Contact
Direct channels for tips, corrections, press, peer review, and partnership requests. Reader-funded, and free to contact.
There is no charge for contacting me. Readers, residents, whistleblowers, civic organizations, cities, counties, and special districts can all reach out at no cost. I handle matters of public interest, and I refer private matters to the city attorney, a licensed private attorney, or a licensed private investigator as appropriate.
Where to Send What
Peer Reviews
Investigative articles undergo independent peer review prior to publication. Drafts are circulated to qualified reviewers to verify accuracy, fairness, and completeness before public release.
Reviewers who have received a document for peer review should refer to the document for the specific email address and subject line to use when submitting feedback. Each review carries its own submission instructions.
Confidentiality
- I do not reveal a confidential source’s identity without that person’s explicit, written permission.
- If you ask to stay anonymous, your name will not appear in anything I publish.
- I only publish what I can verify independently through public records or other primary sources.
- Your tip may shape a public records request or further reporting, and your identity stays protected the whole way through.
Every story here started with a tip.
If something in your town, your agency, or a business near you does not add up, send it. Documents help, but a date, a place, or a name is enough to start. I read every tip myself.
How I handle tips and protect sources →Important Disclaimer
I am not an attorney, and Watchtower is not a law firm. I do not represent clients or provide legal advice. My work is investigative journalism and advocacy at public meetings on matters of public interest. When I speak at a meeting or write about the law, I am sharing how I read it as a journalist, and it should never be taken as legal counsel.
I am not a licensed private investigator, and Watchtower is not a licensed private investigations firm. I do not hold a Texas private investigator license under Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1702, and I do not provide private investigation services to anyone, for any fee, under any arrangement. My work is journalism on matters of public interest, built from publicly held records, public meetings, publicly filed complaint and inspection records, information lawfully obtained through the Texas Public Information Act and other open-government statutes, and interviews people agree to give on the record. When I report on a private business, I do it the traditional way: public records first, then a request for an on-the-record interview in a place open to the public, and I leave when asked to leave. I do no surveillance, locate work, background investigation for private parties, or anything else that requires Texas private investigator licensure.
If you need services that fall under the Texas Private Security Act (Occupations Code Chapter 1702), including covert surveillance, civil or criminal background investigations for private parties, locate services, or evidence-gathering for private litigation, you must engage a licensed Texas private investigator. Where appropriate, I can refer you to licensed professionals I know.
When someone contacts me about a situation that involves a legal matter, I start by talking through the circumstances to see whether my reporting is a fit. If the situation calls for legal representation or specific legal guidance, I refer the person to a licensed attorney whose practice fits the matter. Where appropriate, I may also connect the person with another journalist or report on the public-record facts myself.
Nothing on this website or in my communications should be read as legal advice or as a substitute for professional services that require a state license. For specific legal questions, consult a licensed attorney. For services that require private investigator licensure, consult a licensed Texas private investigator.