How does Republican Patrick McGuiness jab state Rep. Mark Strama, D-Austin, in his latest TV ad? Hint: He rhymes Strama with Obama.
Morgan Smith
Morgan Smith was a reporter at the Tribune from 2009 to 2018, covering politics, public education and inequality.
In 2013, she received a National Education Writers Association award for “Death of a District,” a series on school closures. After earning a bachelor’s degree in English from Wellesley College, she moved to Austin in 2008 to enter law school at the University of Texas.
A San Antonio native, her work has also appeared in Slate, where she spent a year as an editorial intern in Washington D.C.
Posted inState Government
Ads Infinitum: Chet Edwards’ “Experience”
A new ad from the Chet Edwards campaign spotlights a recent Dallas Morning News article that revealed his Republican opponent, Bill Flores, failed to repay $7.5 million he received from the federal government to rescue his company from a bankruptcy.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
TribBlog: Keller Cleared
A specially appointed court of review vacated the State Commission on Judicial Conduct’s sanction of Sharon Keller today, saying the state board acted unconstitutionally in reprimanding the presiding judge of the Court of Criminal Appeals.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
TribBlog: Still No U.S. Attorneys for Texas
The protracted U.S. attorney appointment process has claimed its latest casualty: Michael McCrum, who withdrew his name from consideration on Thursday.
Posted inState Government
Ads Infinitum: Francisco Canseco’s “Clinging to Power”
The latest ad from the Francisco “Quico” Canseco campaign pummels U.S. Rep. Ciro Rodriguez, D-San Antonio, over higher taxes and the national debt.
Posted inState Government
Ads Infinitum: Ciro Rodriguez’s “We Cannot Afford Quico”
The latest ad from U.S. Rep. Ciro Rodriguez, D-San Antonio, attacks his Republican opponent’s past business dealings.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
TribBlog: More Waiting for Willingham
Navarro County prosecutor R. Lowell Thompson’s request that Judge Charlie Baird recuse himself from the Cameron Todd Willingham court of inquiry hearing wasn’t decided today.
Posted inState Government
Ads Infinitum: Bill Flores’ “Loyalty”
The latest ad from the Bill Flores campaign links difficult economic times to U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards’ support of Nancy Pelosi.
Posted inState Government
Patriot Games?
The lawyer behind a massive voter registration drive in Harris County has filed a defamation suit against a Tea Party group, the King Street Patriots, that sought to link the as-yet-unsuccessful effort to turn out more than 100,000 new voters to the New Black Panthers.
Posted in
State Government
TribBlog: Mr. Ten Percent?
A court filing provides 59 hints as to what the state’s case against state Rep. Ismael “Kino” Flores, D-Palmview, will look like when his trial for ethics charges begins on Oct. 18.
