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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James Barragán is a politics reporter for The Texas Tribune with a focus on accountability reporting. Prior to joining the Tribune, James worked as a statehouse reporter for The Dallas Morning News and had previous stints at the Austin American-Statesman and the Los Angeles Times. In 2021, he was a finalist for the Toner Prize for Excellence in Local Reporting for his coverage of Texas politics during the COVID-19 pandemic. James was selected as a Nieman Fellow at Harvard in 2023-24. A Southern California native, James received his bachelor’s degree in history from UCLA. He is based in Austin and is a native Spanish speaker.
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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 -
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 -
Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller’s challengers take aim at his ethics, relationship to indicted political aide
Miller’s top challenger is state Rep. James White, a Hillister rancher, who is running a hard-charging campaign calling out the incumbent for creating a scandal-prone culture at the commission. Full Story
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![Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller speaks at a Trump rally in Conroe on Jan. 29, 2022.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Deplorable conditions, unclear mission: Texas National Guard troops call Abbott’s rushed border operation a disaster
The governor has sent waves of troops to the border as Guard officials scramble to execute a massive mobilization that would normally take months to plan. Some Guard members say the operation has set back their income, education and well-being. Full Story
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![National Guard soldiers stand guard near the U.S. and Mexico border in Del Rio on July 24, 2021.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Meet the three Democrats competing to oust Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick
Mike Collier, Carla Brailey and Michelle Beckley are facing off for the Democratic nomination in the lieutenant governor race. Financially, the three candidates are outmatched by Dan Patrick’s $25 million war chest. Full Story
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![From left: Mike Collier, Carla Brailey and Michelle Beckley, Democratic candidates for Lieutenant Governor.]()
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Attorney General Ken Paxton defies county official’s order to release records related to Jan. 6 Trump rally
Last week, the Travis County district attorney’s office gave Paxton four days to turn over communications requested by the state’s largest newspapers or face a lawsuit. Full Story
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![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 Attorney General Ken Paxton, who has fought vaccine mandates, tests positive for COVID-19
Paxton’s office said the Republican “remains working diligently for the people of Texas from home.” Full Story
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Ken Paxton violated law and must release records related to Jan. 6 Trump rally, district attorney says
The Travis County district attorney, a Democrat, says the Republican attorney general has four days to provide communications, multiple Texas news outlets first reported. Full Story
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![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 -
Probe of Texas National Guard border mission demanded over suicide attempts, abysmal conditions and delayed pay
The call for action from Texas Democrats comes as another service member based in the city of Pharr survived a suicide attempt on Sunday, according to an incident report obtained by Army Times and The Texas Tribune. Full Story
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![A group of migrants waits to turn themselves over to National Guard and Customs and Border Protection officials at the U.S. and Mexico border in Del Rio on July 22, 2021.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
State Rep. Celia Israel announces run for Austin mayor
Former Austin mayor and Democratic state Sen. Kirk Watson has also expressed interest in running for the position, as has City Council member Kathie Tovo. Two candidates have formally announced their candidacy: Jennifer Virden, a Realtor and former Austin city council candidate, and Erica Nix. Full Story
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![State Rep. Celia Israel, D-Austin, waits to announce her plan to run for Austin mayor at Parque Zaragoza in Austin on Jan. 11, 2021.]()
Credit: Lauren Witte/The Texas Tribune
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