Lawmakers Rub Out Emergency Ethics Reforms - TPJ, Public Citizen Statement

Gov. Abbott's "Emergency" 
Goes Unheeded - Again!

For the second legislative session in a row, lawmakers largely ignored Gov. Greg Abbott's emergency call for ethics reform.

See the fate of 10 Key Reform Bills and TPJ's reaction.

Lobby Watch: $1.7 M. Ideological Dollars Drove Patrick-Straus Rift?

The biggest funding difference between Lt. Gov. Patrick and Speaker Straus stems from Ideological/Single Issue contributors. Before ideological brawls broke out between the two legislative chambers, Ideological/Single Issue donors gave Patrick almost $2 million--or 674 percent more than they gave to Straus.

Lobby Watch breaks down a legislative breakdown by the numbers.

Lobby Watch: Predatory Lenders Lavish $4.2 Million on Texas Pols

The predatory lending industry has spent a stunning $4.2 million on Texas politicians over the past two elections, including more than $1 million from Cash Store chief Trevor Ahlberg of Irving (25 percent of the total). These heavy political investments helped a defensive industry seize the offensive.

Check out the new Lobby Watch.

Running on Hydrocarbons: Oil & Gas Contributions to Texas Legislators

Current Texas lawmakers took $11.3 million from the oil and gas industry over the past two election cycles, according to a new report, "Running on Hydrocarbons," released today by Texans for Public Justice, Public Citizen and the Sierra Club's Lone Star Chapter. The Energy & Natural Resources sector supplies lawmakers with more money than any other sector besides Lawyers & Lobbyists (even as Energy & Natural Resources is the leading employer of Texas lobbyists).

Read the media release.

Read the full report: Running on Hydrocarbons.

Lobby Watch: The Newest 'Revolving Door' Lobbyists.

With five of Speaker Joe Straus' former lieutenants stepping straight into the lobby this session, a Straus-appointed committee eviscerated a reform to slam the brakes on the revolving door. 

Members seem to regard the revolving door as a personal entitlement, as the House trains future lobbyists at public expense. Which 2015 committee chair now boasts the fattest retainers? Who lugged the biggest leftover war chest into the lobby? 

Lobby Watch exposes the new revolvers!