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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.
Rick Perry's presidential campaign is touting a positive "independent" analysis of its flat tax plan. But interviews, company literature and a visit to the office of the firm hired to review it indicate the research falls short of a rigorous economic analysis. Full Story
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Gov. Rick Perry has delayed, for the second time, federally required disclosures about his wealth and income. The Federal Election Commission granted Perry a second 45-day extension for his personal financial statement. Full Story
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Whatever Gov. Rick Perry was doing with the birther issue, he isn’t doing it anymore. Perry now says he has no doubt Obama is a native U.S. citizen. Full Story
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Ever since he drew a multimillionaire opponent in 2002, Gov. Rick Perry has been releasing his tax returns to the media and has called on his rivals to do the same. He’s at it again. A spokesman is demanding that Mitt Romney release his. Full Story
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Joe Allbaugh, who ran George W. Bush’s 2000 presidential campaign and later led FEMA, will make a return to big-league politics as a senior adviser to Rick Perry. Allbaugh, and several other heavy-hitters, will try to get Perry's campaign back on track after the Texas governor fell hard in opinion polls. Full Story
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Gov. Rick Perry released his 2010 tax return Friday, showing modest family income of about $217,000. Perry also reported losing about $6,000 on the sale of a home in College Station and charitable gifts of $12,500. Full Story
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Gov. Rick Perry, giving a sneak peek of his forthcoming economic policy initiative, called for a flat tax Wednesday in Las Vegas. It was a confident delivery from a governor who seems to have gotten his swagger back. Full Story
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A new Rick Perry showed up to the GOP presidential debate in Las Vegas. In his strongest performance yet, Perry took every opportunity to attack Mitt Romney, and to turn the attention back to his talking points and rehearsed lines. Full Story
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We liveblogged the CNN/Western Republican Leadership Conference debate at the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino in Las Vegas, where Gov. Rick Perry had one more shot to make a better impression before a several-week debate hiatus. Full Story
For Gov. Rick Perry, the best news about tonight’s nationally televised debate may be what comes next: fewer nationally televised debates. Full Story