Jessica Priest
Engagement Reporter
This College’s 38-Acre Land Donation to a Christian School Drew Little Attention. Experts Say It Appears to Violate the Law.
The donation raises questions about government oversight at a time when Texas officials are increasingly blurring the lines between church and state.
West Texas Pastor Who Used Illegal Donations From Churches to Campaign for Office Is Fined $3,500
Fines issued to Scott Beard of Abilene’s Fountaingate Fellowship and two pastors follow reporting from ProPublica and The Texas Tribune that revealed the churches donated to his campaign for local office despite state and federal prohibitions.
Help ProPublica and The Texas Tribune Report on School Board and Bond Elections in Your Community
We want to hear about how heated elections affect the people learning, teaching and living in districts across Texas.
Texas School Districts Violated a Law Intended to Add Transparency to Local Elections
ProPublica and The Texas Tribune analyzed 35 Texas school districts that held trustee elections last fall and found none that posted all of the required campaign finance records.
The Many Times Ken Paxton Refused to Defend Texas Agencies in Court
The Texas attorney general said he’s “back to work” after his recent acquittal, but his office has repeatedly declined to fulfill one of its key duties: representing state agencies who are being sued.
The Texas Attorney General Is Supposed to Represent State Agencies. Ken Paxton Has Repeatedly Refused To.
Records obtained by ProPublica and The Texas Tribune give deeper insight into how Paxton’s representation denials often pushed agencies to look for outside legal counsel that was ultimately funded by taxpayers.
Churches’ Role in Local Election Prompts Calls for Investigations
West Texas voters rejected three conservative Christian candidates who sought to infuse religious values into local politics. But the campaign support the candidates received from local churches has prompted calls for state and federal probes.
Trio of Texas Churches Donated to Political Candidate Despite Clear IRS Prohibition
A candidate for the Abilene, Texas, City Council said that three churches made an honest mistake by donating to his campaign and that he is returning the money. The race has been beset by allegations of electioneering by churches.
Texas Governor Says Most Gun Crimes Involve Illegally Owned Weapons. That’s Not True for Mass Shootings.
The majority of the state’s 19 mass shootings over the past six decades were carried out by men who legally possessed firearms, an investigation by ProPublica and The Texas Tribune found.
Despite Decades of Mass Shootings in Texas, Legislators Have Failed to Pass Meaningful Gun Control Laws
State lawmakers have rejected dozens of bills that would have prevented people from legally obtaining weapons used in many mass shootings. Instead, they’ve made it easier for residents to get guns and harder for local governments to regulate them.
These 20 Churches Supported Political Candidates. Experts Say They Violated Federal Law.
Churches aren’t supposed to endorse political candidates, according to IRS rules. Across the country, churches appear to be doing so anyway.
Texas Churches Violate the Law Ahead of Tuesday’s Election, Experts Say
Churches in Texas invited Beto O’Rourke and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick to speak to their congregations before the 2022 midterms, raising questions about the effectiveness of the Johnson Amendment.
Churches Are Breaking the Law by Endorsing in Elections, Experts Say. The IRS Looks the Other Way.
For nearly 70 years, federal law has barred churches from directly involving themselves in political campaigns, but the IRS has largely abdicated its enforcement responsibilities as churches have become more brazen about publicly backing candidates.
Tell Us How Religious Organizations in Your Area Involve Themselves in Elections
Federal law bars churches and other nonprofit groups from endorsing candidates or helping to fundraise, but we know they regularly sidestep — or flat-out ignore — these rules. Help us identify examples.
Help ProPublica and The Texas Tribune Report on the Military Justice System
We’re looking into how the military investigates service members accused of crimes, intersects with the civilian justice system and treats cases that do not make it to courts-martial. Guide us to important stories.
Help Us Investigate Texas Border Security Initiatives
We’re looking into Texas’ border security initiatives, including what has worked, what hasn’t and how they affect residents. If you have experience on the border, we’d like to hear from you.
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