Perry's First Court Appearance on November 6

Gov. Rick Perry will appear in Travis County District Court on November 6th for the first hearing in his 'abuse of power' criminal indictment. Perry’s defense team is trying to have the felony indictments dismissed claiming that Special Prosecutor Michael McCrum was improperly sworn in. Visiting Judge Bert Richardson, who says he properly swore in McCrum, will preside at the hearing.

Statesman Challenges Abbott Position on Hecht Ethic's Fine

In his response to the lawsuit filed by TPJ urging the Travis County District Court to take action to compel Attorney General Abbott to pursue the $29,000 Ethic's fine levied against Supreme Court Justice Nathan Hecht, Abbott claims it's not his legal responsibility to pursue the case. Today's article by Chuck Lindell exposes Abbott's response for the BS it is.

Read today's American-Statesman article by Chuck Lindell.

Read TPJ's press release on it's October 15 lawsuit.

Abbott Clobbers Davis in Race for Payday Lender Money

Predatory-lending interests have given $402,959 to Gregg Abbott and $10,500 to Wendy Davis since 2009. According to the most recent disclosure reports, payday interests have given Abbott $130,222 in 2014 while making no contributions to Davis.

Read TPJ's full analysis of predatory-lender contributions.

$2.6 Million in Contributions Leads to F1 'Oral' Application for $250 Million Taxpayer Handout

An alleged "oral application" secured extraordinary pledges of $250 million in state funds for Austin's Formula 1 franchise. Yet nobody will identify the mysterious Deep-Throat parties to that oral application--or say when it supposedly occurred.

Following the skid marks, Lobby Watch identifies $2.6 million in F1-related political contributions. Major F1 beneficiaries include  Governor Rick Perry,  Greg Abbott and Comptroller Susan Combs.

Read the racy F1 Lobby Watch.

TPJ Files Suit to Force Abbott to Pursue Ethics Case Against Justice Hecht

TPJ has filed a motion in Travis County court to compel Attorney General Abbott- or a court-ordered replacement-to pursue a long-slumbering case involving a $29,000 ethics fine against Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan Hecht.

Read TPJ's media release.
Read TPJ's court filing.
View a Abbott-Hecht case timeline.
View Ethics Commission Dec. 2008 order against Justice Hecht.

Backgrounder on Rick Perry: A bully indicted for abuse of office

The Perry indictments have triggered a flood of misinformation about the case. TPJ's fact sheet rebuts major spin-machine fallacies and includes links to numerous sources that document the facts.
Read TPJ's spin-busting fact sheet.

Dallas Morning News:
Group whose complaint led to Rick Perry indictment no stranger to political retaliation
Texas Tribune: Five things to know about the Perry indictment
Dallas Morning News: Governor Perry indicted for abuse of power
Houston Chronicle: Perry indicted on two felony charges
MSNBC: Rick Perry Indicted for Abuse of Power

Read TPJ's June 14, 2013 complaint.
Read TPJ's June 14 media release.

DMN: Abbott relies on mega-donors

Christy Hoppe: Greg Abbott has far more big-dollar donors than Wendy Davis
Democrat Wendy Davis has had to reach out to many more contributors.

Statement on Tom DeLay Decision

“Today’s decision by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals is disappointing if not surprising. This partisan appeals court trumped a non-partisan jury to put one of its own back on the streets. Laundering corporate money to steal an election for your party is not a crime - so long as that same party controls the courts.” - Craig McDonald, Director, Texans for Public Justice.

Lobby Watch: Wyly Pols Can Help Repay Fraud Judgment

A judge recently ordered the Dallas-based Wyly brothers to pay $188 million for fraudulent manipulation of offshore accounts over 10 years. Sam Wyly and the estate of Charles Wyly say they no longer have that kind of scratch. Doing its civic duty, Lobby Watch identifies $1.3 million that the brothers Wyly gave to Texas politicians since 2000 and urges those pols to disgorge the funds in the name of justice. Read all about those Wyly politicians in Lobby Watch.

Con Job: Campaign Money & Phantom Jobs at the Texas Enterprise Fund

TPJ has documented the questionable job creation reports at the Texas Enterprise Fund since 2010. TPJ has also tracked campaign contributions from TEC grant recipients to Governor Perry and other state officials. Today's auditor report on TEF warrants revisiting some of our research.

Lobby Watch: Texas Big Three Bag Enterprise-Fund Millions.

Con Job: Report Finds Most Texas Enterprise Fund Grantees Failed to Deliver in 2010.

Rick Perry's Piggybank.