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lmcgaughy.bsky.social
Lauren McGaughy
@lmcgaughy.bsky.social
4.8K followers 390 following 340 posts
Investigative reporter + editor at The Texas Newsroom | @kutnews.bsky.social @npr.org | Covering Texas politics + Elon Musk | FOIA nerd📍Austin, TX Signal: lmcgaughy.40 📧: [email protected] ☎︎: 512-436-3641
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lmcgaughy.bsky.social
Lauren McGaughy @lmcgaughy.bsky.social · Jul 11
Seems like a good time to reintroduce myself.

I'm an investigative reporter & editor for The Texas Newsroom, a collaboration of public radio stations across the state. Lived here for 12 years.

This year I've focused on Elon Musk.

Got a tip? DMs open. Email [email protected]. Signal is lmcgaughy.40.
a cat wearing a blue shirt is sitting on a laptop computer
ALT: a cat wearing a blue shirt is sitting on a laptop computer
media.tenor.com
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lmcgaughy.bsky.social
Lauren McGaughy @lmcgaughy.bsky.social · 8h
Huge congrats to @paulflahive.bsky.social for winning the first Collier Spotlight award for his coverage of failures in the Texas CPS system.

Read his whole series here: whenhomeisthedanger.org #txlege
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lmcgaughy.bsky.social
Lauren McGaughy @lmcgaughy.bsky.social · 1d
NEW: Media orgs seeking to unseal Ken Paxton's divorce records have a hearing set for Dec. 19, according to court docket.

Background: www.kut.org/politics/202... #txlege
News organizations fight to unseal Texas AG Ken Paxton's divorce case records
A group of eight state and national media organizations want the records in Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s divorce case released to the public.
www.kut.org
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lmcgaughy.bsky.social
Lauren McGaughy @lmcgaughy.bsky.social · 1d
NEW: Ken and Angela Paxton sealed their divorce records. It doesn’t always mean you can. Story by @kera.org.
www.keranews.org/government/2... #txlege
Ken and Angela Paxton sealed their divorce records. It doesn’t always mean you can — here's why
A Collin County man's unsuccessful request to seal his divorce records highlights the high standard of proof required to keep even deeply personal court proceedings private and the unpredictability of...
www.keranews.org
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lmcgaughy.bsky.social
Lauren McGaughy @lmcgaughy.bsky.social · 1d
Update: South Texas advocacy groups want to add the Texas Space Commission and Starbase to its lawsuit over beach closures near SpaceX in Brownsville.

This after the #txlege passed new laws giving those two entities control over the beach.

Background:
www.kut.org/politics/202...
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Reposted by Lauren McGaughy
kutnathan.bsky.social
Nathan Bernier @kutnathan.bsky.social · 2d
Bastrop wants to build a pedestrian tunnel under Buc-ee's and they're turning to Elon Musk for help.

I also learned in this story by @lmcgaughy.bsky.social that Dallas and Houston both have extensive underground pedestrian tunnel systems.

www.kut.org/business/202...
This Texas city wants tunnels to connect its trails. It’s asking Elon Musk for help.
Officials in the city of Bastrop have asked Musk’s tunneling firm, The Boring Company, to build several tunnels to connect the area’s trails. If approved, the city manager anticipates the million-doll...
www.kut.org
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Reposted by Lauren McGaughy
nolanews.bsky.social
NOLA.com @nolanews.bsky.social · 12d
Here's what you need to know.
Disturbance strengthening in Caribbean may be hurricane off U.S. East Coast next week
Here's what you need to know.
bit.ly
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lmcgaughy.bsky.social
Lauren McGaughy @lmcgaughy.bsky.social · 12d
NEW: Police say genealogy DNA has linked a deceased serial killer with no ties to the city to the Austin yogurt shop murders.

