“My godmother used to say that pro-life advocates are like superheroes: they protect the weakest among us from forces beyond our control.”   Ellie Endsley is standing, wrapped in a robe, typing thoughtfully at a tall, ornate desk. From the honorable Herman “Vitch” Avromovitch’s corner suite on the 45th floor, she can see the sun… Read More

“I’m gonna help you guys out,” Gonzo Garza types. He is responding to a message requesting the Speaker’s financial assistance for a long-shot political project in West Texas. “Go see Trent Thompson in Midland, and follow up with me after you talk to him.”   After he sends his response, Gonzo continues reviewing messages that… Read More

The lunch hour is just beginning as Gonzo lumbers out of the Sam Houston Building tunnel.   He is tired, hung-over, and he needs to take his pills. As he winds his way through the back halls of the Capitol extension, he stops more than once to catch his breath.   The Interim Committee on… Read More

James Carlos Cates bends down and flips through the mid-20th century steel and iron signs leaning against the wall at the top of the stairs.   “Fresh brewed coffee”’ “Yes, we’re OPEN!” “SHELL” “Route 66”   Some of the signs are decaying so badly that the floor underneath them is dusted with rust.   He… Read More