Former president focuses his ire on political enemies and says he will have the back of supporters who have been wronged or betrayed.
Robert Downen
Robert Downen was a reporter covering democracy and the threats to it, including extremism, disinformation and conspiracies. Before joining the Tribune in 2022, he worked for five years at the Houston Chronicle. As a Hearst Media fellow, he developed what would become "Abuse of Faith," a landmark investigation into child sexual abuse in the Southern Baptist Convention that prompted a Department of Justice investigation. Before coming to Texas, Robert was a business reporter in New York's capital region and the managing editor of six newspapers in his home state of Illinois. He is a 2014 graduate of Eastern Illinois University.
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Politics
Trump supporters, including Branch Davidian leader, undeterred by looming legal woes
Trump’s first major rally of the 2024 campaign came days after he said he was to be arrested by New York authorities as part of an investigation into alleged hush payments to a former adult film star.
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Texas Legislature 2023
Texas families would get $8,000 in tax dollars to send students to private school in sweeping “parental rights” bill backed by lieutenant governor
The bill, which has the blessing of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, will create new rules on how gender and sexual orientation is taught. It will face a tougher test in the House.
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Demographics
Texas led nation in white supremacist propaganda in 2022, report finds
Incidents increased by 61% in Texas and 38% nationally last year, driven by what experts say is an increasing normalization of extremism in political discourse.
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Texas Legislature 2023
Texas senators, facing criticism, soften proposed ban on Chinese purchases of land
The measure, endorsed by Gov. Greg Abbott, originally would have banned citizens of China, Iran, Russia or North Korea from buying land in Texas. Under a new version considered Thursday, the ban wouldn’t apply to dual citizens or lawful permanent residents.
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LGBTQ+ Texans
How Texas activists turned drag events into fodder for outrage
The Tribune analyzed more than two dozen anti-drag protests. Opponents frequently characterized the drag events as catering to children, even when businesses advertised them as adults-only or provided warnings about the potential for explicit material.
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Texas Legislature 2023
Bill to ban Chinese citizens and government from buying Texas land gains steam among Republicans
Sen. Lois Kolkhorst filed a bill that would ban citizens, governments and entities from China, Iran, North Korea and Russia from purchasing land in the state, part of what she and other Republicans have said will help stem foreign influence in Texas.
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Politics
Montgomery County-owned venue will host Kyle Rittenhouse rally against censorship
The venue change comes days after a Conroe-based brewery faced threats and harassment for pulling out of the event.
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Politics
Conroe brewery receives flood of threats, harassment after canceling Kyle Rittenhouse event
The CEO of Southern Star Brewery said the cancellation was prompted primarily by concerns from local patrons rather than pressure from a “woke mob” or distributors such as H-E-B.
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Politics
Conroe brewery pulls out as venue for Kyle Rittenhouse rally against censorship
Southern Star Brewery, which had been listed as the event host, said it “is an apolitical organization, but we feel that this event doesn’t reflect our own values and we could not in good faith continue to rent out space for the event.”