Story by @tonyplohetski.bsky.social www.statesman.com/news/article...
Yogurt shop murders solved 34 years later with DNA testing, APD says
Authorities say DNA testing solved the 1991 “I Can’t Believe It’s Yogurt” murders of four teens, closing one of Austin’s darkest chapters.
www.statesman.com
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lmcgaughy.bsky.social
Lauren McGaughy @lmcgaughy.bsky.social · 13d
ICYMI: Who was Joshua Jahn? What we know about suspected Dallas ICE facility shooter www.keranews.org/news/2025-09...
Who was Joshua Jahn? What we know about suspected Dallas ICE facility shooter
Jahn grew up in North Texas, according to public records. He's been identified as the person who opened fire outside an ICE field office in Dallas Wednesday.
www.keranews.org
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lmcgaughy.bsky.social
Lauren McGaughy @lmcgaughy.bsky.social · 14d
ICYMI: At least one victim is dead after three people were shot outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in Dallas.

The shooter is also dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. More from @kera.org.

www.keranews.org/news/2025-09...
At least 1 victim dead, others injured in shooting at Dallas immigration field office
The director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement says three people have been shot at an ICE detention facility in Dallas and the shooter is dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
www.keranews.org
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lmcgaughy.bsky.social
Lauren McGaughy @lmcgaughy.bsky.social · 15d
Dinner tonight! 🍲🤤🌶️
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lmcgaughy.bsky.social
Lauren McGaughy @lmcgaughy.bsky.social · 20d
BREAKING: DOJ launches investigation into City of Austin's employment practices. The probe focuses on its Office of Equity and Inclusion, Equity Division. More info TK.

Story by @luzmoreno.bsky.social. www.kut.org/austin/2025-...
U.S. Justice Department launches investigation into city of Austin employment practices
The Department of Justice is investigating if Austin engaged in employment practices that discriminate based on race, sex, color and national origin, which is a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rig...
www.kut.org
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Reposted by Lauren McGaughy
charlesornstein.bsky.social
Charles Ornstein @charlesornstein.bsky.social · 21d
NEW: ProPublica, Other News Organizations Fight to Unseal Ken Paxton Divorce Records, by @lmcgaughy.bsky.social @kutnews.bsky.social w/ @texastribune.org
ProPublica and Other News Organizations Fight to Unseal Texas AG Ken Paxton’s Divorce Records
A group of eight state and national media organizations are arguing that the records are of public interest, especially in light of Paxton’s bid for a U.S. Senate seat.
www.propublica.org
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lmcgaughy.bsky.social
Lauren McGaughy @lmcgaughy.bsky.social · 21d
NEW: State + national news orgs have filed to unseal the records in Ken Paxton's divorce case.

The intervenors: @wsj.com @washingtonpost.com @houstonchronicle.com @expressnews.com @austinstatesman.bsky.social @texastribune.org @propublica.org + Texas Newsroom.

www.kut.org/politics/202... #txlege
News organizations fight to unseal Texas AG Ken Paxton's divorce case records
A group of eight state and national media organizations want the records in Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s divorce case released to the public.
www.kut.org
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lmcgaughy.bsky.social
Lauren McGaughy @lmcgaughy.bsky.social · 26d
In his response to our article, Musk said his way would be cheaper. He also said if the tunnels are too small, he'd just build more.

So would that work?

@chengyilun.bsky.social fact checked Musk. Here is what she learned: www.kut.org/energy-envir...
Fact check: Elon Musk says his Houston flood tunnel idea will work. Experts say that's 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 ...
www.kut.org
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lmcgaughy.bsky.social
Lauren McGaughy @lmcgaughy.bsky.social · 26d
Houston have been studying whether tunnels would ease its flood woes for years. But they've looked at big tunnels whereas Musk's Boring Co makes 12 ft pipes.

Plus Musk's pitch — which we learned about through public records — was for the largest waterway in the city. www.kut.org/politics/202...
Elon Musk is trying to build $760M tunnels under Houston. A Texas congressman is quietly helping him.
For years, experts in Houston have been studying the idea of building massive tunnels under the area to divert floodwaters and save lives and property. Now, Elon Musk wants a piece of the project.
www.kut.org
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lmcgaughy.bsky.social
Lauren McGaughy @lmcgaughy.bsky.social · 26d
A couple weeks ago, we broke the news that Elon Musk has been quietly lobbying Texas officials to let him build flood mitigation tunnels under Houston.

Weeks before publication, we gave him multiple chances to respond. He didn't. We published.

