Politics

Votes on school vouchers and Paxton impeachment raise the risk of primary challenges for some Republican lawmakers

Posted on · Governor Greg Abbott told Texas pastors that he’ll back the primary opponents of GOP lawmakers who don’t vote for his private school voucher plan in an upcoming special session of the Legislature.

Elections

Harris County begins voting equipment tests for November 2023 elections

Posted on · The Houston mayoral and city council elections will be the first major test of how Harris County conducts elections since a state law abolished the county’s elections administrator’s office and returned its powers to the county clerk and county tax assessor-collector.

John Whitmire

Politics

John Whitmire’s plan to bring DPS troopers to Houston has yielded mixed results in Austin and Dallas

Posted on · State Senator John Whitmire wants to bring 200 DPS troopers to Houston to aid local police if he’s elected mayor. Local officials in Austin and Dallas say DPS deployments in those cities led to racially targeted traffic stops and arrests.

Politics

Paxton trial day 8: Defense fires back against allegations facing Ken Paxton

Posted on · As the impeachment trial of suspended Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton winds down, lawyers for the three-term Republican opened their defense by calling two senior staffers who have stuck by the suspended attorney general. Each testified Paxton didn’t use his power to withhold records.

Politics

Impeachment trial day 6: Outside attorney says Paxton avoided official communication channels

Posted on · Criminal attorney Brandon Cammack was the first witness called Tuesday by House impeachment managers. In 2020, he was the outside attorney Ken Paxton hired to investigate federal and local officials related to the FBI searches of Austin real estate developer Nate Paul’s home and businesses.

Elections

Harris County leaders dismantle Elections Administrator’s Office

Posted on · Under Senate Bill 1750, the county clerk will take over management of elections, while the county tax assessor-collector will take charge of maintaining the county’s voter rolls.

Flooding

Halls Bayou watershed will get $18 million in state funds to build a massive stormwater detention basin

Posted on · The Hahl North Stormwater Detention Basin, for which State Rep. Armando Walle helped to secure funding during the recent legislative session, will be able to hold enough water to fill half the Astrodome.