Aaronson on the latest attack on Planned Parenthood, Aguilar previews the sanctuary cities debate, Grissom on a death row inmate’s unsuccessful appeal, Hamilton on the UT System’s faculty “productivity” data dump, Philpott on the prospect of lawsuits over education cuts, Ramsey on puppies and other distractions, Ramshaw on a tobacco fight, my interview with the presidents of UT-Austin and Texas A&M, M. Smith on a former State Board of Ed member who may have violated state ethics law, Stiles interactively displays the effects of House redistricting and Tan on the Senate budget end game: The best of our best content from May 2 to 6, 2011.
Congress
Read the latest Texas Tribune coverage of Congress, from the state’s lawmakers in Washington to key legislation and political debates shaping Texas and the nation.
Texas Federal Fundraising Map 2011
Texas candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives have raised more than $9 million in the first quarter of this year in advance of the 2012 federal elections. This interactive map visualizes campaign finances by congressional district during the first quarter of 2011.
For Congress, Fundraising Can Never Begin Too Early
Members of Congress from Texas — and potential candidates for those offices — have raised more than $9 million in the first quarter of this year in advance of the 2012 federal elections, campaign records show.
Guest Column: The Case for Ron Paul
While television and conservative talk radio continue to marginalize his presidential candidacy, unrest and anxiety over the nation’s economic woes festers, and a passionate and energized base of young people supporting him grows. It’s long past time to take him seriously.
Colbert to Ron Paul: “You’re Rand Paul’s Dad!”
On the day he announced his intention to form a 2012 presidential exploratory committee, Texas congressman Ron Paul, R-Surfside, sparred with Stephen Colbert about the Fed, the debt ceiling and whether he and his sons are the “Libertarian Kennedys.”
Ricardo Sanchez: The TM Interview
Three years ago I interviewed the apparent 2012 Democrat candidate for U.S. Senate — then a retired lieutenant general hawking a memoir — for Texas Monthly. You can read the nearly 2,700-word Q&A here.
TribLive: Cornyn on Planned Parenthood “Facts”
At this morning’s TribLive conversation, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, was unwilling to distance himself from controversial remarks about Planned Parenthood by his colleague, U.S. Jon Kyl, R-Arizona.
Doggett Amendment on Federal Education Money Repealed
To avoid government shutdown, congressional Democrats agreed to repeal an amendment that would have prohibited Texas from using federal funds to replace, rather than supplement, state funding of schools.
Texplainer: What Happens To Texas If The Feds Shut Down?
Not much, unless you’re one of the state’s 130,000 civilian federal employees — or you’re scrambling to get your taxes done.
Texas’ Clout in Congress Rises Along With GOP
Texas has the largest GOP delegation in Congress, and those members have high seniority, spots on key committees and seats at the leadership table — evidence, observers say, of the state’s sway inside the Capitol.
