Whistleblowers say Ken Paxton is misleading Texans about his bribery and abuse-of-office allegations
The whistleblowers made their first statement about Paxton’s decision to fire them since filing a lawsuit against the attorney general. Full Story
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![Attorney General Ken Paxton at a border security briefing at the Texas DPS airport hangar in Edinburg on Jan. 28, 2022. The four whistleblowers who sued Paxton after he fired them for accusing him of bribery and abuse of office are speaking out against him publicly for the first time since filing their lawsuit.]()
Credit: Michael Gonzalez for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and the power of Us vs. Them
A week into early voting in the Texas party primaries, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick launched his latest culture-war volley, an attack on college professors whose teachings about race don’t match his notions about what they should be teaching. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick speaks at a press conference concerning the recently passed Election & Ballot Security Bill, also known as Senate Bill 7, at the Texas Capitol on April 7, 2021. "Senate Bill 7 is about voter security, not about voter suppression, and I'm tired of the lies and the nest of liars who continue to repeat them," said Patrick.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
TribCast: Dan Patrick’s eventful week
On this week’s episode, Matthew speaks with James and Alexa about Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s political power and problems with mail-in ballot applications. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick speaks to reporters at a press conference on Feb. 18, 2022.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Trump’s man in Texas, has quietly amassed influence — to the detriment of fellow Republicans
Patrick urged former Gov. Rick Perry to mount a challenge to Gov. Greg Abbott, who is seeking a third term. He’s taken the already considerable power concentrated in the state’s No. 2 job to another level, forcing opponents from races and tightening his grip on the Senate. Full Story
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Texas House candidate Justin Berry is among Austin officers indicted on excessive force charges, union president says
The Austin police officer is one of four Republicans seeking their party’s nomination for Texas House District 19, west of Austin. Full Story
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![Justin Berry is a candidate for Texas House District 19.]()
Credit: Social media -
Texas now requires new charter schools to ensure they won’t teach critical race theory
The new requirement applies to charter schools set to open in August. The agency did not elaborate why this one law needed a separate assurance. Full Story
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![Fifth-grade Hebrew teacher Hagit Lifshitz leads a class in reading a book in Hebrew at Eleanor Kolitz Hebrew Language Academy in San Antonio, on Oct. 14, 2013.]()
Credit: Jennifer Whitney for The Texas Tribune -
Partisan tactic by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s campaign delays thousands of requests for mail-in ballots from Texas voters
Patrick’s mass mailing urging voters to apply for mail-in ballots included return envelopes addressed to the Texas secretary of state’s office. The applications are supposed to be sent to local offices, but Patrick’s campaign says voters don’t trust election officials in Democratic counties. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick gives remarks during the Texas Fallen Heroes ceremony on May 25, 2019]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
“It looked like the end of the world”: Listen to the stories of Texans who lived through 2021’s historic winter storm
One year later, dozens of Texans from around the state shared their memories about an unforgettable storm. Full Story
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![An eastbound view of East Stassney Lane in South Austin on Feb. 15, 2021.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Texas voters will decide whether to lower some property tax bills in May election
If two propositions pass, the state will increase school funding to make up for revenues lost from a decrease in property taxes. Full Story
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![A student takes notes in Norman Gomez's third-grade class at Linder Elementary School in Austin on Jan. 14, 2022.]()
Credit: Miranda Lipton for The Texas Tribune -
Texas to receive $1.17 billion from pharmaceutical companies in opioid settlement
Texas and entities in the settlement will receive the money, which will principally go toward opioid overdose treatment, prevention and education, over the next 18 years. Full Story
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![Tablets of the opioid-based Hydrocodone at a pharmacy in Portsmouth, Ohio, on June 21, 2017.]()
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Analysis: Texas voters and political candidates aren’t on the same page
What top Texas candidates are talking about isn’t always the same as what the voters think are the most important issues facing the state. Full Story
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![Day one of early voting in El Paso at the Sunland Park Mall indoor voting site on Oct. 13, 2020.]()
Credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre for The Texas Tribune -
To build Abbott’s border barrier, Texas will use surplus wall panels from the federal government
The 1,700 unused wall panels are being stored in Eagle Pass. Texas didn’t have to explain its plans for the panels when it secured the federal donation. Full Story
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![A welder straightens out a post in a new section of border wall that is being constructed near Eagle Pass on Nov. 20, 2021.]()
Credit: Nick Wagner for The Texas Tribune -
A year after the electric grid failed, Texas focuses on reliability, not climate change
Transitioning sources of electricity to cleaner fuels is one of the best tools humanity has to fight climate change — which brings severe weather that taxes the grid. But a year after the winter storm, Texas leaders aren’t talking about decarbonizing. Full Story
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![Wind turbines spin in Central Texas on March 25, 2021.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Republican incumbents hold big leads in statewide March primary races, UT poll says
The poll shows Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick have a significant advantage over their primary opponents. Democratic respondents heavily support Beto O’Rourke for governor but don’t know enough about the party’s candidates in other races. Full Story
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![A voter casts their ballot at the Flawn Academic Center polling site at the University of Texas at Austin on Election Day, Nov. 3, 2020.]()
Credit: Amna Ijaz/The Texas Tribune -
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sues Facebook’s parent company over use of facial recognition tech
The lawsuit is the latest in a string of Paxton actions against big technology companies as conservative backlash against them festers. Full Story
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![Men take selfies in front of a Meta sign, the new name for the company formerly known as Facebook, at its headquarters in Menlo Park, California on Oct. 28, 2021.]()
Credit: REUTERS/Carlos Barria -
Nearly 18% of registered Texas voters cast 2022 primary ballots
Texas has a history of a dismal turnout rate in primary elections. This year’s turnout was higher than the last six midterm primaries. Still, less than 1 in 5 registered voters participated. Full Story
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![2022 primary election turnout]()
Credit: Illustration by Emily Albracht -
Analysis: Hey, Texans, get out there and vote!
On this first day of early voting in the Democratic and Republican primaries, take a moment to think through the issues — whether the candidates are talking about them or not — before you cast your ballot. Full Story
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![A voter leaves the early voting site at the Archer Courthouse Annex in Archer on Oct. 28, 2020.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
Texas ban on encouraging mail-in votes likely unconstitutional, judge rules
The challenged provision makes it a state jail felony for election officials to “solicit the submission” of an application to vote by mail if the voter did not request it. Full Story
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![Due to COVID-19 concerns, mail-in ballot drop off locations are scattered across Harris County for the delayed primary runoff election, in Houston on Tuesday July 14, 2020.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
TribCast: Previewing the Texas primaries before early voting starts Monday
In this week’s episode, Matthew and Ross break down the GOP primary for attorney general and highlight the other top races that have grabbed their interest. Full Story
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![Voters wait in line at a polling site at Austin Oaks Church on Oct. 14, 2020.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: The road from the Texas Legislature to statewide office isn’t Easy Street
The statewide races on the March primary ballots are sprinkled with the names of state and federal legislators from Texas. You might think they have the upper hand in those contests. Maybe, and maybe not. Full Story
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![House members praised House Speaker Dade Phelan on Sine Die. May 31, 2021.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune
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