday. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, spoke on a panel for the Lincoln Reagan Dinner, at the Bayou City Events Center in Houston in 2017.]()
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Analysis: As Ted Cruz argues for the president, Donald Trump’s supporters are the real prize
The senator from Texas is among legislators questioning the validity of President-elect Joe Biden's victory over Donald Trump. What's at stake? The hearts of the Republican voters who strongly back the incumbent president. Full Story
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![Republican presidential candidate and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, challenged President Donald Trump about releasing his tax returns during a presidential debate in 2016 in Houston. Feb. 25, 2016.]()
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In San Antonio, an ambitious effort to expand pre-K is crumbling as parents shield their children from the pandemic
After years of work and tens of millions of dollars spent, about 90% of the city’s 4-year-olds were in pre-K programs. Now enrollment has dropped and the dream of reaching all San Antonio preschoolers is slipping away. Full Story
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![Pre-K 4 SA teacher Charlene Flores works with students learning in-person during the COVID-19 pandemic.]()
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John Cornyn says he won't join growing number of Texas Republicans planning to object to certification of Joe Biden's win
The state's senior senator said Tuesday he will not object to certifying President Donald Trump's reelection defeat "based on unproven allegations." Full Story
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![U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., in November of 2020.]()
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Joe Biden selects three Texans for White House staff
Emmy Ruiz, Cristóbal J. Alex and Adrian Saenz will serve in high-profile roles in the Biden administration. Full Story
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![A view of the White House from Lafayette Square in Washington D.C. on Oct. 31, 2020.]()
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Texas unveils plan to have all students take STAAR online by 2022
The report comes on the heels of Texas signing two, four-year contracts totaling $388 million with companies to develop and administer the standardized tests. Full Story
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![U.S. History teacher Cris Hernandez remotely teaches a class in an empty classroom at Westfield High School on Sept 15, 2020.]()
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After whistleblowers left Texas attorney general’s office, Ken Paxton hired costly outside counsel for Google lawsuit
Texas could pay the outside lawyers tens of millions for their work on the case — an early indication of the costs taxpayers may bear in the latest scandal enveloping Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Full Story
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![Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton at a press conference in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in 2016.]()
Credit: REUTERS/Bill Clark