Texas Ethics Commission

George P. Bush failed to disclose financial interests in nearly a dozen companies

by Jay Root

After the Texas Ethics Commission received a sworn complaint about the omissions, Bush told The Texas Tribune last week that he took immediate steps to correct his disclosure forms. Full Story 

Five takeaways from the $80 million raised by Texas campaigns the first half of this year

by Carla Astudillo

Gov. Greg Abbott is a fundraising juggernaut, and Republicans still dominate campaign finance in the state. Full Story 

A newly elected county judge resigned abruptly. Just one problem: It was an accident.

by Reis Thebault, The Washington Post

Judge William McLeod declared his run for the Texas Supreme Court. But as he later discovered, doing so invoked a provision in the state's constitution that may force him to leave his post. Full Story 

Texas Ethics Commission fines Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller $500 over 2015 rodeo trip

by Emma Platoff

The fine comes nearly four years after Miller, a champion calf roper, used taxpayer money for a trip to the National Dixie Rodeo in Jackson, Mississippi. Full Story 

Amid Manafort scandal, Texas lawmakers seek to require foreign lobbying disclosure

by Edgar Walters

State Reps. Giovanni Capriglione, R-Southlake, and Sarah Davis, R-West University Place, want the Texas Ethics Commission to keep track of which lobbyists have disclosed ties to foreign governments. Full Story 

Analysis: What would Pa Ferguson do? What would Ma do?

by Ross Ramsey

Giving Texas governors the power to edit proposed regulations under a veil of secrecy — as Gov. Greg Abbott is vying to do — could provide new opportunities for campaign finance shenanigans. Full Story 

Appeals court revives Empower Texans lawsuit seeking to gut the Texas Ethics Commission

by Emma Platoff

The case had been dismissed by a Travis County judge, but an appeals court on Friday overturned that dismissal. Full Story 

Texas AG Ken Paxton says he received $84,000 in gifts for his legal defense in 2017

by Patrick Svitek

Attorney General Ken Paxton, who has been fighting securities fraud charges for most of his first term, received money from family friends and other personal connections for his legal defense, according to a newly released financial disclosure statement. Full Story 

This Texas lawmaker didn't file a campaign finance report for two years. Why didn't the state make him?

by Jolie McCullough

State Rep. Ron Reynolds, D-Missouri City, went almost two years without filing any campaign or personal financial reports, racking up more than $50,000 in fines. He still hasn't paid anything and it's unclear whether any state agency has the power to make him. Full Story 

Regulators fine Texas ag chief Sid Miller for sloppy accounting

by Jim Malewitz

The Texas Ethics Commission fined Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller a total of $2,750 to resolve two complaints accusing him of improper campaign accounting. Full Story 

Legislature approves bill requiring disclosure of government contracts

by Jay Root

Politicians who make money off government contracts will have to disclose the work under a bill that got final approval in the Legislature Sunday. Full Story 

Texas House approves online posting of politicians' personal financial statements

by Jay Root

The Texas House preliminarily approved the requirement that the personal financial statements of state politicians and bureaucrats be posted online. Full Story 

By wading into energy policy, did Texas GOP chair break ethics law?

by Jim Malewitz

Texas GOP chairman Tom Mechler, an Amarillo oilman, insists that he wasn't lobbying when he asked the state to intervene in his clients' dispute with a pipeline giant. Full Story 

FBI, IRS agents raid state Sen. Carlos Uresti's law offices

by Jim Malewitz and Edgar Walters

FBI and IRS agents raided the law offices of Texas Sen. Carlos Uresti on Thursday morning, confiscating documents and other items. Full Story 

Analysis: A lavish benefit for Texas lawmakers could get even bigger

by Ross Ramsey

Regulators are deciding how much lobby wining and dining Texas lawmakers can accept without revealing their names. Hint: It's a lot. Full Story 

Ethics commission ends long-running probe into Empower Texans

by Patrick Svitek

The Texas Ethics Commission on Thursday voted to end a long-running investigation into one of the state's most influential conservative groups. Full Story 

Analysis: In Texas, Lawmakers Regulate Their Own Regulators

by Ross Ramsey

The Texas Ethics Commission regulates legislators. Legislators control the commission's laws and budget. It's a complicated relationship. Full Story 

Texas Senator Calls State Ethics Commission "Arrogant" and "Haughty"

by Jim Malewitz

“If you are untouchable, we’ve got a problem,” Sen. Brian Birdwell told the chairman of the commission, which is charged with making sure public officials and campaigns obey state ethics and elections laws. Full Story 

Analysis: "Smitty," a Texas Lobbyist for the Small Fry, Hanging It Up

by Ross Ramsey

Tom “Smitty” Smith, a colorful lobbyist and liberal activist who turned Public Citizen Texas into a strong voice on environmental, utility, consumer and ethics issues, is hanging up his spurs after 31 years. Full Story 

Ethics Commissioner Says He Won't Heed Patrick's Call to Resign

by Patrick Svitek

A member of the Texas Ethics Commission is rejecting what he says was an effort by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick to get him to resign. Full Story