Documents obtained by KVUE from the Texas AP show the improvements include custom wood cabinets and granite countertops for $61,200; two brass chandeliers totaling $29,000 and two 42" LCD screens for $2,200.
The improvements are being made in the often unseen Texas House Members Lounge.
Tom "Smitty" Smith of Public Citizen told KVUE, "At a time when Governor Perry says we need to cut out budgets, why are we spending $140,000 on a private club? You have to wonder, who did authorize it, and why at this time."
You can see the full report here:
Interestingly while the story starts as House Speaker Tom Craddick's spokesperson, Alexis DeLee and State Preservation Board and the House pointing fingers at each other, the story continues down a different path. Elise Hu writes on her blog:
Later in the afternoon, I got a word that the two brass chandeliers (worth $29,000) were going to go up, so our photographer, Robert, headed back to the back hall. That's when he encountered the Speaker's press secretary, Alexis Delee. Delee asked him to leave, citing security reasons.
Robert said he wanted to speak with security directly, and instead of security, Delee sent Terry Keel and Ron Wilson! Robert says Wilson came down the hallway wearing a big black shirt and sunglasses, even though they were indoors. But Keel (who is now House Parliamentarian) did the talking. He let Robert in to the lounge, to shoot what he wanted. We were thrilled to get what we could get, but would have loved anyone from the Speaker's office to go on camera. We were denied.
You have to ask, who is in charge, and why isn't there any over site?
