Lauren McGaughy
@lmcgaughy.bsky.social
Texas politics correspondent @nytimes.com | Past: @kutnews.bsky.social @dallasnews.com @houstonchronicle.com @nolanews.bsky.social | FOIA nerd 📧: lauren.mcgaughy@nytimes.com Signal: lmcgaughy.40 ☎︎: 512-436-3641
Paxton Said in Deposition That Donor Gave Him Stocks to Please God
Paxton Said in Deposition That Donor Gave Him Stocks to Please God
The leaked deposition from a fraud inquiry in 2014 provides insight into the Senate candidate’s investments and his tactics for defending himself.
nytimes.com
Scoop: In 2014, Ken Paxton sat for a deposition where federal lawyers quizzed him about his growing wealth and investment tactics. The depo has never been made public. We got a copy. www.nytimes.com/2026/10/09/u...
Inside Ken Paxton’s Private Testimony About His Money
A leaked deposition from a fraud inquiry in 2014 provides insight into the Senate candidate’s growing wealth and his tactics for defending himself.
nytimes.com
As She Divorces Ken Paxton, His Wife Urges Texans to Vote for Him www.nytimes.com/2026/10/03/u... @nytimes.com
As She Divorces Ken Paxton, His Wife Urges Texans to Vote for Him
In a new ad, Angela Paxton tells voters to focus on the “whole team,” not “individual players.”
nytimes.com
To win statewide in Texas, James Talarico must do more than just win with Black voters — he needs them to turn out in large numbers. Failure to do so could make winning impossible. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/28/u...
Pivotal Challenge for Talarico in Texas: Getting Black Voters to the Polls
Black voters largely rejected James Talarico in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. Recent interviews suggest the hard feelings may be wearing off.
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NEW: In major win for inmates' rights advocates, a federal judge in Texas has ruled all state prisons must be fully air conditioned by 2029. The state of Texas is expected to appeal. nytimes.com/2026/09/22/u... #txlege
Federal Judge Orders Texas to Air-Condition Its Prisons
The lack of air-conditioning in most of the state’s prisons violates the U.S. Constitution, the judge ruled. He ordered the state to cool all of its lockups by the end of 2029.
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NEW: The man shot by ICE in Austin, TX, yesterday was not the target of a federal investigation before the encounter, sources tell @nytimes.com. ICE was in the area checking car plates when they discovered the man had a deportation order on file. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/21/u...
ICE Agents Encountered Austin Man by Chance Before Shooting Him
The shooting prompted growing calls for transparency as state and local officials sought the release of video footage.
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A Venezuelan man was shot and injured by ICE yesterday in Austin, TX. I spent hours outside the hospital with his wife, who told me he called just after he was shot. She didn’t see him before he was discharged into federal custody. More from @nytimes.com: www.nytimes.com/2026/09/20/u...
NEW: In which Texas Democrats reflect on tenuous GOP unity, Bo French questions whether his opponent is Jewish and Jon Rosenthal tells him to “shove it.” www.nytimes.com/2026/09/16/u... #txlege
Bo French Faces Backlash Over Posts About University of Texas Students
Republican leaders brought Bo French, an anti-Muslim hard-liner, into the fold. Then he attacked Texas football fans.
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Three years ago this month, Ken Paxton came closest to political ruin after years of scandal. But, yet again, he avoided any comeuppance and ended up stronger for it. Here's a look at his historic impeachment trial and how Paxton ultimately won. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/13/u... #txlege
Inside the Impeachment Trial that Threatened to End Ken Paxton’s Political Career
Mr. Paxton, the Texas attorney general now running for the U.S. Senate, was accused of abusing the power of his office to protect a campaign donor. He was acquitted on all counts.
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When I think of God,” Dhruv Amin told me, “I think of the mountain.” Every year, tens of thousands of people spend a small fortune and months of planning to get to Mount Kailash, to sit, however briefly, on God’s doorstep. New story for @nytimes.com. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/30/u...
