An old Republican rival of Gov. Rick Perry is calling on state and federal officials to investigate whether he broke the law when he began collecting his lucrative pension without actually leaving his job.
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
State Government
Critics Question Perry’s Move to Collect Pension
Gov. Rick Perry has sparked a wave of criticism, and some unanswered questions, after filing paperwork this week revealing that he is collecting both a salary and a pension from the state of Texas. Critics say there are rules designed to prevent such arrangements. Perry and his aides say its perfectly legal.
Posted inState Government
Perry “Retires” to Boost Pension Pay
Rick Perry has finally retired, but it’s not what you think: The governor has officially retired as a state employee, but gets to keep working as Texas governor. The maneuver, perfectly legal according to his campaign, has dramatically boosted his take-home pay.
Posted inState Government
Gaffe-Free Debate for Perry, but Paul Performs
Gov. Rick Perry survived his second straight debate without a major stumble and wants to be the “Tim Tebow of the Iowa caucuses.” U.S. Rep. Ron Paul stole the show, but his isolationist foreign policy views may have alarmed some Republicans.
Posted inState Government
Perry Puts Faith in His Iowa Bus Tour
Gov. Rick Perry launched his meandering, hopeful bus tour through first-test Iowa, pleading with voters to give him another chance ahead of the crucial Jan. 3 caucuses.
Posted inState Government
Perry Ground Game: An Old-Fashioned Bus Tour
Voters in Iowa are running out of time for browsing the candidates as the Jan. 3 caucuses draw nearer. Gov. Rick Perry is hoping to give them another good look as he travels the state on an old-fashioned bus tour.
Posted inState Government
Perry Looks for Momentum in Iowa
Hoping to build momentum after a strong performance in his latest nationally televised debate, Gov. Rick Perry hit a Sunday morning TV show, spoke to two church congregations and staged a boisterous rally at a coffee shop in central Iowa.
Posted inState Government
Perry Has Strong Debate Heading Into Bus Tour
While it might not have been enough to alter his position, days before heading out on his bus tour of Iowa, Rick Perry turned in one of the strongest debate performances of his campaign.
Posted inState Government
Gaffe-Prone Perry Flubs Supreme Court Answer
Gov. Rick Perry did it again. In an interview with the Des Moines Register, the presidential candidate flubbed the name of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor and forgot how many judges sit on the high court.
Posted in
Health care
Perry Ad Hits Newt, Mitt on Health Care Mandate
In his latest ad, Rick Perry takes aim at GOP front-runners Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney on health reform and vows to repeal “Obamacare.”
