Water restrictions in New Mexico have created a supply crunch for the fracking industry, so more free-flowing Texas water is helping to fill the void. But not without controversy: A top New Mexico politician says Texans are pumping his state’s water and piping it across the state line for oil drillers.
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.
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Higher Education
After ex-employee is accused of fraud, UT hires a former federal prosecutor to investigate internal controls
A former director at the university’s law school is accused of fraud in a case potentially involving millions of dollars.
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Texas Elections 2018
Lance Gooden’s biggest donor in the Texas Legislature is now spending big to get him into Congress. The two go way back.
Monty Bennett has spent generously to help state Rep. Lance Gooden win a Republican runoff for a seat in Congress. The pair own property together and, as a state legislator, Gooden passed special interest legislation benefiting Bennett.
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Higher Education
Former University of Texas law school official arrested as part of ongoing fraud investigation
Jason Shoumaker, the law school’s former facilities director, was arrested Thursday. The alleged fraud could involve “several million dollars of questionable expenses,” a source familiar with the probe said.
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State Government
Under the influence: Big spending liquor interests, arcane laws keep iconic barbecue joint from making wine
The owners of The Salt Lick have big plans for their land, from a winery to an events center. But they’re stymied by Prohibition-era alcohol laws aimed at keeping producers, distributors and retailers financially separate. Will lawmakers step in with a fix?
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Politics
From Treasury bills to Amazon stocks, investments make up a big part of Texas political campaign spending
A handful of elected officials used more than $28 million from their campaign accounts for investments, making it the second largest category of expenditures in the 2018 election cycle.
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Criminal Justice
Lawmakers weigh changing Texas law that lets rent-to-own stores file criminal charges on customers
The chairman of the House Business & Industry Committee said he was “stunned” to learn there is an obscure law that makes it easy for rent-to-own companies to file criminal charges against customers who fall behind on payments. The committee is looking at changing the law after a joint investigation by The Texas Tribune and NerdWallet.
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State Government
Judge’s ruling would let Texas consumers buy booze from Walmart and Costco
Unlike residents of more than 30 U.S. states and many foreign nations, Texans who want to buy a fifth of vodka or bourbon can’t find their favorite spirit on the shelves of their local Walmart or Costco. A landmark ruling issued by a federal court in Austin could soon change that.
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Texas Elections 2018
Court dismisses Empower Texans’ lawsuit
Empower Texans was not able to demonstrate a credible fear of prosecution stemming from tactics it used in a closely watched Texas House race, a federal judge ruled Friday.
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State Government
Under new management, Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission mends fences after scandal
Nearly a year after a series of self-inflicted wounds led to a purge of the agency’s upper management, a new commissioner and new executive director have launched a series of reforms — and the businesses they regulate say they’ve seen a big change.