For nearly 70 years, federal law has barred churches from directly involving themselves in political campaigns, but the IRS has largely abdicated its enforcement responsibilities as churches have become more brazen about publicly backing candidates.
Investigations
The Texas Tribune’s investigative journalism dives deep into the policy and political decisions that matter most to Texans. Read the latest — and most ambitious — work from our newsroom and the investigative team we share with ProPublica.
Posted in
Texas 2022 Elections
Greg Abbott ran as a small-government conservative. But the governor’s office now has more power than ever.
Abbott has consolidated power like none before him, at times circumventing the GOP-controlled Legislature and overriding local officials. A flurry of executive measures has solidified his base and raised his national profile.
Posted in
Texas 2022 Elections
In Texas, where money has long dominated politics, Greg Abbott is in a league of his own
The two-term governor’s donors enjoy access, appointments to boards and commissions, and a chance to bend the ear of a politician who may harbor bigger ambitions.
Posted in
Military Injustice
He was accused of sexual assault, she of using drugs. The military dealt with them very differently.
Comparing the cases of Pvt. Olivia Ochoa and Pfc. Christian Alvarado provides a striking example of Army commanders’ uneven use of pretrial confinement.
Posted in
Military Injustice
In the Army, you’re more likely to be detained for drugs than sexual assault
A first-of-its-kind analysis reveals that, on average, Army soldiers had to face at least eight counts of sexual offenses before their commanders detained them ahead of trial as often as soldiers charged with drug or burglary crimes.
Posted in
Military Injustice
Help The Texas Tribune and ProPublica report on the military justice system
We’re looking into how the military investigates service members accused of crimes, intersects with the civilian justice system and treats cases that do not make it to courts-martial. Guide us to important stories.
Posted in
Military Injustice
How we tracked pretrial confinement rates in the U.S. Army
Soldiers are more likely to be held before trial for drug charges than for sexual assault, an analysis of court data shows. Here’s how reporters from The Texas Tribune and ProPublica figured it out.
Posted in
Military Injustice
Twice accused of sexual assault, he was let go by Army commanders. He attacked again.
A first-of-its-kind analysis reveals that soldiers in the Army are more likely to be locked up ahead of trial for drug offenses than for sexual assault under a system that gives commanders control.
Posted in
Juvenile Justice
Almost 600 Texas youths are trapped in a juvenile prison system on the brink of collapse
The agency is so understaffed that teens have reported spending up to 23 hours locked in their cells, using water bottles to go to the bathroom. A staggering number have hurt themselves or been placed on suicide watch.
Posted in
Uvalde school shooting
Texas’ law on gun background checks plagued by critical omissions of minors’ mental health records
Lawmakers tried in 2009 to require that the state report all court-ordered mental health hospitalizations to a federal gun background check system. Juveniles have been left out.