Nearly two years after Sandra Bland died in a Waller County jail cell, a judge on Wednesday dropped a perjury charge against the ex-trooper who arrested Bland after stopping her for failing to signal a lane change.
Cassandra Pollock
Cassandra Pollock was a state politics reporter for the Tribune. She joined the Tribune full-time in June 2017 after a fellowship during the 85th Texas Legislature. Pollock spent her first two years at the Trib as an engagement reporter, which meant her name likely landed in your inbox every weekday morning with “The Brief,” a newsletter on all things Texas politics and public policy. Pollock is a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin’s School of Journalism. Pollock left The Texas Tribune in 2021.
Posted inState Government
The Brief: U.S. Senate pushes pause button on health care overhaul
Republicans in the U.S. Senate pressed the pause button on efforts to overhaul the American health care system Tuesday, announcing a vote on their proposal — originally set for this week — wouldn’t happen until after Congress returned from its July 4 recess.
Posted inState Government
The Brief: One hearing on Texas’ immigration law down, one to go
Protesters with posters, Democratic officials and immigrants’ rights groups descended on a federal courthouse in San Antonio Monday, marking the first skirmish in what could be a lengthy battle over the state’s new immigration enforcement law — known as Senate Bill 4 or the “sanctuary cities” ban.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
What the latest U.S. Supreme Court rulings mean for Texas
With its current term ending this week, the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday delivered a handful of rulings on high-profile cases. Here’s what they mean for Texas.
Posted inState Government
Texas’ new immigration law is in court Monday. What’s happened so far?
A long day is expected in San Antonio on Monday as U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia hears a lawsuit over Texas’ controversial new immigration enforcement law. Expect more fireworks as the day continues.
Posted in
Demographics
U.S. Supreme Court tosses cross-border shooting case back to lower court
The nation’s high court on Monday sent a case involving the cross-border shooting death of a Mexican teenager back to the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. At issue is whether the teen’s family can sue the U.S. border patrol agent who killed him.
Posted inState Government
The Brief: Texas’ new immigration law heads to court today
After six weeks of court filings, press conferences and statements, a federal lawsuit over the controversial new immigration enforcement law in Texas, known as Senate Bill 4, will be heard today in San Antonio.
Posted inState Government
The Brief: Houston joins the legal fight against Texas’ new immigration law
Texas’ largest four cities are now backing the legal fight against the new immigration enforcement law, with the city of Houston — the largest in the state — joining the table and adding its name to a lawsuit against Senate Bill 4 yesterday.
Posted inState Government
The Brief: Amid health care debate, Texas families worry over possible Medicaid cuts
While Republicans in Congress are in the middle of a health care overhaul debate, one slice of the pie — Medicaid reform — is on the mind of many Texans.
Posted inState Government
The Brief: How a Supreme Court redistricting case could affect Texas
The U.S. Supreme Court announced Monday it was taking up a case from Wisconsin on partisan gerrymandering — but what could the move mean for Texas, a state entrenched in its own legal battle over redistricting maps?