George Santos attorney expresses optimism about plea talks as expelled congressman appears in court
Former U.S. Rep. George Santosโ lawyer expressed optimism about plea negotiations in Santosโ criminal fraud case Tuesday, successfully fending off prosecutorsโ attempts to speed up the the ousted congressmanโs trial.
Texas Republicans unite to elect Mike Johnson as U.S. House Speaker
All Texas Republicans in the U.S. House voted for Louisianaโs Mike Johnson to be speaker, ending a stalemate that has left the chamber leaderless for three weeks. Johnson is a deeply religious conservative who won the support of the partyโs disparate factions.
Texans Pete Sessions, Roger Williams both out in whirlwind day to pick U.S. speaker
Sessions dropped out of the race after a first round of voting within the Republican conference. Williams entered the race after the apparent front-runner, Tom Emmer of Minnesota, failed to reach the 217-vote threshold, but later on Tuesday evening and the Texas lawmaker was also out.
Texas Reps. Jodey Arrington, Pete Sessions and Roger Williams are making moves to become U.S. House speaker
Arrington and Williams expressed their interest after the House Republican Conference voted in a closed door meeting to drop Jim Jordan as their nominee for speaker. Sessions announced his run shortly after.
Texas congressional Democrats say impeaching Biden is โnot comparableโ to Trump impeachments
Speaker Kevin McCarthy announced his plans Tuesday to launch an impeachment inquiry, saying it was the โlogical next stepโ after months of probing by House Republicans into the Biden family. The investigations have so far yet to turn up evidence that the president violated the law.
Texasโ extraordinary move to impeach scandal-plagued GOP Attorney General Ken Paxton
After years of legal and ethical scandals swirling around Texas Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, the stateโs GOP-controlled House of Representatives has moved toward an impeachment vote that could quickly throw him from office.
U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert asked Trump for a pardon after insurrection, Jan. 6 committee reveals
Gohmert was mentioned several times during Thursdayโs hearing, which focused on the coordinated effort by Trump and his allies to convince the Justice Department to investigate voter fraud and help overturn election results.
Cornyn signals looming Senate gun debate but voting records of local congressmen reveal gridlock on even modest reforms
Last weekโs massacre at Uvaldeโs Robb Elementary School is the latest stark reminder of just how little action the United States Congress has taken in recent years on gun reform.
Texas Republicans Chip Roy and Louie Gohmert among few to vote against U.S. House bill to help poor mothers access formula
The bill, which passed in the House, would expand the formula brand choices available to mothers on a federal assistance program in an attempt to mitigate a disruptive baby formula shortage around the country.
Democrats are in danger of losing three congressional strongholds in South Texas
The seats in question are held by U.S. Reps. Henry Cuellar of Laredo and Vicente Gonzalez of McAllen. A third vacant seat recently belonged to Filemon Vela of Brownsville, who stepped down to take a private sector lobbying job.
Retiring U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson looms large in crowded race to replace her
Johnson did not make her retirement official until November, setting off an abridged scramble to set up campaigns ahead of the December filing deadline but attracting a packed lineup of experienced candidates who are either well connected, well known or well funded.
Gov. Greg Abbott signs off on Texasโ new political maps, which protect GOP majorities while diluting voices of voters of color
Texas lawmakers drew new maps for the state House and Senate, congressional delegation and State Board of Education. Hereโs what Texans should know about the 2021 redistricting outcomes.
Democrat Lizzie Pannill Fletcher is about to find out how badly Texas Republicans want her out of Congress
The two-term Houston representative holds a congressional seat with a storied Republican lineage. With the GOP-controlled Legislature about to release new district maps, some expect they will try to wrest the seat back into their column.
National Republicans zero in on South Texas congressional race to oust Vicente Gonzalez
The Democratic incumbent, Rep. Vicente Gonzalez of McAllen, had a surprisingly close race last year as President Joe Biden underperformed across the region, and his 2020 challenger, Monica De La Cruz-Hernandez, is running again.
U.S. Sens. John Cornyn, Ted Cruz vote against infrastructure bill that could give Texas more than $30 billion
The Senate approved a $1 trillion, bipartisan bill that also earmarks money for broadband internet access. Itโs not yet known how much money set aside for the countryโs aging electricity infrastructure could go to Texasโ main power grid.
Texas lawmakers to testify as U.S. House oversight committee plans hearing on Texas voting bill
Three of the Democratic legislators who went to Washington, D.C., to deny the Texas House a quorum have been invited to detail their concerns at a specially called hearing on the contentious legislation that includes new restrictions on voting.
Texas House Democrat Michelle Beckley announces run against Republican U.S. Rep. Beth Van Duyne
Beckley unveiled her plans in a video filmed inside a hotel room in the nationโs capital, where state House Democrats fled earlier this month to break quorum in protest of Republicansโ priority elections bill.
