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: Empowered Senators Slash TEC Budget

Persistent rumors claim that Empower Texans--which is fighting the Texas Ethics Commission in court--pressured the Senate to slash that agency's budget. Empower is the top donor to Lieutenant Governor Patrick, while the No. 2 money source to three senators is either Empower or the group's founder.

A new Lobby Watch follows Empower's PAC, as well as the group's shadowy dark-money expenditures.
Read the new Lobby Watch.