The latest campaign finance news from The Texas Tribune.
Members of the Texas Railroad Commission have become increasingly reliant on large campaign donations in the last decade, especially from industries they regulate, according to a new report to be issued today by Public Citizen's Texas office. Full Story
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There are lily pads and launch pads in Texas government, and the Railroad Commission is a launch pad. Being a railroad commissioner is less an end than a means — a way to propel yourself into a better, higher-profile and more powerful job. Which is why a serious reform effort is afoot. Full Story
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Yes, a jury convicted the former U.S. House majority leader of money laundering. But his maps — the ones that upended the careers of Democrats and helped the GOP take over Congress — are still in place. No amount of jail time can change that. Full Story
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Tom DeLay, the former U.S. House majority leader from Sugar Land, was convicted on charges of money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering this afternoon. Full Story
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Jurors in the money laundering trial of former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay continued working on Wednesday. Full Story
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Carol Kent, a freshman Democrat who unsuccessfully defended her north Dallas seat in the Texas House, spent $64.06 per vote — the most of any of the 194 candidates running for state offices in this year’s general election, according to an analysis of campaign-finance data by The Texas Tribune. Full Story
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Could you give away $8 million in a week? The state's top political donors did just that during the last seven days, raising the stakes on the governor's race and, mostly, on a relatively small number of bare-knuckle House races. Full Story
Over the last decade, two Republicans with the last name Perry have dominated the Texas political landscape. One is Rick, the state’s longest-serving governor. The other is Bob (no relation), the state’s largest individual political donor during that time — with no close second. Since 2000, the wealthy Houston home builder has contributed about $28 million to more than 400 candidates and political action committees in Texas, according to an analysis of campaign-finance data by The Texas Tribune. During that time, he's also contributed at least $38 million more to candidates and groups outside of Texas. Full Story
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Today is the first day you'll see robust journalism produced by the reporters of The Texas Tribune in the pages of The New York Times and on nytimes.com. Full Story
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In our final TribCast before Election Day, the gang takes a look back at the closest races this cycle and dares to makes some predictions about what's going to happen on November 2. Full Story
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The state's political economy hummed with $43.5 million in contributions to and between candidates and political action committees between Sept. 24 and Oct. 23, according to the most recent reports filed with the Texas Ethics Commission. The biggest contribution: $3 million to Rick Perry's re-election campaign from the Republican Governors Association. Full Story
Top appointees and employees at the state Teacher Retirement System overrode staff recommendations in order to hire political cronies and business associates for investment work there, Democratic gubernatorial nominee Bill White charged Tuesday. A spokesman for Gov. Rick Perry's campaign says White is "throwing everything at the wall to see what will stick." Full Story
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A Houston-based group sent mailers into at least two House races, but instead of using its political action committee to pay for the mailings, it used a 501(c)4. Full Story
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A new rule that took effect this summer allows — for the first time — real categorization of campaign spending. Full Story
Ramsey on whether Bill White at the top of the ballot helps Houston-area candidates, Aaronson and Stiles present a treemap of Texas political ads, Stiles and Ramsey on the latest campaign finance filings, Aguilar on the Laredo mayor's race, Hamilton on anonymous tweeters who make mischief, Ramshaw interviews a disability rights activist with a thing for iPads and bibles, Hu on the accidental release of Rick Perry's "secret" schedule, M. Smith on the bitter back-and-forth over a voter registration effort in Harris County, Philpott's micro-debate on education between two House candidates, Grissom on this week's twist in the Cameron Todd Willingham investigation and, in our latest collaboration with a big-city Texas newspaper, Stiles, Grissom and John Tedesco of the San-Antonio Express News on what kind of Texans, exactly, are applying to carry concealed handguns: The best of our best from Oct. 4 to 9, 2010. Full Story
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With a month to go before Election Day, challengers in fifteen House races outraised incumbents during the most recent reporting period, according to the most recent filings with the Texas Ethics Commission. In eight of those races, the challengers led in combined spending and saving, a rough measure of each campaign's financial strength. Full Story
The major party gubernatorial candidates' 30-day campaign reports are now available online, offering political observers more detail about their fundraising from July 1 to Sept. 23. Full Story
Gov. Rick Perry's campaign reported today raising more than $8 million since July 1, eclipsing his Democratic challenger, former Houston Mayor Bill White, by about $3 million. Full Story
In partial campaign finance filings released today, Democratic gubernatorial nominee Bill White's campaign reports raising $4.68 million and has $2.75 million in cash left to spend. Full Story
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