Special session on school vouchers begins with Republicans in disarray
Gov. Greg Abbott needs a delicate coalition of Republicans to pass his top priority. But the House and Senate leaders aren’t getting along. Full Story
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![Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan gavels in the House for a third called special session on October 9, 2023.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribune -
Conservative PAC leader’s meeting with white supremacist Nick Fuentes leads to condemnations, escalates GOP infighting
House Speaker Dade Phelan called on Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and other officials to redirect any money they received from the PAC. Patrick called on Phelan to resign. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on the dais in the Senate chamber as senators are in recess at the start of the 3rd special session of the 88th Legislature on Oct. 9, 2023.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Primary threats loom over House Republicans as lawmakers again consider school vouchers
Gov. Greg Abbott promised that if House Republicans block school choice again, he’d go after them in the primaries Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks during an event held by the Parent Empowerment Coalition at Annapolis Christian Academy on Jan. 31, 2023, in Corpus Christi.]()
Credit: Angela Piazza/Corpus Christi Caller-Times via REUTERS -
Influential Texas activist Jonathan Stickland hosted white supremacist Nick Fuentes at office near Fort Worth
The Texas Tribune also observed Texas GOP chair Matt Rinaldi outside the building, but he denied meeting Fuentes and denounced him. Full Story
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![Nick Fuentes (middle) is seen exiting the offices of Pale Horse strategies with Chris Russo, founder and president of Texans for Strong Borders (right) in Fort Worth on Oct. 6, 2023.]()
Credit: Azul Sordo for The Texas Tribune -
West Texas A&M University receives $20 million gift for new institute to promote “Texas Panhandle values”
University leaders say the new Hill Institute will promote values like family life, the free and open exercise of faith, and rugged individualism. Full Story
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![Clock tower on campus at West Texas A&M University on March 23, 2023.]()
Credit: David Bowser for The Texas Tribune -
Body camera footage shows February drunk-driving arrest of Sen. Charles Schwertner
Newly released body camera footage shows state Sen. Charles Schwertner’s February arrest for suspicion of drunk driving. Travis County prosecutors dropped the charge in July. Full Story
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![State Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, takes a field sobriety test, seen in bodycam footage released by the Austin Police Department. Schwertner was arrested in February for suspicion of driving while intoxicated but will not face prosecution.]()
Credit: Austin Police Department -
Rep. John Smithee emerges as House hero among Paxton supporters, floated for speaker
On the day the House impeached Ken Paxton, Smithee delivered a 20 minute speech, criticizing the impeachment process as opaque, rushed and unfair to the accused. Full Story
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![State Rep. John Smithee, R-Amarillo, discusses House Bill 214, which would limit health benefit coverage for elective abortions, on Aug. 8, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
“We are not going away”: Paxton whistleblowers vow to continue legal fight in court
On Monday, the former state employees argued that Paxton has failed to uphold key parts of the settlement agreement, including a $3.3 million payment and a promise to apologize. Full Story
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![From left: Ryan Vassar, Mark Penley and Blake Brickman, whistleblowers in the impeachment trial of Attorney General Ken Paxton, speak at a press conference in the state Capitol on Monday, Sept. 25, 2023. A fourth whistleblower, David Maxwell, was not present but in agreement with remarks.]()
Credit: John Jordan/The Texas Tribune -
Paxton prosecutors blame politics for trumping evidence in attorney general’s impeachment trial
Houston attorney Dick DeGuerin said his team was naive in its belief that “principle would win out over politics.” Full Story
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![Texas Tribune politics reporter Patrick Svitek moderates a panel with Harriet O’Neill, Erin Epley, Dick DeGuerin and Rusty Hardin about Ken Paxton’s impeachment trial at The Texas Tribune Festival in Austin on Sept. 23, 2023.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Paxton critics pile on, calling impeachment trial rigged
House Speaker Dade Phelan wrote an op-ed for his hometown newspaper, saying the “fix was in from the start,” while other Republican officials are calling for Phelan’s resignation. Full Story
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![The state Capitol early in the morning of Sept. 6, 2023, the third day of the impeachment trial in Austin.]()
Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune -
Dan Patrick defends taking $3 million from pro-Paxton group ahead of trial
The lieutenant governor said that he took just as much from “the other side,” including donors aligned with Texans for Lawsuit Reform, which Paxton has labeled a political enemy. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick recaps the 88th Legislative Session with Sherry Sylvester, Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, at TPPF Headquarters in downtown Austin, on May 30, 2023.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Ken Paxton verdict heightens political tension ahead of education special session
The Texas House and Senate were already far apart on “school choice.” Anger over the impeachment trial might make it even harder to find common ground. Full Story
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![The Texas Capitol on Feb. 1, 2021.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick asks state auditor to review Ken Paxton impeachment
The request follows Patrick’s blistering denunciation of the House’s role impeaching the attorney general. Full Story
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![Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick hands off the second article of impeachment in the trial of Attorney General Ken Paxton at the Texas Capitol on Saturday, Sep. 16, 2023.]()
Credit: Aaron E. Martinez/Pool via American-Statesman -
Ken Paxton’s prosecutors stumbled at times. But did it matter in the GOP-dominated Senate?
The House impeachment managers faced a high bar: convincing enough Republican senators to vote against their own political self-interest. Full Story
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![House impeachment manager Rep. David Spiller, R-Jacksboro, center, listens as votes are votes cast during Attorney General Ken Paxton's impeachment trial on Sept. 16, 2023.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Ken Paxton’s impeachment trial escalates Texas Republican civil war
Paxton’s far-right supporters doubled down on their promises for swift retribution against fellow Republicans who supported his removal from office. Full Story
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![Streetlights illuminate the Texas Capitol through early morning fog on the ninth day of suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton’s impeachment trial in Austin on Sept. 15, 2023.]()
Credit: Julius Shieh/The Texas Tribune -
Dan Patrick, Dade Phelan trade potshots after impeachment trial ends
The lieutenant governor criticized the House for a secretive and rushed process that “wasted” taxpayer dollars. The House speaker fired back, saying Patrick confessed his bias and contempt. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick gives a speech to the Senate after the impeachment trial of Attorney General Ken Paxton at the Texas Capitol on Sept. 16, 2023.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Ken Paxton was acquitted. See how each Senator voted.
After spending two weeks listening to both sides make their case, Texas Senators voted to acquit Paxton on all 16 articles of impeachment. Because of this vote, Paxton will remain in office. Full Story
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![A court bailiff collects votes from senators, skipping Angela Paxton, on the tenth day of suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton’s impeachment trial at the Texas Capitol in Austin on Sept. 16, 2023.]()
Credit: Julius Shieh/The Texas Tribune -
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton acquitted on all 16 articles of impeachment
Only two of 19 Republican Senators voted in favor of convicting for any article — a stark contrast to the more than 70% of House Republicans who impeached the attorney general in May. Full Story
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![Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, center, sits between defense attorneys Tony Buzbee, left, and Mitch Little, right, before starting the ninth day of his impeachment trial in the Senate chamber at the Texas Capitol on Sept. 15, 2023.]()
Credit: Sam Owens/Pool via San Antonio Express-News -
PAXTON ACQUITTED ON MOST CHARGES; SENATORS STILL VOTING
Other public officials have begun weighing in after the attorney general was returned to his post as the state’s top lawyer. Full Story
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![Sen. Angela Paxton, R-McKinney, hugs defense attorney Tony Buzbee after the impeachment trial of Attorney General Ken Paxton in the Texas Senate on September 16, 2023.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Ken Paxton isn’t the only Texan fighting impeachment this week. Meet Texas A&M’s student body president.
Impeachment at all levels of government are becoming more common, a political scientist said. It could make the political tool pointless. Full Story
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![Senior Student Body President Hudson Kraus at a Texas A&M Student Senate meeting in College Station on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023.]()
Credit: Courtesy of Chris Swann/The Battalion