Study: Joe Barton, other likely U.S. House panel chairs have industry ties

WASHINGTON – The top contenders to run committees in the approaching GOP-led House, including Arlington Rep. Joe Barton, have strong ties to the industries they would oversee. That's the conclusion of the Center for Public Integrity, a nonpartisan watchdog group, which analyzed the campaign contributions and other connections for 14 committee-chair candidates.

Mason reports: http://dallasne.ws/bvWep9

Stimulus, Texas Republicans, and playing it both ways: new report offers yet more examples

The nonpartisan Center for Public Integrity has dug out more evidence of Republican lawmakers from Texas and across the country quietly prodding the federal government to release stimulus money for pet projects -- even as they hammered Democrats for the stimulus as wasteful or even an illegitimate use of federal authority.
Todd Gillman reports: http://dallasne.ws/9FUbpi