“A sham”: Texas Republicans defend Trump after guilty verdict
Republicans across the party’s political spectrum denounced Trump’s guilty verdict on 34 felony counts related to falsifying business records. Full Story
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![Former U.S. President Donald Trump sits at the defense table as the jury in his criminal trial is scheduled to continue deliberations at New York State Supreme Court in New York, New York on May 30, 2024. Trump was found guilty on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign.]()
Credit: Justin Lane/Pool via REUTERS -
Texas runoff yields no clear winner among GOP’s warring factions, setting stage for power struggle
Neither of the Texas GOP’s dueling factions landed a clean knockout blow during a grueling primary season that only seemed to set up further chaos and strife. Full Story
![State Rep. Greg Bonnen and his wife Kim Bonnen on the House floor during Sine Die, the last day of the 88th Texas Legislative Session, at the Capitol in Austin on May 29, 2023.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Here are the organizations that Ken Paxton targeted using consumer protection laws
Attorneys general have increasingly used their power to pursue investigations targeting organizations whose work conflicts with their political views. Paxton is among the most aggressive. Full Story
![Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, left, has been using consumer protection laws to target organizations like Annunciation House, run by Ruben Garcia, right, whose work conflicts with Paxton’s political views. El Paso-based Annunciation House serves immigrants and refugees seeking shelter.]()
Credit: Photo illustration by ProPublica. Source photos: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune, Ivan Pierre Aguirre for The Texas Tribune -
How Ken Paxton is stretching the boundaries of consumer protection laws to pursue political targets
The attorney general repeatedly uses laws meant to protect against fraudulent or deceptive practices to target hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and LGBTQ+ groups. Full Story
![Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, right, is using consumer protection laws to target organizations like Annunciation House, run by Ruben Garcia, left, whose work conflicts with Paxton’s political views.]()
Credit: Photo illustration by ProPublica. Source photos: Ivan Pierre Aguirre for The Texas Tribune, Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
In 75th lawsuit against Biden, Paxton sues to stop new gender identity guidelines for employers
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton aims new lawsuit at Biden Administration to halt compliance of gender identity mandates in the workplace. Full Story
![Ken Paxton attends the 2024 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in Maryland on Feb. 23, 2024.]()
Credit: Zach Roberts/NurPhoto via REUTERS -
Texas Republicans were at Trump’s side as his defense rested in hush money trial
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and U.S. Reps. Troy Nehls and Ronny Jackson flew to New York to attend final testimony. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton visited earlier in the trial. Full Story
![Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, center, accompanies former U.S. President Donald Trump as he speaks to his attorney Todd Blanch at the Manhattan Criminal Court where he is on trial for hush money payments in New York City on May 21, 2024.]()
Credit: Curtis Means/Pool via REUTERS -
Donald Trump says he’d consider Ken Paxton for U.S. attorney general
Trump told a reporter in Texas this weekend that Paxton is “a very talented guy.” Full Story
![Former president Donald Trump pats Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on the shoulder as he leaves the stage during a rally in Robstown, on Oct. 22, 2022.]()
Credit: Lucas Boland/Corpus Christi Caller-Times via REUTERS -
Texas to reimburse landowners for damages caused by border property crime
Lawmakers created the program during last year’s legislative session. Full Story
![Department of Public Safety Special Operations agents escort a group of migrants through private property as part of Operation Lone Star after catching them in Kinney County near Brackettville, Texas on Nov. 9, 2021. The owner of the property did not sign the affidavit to allow DPS to arrest undocumented migrants in their property, so they will be processed by Border Patrol.