U.S. House calls for Russia to free Texan who's been imprisoned since 2019
Trevor Reed, a 29-year-old resident of Granbury, was arrested in August 2019 on specious grounds, according to news reports and American diplomats, and his supporters say heโs being held on trumped-up charges because heโs a retired Marine.
Donald Trump denounces Chip Royโs bid for U.S. House Republican leadership post: โHe has not done a great jobโ
As U.S. Rep. Chip Roy made known his intent Thursday to become the third-ranking House Republican, former President Donald Trump released a statement of condemnation of the Austin Republican and endorsed his rival for the post.
U.S. House Oversight Committee investigating operator of Texas' power grid
The U.S. Capitol on Jan. 12, 2021. Credit: REUTERS/Joshua RobertsA U.S. House subcommittee is investigating the operator of Texasโ power grid for its role in leaving millions without electricity during the destructive winter storm that hammered the state two weeks ago. The subcommittee asked ERCOT to fork over documents by March 17. AdIn the letter, Khanna also highlighted the known risk that climate change poses to the United States based on scientific evidence. ERCOT and the State of Texas are well-aware of the weather predictions, yet you failed to prepare adequately for them,โ Khanna said. The oversight committee is โthe main investigative committee in the U.S. House of Representativesโ and can investigate within its legislative jurisdiction as well as โany matterโ within the jurisdiction of other standing committees, according to the committeeโs website.
Formed 50 years ago, Congressional Black Caucus made presence felt by standing up to Nixon
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Congressional Black Caucus, a nonpartisan group of Black members in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate that provides a voice and highlights issues prominent in the Black community. With a growing number of Black representatives in Congress due to redistricting, members felt a more official group was needed to better serve their communities. So in 1971, 13 members of the House formed the initial group, but they were originally ignored by one prominent person: then-President Richard Nixon. After the group formed, Nixon initially refused to meet, and the members decided to do something about that, according to the Houseโs historical website. Currently at 55 members, the CBC forms about a quarter of the Democratic Partyโs representation in the House.
Media captures unprecedented storming of U.S. Capitol
People shelter in the House gallery as protesters try to break into the House Chamber at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. โSecurity here at the U.S. Capitol has failed.โGiven Trump's speech and two months of baseless charges that the election was rigged, several journalists raised questions about why law enforcement seemed so unprepared. Even as the building was being stormed, Trump supporters in the media were calling into question who was responsible. Fox anchor Martha MacCallum, before the scope of the violence inside the Capitol was known, called the breach a โhuge victoryโ for protestors. The nation's deep divisions played out in the media before and after protestors moved on the Capitol.
KSAT Kids: Today in History, Oct. 8
Today is Thursday, Oct. 8, the 282nd day of 2020. Todayโs Highlight in History:On Oct. 8, 1981, at the White House President Ronald Reagan greeted former Presidents Jimmy Carter, Gerald Ford and Richard Nixon, who were preparing to travel to Egypt for the funeral of Anwar Sadat. In 1997, Scientists reported the Mars Pathfinder had yielded what could be the strongest evidence yet that Mars might once have been hospitable to life. In 1998, news broke of an affair between then-President Bill Clinton and 22-year-old White House intern Monica Lewinsky. In 2017, Harvey Weinstein was fired from The Weinstein Company amid allegations that he was responsible for decades of sexual harassment.
Montana presses to finish census, eyeing 2nd House seat
But the 2020 census deadline remains in flux, making it uncertain if census takers will finish counting the vast, rural state. But the 2020 census deadline remains in flux, making it uncertain if census takers will finish counting the vast, rural state. Experts say a second House seat is a prize the state can scarcely afford to lose. In an August report, the bureau stated it needed 2,000 census takers, also called enumerators, to complete Montana's count. An extension would give Montana's enumerators a chance to overcome these challenges, getting closer to the coveted second House seat.
Second round of stimulus checks possible, but Congress needs to negotiate bill first
As unemployment claims continue to rise, Congress is considering a second round of stimulus checks. Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the HEROES Act, which would increase unemployment aid, food stamps and includes more stimulus money. If the bill were to pass in its current form, the second stimulus check will be like the first, offering individuals $1,200, married couples $2,400 and adding extra $500 credits for up to three children. Negotiations over the bill have not started yet, however, and Americans are not likely to see anymore coronavirus relief until June at the earliest. Highlights of Democratsโ $3 trillion-plus virus relief bill
Are you giving up your right to sue?
SAN ANTONIO โ Whether you realize it or not, thereโs a good chance you have given up your right to take problems with a product or service to court. The reason is whatโs called a forced arbitration clause that may be buried in the fine print. Experts at Consumer Reports say there is cause for concern as many companies are making easy-to-miss but important changes in their sales agreements. โBasically, it means you have giving up your right to take a dispute to court,โ said Scott Medintz, of Consumer Reports. โThis is your constitutional right and youโre giving it up even before you know that thereโs a dispute.โConsumer Reports: 10 โtop picksโ cars, trucks, SUVsArbitration clauses typically are buried in the fine print of product manuals and websites.