Jim Vertuno, The Associated Press

While National Newswatch does not keep an archive of external articles for longer than 6 months, we do keep all articles written by contributors who post directly to our site. Here you will find all of the contributed and linked external articles from Jim Vertuno, The Associated Press.

Sen. Cornyn of Texas says federal probe started into Muslim-centered community near Dallas

Sen. Cornyn of Texas says federal probe started into Muslim-centered community near Dallas

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- The U.S. Department of Justice has opened a federal civil rights investigation into a Muslim-centered planned community around one of the state's largest mosques near Dallas, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn said Friday.

Sen. Cornyn of Texas says federal probe started into Muslim-entered community near Dallas

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- The U.S. Department of Justice has opened a federal civil rights investigation into a Muslim-centered planned community around one of the state's largest mosques near Dallas, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn said Friday.

Texas developer at center of Paxton's impeachment sentenced to supervised release, $1 million fine

Texas developer at center of Paxton's impeachment sentenced to supervised release, $1 million fine

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- A real estate developer, whose relationship with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was at the center of the Republican's historic impeachment trial in 2023 and a recently-ended federal corruption investigation, was sentenced Wednesday to five years' supervised release and fined $1 million for lying to a financial institution.

Texas Republican attorney general sues over voter registration efforts in Democrat strongholds

Texas Republican attorney general sues over voter registration efforts in Democrat strongholds

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has sued two of the state's largest counties to block efforts to register voters ahead of the November general election, drawing claims of voter suppression from state Democrats.

Biden praises longtime US Rep Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas, who died of cancer

Biden praises longtime US Rep Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas, who died of cancer

Longtime U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas, who helped lead federal efforts to protect women from domestic violence and recognize Juneteenth as a national holiday, has died. She was 74.

Longtime US Rep Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas, who had pancreatic cancer, has died

Longtime US Rep Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas, who had pancreatic cancer, has died

Longtime U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas, who helped lead federal efforts to protect women from domestic violence and recognize Juneteenth as a national holiday, has died. She was 74.

Singer, songwriter, provocateur and politician Kinky Friedman dead at 79

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Singer, songwriter, satirist and novelist Kinky Friedman, who led the alt-country band Texas Jewboys, toured with Bob Dylan, sang with Willie Nelson, and dabbled in politics with campaigns for Texas governor and other statewide offices, has died.

Appointed by Trump, Hunter Biden trial judge spent most of her career in civil law

Appointed by Trump, Hunter Biden trial judge spent most of her career in civil law

The judge presiding over Hunter Biden's federal gun trial in Delaware is a former corporate civil lawyer with a background in biology who was nominated to the bench by the Biden family's chief political antagonist: former President Donald Trump.

US Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas fights off challenge from gun-rights activist in GOP runoff

US Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas fights off challenge from gun-rights activist in GOP runoff

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas has won his primary over a gun-rights activist who pushed the border congressman to a runoff and threatened to unseat a U.S. House incumbent.

Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan wins GOP primary runoff, fending off challenger backed by Trump

Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan wins GOP primary runoff, fending off challenger backed by Trump

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Republican Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan won his primary runoff Tuesday to a survive a wave of party turbulence in America's biggest red state, and anger from the right over last year's impeachment of state Attorney General Ken Paxton.

Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan wins GOP primary runoff, fending off anger over impeachment

Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan wins GOP primary runoff, fending off anger over impeachment

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas was out to save his job Tuesday in a GOP primary runoff that has put rifts within the party on display.

Texas runoffs put Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales, state's GOP House speaker in middle of party feud

Texas runoffs put Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales, state's GOP House speaker in middle of party feud

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas is out to save his job Tuesday in a GOP primary runoff that has put rifts within the party on display.

Roughly halfway through primary season, runoffs in Texas are testing 2 prominent Republicans

Roughly halfway through primary season, runoffs in Texas are testing 2 prominent Republicans

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- The 2024 primary season is roughly halfway over and there have been few shakeups so far, with just one U.S. House member defeated and incumbents widely prevailing in state Capitols.