BREAKING NEWS
In Texas, violating campaign ethics laws rarely yields repercussions. The attorney general’s office is to blame.
Read full article: In Texas, violating campaign ethics laws rarely yields repercussions. The attorney general’s office is to blame.The number of fines for breaking state campaign ethics laws has exploded in recent years as Ken Paxton’s office rarely pursues stricter enforcement.
Lina Hidalgo receives ethics fine after endorsing a primary candidate at a Harris County press conference
Read full article: Lina Hidalgo receives ethics fine after endorsing a primary candidate at a Harris County press conferenceThe $500 fine from the Texas Ethics Commission comes after the agency found the Harris County judge broke state campaign laws barring use of government resources for political purposes.
Texas Ethics Commission will require influencers to disclose when they’re paid for advertisement
Read full article: Texas Ethics Commission will require influencers to disclose when they’re paid for advertisementThe action comes after The Texas Tribune reported that influencers were being paid to defend impeached Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Texas could require social media influencers to disclose paid political posts
Read full article: Texas could require social media influencers to disclose paid political postsThe Tribune reported last year that a company called Influenceable LLC was paid to recruit influencers to defend Attorney General Ken Paxton over his impeachment.
San Antonio Police Officers Association treasurer fined $5,000 for 2021 election code violation
Read full article: San Antonio Police Officers Association treasurer fined $5,000 for 2021 election code violationThe treasurer of the San Antonio Police Officers Association has been fined by the Texas Ethics Commission for violating the Texas Election Code.
Texas Ethics Commission blocks lobbying loophole that former state Rep. Chris Paddie used
Read full article: Texas Ethics Commission blocks lobbying loophole that former state Rep. Chris Paddie usedA 2019 law says a former lawmaker cannot register to lobby until two years after they last used campaign funds to donate to another politician. Paddie, R-Marshall, sought to get around that earlier this year by reimbursing his campaign account with personal money.
As they target South Texas, Republicans say one Democratic county isn’t maintaining campaign finance records
Read full article: As they target South Texas, Republicans say one Democratic county isn’t maintaining campaign finance recordsStarr County, one of the four counties that make up the Rio Grande Valley, has not been able to produce campaign finance reports that it is required to maintain, according to a GOP group targeting the area.
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Political contributions link ERCOT board to Abbott and the state committee now investigating the troubled entity
Read full article: Political contributions link ERCOT board to Abbott and the state committee now investigating the troubled entityAdWalker, the chair of the Public Utility Commission of Texas and a former senior policy advisor to Abbott, contributed $7,620 to Texans for Greg Abbott from 2009 to 2015, state campaign records show. Oliver told KSAT that he was also unaware of any recent criticism levied toward ERCOT by Abbott. Texas Ethics Commission records, however, show that three of the 13 representatives on the House Committee on State Affairs have accepted contributions from ERCOT board member Clifton Karnei. Rep. Chris Paddie, chair of the state affairs committee, also did not respond to calls and an email seeking comment. Other ERCOT board members are listed in TEC records as having contributed to several energy-related PACs.