T-Squared: New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu will open The Texas Tribune Festival
The Granite Stater takes the stage Thursday, Sept. 21, to discuss the 2024 election, the future of the Republican Party and more. Full Story
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Paxton trial, Sept. 12: Whistleblower says he feared Paxton had “turned over” his office to donor
A Paxton whistleblower testified that the attorney general took an unusual interest in Nate Paul’s litigation against a charity in 2020. Another said Paul benefited from an opinion on foreclosures. Full Story
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![Darren McCarty, whistleblower and former Deputy Attorney General for Civil Litigation under Ken Paxton, testifies and answers questions from Dick DeGuerin, a lead prosecutor for the House’s impeachment team, during the sixth day of Paxton’s impeachment trial on Sept. 12, 2023.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Paxton trial, Sept. 11: Whistleblower says political donor acted like he was the “real boss” of AG’s office
One whistleblower testified that Ken Paxton didn’t trust law enforcement after his own securities fraud indictment. Senators could begin deliberating the impeachment charges later this week. Full Story
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![Katherine "Missy" Cary, former chief of staff former chief of staff in the attorney general’s office, testifies at Ken Paxton's impeachment trial in the Texas Senate on Monday, Sept. 11, 2023.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Texas parents who care for their disabled children full time will lose money after pay raise
Texas Medicaid caregivers’ wages were already near the poverty level. But parents whose sole income came from taking care of their disabled children have now lost their ability to work overtime hours. Full Story
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![Laurie Sharp talks with her daughter, Logan Sharp, in the living room of their Pflugerville home on Sep. 9. 2023. Logan's feeding tube runs in the foreground, which she requires to eat.]()
Credit: Julius Shieh/The Texas Tribune -
Political warnings and accusations of misconduct: 6 main themes emerge in first week of Ken Paxton’s impeachment trial
The suspended attorney general’s lawyers focused on disloyalty and attacked evidence, while impeachment managers accused Paxton of excessive and obsessive misconduct. Neither side ignored the politics behind the case. Full Story
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![Suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton, center, sits with his lawyers Tony Buzbee, left, and Dan Cogdell at the beginning of the first day of Paxton’s impeachment trial in the Texas Senate on Sept. 5, 2023.]()
Credit: Juan Figueroa/Pool via The Dallas Morning News -
Paxton defense presses whistleblower on what evidence he brought to FBI
On cross examination, Paxton’s defense attorney launched into whistleblower Ryan Vassar for bringing no physical evidence when he and others reported their boss to the FBI. Vassar said he was a witness and not an investigator. Full Story
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![Former deputy attorney general for legal counsel Ryan Vassar answers a question during cross examination on the fourth day of suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton’s impeachment trial Friday, Sept. 8, 2023 in Austin.]()
Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune -
Slim majority of Texans support Gov. Greg Abbott’s border buoys, poll finds
The UT poll also touched on a range of other topics, including Texas voters’ opinions on the upcoming presidential election and the U.S. Senate race. Full Story
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![A string of buoys is deployed to prevent migrants from swimming across the Rio Grande in Eagle Pass on July 13, 2023.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Paxton trial, Sept 8: AG’s former top cop says he warned Paxton about “criminal” Nate Paul
The former top cop for the attorney general’s office testified that complying with real estate investor Nate Paul’s requests would have amounted to criminal activity. Defense attorneys also questioned whistleblowers about their group texts. Full Story
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![Former Texas Ranger David Maxwell testifies as the fourth witness during the afternoon on day four of suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton's impeachment trial in the Texas Senate on Sept. 8, 2023.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
EPA’s inspector general says agency isn’t enforcing benzene pollution rules at refineries in Texas, nationally
A report by the federal environmental agency’s internal watchdog found that EPA is failing to enforce its own pollution limits for the known carcinogen at many refineries — including some in Texas. Full Story
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![A Deer Park neighborhood next to Highway 225, which borders the refineries, petrochemical plants and industrial storage tanks that line the Houston Ship Channel. In 2019, air quality inspectors found that high levels of benzene emissions had wafted across the highway and into residential areas of Deer Park in the weeks after the ITC chemical fire was extinguished.]()
Credit: Mark Felix for The Texas Tribune/Public Health Watch -
“It was not a mutiny”: Senior staff had no choice but to report Ken Paxton to the FBI, whistleblower testifies
Ryan Bangert, a former top official under the attorney general, said Paxton allowed a friend and political donor to hijack the state agency, diverting it from its mission to help all Texans. Full Story
