Amid news that President-elect Donald Trump will make Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson the country’s next secretary of state, a refresher on the oil giant’s efforts to thwart Democratic-led probes into what it knew about climate change and when.
Jim Malewitz
Jim Malewitz was a reporter at the Tribune from 2013 to 2017, covering energy and environment and then working on investigations. Previously, he covered those issues for Stateline, a nonprofit news service in Washington, D.C. The Michigan native majored in political science at Grinnell College in Iowa and holds a master’s from the University of Iowa. There, he helped launch the nonprofit Iowa Center for Public Affairs Journalism, where he currently serves on the board of directors. Jim also coaches the Texas Tribune Runoffs, which, sources say, is the scrappiest coed newsroom softball team west of the Mississippi.
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Politics
Texas ag chief Sid Miller on social media habits: “I’m not a news organization”
“It’s like Fox News: I report, you decide if it’s true or not,” Miller said Wednesday, responding to a Texas Tribune report about his tendency to spread fake news stories on Facebook.
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Politics
On Sid Miller’s Facebook, fake news flows freely
A Texas Tribune analysis of a portion of Miller’s social media history identified 10 postings of demonstrably false, misleading or unsupported information.
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Economy
Texas lawmakers set a spending cap they likely won’t reach
The Legislative Budget Board picked 8 percent as the growth rate in the state’s two-year budget, capping how much lawmakers can spend in next year’s legislative session. Lawmakers say the state doesn’t have enough money to reach that cap.
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Energy
UT-Austin gets bigger, but its energy bills and emissions are shrinking
UT-Austin’s energy system operates as an island, outside of the electricity grid that covers most of Texas. It’s getting more efficient over time, avoiding millions of dollars in fuel costs.
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Economy
Photos: Denmark town hopes today’s solar energy will pay off tomorrow
A small town in southern Denmark has found a highly efficient way to heat its homes: by capturing and storing energy from the sun. This is part of a series about global and local efforts to conserve energy and limit pollution through energy efficiency.
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Economy
This energy technology gets no respect at all — but it’s cutting carbon
Sometimes called the “Rodney Dangerfield” of the energy industry, the district energy concept has fueled Denmark’s shift from fossil fuels. Energy efficiency advocates want to encourage more district energy projects in Texas.
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Economy
1 energy crisis, 2 futures: How Denmark and Texas answered a challenge
Facing the Arab oil embargo of the 1970s, Denmark shifted from fossil fuels. Texas responded differently. Here’s a look at how things went for each.
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Politics
In latest voter ID filing, feds argue Texas discriminated on purpose
The Obama administration is arguing that Texas lawmakers intentionally discriminated when they passed a strict voter ID law in 2011. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton refuted the arguments in his own filing.
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Energy
Texas Libertarians clinch ballot access, Greens fall short
Libertarians on Tuesday earned a spot on Texas’ next general election ballot. The Green Party must seek another route.