The latest politics news from The Texas Tribune.
Targeted by local conservative activists, Mark Gonzalez joined an increasingly crowded 2024 primary — a move that triggered his resignation as district attorney. Full Story
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After senators rejected the suspended attorney general’s bid to dismiss all accusations against him, lawyers for both sides laid out their cases and impeachment managers called their first witness. Full Story
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The suspended attorney general argued that he should have the same protection from testifying as any defendant in a criminal trial. Patrick, acting as trial judge, agreed. Full Story
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The pretrial motions required a majority vote. All but one were rejected by two-thirds of the Senate, suggesting an openness in the chamber to hear the allegations against Paxton. Full Story
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Records obtained by ProPublica and The Texas Tribune give deeper insight into how Paxton’s representation denials often pushed agencies to look for outside legal counsel that was ultimately funded by taxpayers. Full Story
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Will the suspended attorney general testify, and will any — or all — articles of impeachment be dismissed before opening arguments? Answers are finally coming. Full Story
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On the first day of the impeachment trial, senators rejected defense attorneys’ attempts to dismiss all 16 articles of impeachment. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick also ruled that Ken Paxton couldn’t be forced to testify. Full Story
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The impeachment trial that starts Tuesday is expected to center on Paxton’s infidelity, and could air out the sordid details of the staunch, Christian conservative’s life as he sits just yards away from his wife, and her 30 Senate colleagues. Full Story
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Under rules previously adopted by the Texas Senate, the trial will feature crucial votes on dismissing articles of impeachment as well as testimony under oath, private deliberations by senator-jurors and votes conducted without debate or discussion. Full Story
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Paxton named House Speaker Dade Phelan, a fellow Republican, in his brief remarks Saturday in North Texas. The suspended attorney general faces a trial Tuesday that would remove him from office permanently. Full Story
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The articles — including bribery, dereliction of duty and disregard of official duty — do not include four accusations originally adopted by the Texas House. Full Story
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The senior senator from Texas has the ambition to become the Senate’s top Republican, but he remains loyal to McConnell, who has downplayed concerns about his well-being. Full Story
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Even in conservative corners of Texas, efforts to crack down on abortion travel are meeting resistance with some local officials who support Texas’s strict abortion laws, expressing concern that the efforts go too far. Full Story
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Only 28% of Republican respondents agreed that the charges against Texas’ attorney general were warranted, compared to 42% of independents and three-quarters of Democrats, the poll found. Full Story
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The Senate Republican and Democratic caucuses also said they will not fundraise as organizations during the trial, which starts Tuesday. Full Story
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Record-high power demand and faltering electricity sources have tested the grid in the past month, forcing the Electric Reliability Council of Texas to dig deep into its toolbox to keep power flowing. Full Story
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The suspended attorney general has been ordered to appear in the Texas Senate chamber to answer to 16 allegations of misconduct that were approved by the House in May. Full Story
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“Age is something that all of us experience, and it’s coming for all of us,” Cruz added. Fellow Texas Senate Republican John Cornyn said McConnell had told him that he was fine. Full Story
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Elections officials say finding new buildings and volunteers will be difficult ahead of the 2024 general election. Full Story
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The new laws affect schools, the electric grid and the power of local governments. Full Story
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