Paxton has individually condemned the violence on television and social media while falsely claiming the pro-Trump mob that invaded the U.S. Capitol was infiltrated by liberal antifa activists.
Sami Sparber
Sami Sparber was a reporting fellow at The Texas Tribune from 2020 to 2021. A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, she has been a political unit intern at NBC News and a reporting intern at the Houston Chronicle. She has also worked as managing editor and projects editor at The Daily Texan.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2021
Texas’ medical marijuana program is one of the most restrictive in the country. Advocates hope the Legislature will change that.
There are 3,519 Texans registered with the state to use medical marijuana, though advocates say 2 million people are eligible based on current law.
Posted in
Coronavirus in Texas
COVID-19 vaccine doses are arriving in Texas, giving weary health care workers hope after months of peril
From the Rio Grande Valley to the Texas Panhandle and from the Gulf Coast to West Texas, some 110 medical facilities are slated to receive the first allocation of 1.4 million doses earmarked for Texas.
Posted in
Coronavirus in Texas
For families that lost loved ones or jobs to the pandemic, Thanksgiving carries an extra weight this year
This year’s pandemic has brought untold suffering to families across Texas. Making things worse: At a time when they might take solace in the company of friends or family, public health authorities are urging them to stay apart.
Posted in
State Government
Bill filing for 2021 Texas session begins with legislation on abortion, police stops and redistricting
Thousands of bills are expected to be filed during the legislative session, when lawmakers will tackle issues including the next state budget and redrawing the state’s political maps.
Posted in
Texas 2020 Elections
Jim Wright wins Texas Railroad Commission race, extending decades of Republican dominance on the oil and gas regulating board
Wright defeated Democrat Chrysta Castañeda. The commission’s elected, three-member board has been entirely Republican for at least 25 years.
Posted in
Texas 2020 Elections
Texas Democrats think a seat on the oil and gas regulating board could be their best chance of winning statewide in two decades
With attention on Texas races up and down the ballot, a virtually unknown Republican candidate and big-time donations to the Democratic nominee, Democrats think they have a shot of winning a seat on the Railroad Commission.
Posted in
Coronavirus in Texas
For many Texas kids, trick-or-treating is canceled because of the pandemic. These parents have other plans.
At least two counties – Hidalgo and El Paso – have banned door-to-door trick-or-treating. Others are discouraging participation while promoting safer alternatives such as carving pumpkins or having a candy hunt at home.
Posted in
Texas 2020 Elections
How Texas has made it easier and harder for people to vote in the pandemic
Voting rights groups say last-minute changes to the voting process in Texas have created confusion. Gov. Greg Abbott’s office says he has expanded accessibility by allowing voters to submit mail-in ballots in person before Election Day.
Posted in
Coronavirus in Texas
Texas colleges offer free coronavirus tests. Why aren’t more students getting tested?
Halfway through the semester, schools are reporting participation rates far below their goals, prompting at least one school to go so far as to offer prizes to students who volunteer to get a coronavirus test.
