politics

House Speaker Dennis Bonnen announces committee chairs at the state capitol. Jan 23, 2019.

With a lame-duck speaker, Texas House confronts the work of the interim

by Emma Platoff and Alexa Ura

For the next 14 months, the powerful committee chairs who called for House Speaker Dennis Bonnen to step down will be asked to carry out his will — and every decision the speaker makes will be viewed in the shadow of demise.

Full Story

President Donald Trump speaks next to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, D.C. on Oct. 21, 2019.

Donald Trump compared his impeachment to lynching. Texans in Congress respond: “How dare you?”

by Alex Samuels

The White House insisted Trump wasn't equating the impeachment probe to “one of our darkest moments in American history,” but Democrats said the president was “weaponizing hate.”

Full Story

Speaker Dennis Bonnen during the Texas Fallen Heroes ceremony on May 25, 2019

Top Texas House Republicans say they can no longer support Speaker Dennis Bonnen

by Cassandra Pollock and Patrick Svitek

In the biggest blow yet to the House leader's political future, five fellow Republicans said they can't back him moving forward. Their statement comes days after the House GOP caucus condemned Bonnen.

Full Story

Supporters of President Donald Trump showed up in large numbers to the American Airlines Center in Dallas on Thursday, a few even camped out in line the night before and many stood in lines that continued for blocks around the arena.

Donald Trump fans in Dallas say the president just “gets” them

by Alex Samuels

Their support for the president is steeped in two main beliefs: He’s done exactly “what he said he’d do,” and his remarks toward Democrats and people of color matched what they said and believed.

Full Story

A Mexican Soldier patrols the makeshift migrants camp at the base of Paso del Norte International Bridge in Ciudad Juarez on Oct. 3, 2019. Migrants wait close to the port of entry so they won't lose their spot in line to legally cross into the U.S. and seek asylum.

She fled a violent Honduran gang to seek asylum in Texas. Now she might be deported because she didn't file paperwork in Mexico.

by Julián Aguilar and Acacia Coronado

The Trump administration's policy to deny asylum to migrants who didn't seek protections elsewhere is now being enforced. Immigration attorneys warn the new rule could forever diminish U.S. asylum policy.

Full Story

Presidential candidates Beto O'Rourke and Julián Castro.

Here’s how the top Democratic presidential candidates are faring in the race for Texas donors

by Alex Samuels and Carla Astudillo

Unsurprisingly, Julián Castro and Beto O’Rourke are getting more money here than from any other state. But other candidates are playing in Texas, too.

Full Story

President Donald Trump smiles during a campaign rally in Dallas on Oct. 17, 2019.

Unfettered by impeachment inquiry, Trump energizes Dallas crowd as O’Rourke holds counter-rally

by Alex Samuels and Patrick Svitek

Both men also shared their respective spotlights with Texas politicians seeking offices down next year’s ballot.

Full Story

U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry speaks during a news conference after the Partnership for Transatlantic Energy Cooperation conference in Vilnius, Lithuania on Oct. 7, 2019.

Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry tells Donald Trump he will resign as energy secretary

by Stacy Fernández

The president, visiting Dallas, said he already has a replacement in mind. Perry's resignation comes amid increasing scrutiny of his role in the administration’s communications with Ukraine.

Full Story

Michele Leal is a Democratic candidate for state representative in HD 148, a Houston area district formerly held by retired state Rep. Jessica Farrar..

Contender in Houston state House special election owed thousands in delinquent taxes

by Alex Samuels

Michele Leal blamed a lien from the Internal Revenue Service on a "communication error."

Full Story

Diana Carrizales sports a Make America Great Again beanie while standing in line to get into the rally, in Houston on Oct. 22, 2018.

Donald Trump is holding a rally in Dallas tonight. Here's everything you need to know.

by Stacy Fernández

Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke is hosting a counter-rally at the same time as the president's event.

