Texas’ tradition of open, transparent government is in peril

Now American Oversight is accusing Paxton and Abbott of withholding information that it says should be public. Three years ago, the group sought text messages and communications from Abbott’s and Paxton’s offices related to Jan. 6, 2021, and the Uvalde school shootings in 2022. Both offices released some records that were heavily redacted and withheld others, claiming legal exemptions. The offices said they did not have responsive documents regarding communications with gun groups and other matters. American Oversight said those explanations were not credible based on public statements.