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Jay Root is an award-winning journalist who reported for the Tribune from 2011 to 2020. He covered the dramatic collapse of Gov. Rick Perry’s 2012 presidential campaign and went on to write an ebook about it called “Oops! A Diary from the 2012 Campaign Trail.” Root also broke the story that put the Texas attorney general, Ken Paxton, on the path toward criminal indictment, co-wrote an exposé that brought an end to privately funded prosecutions in Travis County, and authored a series of watchdog articles that prompted a wave of firings and resignations at two major state agencies. In 2017, Root co-directed “Beyond The Wall,” a film exploring border politics in the age of Trump, which won a national Edward R. Murrow award for best news documentary. Root’s latest film, “Border Hustle,” was released in early 2019 and reveals how desperate migrants have become cash cows on both sides of the border. Previously, for a dozen years, Root was Austin bureau chief of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, where he chronicled the rise of then-Gov. George W. Bush, wrote about cartel violence in Mexico and covered Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. During a three-year stint at the Associated Press, Root was twice named AP Staff Reporter of the Year for his watchdog reporting, including a story that sparked felony charges against a sitting state representative.
Gov. Greg Abbott wanted to "dedicate this session to ethics reform," and now must decide whether to sign a bill limiting the information he and other elected officials must disclose information about their spouses' property and finances. Full Story
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Now that the massive overhaul contained in Senate Bill 19 has gone on life support, a few targeted efforts to shine the light on conflicts of interest and enhance transparency remain. Here's a guide to what's moving and what's not. Full Story
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This week on The Ticket, we analyze Carly Fiorina's presidential campaign and talk with Washington Post writer and The Fix blogger Chris Cillizza about how the 2016 race is shaping up. Full Story
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The Texas House on Wednesday gave final sign-off to a far-reaching ethics reform package that would shine light on so-called “dark money” while restricting undercover recordings of people in the state Capitol. Full Story
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A daylong parliamentary battle ensued Tuesday as the Texas House faced a crucial deadline to pass many major bills before they died. Democrats succeeded in killing an abortion bill, while Republicans managed to pass ethics reform legislation and a version of campus carry. Full Story
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An ethics overhaul package, dramatically reworked, now takes aim at people who secretly record lawmakers inside the Texas Capitol. It also would require certain politically active nonprofits to disclose large donations. Full Story
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Legislation pushed by a politically connected company would increase unemployment taxes for Texas employers. Proponents say it would help outsourcing companies avoid "double taxation." Critics say it's a special interest perk. Full Story
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This week on The Ticket: We dive into Bernie Sanders' presidential announcement and speak with a Sanders supporter, former Texas Agriculture Commissioner Jim Hightower, about what we can expect from his campaign. Full Story
Businesses are joining consumer advocates in sounding the alarm about a proposal that critics say would stack the deck in favor of insurance companies at the expense of businesses and homeowners. Full Story
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In this week's episode of The Ticket, a co-production of the Trib and KUT, we break down the presidential announcement of Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and chat with his supporter George Seay, who was Rick Perry's state finance chairman in 2012. Full Story
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