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Vianna Davila

@viannadavila.bsky.social
13K followers 76 following 19 posts

Deputy Editor - ProPublica & The Texas Tribune Investigative Unit. Contact me: vianna.davila@propublica.org; Signal: 512-596-0148. A San Antonio native living amongst Austinites. Prev: Seattle Times & San Antonio Express-News

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Reposted by Vianna Davila
Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · 03/06/2026
New from @ujosephinelee.bsky.social: No state has taken over as many public school districts as Texas. Since 2020, the Texas Education Agency has installed its own hand-picked leaders in 8 districts. At least another 10 are at risk of takeover. Co-published with our partners at @ProPublica.org.
texasobserver.org
Will New School District Takeovers Follow the Model—and ‘Chaos’—of Houston ISD?
The state education agency took over four additional districts this spring, installing leaders linked to Houston’s state-imposed superintendent, Mike Miles, including two who worked for his former…
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Vianna Davila @viannadavila.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
In our first @propublica.org / @texastribune.org collab w/ the Big Bend Sentinel, as part of our TX investigative partnership, we examine scrutiny of the Trump admin's billion dollar border wall contracts. From Sam Karas,@perla-trevizo.bsky.social & Misty Harris bigbendsentinel.com/2026/05/21/t...
bigbendsentinel.com
The Trump administration is facing scrutiny for how it’s handing out billion-dollar border wall contracts
A new lawsuit alleges the Trump administration awarded the bulk of new Texas border wall contracts to two firms without “genuine competitive opportunities.” One of the chosen firms has faced legal iss...
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Vianna Davila @viannadavila.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
A lot of blame following last year's TX Hill Country floods focused on the camps where many victims died. But TX lawmakers for decades rejected laws that could have saved lives. Read more from Lexi Churchill, @emfoxhall.bsky.social & @pratheekrebala.bsky.social www.propublica.org/article/texa...
propublica.org
Texas Lawmakers Repeatedly Failed to Pass Legislation That Could Have Protected Residents From Deadly Floods
Dozens of bills were rejected over nearly 60 years, ProPublica and The Texas Tribune found. The most consequential measures could have saved lives by prohibiting youth camps and new construction in ar...
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Vianna Davila @viannadavila.bsky.social · 09/04/2026
Last year, the @propublica.org / @texastribune.org investigative unit started a new partnership with newsrooms across TX. We produced some incredible accountability journalism. I'm so excited to announce our new TX newsroom partners for year two. www.propublica.org/atpropublica...
propublica.org
ProPublica and The Texas Tribune Launch Second Year of Texas Investigative Initiative
Investigative Journalism in the Public Interest
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Vianna Davila @viannadavila.bsky.social · 14/10/2025
Before Trump sent federal forces into U.S. cities, a Dallas nonprofit pushed the same narrative of violence run amok. Our partners @wfaa.com.web.brid.gy report on how the city is now dealing with the consequences of that messaging. @propublica.org @texastribune.org www.wfaa.com/article/news...
wfaa.com
A year ago, Dallas voters approved measures meant to hold police, City Hall more accountable. Are they working?
GOP megadonor Monty Bennett funded a successful effort to convince voters Dallas needs more cops. Could the same winning strategy soon roll out to other blue cities?
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Vianna Davila @viannadavila.bsky.social · 12/09/2025
Elon Musk refused to answer our questions about a massive flood control project his Boring Co. wants to build in Houston. Then he posted about it on X. Read our fact check of his statement from our partners at the @houstonchronicle.com & @kutnews.bsky.social www.propublica.org/article/fact...
propublica.org
Elon Musk Pushed Back on Our Reporting on His Houston Tunnels Plan. Experts Say His Comments Are Misleading.
Musk said his proposal to build tunnels to address Houston’s chronic flooding woes would work, after an investigation raised questions about the plan’s effectiveness. But experts say his plan has key ...
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Reposted by Vianna Davila
Ellis Simani @emsimani.bsky.social · 10/09/2025
Earlier this year, we revealed three charter leaders in TX who have made hundreds of thousands on top of what's been reported to the state. New accountability ratings show that each of their districts have failing or near-failing performance. One may be shut down. www.propublica.org/article/texa...
propublica.org
These Charter Superintendents Are Some of the Highest Paid in Texas. Their Districts Are Among the Lowest Performing.