Full Story

From left: Texas Tribune CEO Evan Smith is joined by Tribune political reporters Cassi Pollock, Alex Samuels and Patrick Svitek for a live TribCast on Oct. 16, 2019.

TribCast: The Tale of the Tape

by Evan Smith, Todd Wiseman and Fatima Espejo

In this edition of the TribCast, Evan talks to Cassi, Alex and Patrick about the now-public recording of House Speaker Dennis Bonnen’s infamous meeting with conservative activist Michael Quinn Sullivan.

Full Story

Presidential candidate Julian Castro speaks to the crowd during a rally at Warehouse Live on Monday, Sept. 9, 2019, in Houston.

Julián Castro raised $3.5 million in third quarter, but his cash on hand dipped to less than $700,000

by Alex Samuels

The former San Antonio mayor was vastly out-raised by the Democratic frontrunners.

Full Story

Local Texas officials balk at animus toward cities, plans for sales tax cuts in legislators' secretly recorded meeting

by Juan Pablo Garnham and Davis Rich

The recording revealed that top Republican lawmakers wanted the 2019 session to be painful for cities and counties — and 2021 to be even worse.

Full Story

Opening Day of the 86th session of the Texas Legislature with action in the Texas House
Election of Speaker Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, by unanimous vote.

House Speaker Dennis Bonnen says, “No laws were broken.” Legal hurdles remain.

by Emma Platoff and Jolie McCullough

Bonnen has been eager to dismiss speculation that he did anything illegal during a June 12 meeting with conservative activist Michael Quinn Sullivan. But a probe into the event is ongoing.

Full Story

Congressman Pete Sessions, R-Dallas, at an America First Policies event in downtown Dallas on Feb. 17, 2018.

Former U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions subpoenaed by grand jury investigating Giuliani and associates

by Matt Zapotosky and Devlin Barrett, The Washington Post

The subpoena seeks records about Sessions’ dealings with Rudy Giuliani and two business associates who had been helping Giuliani investigate Joe Biden.

Full Story

House Speaker Dennis Bonnen adjourns sine die from the dais on May 27, 2019.

“This is all confidential”: Key excerpts from secret recording of House Speaker Dennis Bonnen

by Alexa Ura and Alex Samuels

In the hourlong conversation with Michael Quinn Sullivan, the leader of the Texas House is heard offering press credentials and asking for political support for challengers in the 2020 primaries.

Full Story

Republican Party emblems and signage are seen at the Republican Party of Texas office in downtown Austin.

In their secretly recorded meeting, Dennis Bonnen and Michael Quinn Sullivan laid bare GOP anxieties about 2020

by Patrick Svitek

The recording, released Tuesday, features the two prominent Republicans airing their concerns about how Texas Republicans will fare next election, particularly in state House races.

Full Story

Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen offered media access to Empower Texans, suggested it target certain Republicans, recording shows

by Cassandra Pollock, Emma Platoff and Patrick Svitek

Bonnen also spoke disparagingly about multiple Democrats, calling one House member “vile” and suggesting that another’s “wife’s gonna be really pissed when she learns he’s gay.”

Full Story

Democratic 2020 presidential candidates former HUD Secretary Julian Castro, U.S. Senator Cory Booker, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren and former U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke participate in the first U.S. 2020 presidential election Democratic candidates' debate in Miami, Florida on June 26, 2019.

Key goal for Texans Julián Castro and Beto O'Rourke in Tuesday's debate: Make the next one

by Patrick Svitek

If the two candidates don't show improvement in the polls, they won't make it to the November debate stage.

Full Story

Ken Paxton at the inaguration ceremony of Judge Michelle Slaughter at the state capitol. Jan. 11, 2019.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton recuses himself from opinion, citing conflict of interest

by Emma Platoff

A local official had asked Paxton for legal guidance on special prosecutor pay — a major question in the criminal case against Paxton himself.

Full Story