Lauren McGaughy
@lmcgaughy
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
From tonight’s @jamestalarico.bsky.social rally in Lockhart. Meet Ruby.
The Texas Rangers respond to the request for an investigation into ICE’s shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston. The agency head says they can investigate such shootings — when ICE asks and they haven’t. Also said they received no investigation request from a local prosecutor. #txlege
Ken Paxton's last three fundraising texts reference James Talarico's standing in the polls and the Democrat's ability to bring in big cash donors. #txsen
UPDATE: Looks like Dallas voters will be able to vote at any polling place countywide. Dallas County GOP chair Allen West just said that sticking with precinct-only voting for the May runoff will exposed the party "to increased risk and voter confusion." #txlege
Commuting to my first day at the new job was a bit different than usual. 🤠🥶 @nytimes.com
Recording a radio feature about K-Pop on the same day I finish editing a yearlong data story on prison conditions? Yeah… that seems about right for my last day @kutnews.bsky.social @npr.org! I’ve learned a ton at public radio. I hope they have me back to talk about future stories! #txlege
Update on Austin police’s ICE cooperation: At a protest outside city hall this week, council members told @mosebuchele.bsky.social they could not guarantee APD officers wouldn’t call ICE on undocumented people they encounter. APD to release new guidelines soon. kutkutx.studio/austin-signa...
More city councilpeople weigh in on our reporting. This from Laine, Siegel, Ellis and Qadri:
3/ Bonner said he filed the complaint as a private citizen — not in his official capacity. The Texas GOP did not comment. Neither did Trump's housing agency. Paxton's spox did. He called the complaint unserious — and me unserious for writing about it. www.kut.org/crime-justic... #txlege
So fun dressing up as my boy Jinu for Halloween! 😈 I made this jacket myself. Can’t wait to repurpose it into my regular wardrobe. Now, the Mardi Gras countdown starts! #SajaBoys #kpdh #KPOPDEMONHUNTERS #kpop
Do you live in the U.S. and recently saw your @Tesla #Powerwall go dark? Powerwall 2s were recalled in Australia bc batteries could catch fire. But I've seen no recall here. I asked @teslaenergy but got no response. DM me if this has happened to you!
Huge congrats to @paulflahive.bsky.social for winning the first Collier Spotlight award for his coverage of failures in the Texas CPS system. Read his whole series here: whenhomeisthedanger.org #txlege
Update: South Texas advocacy groups want to add the Texas Space Commission and Starbase to its lawsuit over beach closures near SpaceX in Brownsville. This after the #txlege passed new laws giving those two entities control over the beach. Background: www.kut.org/politics/202...
A couple weeks ago, we broke the news that Elon Musk has been quietly lobbying Texas officials to let him build flood mitigation tunnels under Houston. Weeks before publication, we gave him multiple chances to respond. He didn't. We published. Then, he posted on X. www.kut.org/energy-envir...
Hunt and Boring pitched smaller, potentially narrower tunnels than the county had previously focused on for the project. Instead of one, 30-40 ft tunnels, Boring wanted to build two 12-foot tunnels. At least one flood experts questioned whether that plan would work. www.kut.org/politics/202...
We got internal emails, texts and memos that show Boring wants to charge $760M to build one piece of Houston's flood mitigation tunnel system — with 15% of up front out of the state and county budgets. And Musk had a pitch man: Congressman Wesley Hunt. www.kut.org/politics/202... #txlege
Austin Police are now acknowledging one of the Target shooting victims, Rosa Martinez Machuca, was transgender. We @kutnews.bsky.social found out earlier today and had already updated our stories. Thanks to those who reached out to correct the record. www.kut.org/austin/2025-...
Finally, it also looks like a member of the public is attempting to intervene in the case. I'd guess it's to fight the order to seal the case records from the public. But that's just a guess because, well, the case is sealed and I can't read the appeal. Background: www.kut.org/politics/202...
For now, it appears the Paxton divorce case is being handled by Judge Cynthia Wheless, who is the wife of the second judge on the case. (The first judge on the case recused herself) More background on the Whelesses here: www.kut.org/politics/202...
After deadly flooding yesterday, we’re continuing to experience heavy rainfall here in Central Texas. This is video taken just now of the (today) not-so-aptly named Dry Creek in Austin. #atx #atxfloods #austin #floods #flooding #texas #txfloods #texasfloods
This means the Starbase will soon zone its land for specific types of use. There will be three zones: heavy industrial, mixed use and open space. Most of the current homes appear to be in "mixed use," which will include a blend of homes, offices and retail stores. Here's the map.
DATELINE: @pulitzerprizes.bsky.social! It was great to meet — and catch up with — so many talented journalists who judged the prizes with me. Now what the winners are announced, I can share these photos! First is of the investigative category team. Second is the @dallasnews.com alumni squad.
NEWS: Trump administration agrees NOT to move some transgender women out of federal female prisons for the time being. As the case is being argued, the feds say they will not oppose extending court orders to keep these trans women in place.