Verónica G. Cárdenas for ProPublica/The Texas Tribune]()
Credit: Verónica G. Cárdenas for ProPublica/The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott orders Texas to ignore Biden administration’s new federal protections of LGBTQ+ students
The new Title IX rules expanded the definition of sex-based harassment. Texas is also suing the Biden administration to block the changes. Full Story
![Activists and members of Austin's LGBTQ community gather on the steps of the capitol to celebrate the anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall riots. These riots signify a key moment in the birth of the modern LGBT movement in America. June 28, 2017.]()
Credit: Austin Price for The Texas Tribune -
After no contest plea, a Texas representative’s charges for impersonating a public servant are dismissed
In June 2022, state Rep. Frederick Frazier was indicted on two charges of impersonating a public servant. A Collin County district judge dismissed the misdemeanor charges as part of his deferred adjudication. Full Story
![State Rep. Frederick Frazier, R-McKinney, yields for a round of hazing questions as his colleagues gather to support his first House bill during session on the House floor at the state Capitol in Austin on April 25, 2023.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
What you need to know about Texas’ school safety policies
Texas lawmakers have mandated armed guards at every public school, panic buttons in classrooms and more staff training. Full Story
![Nimitz Middle School students line up to enter their next class Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023 in Odessa.]()
Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune -
Texas Supreme Court temporarily blocks Harris County’s guaranteed income pilot program
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is challenging the program, saying it violates the Texas Constitution. Full Story
![State Attorney General Ken Paxton holds a press conference at the Houston Recovery Center on October 26, 2021.]()
Credit: Mark Felix for The Texas Tribune -
Texas politics leave transgender foster youth isolated — during and after life in state care
Support once afforded LGBTQ+ foster kids has vanished and a culture of silence has blanketed the agency tasked with raising children growing up in the system. Full Story
![Isabella Morningstar asks Marcus Anthony, a case manager at Thrive Youth Center if they have received any updates on her new birth certificate. She looks over his shoulder as he navigates the shelter’s email for any information about Morningstar. She has had a difficult time updating her paperwork to her current legal name, since she left the foster care system.]()
Credit: Greta Díaz González Vázquez/The Texas Tribune -
Seattle Children’s Hospital won’t have to provide trans patient records to Texas under new settlement
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton suspected the hospital was helping Texas kids access puberty blockers or hormone treatments that are outlawed for juveniles. Full Story
![State Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks at a press conference at the Houston Recovery Center on Oct. 26, 2021.]()
Credit: Mark Felix for The Texas Tribune -
Republican North Texas congressional candidates debate Ken Paxton’s impeachment, Ukraine relief funding
State Rep. Craig Goldman and construction company owner John O’Shea are in a runoff for the GOP nomination to replace U.S. Rep. Kay Granger Full Story
![State Rep. Craig Goldman, R-Fort Worth, and business owner John O’Shea, also of Fort Worth, are two of the five Republicans and two Democrats who have stepped forward to replace Rep. Kay Granger.]()
Credit: Texas House of Representatives | Courtesy of John O’Shea -
Años antes de que los caracterizaran como criminales, los residentes de Colony Ridge buscaron ayuda del estado
Los residentes presentaron más de 60 quejas en contra de Colony Ridge. No obtuvieron muchas soluciones del estado. Full Story
![An overhead view of the Colony Ridge development on Monday, Oct. 9, 2023, in New Caney, Texas.]()
Credit: Mark Felix for The Texas Tribune -
Texas AG Ken Paxton sues Harris County to block program that would give cash to poorest households
The program would give roughly 1,900 households payments of $500 for 18 months with no strings attached. Paxton called it “plainly unconstitutional.” Full Story
![The Houston skyline in November, 2017.]()
Credit: Callie Richmond for The Texas Tribune -
House Speaker Dade Phelan’s immigration record central in bid to oust him
The Beaumont Republican’s foes are trying to paint him as soft on the border, even after last year’s passage of far-reaching laws and record border funding. Full Story
![State Rep. Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont, announces he has the votes to be elected the next speaker of the Texas House at a press conference at the Capitol in Austin on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2020.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Texas could require social media influencers to disclose paid political posts
The Tribune reported last year that a company called Influenceable LLC was paid to recruit influencers to defend Attorney General Ken Paxton over his impeachment. Full Story
![The Texas Ethics Commission took the first step in adopting rules that would require social media influencers to include political advertising disclosures when they are paid to post political advertising online.]()
Credit: Photo Illustration by Kylie Cooper/The Texas Tribune -
Once the Texas GOP’s “weak link,” Attorney General Ken Paxton is growing more popular and powerful
With his impeachment and securities fraud case behind him, Paxton’s political stock is on the rise. Full Story
![Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton endorses David Covey at an event in Beaumont on Monday, Jan 15, 2024. Covey is running against House Speaker Dade Phelan in the Republican primary.]()
Credit: Mark Felix for The Texas Tribune
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