He Spent Nearly 6 Years in Prison Based on the Word of a Notoriously Dishonest Houston Drug Cop
In a federal lawsuit, Byron Prophet argues that police supervisors "turned a blind eye" for years as Gerald Goines framed innocent people.
Texas
A Federal Judge Just Struck Down Texas' Anti-Drag Law, Again
A Texas law restricting “sexually oriented performances” was struck down after a federal judge said it could apply to everything from cheerleading to karaoke to performances by Dolly Parton, Elvis Presley, and Miley Cyrus.
Texas Moves To Protect Kids—and Women—From 'Demonic' Sex Education Book
The book is part of a wider spate of "dirty" and "vulgar" books that authorities want yanked, including an educational book that mentions animal penis sizes and classic literature by authors like Tennessee Williams and Maya Angelou.
Texas Requires the Ten Commandments Be Posted in Every Classroom. SCOTUS May Decide If That's Constitutional.
A major separation-of-church-and-state case lands at the Supreme Court.
As France Pauses Social Media Ban, American Lawmakers Race To Restrict the Internet
France's top court ruled that a social media ban for under-15s would infringe on free expression and privacy.
Open-Weight
Plus: "Blasphemous" talk in Texas, botox everywhere, ink on Mace, and more...
Texas Man Arrested After Ranting About Age Verification Laws Blocking His Anime
Did he make a true threat? Or was this just hyperbolic ranting about bad policy?
Greg Abbott Once Called Texas the 'Epicenter' of AI. Now He's Freezing Data Center Construction.
The bipartisan backlash against data centers reaches the Lone Star State.
Will This Mississippi Man on Death Row Get a Chance To Prove His Innocence?
Recent court rulings in Louisiana and Texas give hope to Devin Bennett.
Flesh-Eating Screwworms Are Back. Gene Drives Could Stop Them for Good.
Using genetic engineering to drive at least some pest species to extinction is ethical.
Texas Tech's Vague Restrictions Show You Don't Have To Ban Speech To Silence It
If someone is uncertain enough about meaning, they will censor themselves first.
Video Shows Fort Worth Cop Ticketing a Preacher for 'Offensive' Speech at Pride Event
“The First Amendment does not allow government officials to shut down speech simply on account of it being ‘offensive,’” says a legal expert at FIRE.
A Texas Immigrant Detention Center Is a 'Human Rights Disaster,' Civil Rights Groups Say in Report
Camp East Montana is the largest immigration detention center in the nation. It's also plagued by brutality and neglect, according to a string of internal and external investigations.
ICE Keeps Shooting People. Here's a Way Congress Can Rein It In.
Giving people a pathway to sue federal immigration officials for violating constitutional rights is one way Congress can help hold the rogue agency accountable.
Reason Earns 7 Southern California Journalism Awards
First-place wins include work on America's gerontocracy, an interview with anti–death penalty activist Helen Prejean, and some Star Wars comedy.
G.T. School's Bet on Gifted Ed: Cash Rewards, 2 Hours of AI Tutoring, No Lectures
Pamela Hobart of G.T. School says a lot of schools are lying to parents.
Texas Landowners Face a Difficult Decision: Allow Border Wall or Lose Right to Property
Recent reporting from The Texas Tribune details shocking accounts of government overreach against landowners along the southern border.
2 Texas Grandmothers Who Overcame Addiction Wanted To Become Social Workers. The State Wouldn't Let Them.
Now Katherin Youniacutt and Tammy Thompson are taking their fight to become licensed master social workers to the Texas Supreme Court.
Evidence Destroyed or Lost in Death of ICE Detainee That Was Ruled a Homicide
A medical examiner ruled Geraldo Lunas Campos' death a homicide by asphyxiation. Witnesses say guards choked him to death. Now a government report says evidence is missing.
Data Center Wars: North Carolina Resists Innovation While Texas Considers Market-Based Rules
As data centers dominate public debate, two states reveal their approach. Texas has taken a stance in line with market needs, while North Carolina reacts to fear and bad press.
James Talarico vs. Ken Paxton, the Pope on AI, and Caves
Robby Soave and Christian Britschgi discuss James Talarico changing his tune and how the Pope views artificial intelligence.
Ken Paxton's Primary Victory Shows How Trump's Grudges Undermine His Party's Interests
The president's last-minute endorsement of Paxton was driven by his petty grievances against incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, who was clearly the safer bet to retain the seat.
James Talarico's Fake Olive Branch to Republicans
The Democratic candidate dresses up a negative, partisan appeal as genuine moderation.
A SWAT Team Destroyed an Innocent Woman's Home. She's Been Waiting 6 Years for Justice.
Vicki Baker is more fortunate than several other similarly situated victims. But it took a very long time to get there.
The Federal Government Tried To Spy on Your Financial Transactions. A Texas Court Just Said No.
The ruling is a victory not just for one Texas title company, but for the principle that agencies like FinCEN can only do what Congress actually authorized.
Secret ICE Memo Tells Local Police Not To Disclose Immigration Enforcement Info Without ICE's Permission
The agency's transparency policies may undermine federal and state laws designed to ensure the free flow of information necessary to hold government actors accountable.
What's the Point of Telling Middle Schoolers Not To Commit Adultery?
Texas might have the right to post the Ten Commandments in public classrooms, but it shouldn't bother.
Separation of Church and State
Federal Appeals Court Says Texas' Ten Commandments Law Isn't Indoctrination
The 5th Circuit upheld a controversial law requiring Texas schools to display the Ten Commandments.
Houston Irks Texas Gov. Greg Abbott by Reminding Cops To Comply With the Fourth Amendment
The governor is threatening to defund the police because of an ordinance noting that an ICE administrative warrant "does not justify a stop, arrest, or continued detention" by city officers.
ICE Is on a $45 Billion Building Spree. Can Small Towns Support These New Migrant Warehouses?
The government is selling the policy with the same arguments you’d expect for subsidized factories or sports stadiums.
Will Migration From Blue States to Red States Give the GOP a Boost in the Electoral College? Not Necessarily.
While many of the states that are growing are currently seen as safe red territory, today's Republican-voting states could be tomorrow's swing states.
A Jury Approves Damages After 2 Texas Cops Snatched a Supposedly 'Abandoned' Girl From Her Home
The jurors concluded that the officers violated the Fourth and 14th amendments when they seized a 14-year-old without evidence that she was in danger.
Arresting a Reporter for Asking Questions Was a 'Blatant First Amendment Violation,' Sonia Sotomayor Says
The justice dissented from the Supreme Court's denial of a petition from a Texas journalist who was charged with felonies for practicing journalism.
The World Has Turned and Left Me Here
Plus: Tariffs, tariffs, and even more news about tariffs! And George W. Bush has some interesting thoughts about George Washington.
The El Paso Drone Scare Is the Future of National Security Paranoia
Fear over mysterious objects in the sky keeps disrupting society.
Uvalde Cop's Acquittal Shows Why It's Hard To Criminalize Failing To Stop a Mass Shooting
A Texas jury found Adrian Gonzales not guilty of endangering children by failing to confront the gunman at Robb Elementary School.
The Real Reason Flying Feels Worse Today
The big lesson from the past 50 years of American air travel is that the aesthetics matter a lot less than the economics.
Flying Is Better Than in the Good Old Days, No Matter How Luxurious Those Old Photos Look
The big lesson from the past 50 years of American air travel is that the aesthetics matter a lot less than the economics.
