How Did Rep. Linda Harper-Brown Claim $11,370 in "Wear and Tear" for a Car She Didn't Own?

by: Phillip Martin, Progress Texas

Tue Sep 14, 2010 at 03:18 PM CDT

From the Dallas Morning News, "Democratic hopeful Loretta Haldenwang presents Republican State Rep. Linda Harper-Brown of Irving with invoice for $11,370 in mileage reimbursements":

Haldenwang on Monday attempted to present Harper-Brown with an invoice for $11,370 in mileage reimbursements the incumbent received for traveling on state business since September 2007. Haldenwang said public money should not have been used to pay for the wear and tear on a car that Harper-Brown doesn’t own.

“We’ll give her the gasoline reimbursement, but the money she’s not entitled to, we want back,” Haldewang said.

Harper-Brown was in Austin on state business Monday and could not be reached for comment. Her campaign manager said that the reimbursements were for legitimate wear and tear.

Wait a minute -- wear and tear? Doesn't that only matter if you own the car? Let's go to the statute. From the Government Code:

Sec. 660.041.  REIMBURSEMENT REQUIREMENT.  (a)  A state employee is entitled to be reimbursed as provided by this subchapter for the employee's use of a personally owned or leased motor vehicle.

But didn't Linda Harper-Brown say that she didn't own her car? From the Dallas Morning News, "Rep. Linda Harper-Brown says she's given up company's Mercedes"

Rep. Linda Harper-Brown said Tuesday that she has stopped driving a luxury car owned by a company that makes millions through state contracts.

Rep. Linda Harper-Brown got caught in another big, big lie. Haldenwang called her out for it in a release. Here's her statement and campaign video about the latest scandal:

“She can’t have it both ways,” Haldenwang stated.“On one hand, Linda Harper-Brow told the Dallas Morning News that the $55,174 Mercedes she has been driving doesn’t belong to her (“Linda Harper-Brown of Irving has quit driving Mercedes linked to Durable Enterprises,” 6/30/2010), but on the other hand she is claiming it is a personally owned vehicle by making taxpayers write her a check for $15,000.”

“Even if you give her the benefit of the doubt that she drove more miles than it takes to drive around the world — on the equator — Harper-Brown owes taxpayers at least $11,370.22,” Haldenwang added