https://www.texastribune.org/about/staff/matthew-choi/The latest news by Matthew Choi.enWed, 15 Jan 2025 12:03:07 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/15/john-ratcliffe-cia-trump/President-elect Donald Trump has tapped former Republican U.S. Rep. John Ratcliffe to lead the CIA.By Matthew ChoiWed, 15 Jan 2025 12:03:07 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/15/john-ratcliffe-cia-trump/https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/14/texas-vicente-gonzalez-henry-cuellar-anti-trans-sports-bill/Republicans accused Rep. Vicente Gonzalez of supporting gender transitions for children throughout the 2024 election cycle, which he said took a political toll.By Matthew ChoiTue, 14 Jan 2025 15:24:57 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/14/texas-vicente-gonzalez-henry-cuellar-anti-trans-sports-bill/Demonstrators at the Texas Capitol protest state Senate Bill 14 that would ban gender transition health care for trans kids in Texas on May 2, 2023.Demonstrators protest SB14, a bill to eradicate gender transition healthcare for trans kids in Texas, while the bill is heard in the House at the state Capitol on May 2, 2023.Leila Saidane/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/09/texas-senators-cruz-cornyn-trump-cabinet-nominees/Some of President-elect Donald Trump’s picks have stirred controversy for past comments and allegations of malfeasance.By Matthew ChoiThu, 09 Jan 2025 14:51:35 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/09/texas-senators-cruz-cornyn-trump-cabinet-nominees/https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/09/ted-cruz-greenland-donald-trump/Sen. Ted Cruz, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, stressed Greenland’s strategic location in the Arctic and its natural wealth of critical minerals.By Matthew ChoiThu, 09 Jan 2025 10:56:21 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/09/ted-cruz-greenland-donald-trump/https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/03/keith-self-mike-johnson-house-speaker/Rep. Keith Self was initially one of three who voted against House Speaker Mike Johnson’s reelection to lead the lower chamber.By Matthew ChoiFri, 03 Jan 2025 12:58:38 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/03/keith-self-mike-johnson-house-speaker/https://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/20/farm-bill-extension-texas/The legislation includes financial aid and money for recent natural disasters, but farmers still will be relying on outdated provisions from the 2018 bill.By Jayme Lozano Carver and Matthew ChoiSat, 21 Dec 2024 08:39:36 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/20/farm-bill-extension-texas/The U.S. Senate voted late Friday to pass a spending package, avoiding a government shutdown by minutes. The U.S. House passed the package hours earlier.The U.S. Capitol on Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022.Shuran Huang for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/19/donald-trump-chip-roy-debt-ceiling/President-elect Donald Trump blasted the Austin Republican for opposing his plans to raise the debt ceiling unless there are restrictions on future spending.By Matthew ChoiThu, 19 Dec 2024 15:45:42 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/19/donald-trump-chip-roy-debt-ceiling/https://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/18/greg-abbott-500-million-public-safety-grants-texas/The grants will go to private and public sector recipients in Texas for a variety of public safety priorities, including securing the southern border.By Matthew ChoiWed, 18 Dec 2024 20:22:04 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/18/greg-abbott-500-million-public-safety-grants-texas/Gov. Greg Abbott, seen at a Thanksgiving dinner event in Edinburg on Nov. 26, 2024, said in a statement Wednesday that $500 million in grant funding would "continue to build a safer Texas for all."Gov. Abbott speaks to DPS Troopers and National Guard troops at a Thanksgiving dinner event in Edinburg on Nov. 26, 2024.Michael Gonzalez for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/18/michael-mccaul-tulsi-gabbard-national-intelligence/The Austin Republican leads the House Foreign Affairs Committee and predicted Gabbard’s nomination would fail in the Senate.By Matthew ChoiWed, 18 Dec 2024 15:50:32 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/18/michael-mccaul-tulsi-gabbard-national-intelligence/https://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/17/greg-casar-congressional-progressive-caucus-chair/The freshman congressman will lead the influential progressive caucus next year with plans to focus on working class and economic issues instead of culture wars.By Matthew ChoiTue, 17 Dec 2024 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/17/greg-casar-congressional-progressive-caucus-chair/U.S. Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, discusses goals for his new position as the Congressional Progressive Caucus chair at his Capitol Hill office on Dec. 6, 2024.U.S. Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, talks about his goals for his new position as the progressive caucus chair at his office in Longworth House Office Building Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, in Washington, D.C.Luke Johnson for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/04/henry-cuellar-texas-rio-grande-border-buoys-immigration/The congressman said he joined other Democrats in opposition to the use of the floating barriers and razor wire at Texas’ border because of the lack of permits.By Matthew ChoiWed, 04 Dec 2024 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/04/henry-cuellar-texas-rio-grande-border-buoys-immigration/U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar told the Texas Tribune that his idea to add buoys to the Rio Grande to deter illegal immigration didn't go anywhere at the time because the International Boundary and Water Commission didn’t give the necessary permits.U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, speaks about the U.S.