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.
The Texas Tribune-ProPublica Investigative Unit
The Texas Tribune-ProPublica Investigative Unit uncovers big stories that matter to Texans and the nation, taking aim at corruption, injustice and malfeasance across the state. Read on for the latest stories, and be sure to sign up to get the latest on the people and policies shaping the future of Texas with the Tribune’s weekday newsletter.
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The Texas Tribune-ProPublica Investigative Unit
Tell us how religious organizations in your area involve themselves in elections
Federal law bars churches and other nonprofit groups from endorsing candidates or helping to fundraise, but we know they regularly sidestep — or flat-out ignore — these rules. Help us identify examples.
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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.
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The Texas Tribune-ProPublica Investigative Unit
Election administrators are under attack in Texas. Here’s what that means for the midterms.
David Becker of The Center for Election Innovation & Research talks with The Texas Tribune and ProPublica about election official turnover and its impact on voting.
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The Texas Tribune-ProPublica Investigative Unit
D.C. attorney general opens investigation into Republican governors’ relocating migrants to the capital
Gov. Greg Abbott and others have been sending thousands of migrants to Washington. D.C. District Attorney General Karl Racine is investigating whether migrants have been deceived.
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The Texas Tribune-ProPublica Investigative Unit
A shut-off switch was supposed to prevent 99% of generator-related deaths. It failed a family of three.
The generator industry has touted automatic shut-off switches as a lifesaving fix for carbon monoxide poisoning. But the voluntary standard falls short of what federal regulators say is necessary to eliminate deaths.
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The Texas Tribune-ProPublica Investigative Unit
Texas congresswoman calls for examination of military pretrial confinement
The Army also said its pretrial confinement rules are “currently under revision” in a statement to Military Times, which is partnering with ProPublica and The Texas Tribune to report on military justice.
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Uvalde school shooting
91 Texas state troopers responded to the Uvalde massacre. Their bosses have deflected scrutiny and blame.
State troopers outnumbered local law enforcement 2-to-1 outside Robb Elementary, but the Department of Public Safety has blocked the release of records and carefully shaped the narrative to cast local authorities as incompetent.
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The Texas Tribune-ProPublica Investigative Unit
Laredo approves air pollution monitoring following ProPublica and Texas Tribune investigation
Two air monitoring initiatives are moving forward in Laredo after an analysis by the news outlets showed that a plant emitting ethylene oxide elevated the estimated lifetime cancer risk for nearly 130,000 people, including over 37,000 children.
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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.