The latest Texas Ethics Commission news from The Texas Tribune.
The Tribune's campaign finance database has been updated to include the latest contribution and expenditure information. Use this tool to look up candidates' cash totals and to see who is funding them. Full Story
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With early voting now underway, click on the candidates in our 2014 primary election brackets to find a quick link to their directory pages, most of which have been updated to include their 2013 personal financial statements. Full Story
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Bernie Teide, convicted of murdering an elderly woman in Carthage 15 years ago, was back in court for proceedings reconsidering his life sentence, so we lead off this all-Texas Blues playlist with "How Long Blues" by T-Bone Walker. Full Story
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Our interactive breakdown of campaign finance reports from the second half of 2013 includes the totals for candidates, expenditures, loans and cash on hand at the end of the year, and offers several ways to look at the details. Full Story
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Texas doesn't require enough disclosure from its judges to fully inform the public about conflicts of interest, according to a report from the Center for Public Integrity. Full Story
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Ethics watchdogs are applauding gubernatorial candidate Greg Abbott for proposing what would amount to a sea change in Texas ethics laws. Full Story
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Well over half of the money raised so far by the Water Texas PAC came from heavy contractors, Dow Chemical Co. and Energy Future Holdings/Luminant. Use our analyzer to take a closer look at the donors. Full Story
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We’ve updated our campaign finance analyzer to cover all of the contributions to statewide officeholders and candidates during the three special sessions this summer. Full Story
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Political contributions to statewide candidates and officeholders during the second special legislative session this summer are now in our finance analyzer, which shows donations by size, location, donor and even by daily totals from June 26 to July 30. Full Story
A few minor ethics measures passed in the 83rd legislative session. But the real story is what didn’t happen. This story is part of our monthlong 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story
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A few minor ethics measures passed in the 83rd legislative session. But the real story is what didn’t happen. This story is part of our monthlong 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story
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Using campaign finance reports, we've put together a quick way to find the biggest donors to statewide candidates, the distribution of large and small donations, and how much money came in for each date in a reporting period. Full Story
Candidates are racing to raise money before an end-of-the-month deadline, the better to prove the strength of their campaigns for 2014 in reports that come out July 15. Full Story
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District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg's story was primarily about a public fall from grace. When Gov. Rick Perry stripped funding from the public integrity unit she runs, it also became a story about a political power grab. Full Story
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Call it the self-preservation society. When push comes to shove, some members of the Texas Legislature are adamant that their elective offices should come with some special protections. Full Story
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When it came to passing major ethics reforms that would have increased transparency for elected officials, the 83rd Legislature didn't make much headway. Lawmakers, it seems, didn't have the appetite for increased public disclosure. Full Story
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Lawmakers talked a big game about improving transparency this session, but when push came to shove, they did next to nothing to advance it. Full Story
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The clock is ticking for lawmakers hard at work to pass prize bills in the final days of the 83rd legislative session. Here's a look at what's still outstanding. Check back often: We'll update this story as deals are brokered or broken. Full Story
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UPDATED: Facing a laundry list of record votes, lawmakers tacked on several amendments to an Ethics Commission reform bill on Monday that would strengthen the disclosure rules that govern them and their contributors. Full Story
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It's easier, it seems, for lawmakers to regulate others than to regulate themselves. Ethics and transparency legislation has had a bumpy ride in the current legislative session. Full Story
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