Analysis: In Texas, Lawmakers Regulate Their Own Regulators
The Texas Ethics Commission regulates legislators. Legislators control the commission's laws and budget. It's a complicated relationship. Full Story
The latest Texas Ethics Commission news from The Texas Tribune.
The Texas Ethics Commission regulates legislators. Legislators control the commission's laws and budget. It's a complicated relationship. Full Story
“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
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
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
The state of Texas might not be requiring sponsorship disclosures on political radio ads right now, but the Federal Communications Commission is. Full Story
A regulatory wrinkle could strip an important piece of information from the political radio ads you hear in Texas between now and Election Day: Who’s paying for the commercials? Full Story
Commissioners are trying to open so-called “campaign in a box” disclosures, where candidates report their spending on consultants — but not on the specific campaign services those consultants are providing. Full Story
The state is trying to regulate what some have called the “campaign in a box,” when a candidate reports writing one big check to a consultant, who then handles all of the campaign spending off the books. Full Story
It's harder to appoint people to the Texas Ethics Commission than to other agencies. The politics are difficult. But it's also easy to just let it slide — and let commissioners serve for years after their terms end. Full Story
Gov. Greg Abbott has made hundreds of appointments since he took office in January 2015, but is still working his way out of a backlog to replace people whose terms expired as long as five years ago. Full Story
Politicians like to think of the money in their campaign accounts as their own. It's not, but sometimes, it seems that way. Below are five actual cases where the Texas Ethics Commission has rendered its official position. Take the test: Given these situations, what do you think they can get away with? Full Story
If Texas Sen. Troy Fraser is looking for a country music song to describe his recent months in office, “I’ve Been Everywhere” might do the trick. Full Story
The governor and lawmakers promise to reignite their efforts to tighten ethics laws in Texas, but they have so far been missing a key incentive to make reluctant officeholders go along: public interest. Full Story
It’s possible to imagine a way for the attorney general to raise money for a legal defense fund, but it’s perilous without a favorable advisory opinion from ethics regulators. And they decided this week not to approve such an opinion. Full Story
A Texas Ethics Commission opinion that would have allowed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to fund his ongoing legal battle through out-of-state donors failed to pass by one vote Monday. Full Story
Nobody’s going to force you to feel sorry for Ken Paxton, but the Republican attorney general’s political persecutions have turned into criminal prosecutions — and they are multiplying. Full Story
Texas ranked 38th out of 50 in the latest State Integrity Investigation, an assessment of government accountability and transparency. That suggests that the state may be heading in the wrong direction when it comes to ethics. Full Story
A state appeals court ruled Thursday that conservative activist Michael Quinn Sullivan lives in Austin despite his claims otherwise, so his dispute with the state Ethics Commission will play out in Travis County. Full Story
The Open Government track at The 2015 Texas Tribune Festival featured a panel discussion on public integrity and state government and a conversation over ethics. We also featured a conversation with Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar. Full Story
Houston state Sen. Joan Huffman, who tried to shield the spouses of elected officials from ethics disclosure rules, has now revealed on her personal financial statement a slew of business interests held by her husband. Full Story