-Mexico border at the World Trade Bridge at a news conference in Laredo on Feb. 17, 2023.Michael Gonzalez for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/27/texas-china-prisoner-mark-swidan-freed/The Texan has been imprisoned in China for 12 years on charges of drug trafficking.By Matthew ChoiWed, 27 Nov 2024 10:27:09 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/27/texas-china-prisoner-mark-swidan-freed/https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/27/texas-newly-elected-congress-brandon-gill-julie-johnson-sylvester-turn/Five Texans were newly elected to Congress this year, four of whom are set to serve in January.By Matthew ChoiWed, 27 Nov 2024 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/27/texas-newly-elected-congress-brandon-gill-julie-johnson-sylvester-turn/The U.S. Capitol surrounded by cherry blossoms on March 25, 2024 in Washington, D.C.The U.S. Capitol surrounded by cherry blossoms on Monday, March 25, 2024 in Washington, D.C.Maria Crane/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/26/texas-vicente-gonzalez-congress-democrats-abortion-transgender/After Democrats underperformed nationally and in Texas, the McAllen Democrat had some sharp commentary for his party and said he won't be taking their advice.By Matthew ChoiTue, 26 Nov 2024 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/26/texas-vicente-gonzalez-congress-democrats-abortion-transgender/U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-McAllen, in his office the Cannon House Office Building in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 21, 2024. Gonzalez defeated former Republican Rep. Mayra Flores to secure the seat for Texas' 34th District.U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-McAllen, in his office the Cannon House Office Building in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024. Gonzalez defeated former Republican Representative Mayra Flores to secure the seat for Texas' 34th District in the U.S. House.Shuran Huang for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/18/tony-gonzales-chip-roy-trump-mass-deportations-feud/Gonzales’ warning that mass removals of undocumented immigrants are unfeasible got pushback from Roy, who said everyone in the country illegally must be deported.By Matthew ChoiMon, 18 Nov 2024 15:14:52 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/18/tony-gonzales-chip-roy-trump-mass-deportations-feud/U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio, and U.S. Rep. Chip Roy are at odds over President-elect Donald Trump's plans for the mass deportation of illegal immigrants.From left: U.S. Reps. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio, and Chip Roy, R-Austin.The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/13/john-cornyn-senate-majority-leader-vote-ted-cruz/Cornyn has for years signaled he wanted to succeed his close ally GOP leader Mitch McConnell. He lost in a vote decided by the Republican members of the Senate.By Matthew ChoiWed, 13 Nov 2024 08:10:19 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/13/john-cornyn-senate-majority-leader-vote-ted-cruz/https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/12/john-cornyn-senate-leader-texas/John Cornyn is running to succeed Mitch McConnell after years waiting in his shadow. But the far-right, in Texas and Washington, are putting up a fight.By Matthew ChoiTue, 12 Nov 2024 14:39:38 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/12/john-cornyn-senate-leader-texas/https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/06/texas-democrats-election-night/Tuesday was another electoral blowout in which Democrats underperformed expectations, weakening their case that Texas is a battleground state worthy of investment and attention from the national party.By James Barragán and Matthew ChoiWed, 06 Nov 2024 20:28:18 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/06/texas-democrats-election-night/The Ector County Democratic Headquarters on election night, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Odessa.The Ector County Democratic Headquarters on election night, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Odessa.Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/06/henry-cuellar-jay-furman-texas-congressional-district-28/The longtime Laredo congressman fended off Republican challenger Jay Furman despite a federal indictment accusing the incumbent of bribery and money laundering.By Matthew ChoiWed, 06 Nov 2024 01:07:25 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/06/henry-cuellar-jay-furman-texas-congressional-district-28/U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, speaks at a GOTV rally in 2022.U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, speaks at a GOTV rally with former President Bill Clinton for Democratic congressional candidate Michelle Vallejo in Edinburg on Nov. 7, 2022Michael Gonzalez for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/05/ted-cruz-colin-allred-texas-senate-election-2024/U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, a former NFL linebacker and civil rights lawyer from Dallas, repeatedly broke fundraising records in his campaign, raising more than $80 million by mid-October.By Matthew Choi and Jasper SchererTue, 05 Nov 2024 21:23:55 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/05/ted-cruz-colin-allred-texas-senate-election-2024/Ted Cruz celebrates at his watch party in downtown Houston on Election Day.Ted Cruz celebrates on stage at his watch party on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in downtown Houston.Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune