The ghost of Tom Craddick lives on. The once tyrannical House Speaker is still making news. Texans for Public Justice (TPJ) filed a complaint with the Texas Ethics Commission today alleging that the Texas Jobs & Opportunity PAC served as an illegal conduit in 2008 for contributions from then-Speaker Tom Craddick to three Democratic House candidates.
The complaint specifically cites $150,000 in contributions from Tom Craddick to Democrats Kevin Bailey, Kino Flores and Aaron Pena. Rep. Bailey was defeated by Armando Walle in the 2008 primary, Kino Flores has recently resigned, making Pena the only active Representative to receive a $50,000 check from the Texas Jobs & Opportunity PAC.
According to TPJ, the timeline is clear.
Jobs PAC reported that it received $250,000 from Tom Craddick's campaign committee on January 10, 2008. According to news reports, around that time Craddick campaign employee Christi Craddick also provided Texas Jobs with written instructions to distribute the funds to Democratic Reps. Kevin Bailey, Dawnna Dukes, Kino Flores and Aaron Pena. All four incumbents previously supported Republican Speaker Craddick and faced challengers in the 2008 Democratic primary.2 According to its own reports, Jobs PAC wrote three checks of $50,000 apiece to the campaigns of Reps. Bailey, Flores and Pena on January 11, 2008. By its own accounting, at the time Texas Jobs wrote these checks its sole source of funding was the $250,000 that it received the day before from the Craddick campaign. Rep. Dukes, the fourth lawmaker, told the Austin American-Statesman that she rejected an offer to receive $50,000 from Texas Jobs because her opponent already was making her Craddick ties a campaign issue.
"Tom Craddick wanted to move tens of thousands of dollars to his favorite Democrats without letting voters know," said Texans for Public Justice Director Craig McDonald. "Hiding the true source of campaign funds is illegal. Craddick could have contributed the money directly and openly. Instead, he used Texas Jobs to launder his money and keep Texans in dark."
TPJ alleges the Texas Jobs & Opportunity PAC violated Chapter 253.001 of the Texas Election Code which directly prohibits individuals or political committees from secretly acting as conduits for other donors. Because Craddick employee Christi Craddick gave Texas Jobs & Opportunity PAC with a letter detailing instructions on who and how to distribute the original $250,000 donation, the recipients were obligated to disclose the original source of the donations-- then-speaker Tom Craddick.
According to TPJ, "The Craddick campaign used Texas Jobs to try to keep its large campaign contributions anonymous."
Once a State Representative or Senator is done serving in the Texas legislature, it doesn't mean they are done working in the pink dome.
Texans for Public Justice has looked at 10 formerly elected officials including 8 Republicans and 2 Democrats. All 10 of these former State Representatives were serving in the House just this last session and now have gone through the revolving door to get huge payouts to lobby.
Texans for Public Justice looked at the 68 lobby contracts held by Mike Krusee, Fred Hill, Kyle Janek, Pat Haggerty, Corbin Van Arsdale, Dianne Delisi, Kevin Bailey, Robby Cook, Tony Goolsby and James Murphy currently have. Because of reporting laws, lobbyist are only required to disclose whether they fall within a range and not the specific amount the actual revenue from each lobby contract.
Lobbyist are only required to specify if they make less than $10,000, $10,001 to $24,999.99, $25,000 to $49,999.99, $50,000 to $99,999.99, $100,000 to $149,999.99, $150,000 to $199,999.99, $200,000 to $249,999.99, etc.
This makes it difficult to determine how much these 10 formerly elected officials are actually making.
Needless to say, these 10 men have 68 contracts and are currently getting paid anywhere from $2,025,000 to $3,890,000. Mike Krusee and Fred Hill appear to be the two highest paid former elected with Tony Goolsby and James Murphy rounding out the bottom.
In case any one is concerned how former lobbyist Todd Hunter is doing after taking a pay cut to work at the capitol again, don't worry too much. In 2007, Hunter had 4 lobby contracts that could have made him as much as $225,000. He should be okay for a little bit.
Here in Texas, there's been a major split around the controversial Speaker of the House, Rep. Tom Craddick. These four Democrats (highlighted in red), who supported Speaker Craddick, drew challengers, and whether or not they win or lose -- coupled with other key TX House races we're watching in other threads -- could signal the potential defeat of Speaker Craddick.
To see a full list of how the TX House candidates are doing tonight, follow this link:
In just 15 days, our Too Close to Craddick Political Committee has raised over $30,000 ($30,510 to be exact) to help good Democrats challenge three Craddick Democrats--Democratic state representatives who turned their backs on their Democratic leadership to support Republican autocrat Tom Craddick for Speaker instead.
At this point in the campaign, we're sending funds out to the challengers as fast as we're taking them in. And they're spending it for blockwalkers, phones and television. Following are the challengers and their needs:
Brian Thompson (challenging Craddick D Dawnna Dukes in Austin)
Boost last week of television (Field program covered)
Armando Walle (challenging Craddick D Kevin Bailey in a Houston district that is 2/3 Hispanic)
Bilingual canvassers
Bilingual phoners
Spanish/English doorhanger
Canvassers for African-American areas (10% of district) (TV not affordable in Houston market)
Sandra Rodriguez (challenging Craddick D Kino Flores in McAllen and Pharr)
Spanish-speaking canvassers
Boost last week of television
For the next week, every dollar that we deposit in the morning will be sent out to our three Democratic challengers that afternoon. Let's keep the heat on and the momentum going. Mail your check payable to "Too Close to Craddick" to
Too Close to Craddick
PO Box 5674
Austin, TX 78763-5674
HD-140 is a wedge shaped district in north Houston including the neighborhoods of Aldine and Northside. Hispanic residents make up seventy three percent of the district, but historically low voter turnout among Hispanics compared to smaller blue-collar Anglo and African American populations in the district has blunted Hispanic influence on politics in the area.
Unfortunately, like many of the districts represented by Craddick Ds, District 140 is one with a lot of need. Per-capita income is around $10,400 (nearly half the state average) and roughly three-fifths of the district population over 25 never graduated high school. It's a district that benefits tremendously from forward-thinking policy in state government like the Children's Health Insurance Program, the Top Ten Percent Law, TEXAS Grants and low college tuition.
It is my fundamental belief that the best legislators are those that live the spirit of their district, that understand the place of their district. My position on Craddick D's has always been, "the constituents in those districts can have their say as to who best represents their needs." More so than any other challenger this cycle, I think Armando Walle fits that bill.
Raised in the district by a single mom and the first person in his family to graduate high school, let alone college, Armando got his start in public life working as an intern through Senator Rodney Ellis' Texas Legislative Internship Program. For the past six years, he worked as an aide to Congressman Gene Green, who has represented the area as a state representative, state senator and congressman for nearly thirty years and is immensely popular in the district.
I've talked with Walle's supporters, and I hear a passion for their candidate I don't hear in even many incumbents' races. They swear to me that he's serious about helping kids who have to wait thirteen hours in an emergency room just to get medical treatment, or making sure seventeen year old juniors don't out of hand dismiss the chance of ever going to the University of Houston simply because they can't afford it (tuition has gone up 70% at UH since 2003, thanks to Speaker Tom Craddick), because he's a guy who was in a similar place himself once.
Armando Walle gets his district, and I'm not convinced that Rep. Bailey does.
The Horserace
Bailey's support is isolated to long time residents who have supported him since he was first elected, but even these voters will be in question due to Congressman Gene Green's strong support of Walle. The conventional wisdom is that low voter turnout (an anemic 1,300 voters in the 2006 Democratic primary) has been his strongest electoral asset as an office holder. Bailey's been counting on Craddick et al. for his financial support, receiving a $25,000 contribution from Texans for Lawsuit Reform in January in addition to the above mentioned Craddick money. But as Ron Wilson and Talmadge Heflin have both proven in Harris County, you can have all the money in the world and still lose for your ties to Tom Craddick.
Walle's been blockwalking since October of last year, and a strong, serious grassroots effort by his campaign to reach out to new voters and increase Hispanic turnout, combined with the gigantic turnout predicted for Harris County as the Obama and Hillary campaigns come rolling through Texas (up ninefold in the first day of early voting compared to 2006), means Kevin Bailey is in serious trouble.
Texans for Public Justice has filed a complaint with current Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle alleging that Tom Craddick has or attempted to bribe legislators.
According to Quorum Report the, "question has always been whether or not the PAC violated the Speaker Statute that says either contributing or withholding a campaign contribution based on support or opposition to a Speaker candidate was legislative bribery. The eleventh hour activation of the PAC as well as Craddick's seed money participation takes the questions another step."
