Dade Phelan directs House leaders to revisit vouchers, property taxes in the next legislative session
The Beaumont Republican issued his interim charges even as it remains unclear whether he’ll be reelected. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/b899b1b96352ec1f0b819adfd70ce074/1117 Lege School Vouchers JS TT 11.jpg)
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/b899b1b96352ec1f0b819adfd70ce074/1117%20Lege%20School%20Vouchers%20JS%20TT%2011.jpg)
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/profiles/Robert_Downen_2x3.jpeg)
Robert Downen is a reporter covering democracy and the threats to it, including extremism, disinformation and conspiracies. Before joining the Tribune in 2022, he worked for five years at the Houston Chronicle. As a Hearst Media fellow, he developed what would become "Abuse of Faith," a landmark investigation into child sexual abuse in the Southern Baptist Convention that prompted a Department of Justice investigation. Before coming to Texas, Robert was a business reporter in New York's capital region, and the managing editor of six newspapers in his home state of Illinois. He is a 2014 graduate of Eastern Illinois University.
Latest Contributions
-
![House Speaker Dade Phelan speaks with other represenatives during a special legislative session at the state capitol in Austin, Texas, on Nov. 17, 2023.]()
Credit: Julius Shieh/The Texas Tribune -
Faculty petition to hold no-confidence vote in UT-Austin president after protest response
President Jay Hartzell defended the response but faculty criticized the presence of armed state troopers. Fifty-seven people were arrested. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/ab6313ec272b2d9a35ddc2da13ca2fa1/0424 UT Austin Protest JS TT 051.jpg)
![Protesters link arms on the campus of UT-Austin on April 24, 2024.]()
Credit: Julius Shieh for The Texas Tribune -
Far-right activist Jonathan Stickland starts new group, months after white supremacist scandal
The former lawmaker registered “RaTmasTeR Holdings” along with Texas GOP Chair Matt Rinaldi. The name is a nod to Stickland’s alias as an infamous internet troll. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/5169a20b9052230f997ff4226cd75d1e/0521 Jonathan Stickland JF TT 349.jpg)
![State Rep. Jonathan Stickland, R-Bedford, on the House floor on May 21, 2019.]()
Credit: Juan Figueroa/The Texas Tribune -
Texas Supreme Court justice implies Democrats will cheat in 2024 election
Justice John Devine’s comments at a conservative event are the latest to prompt concerns about his impartiality as a jurist. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/2410465f1c44e7c342a439ae945b3277/SCOTX 2013 BD TT 01.jpg)
![Texas Supreme Court Justice John Devine, far left, with fellow judges on the House floor in Austin in 2013.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Former Texas House speaker says GOP megadonor Tim Dunn told him only Christians should hold leadership positions
Straus, who is Jewish, publicly confirmed the conversation for the first time Thursday. It had previously been reported by Texas Monthly. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/0f57428c833696497331e2b40c958daf/0924 Strauss EG TT 03.jpg)
![Sandi Villarreal, deputy editor for digital at Texas Monthly, moderates a panel with US Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, and former speaker of the Texas House Joe Straus at The Texas Tribune Festival on Sept. 24, 2022 in Austin, TX.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Texas could require social media influencers to disclose paid political posts
The Tribune reported last year that a company called Influenceable LLC was paid to recruit influencers to defend Attorney General Ken Paxton over his impeachment. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/83790175766e077a0c447a2bf2172990/Cell Phone Stock KC 05.JPG)
![The Texas Ethics Commission took the first step in adopting rules that would require social media influencers to include political advertising disclosures when they are paid to post political advertising online.]()
Credit: Photo Illustration by Kylie Cooper/The Texas Tribune -
Race to succeed Texas GOP chair Matt Rinaldi has become referendum on his tenure
Some Republicans and candidates are calling for a serious change, warning that the party could be vulnerable in future elections because of the ongoing disunity that has defined Rinaldi’s two terms. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/31040a0e64b1b2da247db15d1ec8575e/Dana Myers - Abraham George Split.jpg)
![Texas Republican Party Chair candidates Dana Myers, left, and Abraham George.]()
Credit: Campaign websites -
Texas GOP chair candidate tried to confront wife’s alleged lover with a loaded gun, police say
Abraham George is running to lead the state party with backing from current Chair Matt Rinaldi, who announced last week he will not seek reelection. He was not arrested or charged. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/7b6805f5a9d56d7bd51340e6a5946a98/0923 Labor Day Paxton AS TT 03.jpg)
![Abraham George, chairman of the Collin County Republican party, speaks at the Labor day picnic in Plano, Texas on Sept. 2, 2023.]()
Credit: Azul Sordo for The Texas Tribune -
Texas GOP chair Matt Rinaldi won’t seek reelection
Rinaldi’s three-year tenure as chair of the GOP saw vicious infighting and historic gains for the state’s far right. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/66b5496b602f0edcf31e7034d323dc67/Texas Freedom Caucus Presser MGO TT 11.jpg)
![Texas GOP Chair Matt Rinaldi at a press conference on Aug. 30, 2021, amid talk about punishing House Democrats for breaking quorum.]()
Credit: Michael Gonzalez/The Texas Tribune -
Texas Supreme Court refuses to hear ethics lawsuits brought by conservative activist Michael Quinn Sullivan
In 2014, and following a two-year investigation, the Texas Ethics Commission fined Sullivan $10,000 for failing to register as a lobbyist. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/1014fdfe0c885b52c3ae071077ae32c6/MQS JF TT.jpg)
![Michael Quinn Sullivan of Empower Texans speaks at a conservative grassroots rally for property tax relief and reform at the Texas Capitol on Tuesday, April 16, 2019.]()
Credit: Juan Figueroa/The Texas Tribune
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/ab6313ec272b2d9a35ddc2da13ca2fa1/0424%20UT%20Austin%20Protest%20JS%20TT%20051.jpg)
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/5169a20b9052230f997ff4226cd75d1e/0521%20Jonathan%20Stickland%20JF%20TT%20349.jpg)
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/2410465f1c44e7c342a439ae945b3277/SCOTX%202013%20BD%20TT%2001.jpg)
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/0f57428c833696497331e2b40c958daf/0924%20Strauss%20EG%20TT%2003.jpg)
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/83790175766e077a0c447a2bf2172990/Cell%20Phone%20Stock%20KC%2005.JPG)
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/31040a0e64b1b2da247db15d1ec8575e/Dana%20Myers%20-%20Abraham%20George%20Split.jpg)
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/7b6805f5a9d56d7bd51340e6a5946a98/0923%20Labor%20Day%20Paxton%20AS%20TT%2003.jpg)
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/66b5496b602f0edcf31e7034d323dc67/Texas%20Freedom%20Caucus%20Presser%20MGO%20TT%2011.jpg)
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/1014fdfe0c885b52c3ae071077ae32c6/MQS%20JF%20TT.jpg)