Welcome to the latest installment of the Texas watchdog journalism roundup, a series showcasing hard-hitting investigative stories in Texas that uncovered hidden facts, held officials accountable and demonstrated why journalism matters.
Uresti found guilty on all charges in end to salacious month-long fraud trial | The San Antonio Express-News
More than a year after the Express-News first revealed how state Sen. Carlos Uresti, D-San Antonio, had persuaded a former client to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars in a Ponzi scheme, Uresti was found guilty last week of 20 felony charges in a month-long criminal trial. Patrick Danner, the reporter who first broke the story, covered the trial and was on hand for the verdict. Story by Patrick Danner and Guillermo Contreras
As Wolff remained free, others with fewer probation violations rearrested | KSAT 12 Defenders
As Bexar County Commissioner Kevin Wolff remained free, despite more than two dozen probation violations, 40 defendants in adjudicated Bexar County drunken driving cases were rearrested last year for possible violations: https://t.co/HrPV85AU4c via @dilloncollier @ksatnews
— Ellie Holmes (@ellierosetx) February 16, 2018
Bexar County Commissioner Kevin Wolff, who is on probation in a drunken driving case, remained free despite more than two dozen probation violations that included skipping breath tests. Records show 40 other DWI defendants on probation were arrested for similar violations, according to a months-long investigation by KSAT 12. Story by Dillon Collier
Record reservoir flooding was predicted even before Harvey hit Houston | The Houston Chronicle
Days before Hurricane Harvey hit, the Army Corps knew its giant flood-control reservoirs in Houston would back up into residential neighborhoods — and didn't warn the public. "This is a bona fide public policy debacle." Terrific scoop by @chrondigger https://t.co/tsHiYBlgPc
— Marc Duvoisin (@MarcDuvoisin) February 22, 2018
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers knew heavy rains would overwhelm reservoirs and flood neighborhoods in Houston before Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas. But records obtained by the Houston Chronicle show the Corps did not share its predictions with the public. One lawmaker is already calling for an investigation. Story by Lise Olsen
Congressional candidate exaggerates background | The Victoria Advocate
Congressional candidate exaggerated background https://t.co/ZafAptm7uc
— Victoria Advocate (@Vicadvocate) February 25, 2018
Republican Congressional candidate Jerry Hall claims he’s “overqualified” for the job and touts a long list of credentials. But an investigation by the Victoria Advocate found there’s little support for his claims. Story by Marina Riker
Downtown nonprofit spent thousands of tax dollars to entertain, lobby | The San Antonio Express-News
Nice digging by @RWebner: Downtown nonprofit Centro San Antonio, which employed an accountant who is now suspected of embezzlement, spent thousands of tax dollars on entertainment and lobbying: https://t.co/NeLzriJAM2 via @expressnews pic.twitter.com/LFRqoThpQE
— John Tedesco (@John_Tedesco) February 25, 2018
Centro San Antonio, the troubled nonprofit organization that lost $291,0000 from an accountant suspected of embezzlement, spent taxpayer money on ritzy meals, cross-country trips and music festival sponsorships, according to financial records obtained by the Express-News. Story by Richard Webner
Too Big To Fine, Too Small To Fight Back | The Texas Observer
Every enforcement agency makes decisions about whom to police and for what. This is a story about the Texas environmental agency’s priorities.
Read the story in English: https://t.co/UrW2GbYRmw
Or Arabic: https://t.co/oKZNyL8WVw pic.twitter.com/navJGjYw5R— The Texas Observer (@TexasObserver) February 25, 2018
The Texas Observer analyzed a database of more than 300,000 records to determine the enforcement priorities of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. The analysis found the state agency aggressively went after mom-and-pop gas stations while taking a softer approach with thousands of big-money industrial facilities. Story by Naveena Sadasivam
Women describe 14 years of Austin Opera maestro’s lewd talk, touches | The Austin American-Statesman
This is a hard one to read but important: Seven women talked to the American-Statesman to describe 14 years of Austin Opera maestro’s lewd talk, touches via @andreeball https://t.co/zP76VsmF9e
— Taylor Goldenstein (@taygoldenstein) February 15, 2018
Seven women say a culture of permissiveness at the Austin Opera allowed conductor Richard Buckley to touch women inappropriately and engage in lewd talk. The women say executives and board members of the opera knew about Buckley’s behavior but failed to intervene because he was a star. Story by Andrea Ball
On Karolyi Ranch, gymnasts with Olympic dreams endured ‘perfect environment for abuse’ | The Dallas Morning News
Re:Karolyi Ranch investigation.@TxDPS is mum. But we learned Texas authorities first began reaching out to #gymnast attorneys late last year, before #LarryNassar's sentencing in January and before @GovAbbott brought in #Texas Rangers. https://t.co/ZDWo63Zczv
— T.L. Langford (@tlangford) February 23, 2018
The Karolyi Ranch in Texas trained the elite of the elite of U.S. gymnasts. But its severe, secretive training regimen created a culture of intimidation that enabled Dr. Larry Nassar, the women’s national gymnastics team doctor, to sexually abuse young gymnasts over nearly two decades, according to critics and two recently filed lawsuits. Story by David Tarrant and Terri Langford
Anti-Escobar PAC fails to report campaign spending on advertisements | The El Paso Times
A PAC campaigning against @vgescobar in #CD16 in #ElPaso hasn't submitted required financial disclosure reports for advertising expenses: https://t.co/AvAuglKN0N via @elpasotimes
— Madlin Mekelburg (@madlinbmek) February 16, 2018
A new political action committee targeting Democrat Veronica Escobar has spent $10,000 in advertising that went unreported to the Federal Election Commission — a possible violation of campaign finance laws. Escobar is competing with five other Democratic candidates for the seat of U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke. Story by Madlin Mekelburg
George P. Bush’s secret mansion is financed by an undisclosed loan from Texas donor’s bank | The Texas Tribune
NEW: George P. Bush’s secret mansion is financed by an undisclosed loan from a bank owned by a major Republican donor. We started asking questions and Bush’s campaign called it an “absurd fake news story.” Then they promised to amend his ethics filings. 🤔 https://t.co/N7gLRPw0PW pic.twitter.com/Pp5tkSPRJD
— Texas Tribune (@TexasTribune) February 16, 2018
Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush took elaborate steps to hide his ownership of an Austin mansion. Financed with an $850,000 mortgage by a Republican donor’s bank that also employs Bush’s wife, the tony property doesn’t show up in Bush’s state-mandated financial disclosure report. After the Texas Tribune discovered the reporting lapse, Bush’s political director dismissed the reporting as “another absurd fake news story from the liberal media” — but the Tribune’s discovery later prompted the campaign to promise that Bush will amend his ethics filings. Story by Jay Root
Suicide and assaults: Which Dallas psychiatric hospitals have bad safety records? | The Dallas Morning News
1/ hi, hello. we found some concerning things about psychiatric hospitals in the dfw area.
think this doesn't apply to you?
think again. https://t.co/xzCwI4u0Wh
— Sarah Mervosh (@smervosh) February 19, 2018
Half the psychiatric hospitals in the Dallas-Fort Worth area have suffered at least one major safety incident since 2011, according to a review of inspection records and lawsuits. “Nearly anyone in Dallas could end up there in a crisis,” the Dallas Morning News reported. “If your teenage daughter starts cutting herself. Or your husband confesses he wants to crash his truck head-on. Or your son overdoses and ends up in the emergency room. In these emergencies, there is no easy way to check a hospital’s safety record.” Story by Sarah Mervosh and Sue Ambrose
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