Green energy has been a political punching bag for Texas Republicans like Gov. Greg Abbott throughout the winter storm. Experts say that politicians never take responsibility for natural disasters when it comes to preparedness.
Politics
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Winter Storm 2021
Analysis: Working political angles instead of solving problems
As Texans struggle with terrible winter weather, electric utility failures affecting more than 4 million households, a pandemic and a botched vaccine rollout, a natural question arises: Do state leaders know what they’re doing?
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Winter Storm 2021
“We’re in it alone”: Power outages leave millions of Texans desperate for heat and safety
Texas residents said the storm — and ensuing partial collapse of the state’s power system — sapped what mental reserves they had left after eleven months of a global health crisis that has cost thousands of jobs and claimed more than 40,000 lives in the state.
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Winter Storm 2021
Gov. Greg Abbott, other top Texas officials call for resignations and investigations at electrical grid operator
“The Electric Reliability Council of Texas has been anything but reliable over the past 48 hours,” Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Democratic lawmakers hope to enact statewide nondiscrimination law and ban conversion therapy for LGBTQ Texans
As the Biden administration works to expand federal nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people, Texas advocates and lawmakers are pushing for similar legislation here.
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Criminal Justice
Analysis: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton defending his reputation on two fronts
Paxton’s legal troubles are increasing in volume, at just about the time an officeholder in his position would be thinking about the next round of elections.
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Politics
Cornyn, Cruz join GOP colleagues in successful acquittal of Trump
The U.S. Senate voted to acquit the former president on Saturday after a five-day impeachment trial in which several Texans played a key role. The state’s two Republican senators voted to acquit, as they did during Trump’s first impeachment trial.
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TribCast
TribCast: Ken Paxton’s legal woes continue
On this week’s TribCast, Matthew speaks with Kate, Karen and Mitchell about Attorney General Ken Paxton’s latest legal problems, the vaccine rollout and the politics of energy in Biden-era Texas.
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Demographics
Latest census delay will push Texas’ redrawing of political maps into the fall
The Census Bureau now says it will get detailed results of the national population count to states by Sept. 30. That means Gov. Greg Abbott will almost certainly need to call lawmakers back for overtime in the fall to craft new Congressional and legislative districts.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Analysis: A Star-Spangled culture war in Texas
What gets the state’s unusually subdued lieutenant governor to stand up and take notice? Not playing the national anthem at Dallas Mavericks games, as it turns out. The first culture clash of the 2021 legislative session is underway.