Then, he posted on X. www.kut.org/energy-envir...
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lmcgaughy.bsky.social
Lauren McGaughy @lmcgaughy.bsky.social · 26d
NEW this AM: Trump says Charlie Kirk shooting suspect in custody
www.npr.org/2025/09/11/n...
Trump says the Charlie Kirk shooting suspect is in custody
"I think, with a high degree of certainty, we have him in custody," President Trump told "Fox & Friends" on Friday morning.
www.npr.org
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Reposted by Lauren McGaughy
propublica.org
ProPublica @propublica.org · Sep 5
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
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.
www.propublica.org
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lmcgaughy.bsky.social
Lauren McGaughy @lmcgaughy.bsky.social · Aug 28
This story was co-published with these outlets as part of an initiative to report on how power is wielded in Texas.

@propublica: www.propublica.org/article/elon...

@HoustonChron: www.houstonchronicle.com/news/investi...

@TexasTribune: www.texastribune.org/2025/08/28/e...
Elon Musk wants to build tunnels under Houston as part of a major flood project
For years, experts in Houston have been studying the idea of building massive tunnels under the area to divert floodwaters and save lives and property. Now, Elon Musk wants a piece of the project.
www.houstonchronicle.com
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lmcgaughy.bsky.social
Lauren McGaughy @lmcgaughy.bsky.social · Aug 28
Hunt and reps for Musk and his companies did not answer our questions.

State and local officials insisted they have NOT allocated any public money to Borinng. If it does get the job, it appears it would be the first water project for the company.

Read the story here
www.kut.org/politics/202...
Elon Musk is trying to build $760M tunnels under Houston. A Texas congressman is quietly helping him.
For years, experts in Houston have been studying the idea of building massive tunnels under the area to divert floodwaters and save lives and property. Now, Elon Musk wants a piece of the project.
www.kut.org
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lmcgaughy.bsky.social
Lauren McGaughy @lmcgaughy.bsky.social · Aug 28
All of these pitches happened behind the scenes. There have not been any public hearings about Boring and Musk getting the job — or the taxpayer money.

All of this comes as The Boring Company is facing transparency criticism for his Nashville tunnel project. wpln.org/post/tenness...
#txlege
Tennessee advances Musk’s tunnel project in Nashville as pushback mounts
A plan to dig a tunnel from downtown Nashville to the airport took another step forward this week when the State Building Commission approved a no-cost lease of a state-owned parking lot.
wpln.org
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lmcgaughy.bsky.social
Lauren McGaughy @lmcgaughy.bsky.social · Aug 28
Hunt and Boring pitched smaller, potentially narrower tunnels than the county had previously focused on for the project.

Instead of one, 30-40 ft tunnels, Boring wanted to build two 12-foot tunnels. At least one flood experts questioned whether that plan would work. www.kut.org/politics/202...
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lmcgaughy.bsky.social
Lauren McGaughy @lmcgaughy.bsky.social · Aug 28
We got internal emails, texts and memos that show Boring wants to charge $760M to build one piece of Houston's flood mitigation tunnel system — with 15% of up front out of the state and county budgets.

And Musk had a pitch man: Congressman Wesley Hunt. www.kut.org/politics/202... #txlege
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lmcgaughy.bsky.social
Lauren McGaughy @lmcgaughy.bsky.social · Aug 28
In my latest investigation with @propublica.org, the @houstonchronicle.com's @chengyilun.bsky.social and I teamed up to show how The Boring Company has tried to woo politicians behind closed doors for months to hand it a slice of the job — and millions in taxpayer money.

www.kut.org/politics/202...
Elon Musk is trying to build $760M tunnels under Houston. A Texas congressman is quietly helping him.
For years, experts in Houston have been studying the idea of building massive tunnels under the area to divert floodwaters and save lives and property. Now, Elon Musk wants a piece of the project.
www.kut.org
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lmcgaughy.bsky.social
Lauren McGaughy @lmcgaughy.bsky.social · Aug 28
EXCLUSIVE: For years, local officials in Houston have been studying whether building giant tunnels under the city could ease the area's flooding woes.

Now, Elon Musk wants a piece of the project.

www.kut.org/politics/202... #txlege
Elon Musk is trying to build $760M tunnels under Houston. A Texas congressman is quietly helping him.
For years, experts in Houston have been studying the idea of building massive tunnels under the area to divert floodwaters and save lives and property. Now, Elon Musk wants a piece of the project.
www.kut.org
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