Pilgrims to Flood-Stricken Nepal Sought the Divine at Sacred Mountain
For many, the trek to Mount Kailash on the border of Nepal and Tibet is a once-in-a-lifetime trip to find spiritual awakening.
nytimes.com
NEW: An ICE agent being sought by Minnesota for alleged assault was released from a Texas jail today, Mitch Smith and @londonoe report. Yesterday, a federal judge said Minnesota had not properly argued for his extradition. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/27/u... #txlege
ICE agent Christian Castro Released From Texas Jail After Minnesota Loses Court Fight
The state had sought to have the agent extradited from Texas to answer charges in Minneapolis related to an on-duty shooting that wounded an immigrant.
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A federal judge had sided with Texas Gov. Abbott in the fight over the extradition of ICE agent to Minnesota, @londonoe and Mitch Smith report. This means the ICE agent could be released soon. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/26/u...
Judge Sides With Texas Over Minnesota on Extradition of ICE Agent
The two states have waged an unusual court battle over the agent facing charges over a shooting in Minneapolis. The agent could be released from jail on Thursday.
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Lobga Rangzen’s unthinkable act — the first known self-immolation by a Tibetan in the United States — may have achieved one of his greatest goals, however briefly: He made the world pay attention to Tibet. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/05/w...
In Death, a Tibetan Activist Finally Got the World’s Attention
No one doubted the intensity of Lobga Rangzen’s commitment to a Tibet free of Chinese control. But they were not prepared for what he did next.
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WASHINGTON (AP) — Editor of Stars and Stripes says he is being fired for insubordination after saying any censorship is a 'red line.'
Like many in the Texas press corps, I've written the story about Ken Paxton and the purloined pen a few times over the years. Here's the latest (NYT ver.) www.nytimes.com/2026/08/20/u...
Ken Paxton’s $1,000 Pen Incident Resurfaces in Texas Senate Race
The pen Mr. Paxton pocketed more than a decade ago has resurfaced as a campaign issue.
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NEW: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has not responded to a request from Minnesota to extradite an ICE agent facing assault charges in connection with a shooting in that state. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/18/u...
Minnesota Sues Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Over His Refusal to Extradite ICE Agent
A federal agent facing assault charges in Minnesota has been jailed in Texas since May. Gov. Greg Abbott has not granted an extradition request.
nytimes.com
Islam is now one of the top political issues for Texas Republicans. Some lawmakers are considering whether to define religion in state statute so as to target practices central to Islam they see as anathema to U.S. culture or law. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/17/u... #txlege
Islamophobia’s Rise in Texas: ‘I Won’t Rest Until Every Muslim Is Gone’
Muslim communities have been growing for decades, particularly around Dallas. Now, conservatives want to roll up the welcome mat.
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UPDATE: Earlier this week, we broke the news that Ken Paxton is making up to $1M a year from a company that has a cell tower at a hospital where he was a board member. The current hospital admin has confirmed the deal but won't disclose the terms. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/10/u...
One Source of Paxton’s Wealth: A Cell Tower at a Hospital He Knew Well
Ken Paxton, the Texas attorney general, makes six-figure income from a cellphone tower on the grounds of a hospital where he was a board member.
nytimes.com
This week, @sashavonawesome.bsky.social attended the premier of Matthew McConaughey's first movie in five years. Here's her dispatch. Come for the fun asides about life and his career. Stay for what he had to say (or not) about the border wall in Big Bend. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/11/s...
A Sweaty Texas Night at Barrel O’ Fun with Matthew McConaughey
The city celebrated one of its favorite Texas movie stars with a cinema bearing his name, ahead of the release of “The Rivals of Amziah King.”
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NEW: Ken Paxton has reported making between $100,000-$1M off a cell tower affiliated with a company he owns. The Times has learned the company controls a tower on the property of a hospital where Mr. Paxton was a board member. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/10/u...
