Past Contributions

• Texplainer: What Happens to Gallegos' Senate Seat?

  By Maurice Chammah, The Marshall Project Oct. 18, 2012

  State Sen. Mario Gallegos, D-Houston, died Tuesday, but his name will still appear on the November ballot. What happens to his seat — and how soon his district will have representation in the Senate — is in the hands of Gov. Rick Perry. Full Story 

• Some Inmates Forego Health Care to Avoid Fees

  By Maurice Chammah, The Marshall Project Oct. 16, 2012

  When lawmakers decided to charge inmates $100 a year for medical treatments, they expected it to help plug holes in the prison budget. But critics of the new policy say the result is less health care for sick inmates. Full Story 

• Video: Faircloth Focuses on Job Growth in New Ad

  By Maurice Chammah, The Marshall Project Oct. 12, 2012

  In a new ad, Republican Wayne Faircloth, who is challenging state Rep. Craig Eiland, D-Galveston, in House District 23, says his career as a small-business owner has prepared him to work on balancing the state budget and create jobs. Full Story 

• PAC Uses Football to Target Voucher Proposals

  By Maurice Chammah, The Marshall Project Oct. 11, 2012

  In a video that ponders potential threats to the viability of high school football, Progress Texas PAC urges Texans to fight plans to institute school voucher programs. Full Story 

• Mental Health of Veterans is Focus of House Panel's Hearing

  By Maurice Chammah, The Marshall Project Oct. 9, 2012

  Amid a recent increase in suicides among military veterans, Texas lawmakers are looking at ways to address mental health challenges for veterans as they return home from Iraq and Afghanistan. Full Story 

• In Pilot Program, Student IDs Track the Students

  By Maurice Chammah, The Marshall Project, and Nick Swartsell, The Texas Tribune Oct. 8, 2012

  A San Antonio district has implemented a pilot program to track students while on campus, having them wear radio frequency identification chips on cards around their neck. Administrators say it's the best way to make sure they get all the state money they're entitled to. Full Story 

• In November Election, No Exit Polls for Texas

  By Maurice Chammah, The Marshall Project Oct. 4, 2012

  With the price of exit surveys on the rise, election pollsters are curbing costs by canceling exit polls in 19 states — and non-swing-state Texas didn't make the cut. Full Story 

• "Innocence Commission" Bill Poised to Return but Faces Uphill Climb

  By Maurice Chammah, The Marshall Project Oct. 3, 2012

  State Rep. Ruth Jones McClendon plans to revive her efforts to create an "innocence commission" to look into old cases of wrongful convictions. But she acknowledges that the legislation faces a difficult challenge. Full Story 

• Inmate's Case Highlights Medical Parole Issues

  By Maurice Chammah, The Marshall Project Oct. 2, 2012

  Advocates for inmate Donald Rash, who suffers numerous medical problems, argue that he should be granted parole. They say the state is wasting millions caring for infirm and elderly inmates who no longer pose a threat to society. Full Story 

• Death Penalty Expert Witness Condemned by Appeals Court Rulings

  By Maurice Chammah, The Marshall Project Sept. 28, 2012

  Prison investigator A.P. Merillat's court testimony about the violence inmates serving life sentences can inflict has helped send at least 15 murderers to death row. Now, his credibility has been condemned by the state’s highest criminal court. Full Story