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Texas Ethics Commission

The latest Texas Ethics Commission news from The Texas Tribune.

  • Political Warchests at Midyear

    By Ross Ramsey and Ryan Murphy

    About two dozen candidates and political action committees have more than $1 million in their accounts, some of them much more, according to our analysis of midyear filings with the Texas Ethics Commission. Full Story 

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    Credit: Illustration by Ben Hasson

  • Political Armories at Midyear

    By Ross Ramsey and Ryan Murphy

    About two dozen candidates and political action committees have more than $1 million in their accounts, some of them much more, according to a Texas Tribune analysis of midyear filings with the Texas Ethics Commission. Full Story 

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    Credit: Illustration by Ben Hasson

  • Search: Texas Campaign Finance Totals

    By Ryan Murphy

    In mid-July, individuals, candidates and PACs filed itemized reports with the Texas Ethics Commission providing detailed breakdowns of each filer's totals for fundraising, spending, outstanding loans and cash on hand. Full Story 

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    Credit: Todd Wiseman / Ryan Murphy

  • TribWeek: In Case You Missed It

    By Evan Smith

    Aaronson and Grissom on a freshman lawmaker who didn't mind making waves, Aguilar on E-Verify's new lease on life, Galbraith on the state's plodding progress toward solar power, Hamilton on Warren Chisum's exit, Philpott on the remapping of Lloyd Doggett's district, Ramsey on a proposed change to ethics laws for Texas pols, Ramshaw on efforts by the state to take control of Medicaid and Medicare, Root on why a Rick presidential bid shouldn't be underestimated, M. Smith on the unraveling of school finance legislation and Tan and Dehn on the highs and lows of the 82nd legislative session: The best of our best content from May 30 to June 3, 2011. Full Story 

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    Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman

  • Perry Fined $1,500 by Ethics Commission

    By Reeve Hamilton

    Gov. Rick Perry was fined $1,500 by the Texas Ethics Commission for failing to report rental income from a house in College Station, and for filing incomplete information regarding debts on the same property, in personal financial statements required by state law. Full Story 

    Rick Perry being interviewed by Evan Smith at Triblive in Austin
    Credit: Bob Daemmrich

  • Will Lawmakers Cut Their Own Benefits?

    By Ross Ramsey

    As they talk of cutting pension contributions and raising premiums for state employee health care and mandating layoffs and furloughs at state agencies, what are lawmakers doing to their own compensation and benefits? Full Story 

    Texas Capitol
    Credit: Muliadi Soenaryo

  • Confidential Conflicts

    By Matt Stiles

    Lobbyists are required by law to notify their clients if they represent two or more groups with clashing agendas. They are also required to notify the Texas Ethics Commission. Scores of lobbyists have done so in recent legislative sessions. What is not required is for the public or elected representatives to be informed. Full Story 

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    Credit: Matt Stiles

  • The Mother's Milk

    By Ross Ramsey

    The state's political economy hummed with $43.5 million in contributions to and between candidates and political action committees between Sept. 24 and Oct. 23, according to the most recent reports filed with the Texas Ethics Commission. The biggest contribution: $3 million to Rick Perry's re-election campaign from the Republican Governors Association. Full Story 

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    Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman

  • TribWeek: In Case You Missed It

    By Evan Smith

    Ramsey on whether Bill White at the top of the ballot helps Houston-area candidates, Aaronson and Stiles present a treemap of Texas political ads, Stiles and Ramsey on the latest campaign finance filings, Aguilar on the Laredo mayor's race, Hamilton on anonymous tweeters who make mischief, Ramshaw interviews a disability rights activist with a thing for iPads and bibles, Hu on the accidental release of Rick Perry's "secret" schedule, M. Smith on the bitter back-and-forth over a voter registration effort in Harris County, Philpott's micro-debate on education between two House candidates, Grissom on this week's twist in the Cameron Todd Willingham investigation and, in our latest collaboration with a big-city Texas newspaper, Stiles, Grissom and John Tedesco of the San-Antonio Express News on what kind of Texans, exactly, are applying to carry concealed handguns: The best of our best from Oct. 4 to 9, 2010. Full Story 

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  • Show Us the Money

    By Ross Ramsey and Matt Stiles

    With a month to go before Election Day, challengers in fifteen House races outraised incumbents during the most recent reporting period, according to the most recent filings with the Texas Ethics Commission. In eight of those races, the challengers led in combined spending and saving, a rough measure of each campaign's financial strength. Full Story 

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    Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman

  • You Be the Judge

    By Morgan Smith

    Do two recent U.S. Supreme Court opinions have the far-reaching effects on Texas judicial elections that some in our legal community fear? Or do the state's current campaign finance laws adequately address the issues presented by both cases? Full Story 

    A joint meeting between the House Elections and Judiciary committees on Aug. 26, 2010
    Credit: Marjorie Cotera

  • The Politics of Ethics

    By Elise Hu

    Texas lawmakers were accused this summer of driving a car paid for by a state contractor and double-billing taxpayers for expenses incurred on the job. Does that mean they'll be defeated in November? Not necessarily. Full Story 

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  • 2010: It's a Gas, Gas, Gas

    By Ross Ramsey

    Jason Isaac, the Republican running against state Rep. Patrick Rose, D-Dripping Springs, says the incumbent is misusing his campaign accounts to cover personal transportation costs. Rose says it's a big district and points out that Isaac's campaign pays for gas, too. Full Story 

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    Credit: Bob Daemmrich

  • TribWeek: In Case You Missed It

    By Evan Smith

    Stiles' and Torres' three-parter on the changing Texas political map, Ramsey on questions about Brian Birdwell's voting history and residency, Aguilar on the Obama administration's immigration crackdown, Reed on hospitals that won't induce early labor, Stiles on what Troy Fraser left off his financial disclosure form, the latest installment of Hu's Face-Off video debate series, Grissom on the problem-plagued Driver Responsibility Program, Galbraith on the controversy over fracking and M. Smith's interview with former Texas Supreme Court Justice Harriet O'Neill: The best of our best from July 26 to 30, 2010. Full Story 

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    Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman

  • 2010: White: Perry Cut Corners to Help Friend

    By Sarah Adler

    Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill White is calling for an independent audit of Texas Enterprise Fund grants after documents showed the governor's office offered $2.5 million in state subsidies to Sino Swearingen, a company founded by Doug Jaffe. Jaffe is one of two partners involved in a controversial land deal that netted Perry a $500,000 profit. Full Story 

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    Credit: Bob Daemmrich