One Source of Paxton’s Wealth: A Cell Tower at a Hospital He Knew Well (Gift Article)
Ken Paxton, the Texas attorney general, makes six-figure income from a cellphone tower on the grounds of a hospital where he was a board member.
nytimes.com
Texas hasn’t elected an unmarried senator since 1940. That will be the choice this year, between Ken Paxton and James Talarico. But do voters really care? We asked Texans — including Angela Paxton — how dating, divorce and scandal affects their vote. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/06/u...
In Texas’ Most Eligible Senate Race, It’s Bachelor vs. Divorcé-to-Be
Ken Paxton is divorcing. James Talarico is dating a onetime staffer. Both have had their romantic lives scrutinized as part of their high-stakes campaigns.
nytimes.com
THIS AM: Race Too Close to Call in Democratic Primary for Michigan Senate Seat www.nytimes.com/live/2026/08...
Michigan Election Results Live Updates: El-Sayed Holds Narrow Lead Over Stevens in Senate Primary
Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, a progressive, holds a narrow lead over Representative Haley Stevens, a centrist, in a race that divided Democrats. The party sees the seat as key to its hopes of winning control o...
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A corrido’s reach was constrained by geography, radio DJs and the recording industry. Now a new corrido can be recorded and shared across platforms like TikTok and YouTube within hours. Check out @sashavonawesome.bsky.social first byline for the NYT Texas team! www.nytimes.com/2026/08/03/u...
ICE Killed Him. A.I. Helped Turn Him Into a Folk Ballad, Fast.
A.I. is helping people write corridos within hours, accelerating a tradition of memorializing tragedy through song.
nytimes.com
Ken Paxton held a press conference today. His first question was on the story we broke last week about the three new properties he's acquired during his divorce. He declined to answer the question. Read the story here:: www.nytimes.com/2026/07/16/u... Link to presser: x.com/schwagerTV/s...
Paxton Expands Real Estate Portfolio Amid Senate Run and Divorce (Gift Article)
The Texas attorney general and his trusts now hold at least 15 properties worth about $9 million.
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U.S. Sought Phone Records of Times Journalists and Their Relatives www.nytimes.com/2026/07/20/b...
Trump Administration Sought Phone Records of Times Journalists and Their Relatives (Gift Article)
The government is aggressively seeking the confidential sources of Times reporters who wrote about the president’s new Air Force One. The Times has asked a judge to quash the subpoenas.
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Yesterday, I spoke to Texans who were rebuilding after a second year of floods. But this story is not about chaos and destruction. It’s about a woman who sees blessings everywhere — and the people who keep her believing. Stay for the kicker. 🎩 www.nytimes.com/2026/07/18/u...
‘The Top Hats Are Saved!’ A Texas Dance Studio Weathers Another Major Flood.
To CeCe Jean Saunders, it seemed like a once-in-a-lifetime event when her studio in Kerrville, Texas, flooded last year. Then it happened again.
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James Talarico's spox questioned whether Ken Paxton will follow through on debate. “Ken Paxton has a long record of saying he’ll show up for Texans then disappearing when it counts. We’ll believe him when he accepts these three debates and we see him on stage.” www.nytimes.com/2026/07/16/u...
Ken Paxton and James Talarico Agree to Debate in U.S. Senate Race
Ken Paxton, a Republican, has not debated in more than a decade. A showdown with James Talarico, a Democrat, could be a key moment in the hard-fought race.
nytimes.com
NEW: Ken Paxton bought three condos in a luxury resort in Utah earlier this year. On the deeds, he listed a home in Frisco as his address. Police reports we obtained refer to the home's owner as a woman, not his wife, with whom he's been photographed vacationing. www.nytimes.com/2026/07/16/u...
Ken Paxton Bought 3 Utah Condos, Adding to a $9 Million Real Estate Portfolio
The Texas attorney general and his trusts now hold at least 15 properties worth about $9 million.
nytimes.com
