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The Record
Investigations, public records research, and policy analysis from Accountability Matters documenting government transparency and constitutional accountability in Texas.
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Part II: The Page That Closed My Case - “Cleared by Exception”: What That Really Means
In Part I, I talked about the silence that followed my reporting in December 2025. That silence didn’t start then. It started years earlier — and it has a paper trail. There is a document in my San Antonio Police Department file from 2008. It’s the very first page of the report. It’s titled “Cleared by Exception.” That phrase sounds technical. Neutral. Administrative. It isn’t. That page acknowledges the crime as sexual assault . It lists the case number. It reflects that a r
Morgan Collier
Jan 222 min read


Part 1: The Silence After Reporting
This post is part of a short series on reporting, silence, and accountability — and why the Sword & Shield Acts exist.
Morgan Collier
Jan 202 min read


What Happens When Schools Leave Their Lane
This is not about religion.
This is about public authority, public schools, and constitutional limits…
Dewey R. Collier
Jan 193 min read


Scripture is clear about silence in the face of injustice.
Scripture is clear about silence in the face of injustice. It does not call it neutrality. It calls it failure. “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,for the rights of all who are destitute.”— Proverbs 31:8 Silence in the face of injustice is not neutrality. A short series begins Tuesday. That verse has been on my heart as we prepare to share a short series this week. Not because I want to sermonize. But because there is a difference between restraint and abdica
Dewey R. Collier
Jan 181 min read


Public Schools, Neutrality, and the Line the State May Not Cross — and How the Sword & Shield Acts Enforce That Line
As debates rage over curriculum, identity, and inclusion in public schools, one question keeps resurfacing: What is the proper role of the State in the lives of young children? The answer matters—because public schools do not operate in a vacuum. They operate under constitutional authority, taxpayer funding, and compulsory attendance. That combination carries limits, whether the subject is religion, ideology, or sexuality. This post explains one of those limits clearly—and h
Dewey R. Collier
Jan 164 min read


How the Sword & Shield Acts Would Have Changed the Dallas Grand Jury Case
What Actually Happened In a Texas county, a grand jury returned an indictment for sexual assault of a young child. After the indictment was issued, the district attorney’s office later declined to pursue the case, citing concerns about the quality of an initial forensic interview with the child. That interview had occurred before the grand jury was convened and before the indictment was sought. As a result: The case was dismissed without trial, No judge ruled on the merits,
Dewey R. Collier
Jan 162 min read


If the Sword & Shield Acts Had Been Law: COVID Church Closures in Texas
Scenario: Governor Abbott’s COVID Proclamations Closing Churches In 2020–2021, the Governor of Texas issued a series of executive proclamations under the Texas Disaster Act that: restricted in-person worship services, capped church attendance, treated worship as a regulated activity rather than a protected liberty, and authorized enforcement actions against churches while allowing secular activities to continue under different standards. These restrictions were not enacted b
Dewey R. Collier
Jan 163 min read


You’re Invited: Rains County Candidate Forum
Monday, January 12, 2026 | Emory, Texas One of the most important parts of representative government is showing up — not for speeches or slogans, but to listen directly to the People. I invite you to attend the Rains County Candidate Forum on Monday, January 12, 2026 , at 6:00 PM at the Rains Elementary School Cafeteria in Emory. This forum gives voters the opportunity to hear directly from candidates, ask real questions, and engage face-to-face in a respectful, community
Dewey R. Collier
Jan 111 min read


The Record: What We’re Exposing — and What We’re Fixing
Texans don’t lack opinions about government. What we lack is straight answers backed by real numbers . This campaign is built around one simple principle: public money, public power, and public offices, belong to the People . That means voters deserve transparency, measurable results, and policies that actually improve life for families in House District 5 — not slogans or branding. Over the last several weeks, we’ve begun publishing data that explains why so many Texans fee
Dewey R. Collier
Jan 93 min read


Where the Money Went — and What Didn’t Change
Texas is spending more on public education than ever before. That fact is often cited to explain why taxpayers feel squeezed and why schools say they are still “underfunded.” But spending alone doesn’t tell the full story. To understand what’s really happening, we examined statewide enrollment, total education spending, and student outcomes over time , using only official Texas Education Agency financial data and independent student performance benchmarks. What the data shows
Dewey R. Collier
Jan 92 min read


Biden's War
Like all Americans, I am profoundly disturbed by the events in Afghanistan this week. As a soldier, I feel deserted, lied to, and ashamed. This overwhelming emotion is due to President Biden’s careless and reckless decisions in regards to the withdrawal of our troops from Afghanistan. I lost friends and fellow service members while serving in the Middle East. To anyone who says ‘we lost another war,’ I say to them, shame on you, shame on you. To my brothers and sisters who st
Dewey R. Collier
Aug 15, 20211 min read
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