John Martin

2 weeks ago | news.bloombergtax.com | Ryan Autullo |John Martin |Stephanie Gleason

Texas lawmakers passed more than 1,000 bills this spring but their most lasting impact might be on just one constituent, Gov. Greg Abbott. By approving at least 12 new judgeships in the session that ended June 2, the Legislature ensured that the three-term Republican governor will soon have filled more than 200 judicial appointments, surpassing all his predecessors.

3 weeks ago | news.bloomberglaw.com | Jack Fitzpatrick |John Martin

The Trump administration is renting three houses near Mar-a-Lago for $13.3 million, a sum greater than half of the properties’ estimated market value and a steep markup from the rates it paid in the same Palm Beach neighborhood five years ago. The General Services Administration in February signed four-year leases for two of the homes and a five-year lease for the third, all within two blocks of President Donald Trump‘s Florida resort, according to GSA records.

1 month ago | news.bloombergtax.com | Maeve Sheehey |John Martin

Seven hours into a marathon bill markup this month, Republicans on the House finance committee seemed borderline slap-happy. Typically mild-mannered Rep. Zach Nunn (R-Iowa) tossed a stack of amendments proposed by Democrats into a recycling bin and kicked it. Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.) ripped her copies into pieces and laughed at private jokes with Nunn and Rep. Lisa McClain (R-Mich.). Then it was McClain’s turn to talk, and her demeanor shifted.

Mar 28, 2025 | news.bloomberglaw.com | Katie Arcieri |John Martin |Rob Tricchinelli

Alvin Battle walked through the double doors of the Reynolds Coliseum at NC State University on a rainy afternoon last month. He wore a bright red shirt sporting the school logo, and his 6-foot-7-inch frame towered over students as they shuffled past to class. Still, he was virtually unrecognized. Four decades ago, Battle and his Wolfpack teammates celebrated one of the greatest upset runs in college basketball history. He proudly still wears his championship ring.