Analysis: How Private Opinions Can Diverge From Public Votes
Tax cuts and politics ethics legislation have this in common: When lawmakers have to vote in public view, they're often forced to set aside their private opinions. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2013/07/13/TXTAbortionVote-Richmond011.jpg)
-
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Callie Richmond -
Senate Strengthens and Passes Ethics Bill
The Senate voted in often odd coalitions to reveal more about the money members make, prohibit themselves from immediately becoming lobbyists, post their financial statements online and even subject themselves and other elected officials to drug testing. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2014/12/11/TTEventsSenators079.jpg)
![State Sen. Van Taylor, R-Plano, at a Tribune event on Dec. 11, 2014.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Ethics Legislation Headed to Senate Floor
A heavily watered-down ethics reform bill will soon be taken up by the full Senate. Lawmakers on Monday rejected an amendment that would have required legislators to publicly disclose their tax returns each year. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Politicians Pick New Way to Get Prosecuted
State politicians, high court judges and top bureaucrats would get public corruption cases against them moved to their home counties under a controversial bill that cleared the Texas House on Monday. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2015/04/03/HuffmanKing.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
-
Committee Waters Down Ethics Reform Legislation
Proposed ethics reform legislation underwent a significant overhaul Thursday in a Senate committee. Gone is the plan to take state pensions from lawbreaking lawmakers. Also out: a proposal to stop legislators from cashing in on a piece of the public debt business. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2015/03/06/Abbott-Taylor-Geren.jpg)
![State Rep. Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth; Gov. Greg Abbott; and state Sen. Van Taylor, R-Plano.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich / Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Facing Blowback, Ethics Bill Could Lose Punch
Gov. Greg Abbott wants ethics reform, but the legislation working its way through the Senate faces major revisions as early as Monday. The debate demonstrates how difficult it is for legislators to change the rules that govern their own behavior. Full Story
![State Sen. Van Taylor, R-Plano, at a Tribune event on Dec. 11, 2014.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Analysis: Moving Integrity Unit Won't Curb Conflicts
Legislators frustrated and angry with public corruption prosecutions in Travis County want to move them somewhere else. But the problems are likely to tag along: It's always hard to prosecute the people who pay for the prosecutors. Full Story
![Article thumbnail]()
-
Analysis: Shock Therapy From an Ethics Reformer
A frustrated regulator's letter suggesting the state drop enforcement of its ethics laws might spark some legislative action. That would be a gift for Gov. Greg Abbott, who wants ethics to be a signature issue this session. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2015/02/17/BDS_4243CMS.jpg)
![Legislators listen as Gov. Greg Abbott delivers his State of the State speech on Feb. 17, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Clancy: Ethics Commission Should Stop Enforcing Law
The Texas Ethics Commission can't do its job if compliance is "wholly voluntary," says one member who thinks the commission should stop all enforcement activities in response to a judge's recent dismissal of its ruling against conservative activist Michael Quinn Sullivan. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2015/02/10/IMG_9736.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Todd Wiseman -
Judge Reaffirms Dismissal of Ethics Ruling Against Conservative Activist
A new judge Wednesday reaffirmed the dismissal of a ruling by the Texas Ethics Commission against conservative power broker Michael Quinn Sullivan. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2014/07/01/FriRPT1329cms.jpg)
![Republican activist Michael Quinn Sullivan visits at the State Republican Convention trade show on June 6, 2014.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Analysis: When a Disclosure Report Doesn't Do Much Disclosing
State law requires lobbyists to report what they spend on legislators and other state officials. But the loopholes are big: Less than 5 percent of the lobby's reported spending on food and beverage names the eaters and the drinkers. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2015/02/10/IMG_9756.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Todd Wiseman -
High Hopes for Ethics Reform, but It's Early
Gov. Greg Abbott's full-throated embrace of ethics reform, a rarity under the Capitol dome, is breathing new life into the issue of years of failed efforts. But changing the status quo remains very much a work in progress. Full Story
![State Rep. Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth; Gov. Greg Abbott; and state Sen. Van Taylor, R-Plano.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich / Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Abbott Expected to Renew Push for Ethics Reform
Advocates for ethics reform say Gov. Greg Abbott has a rare chance to help spearhead improved lawmaker disclosures and reduce conflicts of interest. Abbott is expected to address ethics reform Tuesday in his State of the State address. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2015/01/13/_S3R7957Abbott.jpg)
![Greg Abbott is shown visiting the Senate chamber on Jan. 13, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Watson Wants More Disclosure of Wining and Dining
Sen. Kirk Watson has filed three bills that would close a gaping loophole in state ethics law — one that allows lobbyists to avoid naming names when they fill out their mandatory spending and entertainment reports. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2015/01/21/SenateDebate118WatsonCMS.jpg)
![Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, debates changes that would affect the so-called "two-thirds rule" in the Texas Senate on Jan. 21, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Ethics Bill Would Shed Light on Contracts
State Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, a leading advocate of ethics reform in the notoriously unrestrained Texas Legislature, filed legislation Tuesday designed to shed more light on lawmakers who make money off of government contracts. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2013/03/14/_01F7629.jpg)
![Rep. Giovanni Capriglione R-Soutlake waits to testify during a March 14th House Homeland Security & Public Safety committee hearing.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Analysis: Lawmakers Send an Ethics Message, Intentional or Not
Some of the Legislature's early actions indicate some ambivalence about the agencies and people who enforce state ethics laws. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2014/04/25/capitolbuilding5.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Anneke Paterson -
Analysis: Legislators' Traveling Expenses and Schmoozing, Linked
The session stipends for legislators are set to rise, and because of a loophole in Texas law, that would mean lobbyists could spend more on legislators without saying whom they are wining and dining. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/TexasCapitol.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Explore 8-Day Campaign Finance Reports
The 8-day reports — the final look at candidate campaign finance totals before Election Day — are in. We have compiled data for all statewide, State Board of Education, Texas Senate and Texas House candidates who filed electronically with the Texas Ethics Commission. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2014/01/31/Ballots-MoneyBags.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman -
Liveblog: Open Government at The Texas Tribune Festival
We're liveblogging the sessions from the 2014 Texas Tribune Festival's Open Government track. The sessions include panels on disclosures by legislators, open records in Texas, transparency and the Texas budget, and the issue of donor privacy. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2014/09/18/TTF14-liveblog-opengovernment.png)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Graphic by Emily Albracht -
Abbott Campaign Files Ethics Complaint Over Davis Book Tour
The campaign manager for GOP gubernatorial candidate Greg Abbott filed an ethics complaint on Thursday alleging that the Wendy Davis book tour represents a conversion of political contributions into personal use. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2014/08/29/AbbottDavis-2.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Stephen Spillman / Cooper Neill
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/bc61581a0f027e14dece2e631572efad/BD%20INC%20Taylor%2001%202011)