The former head of the Texas attorney general’s consumer protection division says it was he — not then-Attorney General Greg Abbott — who decided how the office should investigate Trump University.
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.
Posted in
Economy
As Petroleum Royalties Dwindle, Questions Target Property Assessments
If there’s any silver lining for those royalty owners in these cloudy times, it’s this: Their property tax bills should also plummet. But some advocates are wondering whether many local governments are assigning values that are too high.
Posted in
Energy
Christian Defeats Gates in Railroad Commission’s Republican Runoff
Former state Rep. Wayne Christian won the Republican nomination late Tuesday in the race for Texas railroad commissioner, edging out Houston-area real estate mogul Gary Gates in a race that turned heated in its final stages.
Posted in
Politics
In High-Profile Case, Texas Defends Its Voter ID Law
Texas Solicitor General Scott Keller warned the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals Tuesday that “all voting laws could be in jeopardy” if Texas’ voter ID law is struck down.
Posted in
Politics
Five Years Later, Challenge to Voter ID Law Still Moving Forward
In the latest step in a lawsuit that may end up at the U.S. Supreme Court, Texas’ five-year-old voter identification law will face a fresh round of probing in New Orleans Tuesday.
Posted in
Health care
Mark Cuban Would Consider VP Pitches from Clinton, Trump
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban would “absolutely” consider becoming Hillary Clinton’s running mate this year, “if she’s willing to listen,” he told NBC’s Meet the Press. And the same goes with Donald Trump.
Posted in
Rough Patch
At the Top of Texas, Town Offers Lessons In Oil Bust Survival
Nearly three decades ago, Perryton’s town-wide celebration for $20-per-barrel oil made news across the country, delivering a hopeful message to those mired in an oil bust. The Panhandle town faces a modern day oil bust, but residents are sure they’ll stay on the map.
Posted inState Government
Hunt Proposal To Buy Oncor Is Now Dead, Officially
Also, Greg Abbott rejects a call by the Obama administration to roll back state-level sanctions against Iran.
Posted in
Economy
Christian Calls Gates “Slumlord” as Railroad Commission Runoff Nears
In an increasingly testy Republican runoff for railroad commissioner, state Rep. Wayne Christian is reaching into Gary Gates’ legal history in an effort to paint his opponent as a “slumlord.”
Posted in
Economy
In Texas, Market Forces Driving Shift From Coal, Study Says
Texans are on pace to rely more heavily on natural gas, wind and solar energy to power their lives in the coming decades, according to an analysis commissioned by the Texas Clean Energy Coalition.