Longtime elected officials would no longer be able to use an obscure perk to boost their take-home pay under a bill that sailed out of a House committee Monday. The proposed double-dipping ban now heads to the House floor.
Jay Root
Jay Root is an award-winning journalist who reported for the Tribune from 2011 to 2020. He covered the dramatic collapse of Gov. Rick Perry’s 2012 presidential campaign and went on to write an ebook about it called “Oops! A Diary from the 2012 Campaign Trail.” Root also broke the story that put the Texas attorney general, Ken Paxton, on the path toward criminal indictment, co-wrote an exposé that brought an end to privately funded prosecutions in Travis County, and authored a series of watchdog articles that prompted a wave of firings and resignations at two major state agencies.
In 2017, Root co-directed “Beyond The Wall,” a film exploring border politics in the age of Trump, which won a national Edward R. Murrow award for best news documentary. Root’s latest film, “Border Hustle,” was released in early 2019 and reveals how desperate migrants have become cash cows on both sides of the border.
Previously, for a dozen years, Root was Austin bureau chief of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, where he chronicled the rise of then-Gov. George W. Bush, wrote about cartel violence in Mexico and covered Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. During a three-year stint at the Associated Press, Root was twice named AP Staff Reporter of the Year for his watchdog reporting, including a story that sparked felony charges against a sitting state representative.
Posted in
Politics
Perry’s Gone, but Travel Costs Still Being Tallied
As the state tallies the tax dollars spent on former Gov. Rick Perry’s security while he was running for president, a lawmaker wants future elected officials to reimburse Texas for out-of-state trips that don’t involve official business.
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Politics
Double-Dipping Ban is on the Move
Efforts to ban longtime politicians from double-dipping their salaries and their pensions — as former Gov. Rick Perry started doing in 2011 — went nowhere two years ago. But this year the idea is picking up steam.
Posted inState Government
High Hopes for Ethics Reform, but It’s Early
Gov. Greg Abbott’s full-throated embrace of ethics reform, a rarity under the Capitol dome, is breathing new life into the issue of years of failed efforts. But changing the status quo remains very much a work in progress.
Posted inState Government
Across State Government, Signs of Wear and Tear, Neglect Are Everywhere
After years of budget cuts, raids on dedicated funding and deferred maintenance, rats, bats, leaking roofs and audible bathroom sounds are the new normal in state government.
Posted inState Government
High Court Ruling Protects Insurers From Worker Lawsuits
In a major victory for insurance companies, the Texas Supreme Court said Friday that injured workers can’t sue for damages in workers’ compensation claims even when the insurer intentionally misrepresents their policies, or uses the criminal justice system to punish them.
Posted inState Government
Ag Commissioner Says Consumers “Screwed”
The Texas Department of Agriculture is supposed to ensure consumers aren’t getting ripped off by fuel pumps, retail scanners or other measuring devices. But the agency is so cash-strapped that consumers are getting “screwed” due to a lack of oversight, the agency’s new commissioner says.
Posted in
Politics
Lobby Firm Helped Draft GOP Letter to Racing Commission
State Sen. Joan Huffman acknowledges that a lobby firm with ties to casino interests helped her draft a GOP caucus letter blasting a proposal to allow expanded gambling at horse tracks. Now a major proponent of the tracks is crying foul.
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State Government
Perry’s Longtime Embrace of Tax Subsidies Could Haunt 2016 Prospects
Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry has been promoting tax subsidies for private businesses since the early 1990s. But the programs have rarely lived up to their promise, and a series of damning audits could hurt his expected 2016 presidential run.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Abbott’s Tune Has Changed on Gun Laws
On the campaign trail, Republican Greg Abbott argued for expanded gun rights — with certain limits. But now that he’s been elected governor, the nuance he initially proposed appears to be gone.