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![Ryan Bangert, former first deputy assistant of suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton, testifies at the impeachment trial of Paxton at the Capitol on Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023.]()
Credit: Jay Janner/Pool via Austin American-Statesman -
Paxton trial, Sept. 7: During new testimony, former AG deputy tears up responding to “rogue” allegations
Former attorney general officials testified that Ken Paxton pushed to release confidential FBI records to friend and donor Nate Paul. They also denied defense attorneys’ assertions that they staged a “mutiny.” Full Story
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![Whistleblower Ryan Vassar tears up during testimony on the third day of suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton's impeachment trial in the Texas Senate on Sept. 7, 2023.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Ken Paxton’s top deputy, the first impeachment witness, describes an attorney general out of control
Jeff Mateer testified that Paxton was so intent on helping Austin real estate investor Nate Paul that he worried the attorney general was being blackmailed. Full Story
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![Whistleblower Jeff Mateer give impassioned testimony about his former boss Ken Paxton in the morning session of Attorney General Ken Paxton's impeachment trial in the Texas Senate on September 6, 2023. (Bob Daemmrich/Pool for the Texas Tribune)]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Texas prison system issues statewide lockdown to combat illegal drugs, inmate violence
The state has canceled all visits to Texas prison inmates until a comprehensive search of all 100 correctional facilities for contraband has been completed. Full Story
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![Texas Department of Criminal Justice William G. McConnell Unit at Chase Field in Beeville in 2013.]()
Credit: Jennifer Whitney for The Texas Tribune -
Paxton trial, Sept. 6: Witnesses claim AG was fixated on Nate Paul
On the second day of the impeachment trial, former officials in the attorney general’s office say Ken Paxton’s relationship with real estate investor Nate Paul raised alarms. Defense attorney accused the witnesses of “staging a coup.” Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and his staff listen as defense lawyer Tony Buzbee, bottom right, cross examines former first assistant attorney general Jeff Mateer on the second day of the impeachment trial for suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023 in Austin.]()
Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune -
Embattled Nueces County prosecutor joins Democratic primary to challenge U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz
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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![Mark Gonzalez speaks on a panel on criminal justice at The Texas Tribune Festival on Sept. 23, 2017.]()
Credit: Kelly West for The Texas Tribune -
Ken Paxton impeachment trial begins with sniping: “Slow creep of corruption” vs. “nothing of significance”
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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![Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick calls the attorneys and staffs to the dais during the afternoon session of Day 1 of the Ken Paxton impeachment trial in the Texas Senate.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Ken Paxton cannot be forced to testify at his impeachment trial, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick rules
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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![From left: Attorney Tony Buzbee, suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton and attorney Dan Cogdell on the Senate floor on Sept. 5, 2023. The attorneys are part of the team defending Paxton in his Senate impeachment trial.]()
Credit: Juan Figueroa/Pool via The Dallas Morning News -
Texas Senate rejects all motions to dismiss Ken Paxton impeachment charges
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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![Senators file into the Senate floor at the beginning of the impeachment trial of suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton on Sept. 5, 2023.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Paxton trial, Sept. 5: Suspended AG pleads not guilty to all impeachment articles, leaves before afternoon proceedings
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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![Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton looks up at the gallery during the first day of his impeachment trial in the Texas Senate chambers at the Texas State Capitol in Austin on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2023.]()
Credit: Juan Figueroa/Pool via The Dallas Morning News -
Texas AG Ken Paxton’s habit of refusing to defend state agencies cost taxpayers
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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![Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton at a news conference at the William P. Clements State Office Building on a pilot program to dispose of medications, especially opioids on Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2022 in Austin, TX. Paxton was joined by a group of former athletes and coaches to make the announcement. (Sergio Flores for The Texas Tribune)of former athletes and coaches to make the announcement.]()
Credit: Sergio Flores for The Texas Tribune