The Texas Legislature Finally Comes for Ken Paxton
The Texas House has voted to impeach the attorney general. After nearly eight years under indictment—during which he won two elections—why now?
Christopher Hooks is a former senior editor at Texas Monthly. Raised in Austin, he has been writing about Texas since 2013, for publications including the Atlantic, Gawker, GQ, Rolling Stone, the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, the Texas Observer, and the Washington Post. For Texas Monthly, he has written about redevelopment battles in El Paso; a congressional race in Amarillo; a wet/dry election in Texarkana; a Black Lives Matter rally in Vidor; and a water sommelier in Harlingen. He is probably currently somewhere between those five points.
The Texas House has voted to impeach the attorney general. After nearly eight years under indictment—during which he won two elections—why now?
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
The gun bills most likely to pass aren’t restrictions but those that further protect firearm ownership.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
Governor Greg Abbott wants to overrule a jury’s conviction of Daniel Perry, who murdered a man at a Black Lives Matter protest in 2020.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
The rhetoric at the former president’s rally hearkened back to the fringe, anti-government messaging of the nineties Texas right wing.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
The lawmaker from Frisco has rallied right-wingers by promising to remove “sexually explicit” books from shelves. But he may lose them by targeting a beloved Texan classic.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
The lieutenant governor has consolidated power in the Legislature and exercises near-total control of his chamber. Will anyone challenge him?
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
Texas lawmakers say they won’t let the attorney general settle a lawsuit using taxpayer money, but they’re letting him avoid oversight.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
The ways of the Texas Legislature are confoundingly weird. Here’s a guide to the madness.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
Forrest Wilder writes about politics and the outdoors.
On T-shirts and bumper stickers, the flag that flew during the Texas Revolution has had its cannon replaced by an AR-15. Would our ancestors approve?
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
From John Connally to Lina Hidalgo, these leaders have made Texas the bellwether state for the nation.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
Like Bill Hobby, Dan Patrick has made the most of an inherently powerful position.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
State leaders used to invite coverage of their activity. Now the Texas Legislature is making reporting more difficult than ever.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
The Central Texas representative who is helping block Kevin McCarthy’s ascent to Speaker of the House has a long history of obstructionism.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
The former president’s rally in Robstown was just like all his others in Texas, but he still commands state leaders’ attention.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
The Texas governor’s plan has been adopted by Ron DeSantis in Florida, and it has grown crueler as it spreads.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
The conservative legal luminary, famous for the Clinton impeachment and his leadership of Baylor, mistook piety for doing what’s right.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
After the FBI searched Mar-a-Lago, state Republicans near-unanimously lined up behind the former president—before details of the investigation left them silent.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
“Your article may be an epitaph,” the then-president of the Houston Audubon Society told the writer.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
Observers cite the party’s convention as evidence that state Republicans have gone “full MAGA.” But if anything, MAGA folks are following Texas.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
After ten Texans were murdered at Santa Fe High School in 2018, the Legislature passed seventeen school safety bills. They didn’t work.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
State leaders have campaigned in 2022 on saving Texas children from threats real and imagined. All the while, we’ve been selling them out.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
Former Texas legislator Rick Green has built a marketplace for conservative stand-up—and proselytizing.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
. . . and other key Texas Lege results from the primary runoffs.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
The state GOP long opposed new regulations on corporations. Then Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick launched a crusade against “woke” businesses.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
The former president played the usual hits at a rally Saturday, but rock musician Ted Nugent found new lows.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
Democratic leaders have predicted that the leaked draft decision will get Texas liberals to the polls. History provides caution.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
How did the former governor become a leading advocate for psychedelics?
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
The Democratic gubernatorial candidate says he wants to have a dialogue with Texans of all persuasions. But in one rural community, Republicans worked to make sure he would have no place to talk or listen.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
There’s a long tradition in Texas of moral panics over what schools are teaching kids. The newest iteration is particularly quaint.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
William Martin’s journey from Rice professor to Billy Graham expert began with a simple assignment, one that would alter his life for decades to come.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
At an event of the group of “GLBT” conservatives in Houston, speakers studiously avoided discussion of their party’s anti-trans policies.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
Beyond Beto O’Rourke, the candidates on the party’s statewide slate are short on experience in elective office and in statewide campaigns.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
Former Texas GOP chair Allen West is a darling of the right wing. But the grassroots in Texas is not the kingmaker it used to be.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
Scandal-plagued incumbent Attorney General Ken Paxton faces a Bush, a congressional performance artist, and a former state Supreme Court justice.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
Mainly what we already knew: Democrats will have problems in the state in 2022 and Austin is liberal.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
A loud minority of parents is making life miserable for Texas school officials—and shouting down the kids who speak in favor of lessons about the history and persistence of racial discrimination.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
He isn’t as strong a candidate in 2021 as he was in 2018, but Beto O’Rourke is still the Democrats’ least bad option to challenge Greg Abbott.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
Texas was once a model of how to safely and economically move away from mass incarceration. Now the old politics of “law and order” are back.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
Primary challengers say Texas’s governor is weak. The failure to pass new restrictions on voting, a GOP priority, will add fuel to their criticism.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
At a conservative gathering in Texas, two Florida Men are the winners, while the movement itself seems adrift.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
GOP challengers have announced bids against Greg Abbott, Ken Paxton, and Sid Miller, while a forlorn Democratic party casts its eyes on Matthew McConaughey.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
The outlandish conspiracy theory has made legions of believers into political activists. And the Texas GOP benefits from that.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
A wild year begat an even wilder legislative session. Lawmakers faced blackouts, a pandemic, and their own worst impulses. Amid the chaos, we plucked out the leaders—and the losers.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
Residents of the South Texas beach town say SpaceX’s billionaire owner is ruining their “little piece of heaven.”
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
Plus, Lubbock becomes Texas's largest "sanctuary city for the unborn."
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
You ain’t a cowboy till your stunt double’s been bucked off.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
Our governor and lawmakers want to blame everyone but themselves for the February blackouts, the latest crisis of their own making.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
Lone Star State leaders have worried about transplants importing West Coast values and politics here. But they’ve largely ignored the more pressing challenges newcomers are bringing with them.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
Lawmakers will have their hands full with a budget deficit and the pandemic. Here's what else to watch for this session.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
Texas’s junior senator shares responsibility for inciting the mob that breached the U.S. Capitol. That’s brought him scorn from much of the country—but might win him fresh support from Trump Republicans.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.