Empower Texans

Texas House considers bills to erode press protection, expose journalists, bloggers to more lawsuits

2017-04-25T23:55:18-05:00

By J. David McSwane The Dallas Morning News Originally published April 12, 2017 AUSTIN — Plans to force journalists to reveal their sources  and further expose media outlets to lawsuits made strange bedfellows Wednesday as leaders of journalism advocacy groups attacked two bills alongside members of a far-right fundraising and propaganda outfit. During a House committee hearing, two bills authored by Rep. Ken King, R-Canadian, drew protests from prominent First Amendment attorneys who say the bills violate the U.S. Constitution and would suppress the reporting of information in the public interest. One bill attacks the reporter's shield law, which protects journalists from being forced [...]

Texas House considers bills to erode press protection, expose journalists, bloggers to more lawsuits2017-04-25T23:55:18-05:00

Texas Ethics Commission to hold secret proceeding on complaint

2013-10-28T14:59:00-05:00

By Ross Ramsey The Texas Tribune Originally published Oct. 28, 2013 State ethics regulators are weighing complaints sparked by the political campaigning and legislative influence of the conservative gadfly Michael Quinn Sullivan, Empower Texans and related organizations. But you won’t get a chance to watch most of it. Two lawmakers accused Sullivan and his organizations of breaking the state’s election laws while inveighing against moderate Republicans in the 2012 primaries, and of violating the state’s lobby reporting laws in their conversations with lawmakers. The Texas Ethics Commission has scheduled a confidential hearing for Tuesday — its second — as it decides [...]

Texas Ethics Commission to hold secret proceeding on complaint2013-10-28T14:59:00-05:00

UT-Austin Cancels Regent’s Records Requests

2013-09-30T20:24:12-05:00

By Reeve Hamilton, Texas Tribune Originally posted, 08.07.13 Over two dozen boxes containing open records requests from the University of Texas system have been retrieved for use by UT Austin. (Image source: Texas Tribune) Kevin Hegarty, the chief financial officer and custodian of records for the University of Texas at Austin, informed the University of Texas System on Monday that all pending records requests from embattled Regent Wallace Hall are considered “cancelled, effective immediately.” The House Select Committee on Transparency in State Agency Operations is in the process of investigating Hall’s behavior as a regent and considering whether or not to [...]

UT-Austin Cancels Regent’s Records Requests2013-09-30T20:24:12-05:00
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