Democrat Reps. Garnet Coleman, Armando Walle and Ana Hernandez were the latest to rejoin the House on Thursday, narrowly clinching a quorum.
James Barragán
James Barragán was a politics reporter for The Texas Tribune with a focus on accountability reporting. Prior to joining the Tribune, James worked as a statehouse reporter for The Dallas Morning News and previously had stints at the Austin American-Statesman and the Los Angeles Times. In 2021, he was a finalist for the Toner Prize for Excellence in Local Reporting for his coverage of Texas politics during the COVID-19 pandemic. James was selected as a 2023-24 Nieman Fellow at Harvard. A Southern California native, James received his bachelor’s degree in history from the University of California, Los Angeles. He was based in Austin and is a native Spanish speaker.
Posted in
Coronavirus in Texas
Joe Biden takes aim at states blocking mask mandates, setting Gov. Greg Abbott up for showdown with feds
Biden said he will use the U.S. Department of Education’s civil rights enforcement authority to deter states from blocking mask mandates in classrooms.
Posted in
Politics
Texas to spend $25 million on 2-mile concrete barrier amid Gov. Greg Abbott’s push for a state-funded border wall
The barrier in Eagle Pass is the first glimpse into how much a state-funded border wall could cost. But Abbott’s office says it’s a “concrete barrier” that is separate from his border wall push.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2021
Texas Supreme Court allows for arrest of Democrats who don’t show up to Legislature
The Texas Supreme Court voided a lower court ruling that blocked the arrests of the Democrats who don’t show up for the year’s second special legislative session.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2021
Austin judge signs order to block arrests of Democrats who refuse to return to Texas Capitol for special session
A state district judge has granted a temporary restraining order blocking the arrest of House Democrats who have broken quorum, paving the way for those who remain outside the state to return home without threat of arrest.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2021
Democrats who fled Texas sue Gov. Greg Abbott, Speaker Dade Phelan, saying efforts to force their return violate their civil rights
After Democrats absconded to Washington, D.C., GOP leaders threatened to have them arrested on civil warrants and brought back to the Capitol. Twenty-two Democrats are suing state officials, but their suit does not provide specific details about several allegations.
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Politics
Gov. Greg Abbott orders Texas National Guard to help with migrant arrests at the border
In a letter to the major general of the Texas National Guard, Abbott said “more manpower is needed” at the border.
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Politics
Gov. Greg Abbott promised “transparency and accountability” for border wall donations. But donors don’t have to use real names.
Despite promises from Abbott that transparency in the crowdfunding process for the border wall would be paramount, donor information released to The Texas Tribune for the first week of collections was bereft of any way to verify the identities of the majority of the donors.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2021
Texas House Speaker offers Democrats free plane ride home to return to state
The plane will be on standby at Dulles International Airport, and Dade Phelan’s team said his political campaign, not taxpayers, will pay for the flight.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2021
El Paso Democrat Joe Moody stripped of leadership position in Texas House after leaving state with Democrats
Moody, one of House Speaker Dade Phelan’s closest Democratic allies, is the first Democrat to suffer political backlash after the quorum break.