Three charter school districts in Texas underreported the compensation paid to their top leaders. The same three districts have also had failing or near-failing performance ratings in recent years.
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Reposted by Vianna Davila
ProPublica @propublica.org · 28/08/2025
NEW: Internal records show how Texas Rep. Wesley Hunt has worked to get Elon Musk access to state and local officials ahead of a formal bidding process for a Houston flood project. Both stand to benefit should Musk be selected. By @lmcgaughy.bsky.social‬ and @chengyilun.bsky.social‬
propublica.org
A Texas Congressman Is Quietly Helping Elon Musk Pitch a $760M Plan to Build Tunnels Under Houston to Ease Flooding
For years, experts in Houston have been studying the idea of building massive tunnels to divert floodwaters and save lives and property. Now Elon Musk’s tunneling company wants a piece of the project.
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Reposted by Vianna Davila
Charles Ornstein @charlesornstein.bsky.social · 28/08/2025
NEW: A Texas Congressman Is Quietly Helping Elon Musk Pitch a $760M Plan to Build Tunnels Under Houston to Ease Flooding, by @lmcgaughy.bsky.social @chengyilun.bsky.social w/ Texas Newsroom @houstonchronicle.com and @texastribune.org
propublica.org
A Texas Congressman Is Quietly Helping Elon Musk Pitch a $760M Plan to Build Tunnels Under Houston to Ease Flooding
For years, experts in Houston have been studying the idea of building massive tunnels to divert floodwaters and save lives and property. Now Elon Musk’s tunneling company wants a piece of the project.
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Reposted by Vianna Davila
Jasmine Aguilera @jas-aguilera.bsky.social · 04/08/2025
LOTS of Texas news this week, but don't miss this one from our colleagues and partners in Fort Worth:
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Vianna Davila @viannadavila.bsky.social · 04/08/2025
The IRS has given religious leaders the green light to endorse political candidates. Our @fortworthreport.bsky.social partners spoke to state Rep Nate Schatzline about his plans to push pastors to get more politically involved. @propublica.org @texastribune.org fortworthreport.org/2025/08/04/t...
fortworthreport.org
Texas pastors poised to wield political power after IRS says churches can endorse candidates
Fort Worth-area faith leaders are ready for greater political involvement in their congregations after the IRS says churches can endorse political candidates.
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Vianna Davila @viannadavila.bsky.social · 24/07/2025
Proud to have edited this excellent investigation from @zachdespart.bsky.social about TX Attorney General Ken Paxton's increasing use of pricey outside lawyers, rather than the 100s of attorneys he has on staff. Read more from @propublica.org & @texastribune.org www.propublica.org/article/ken-...
propublica.org
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Is Outsourcing More of His Office’s Work to Costly Private Lawyers
Despite having an office of hundreds of attorneys, Ken Paxton is frequently opting for private lawyers — many to whom he has personal or political ties — to argue on behalf of Texas. One attorney cost...
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Vianna Davila @viannadavila.bsky.social · 21/07/2025
A special session starts today in TX to address, in part, flood prevention in the wake of deadly July 4 flooding. But our latest from @propublica.org & the @texastribune.org shows how state lawmakers have repeatedly failed to take meaningful flood control measures www.propublica.org/article/texa...
propublica.org
Texas Lawmakers Largely Ignored Recommendations Aimed at Helping Rural Areas Like Kerr County Prepare for Flooding
Texas lawmakers’ inaction on flood prevention often hits rural and economically disadvantaged communities the hardest, experts said.
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Vianna Davila @viannadavila.bsky.social · 03/07/2025
All eyes were on Elon Musk in DC this year. But what he was up to in Texas? The brilliant @lmcgaughy.bsky.social dives DEEP into what he got out of the TX legislative session. Read more on @kutnews.bsky.social , part of our new @propublica.org / @texastribune.org collab www.kut.org/politics/202...
kut.org
Inside Elon Musk’s stellar year at the Texas Capitol
While Elon Musk took Washington, D.C., by storm, his company representatives and lobbyists were notching up big political wins in the heart of his vast business empire: Texas.
