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
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.
President Jay Hartzell defended the response but faculty criticized the presence of armed state troopers. Fifty-seven people were arrested. Full Story
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
Justice John Devine’s comments at a conservative event are the latest to prompt concerns about his impartiality as a jurist. Full Story
Straus, who is Jewish, publicly confirmed the conversation for the first time Thursday. It had previously been reported by Texas Monthly. Full Story
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
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
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
Rinaldi’s three-year tenure as chair of the GOP saw vicious infighting and historic gains for the state’s far right. Full Story
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
All told, 11 of the 28 House candidates supported by Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks won their primaries outright, and another eight are headed to runoffs this May. Full Story