New: Previously unreleased investigative interviews w/ police officers who responded to the Uvalde school shooting revealed they abandoned their plan to quickly confront the gunman after learning a crucial piece of information: He was armed with an AR-15. texastribune.org/2023/03/20/uva… The first responding officers told investigators that entering the classroom would get them killed, repeatedly referencing the fact that the rifle's bullets could penetrate their body armor, our investigation found.

6 mass shootings have occurred in Texas during @GregAbbott_TX's 7½ years in office. He has offered prayers & condemned each.
The murders of 5 police in Dallas were “acts of cowardice.” The killing of 26 in Sutherland Springs was a “horrific act.” 1/10
texastribune.org/2022/05/25/uva… The high school shooting in Santa Fe that took 10 lives was an “act of evil.” The slaying of 23 at an El Paso Walmart was a “senseless act of violence” while the shooting deaths of 7 in Midland-Odessa three weeks later were a “senseless and cowardly act.” 2/10

For 2 years, I've tracked how Texas is spending billions in post-Harvey federal disaster aid. The latest: We found the new TX plan steers aid disproportionately to whiter, more conservative inland counties with a lower risk of disasters than the coast. texastribune.org/2022/05/16/tex… My investigation last year found the original TX plan shifted $ away from urban coastal cities. Feds cited this in finding Texas had discriminated against Black & Latino residents. We found the new plan would result in a similar pattern of $ distribution.

https://twitter.com/zachdespart/status/1405958226118680585

Harris County commissioners hide where millions in campaign contributions come from by omitting donor occupations on their disclosures.
I found 79% are from county vendors, whom commissioners steered 93% of no-bid infrastructure contracts the past 2 yrs.⬇️
houstonchronicle.com/projects/2022/… Yes, you read that right. In '20-'21 Harris County commissioners gave $310 million in no-bid contracts to companies whose executives and PACs nearly single-handedly bankroll their campaigns.
And keep this secret from the public!
houstonchronicle.com/projects/2022/…

Harris County is solidly democratic. Biden was +13 here and Republicans haven't won a countywide race since 2014.
Yet a proposed precinct map by the GOP commissioners would leave their party well-positioned to retake control of county gov't next year.
houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-t… Here's the current map, drawn by Republicans in 2011. It packed Democrats into Precinct 1 and created Republican majorities in 2, 3 & 4.

New: @georgepbush says it's not his office's fault that Houston/Harris County failed to win a dime of $1 billion in flood protection 💰 it disbursed.
He blamed rules set by HUD.

We read those rules. This is false.
Like, 👖-on-🔥 false.

w/@jaspscherer ⬇️
houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-t… Our investigation found a different reality than Bush's team presented: Not only does HUD give states significant discretion to decide how to spend their funds, but the criteria Bush’s General Land Office developed discriminated against populous areas. houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-t…

.@GHPartnership committed to fighting racial injustice after George Floyd's death.
The influential biz group often comments on policy issues.
But it has been silent on the #TX voting bills, which Houston leaders say discriminate against voters of color.
houstonchronicle.com/politics/houst… 10 board members want to change that. They wrote a letter to GHP leaders with a proposed statement opposing parts of SB 7 and HB 6, which they say would "impose unnecessary and overreaching burdens on Harris County voters," especially Black and Hispanic residents.

2.6 million power outages in TX now, from Red River (-2°) to Rio Grande Valley (21°). To Northerners who don't understand the big deal:
- Many TX 🏘️ lack heat; rely on 🔌 space heaters
- 🏘️ improperly insulated & vulnerable to pipes freezing
- Few snow plows, salt, snow tires ❄️ Awful ➡️

https://twitter.com/racheladhe/status/1361337726235213827

I have been allowed inside. Other reporters have not. Fix this ASAP, Southern District of Texas!!

https://twitter.com/zachdespart/status/1323307786617368578

Harris County is presenting its case: That drive thru voting is legal, was approved by SoS and plan has been public knowledge for months.