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Reposted by Vianna Davila
Lomi Kriel @lomikriel.bsky.social · 05/06/2025
TX politicos built a brand against illegal immigration. Yet unlike other GOP states, they refuse mandating E-Verify for companies. Doing so, said an ex-GOP state rep, "would create even worse problems. Do you want to go to a restaurant & use paper plates?" www.propublica.org/article/texa...
propublica.org
Texas Talks Tough on Immigration. But Lawmakers Won’t Force Most Private Companies to Check Employment Authorization.
Texas’ conservative Legislature has again and again refused to mandate that most private businesses use E-Verify. Experts say that Republican resistance is rooted in how the system could impact the st...
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Vianna Davila @viannadavila.bsky.social · 09/04/2025
I'm excited to announce that @propublica.org & the @texastribune.org will partner w/5 local TX newsrooms over the next year: @elpasomatters.bsky.social @fortworthreport.bsky.social @houstonchronicle.com @kutnews.bsky.social & @wfaach8.bsky.social Read more: www.propublica.org/atpropublica...
propublica.org
Five Newsroom Partners Join ProPublica and The Texas Tribune Investigative Initiative
ProPublica is an independent, non-profit newsroom that produces investigative journalism in the public interest.
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Vianna Davila @viannadavila.bsky.social · 09/04/2025
propublica.org
Five Newsroom Partners Join ProPublica and The Texas Tribune Investigative Initiative
ProPublica is an independent, non-profit newsroom that produces investigative journalism in the public interest.
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Vianna Davila @viannadavila.bsky.social · 19/03/2025
Apologies! I posted the wrong link b4! This is a must-read from @jschwartzreporter.bsky.social & Dan Keemahill about how TX's main method of electing school boards leads to white officials leading districts primarily made up of students of color. www.propublica.org/article/texa...
propublica.org
How Texas Conservatives Use At-Large School Board Elections to Influence What Students Learn
In six Texas districts that used at-large voting systems, ideologically driven conservatives successfully helped elect school board members who have moved aggressively to ban or remove educational mat...
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Vianna Davila @viannadavila.bsky.social · 14/03/2025
Some professional news: starting this week, I became deputy editor of our ProPublica/Texas Tribune joint investigative unit. I'm very excited to help some amazing journalists uncover abuses of power in Texas. Keep sending news tips this way www.propublica.org/atpropublica...
propublica.org
ProPublica and The Texas Tribune Name Vianna Davila as New Texas Deputy Editor
ProPublica is an independent, non-profit newsroom that produces investigative journalism in the public interest.
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Vianna Davila @viannadavila.bsky.social · 17/01/2025
Some thought Texas AG Ken Paxton might be a candidate for Trump’s new attorney general. He didn’t get the job. But there’s a significant way Paxton could benefit from the new administration & his longtime ally. My latest for @propublica.org & @texastribune.org www.propublica.org/article/trum...
propublica.org
A Trump DOJ Could Bring an End to the Yearslong Investigation of His Ally Ken Paxton
Donald Trump and the Texas attorney general have forged a friendship over the years, one that has been cemented in their shared political and legal struggles and their willingness to come to each othe...
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Reposted by Vianna Davila
ProPublica @propublica.org · 17/01/2025
NEW: The DOJ has been investigating Texas AG Ken Paxton since 2020 on allegations that he misused his position to help a political donor. Under Trump, a Paxton ally, the yearslong investigation could come to an end. By @viannadavila.bsky.social w/ @texastribune.org
propub.li
A Trump DOJ Could Bring an End to the Yearslong Investigation of His Ally Ken Paxton
Donald Trump and the Texas attorney general have forged a friendship over the years, one that has been cemented in their shared political and legal struggles and their willingness to come to each…
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Reposted by Vianna Davila
stevemmills.bsky.social @stevemmills.bsky.social · 17/01/2025
NEW: Texas AG Ken Paxton has been under investigation for years for alleged corruption. Trump's Justice Department could end that. Smart story from @viannadavila.bsky.social of @propublica.org and @texastribune.org. www.propublica.org/article/trum...
propublica.org
A Trump DOJ Could Bring an End to the Yearslong Investigation of His Ally Ken Paxton
Donald Trump and the Texas attorney general have forged a friendship over the years, one that has been cemented in their shared political and legal struggles and their willingness to come to each othe...
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Vianna Davila @viannadavila.bsky.social · 12/11/2024
Well let's see how this goes. I'm a @propublica.org / Texas Tribune investigative reporter based in Austin, born and raised in San Antonio. I want to hear your stories!
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