On this week’s Texas Tribune TribCast, Emily talks to Emma, Patrick and Alexa about a nasty fight in the Texas Senate, Beto O’Rourke’s self-described “funk” and the legal debate over a citizenship question in the 2020 census.
Topics
Posted in
Congress
Sheila Jackson Lee steps down from two powerful posts — but not from Congress
A former staffer in the congresswoman’s office claims Jackson Lee fired her after the staff member reported a rape by a supervisor at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. Jackson Lee was the foundation’s board chair before stepping down Wednesday.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Texas Supreme Court weighs whether state should reveal execution drug supplier
Justices questioned whether revealing the name would risk physical harm to the supplier — or only hurt its business.
Posted inState Government
Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen names committee chairs
Bonnen appointed House members to head more than 30 committees this legislative session.
Posted inState Government
T-Squared: The 2019 Texas Tribune Festival is Sept. 26-28 in downtown Austin
Tickets for #tribfest19 go on sale May 1 — with deep discounts for members, students and educators. We can’t wait to see you in September.
Posted in
Public Education
In 2017, top Texas lawmakers were galvanized for “private school choice.” This year, momentum has faded.
Speaker Dennis Bonnen has said a private school voucher bill won’t pass the House. Meanwhile, other state leaders have toned down their calls for programs that give parents state money for kids to attend private schools.
Posted in
Demographics
Trump administration asks U.S. Supreme Court to quickly take up census citizenship question
Last week, a federal judge in New York ordered the administration to stop its plans to add the question to the survey.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2019
Analysis: Dan Patrick sends a message to Kel Seliger — and 30 other Texas senators
A Republican senator criticized by an aide to the lieutenant governor came back with a rebuke — a jab that cost him his best committee assignment. There’s a lesson in that for the other 30 senators, and a new landscape in the Senate.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2019
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick pulls Sen. Kel Seliger’s chairmanship after Seliger suggested Patrick aide kiss his “back end”
Patrick cited a “lewd comment” by Seliger in explaining the move. The two have been tussling over committee assignments in recent days.
Posted in
Politics
State Rep. Eric Johnson declares candidacy for Dallas mayor
Johnson enters a race that includes at least eight other candidates, from Republican former state Rep. Jason Villalba to City Council member Scott Griggs and Dallas schools trustee Miguel Solis.