The PAC in questions is the Texas Jobs PAC. The PAC has been financed with $250,000 of Tom Craddick's money and the PAC's President and CEO is Republican operative Jim Cardle.
There have already been two stories surround the Texas Job PAC and Craddick D's Kevin Bailey (who accepted money from the PAC) and Dawnna Dukes (who is pledged to Craddick but did not take his bribe).
Democratic State Rep. Dawnna Dukes considers her ties with Republican House Speaker Tom Craddick so sensitive that she turned down a $50,000 contribution from a political action committee tied to Craddick.
But Houston Democrat Kevin Bailey didn't.
Both were among a group of Democrats whose support for Craddick last year helped quell a Republican rebellion that sought to oust him from the speaker's post.
Both face opponents who charge that their ties with the conservative Craddick go against the interests of their low-income, heavily Democratic districts.
Brian Thompson commented on the Texas Jobs PAC last week and the possible quid pro quo saying:
"This sounds like Rep. Dukes is acknowledging that $50,000 was linked to a vote for Speaker of the Texas House," said Brian Thompson, the Democratic candidate who is challenging Dukes in HD 46. "Our ethics laws do not look too favorably on a $50,000 quid pro quo."
We will keep our eyes on this story as it develops. The full complaint can be found here.
When Tom Craddick continued his reign of terror as Speaker of the Texas House, it was clear that speaker politics would extend beyond the session and last until November 2008.
Today, Lon Burnam made an announcement few elected officials have the courage to make, he endorsed three Democratic Primary challengers and made a clear statement that a vote for Tom Craddick is not only bad for your district but it is also undemocratic.
"I am proud to publicly endorse Brian Thompson (HD 46 - Austin), Armando Walle (HD 140 - Houston), and Sandra Rodriguez (HD 36 - Hidalgo County)," said State Rep. Lon Burnam, "all of whom have shown remarkable courage by challenging Craddick Democrats. Each of these candidates is extremely viable. I hope to welcome each of them into the State Legislature next year and take three more votes away from the Republican Speaker."
In 2003, Rep. Burnam was the only Representative to vote against Republican Speaker Tom Craddick. At the time, Burnam suggested Craddick was ethically challenged. Many of the Craddick D's share Craddick's ethical lapses.
"Since 2003, the single biggest obstacle to responsible public policy in the state of Texas has been Tom 'absolute power' Craddick," said Burnam. "Unfortunately, some of my colleagues continue to support the Republican Speaker and enable his failed Republican ideology of starving public education, harming the environment, denying children health care, and making a mockery of our ethics laws."
Rep. Burnam put the March 4th primary into simple terms. "Democrats can vote for the status quo and help re-elect Craddick Democrats, or they can vote for change and send a clear message that Tom Craddick and his right-wing cronies are taking our state in the wrong direction."
"I represent the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party, not the Craddick wing of the Democratic Party, and so do the three Democrats I am endorsing today," said Burnam.
[...]
In addition to endorsing these three Democratic challengers today, Rep. Burnam has also committed to help each of them raise the funds they will need to be successful on March 4. Next week, Rep. Burnam will unveil details about a political action committee called "Too Close to Craddick" that he is supporting.
Armando Walle is one of the many great Democrats running for office this March. He is taking on Craddick D Kevin Bailey in House District 140 and typifies a community supported candidate.
My decision to run was made after witnessing the immense need for effective representation in Texas House District 140. There are issues of great importance to parents, students, businesses and neighborhoods that continue to be neglected. District 140 deserves a State Representative that will fervently fight for better schools, access to affordable healthcare, flood prevention and public safety. I have the leadership skills, experience and education to hit the ground running and fight for our community.
Bailey's vote to elect Tom Craddick to become Speaker of the Texas House runs contrary to the needs of House District 140.
Tomorrow Walle will be in Austin to show the people of Texas that change is needed in Houston.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
5:00pm-7:00pm
Four Seasons Hotel -- Stone Crossings Room, 98 San Jacinto Blvd.
Is Craddick funneling Bob Perry money through Hillco to Craddick D's?
The October monthly report filed by Hillco PAC with the Texas Ethics Commission is a fascinating read. I'd encourage all of you to take a look at it on the Texas Ethics Commission web site.
According to the ethics commission filings, and a recent Texas for Public Justice Lobby Watch report, Hillco PAC received $86,666 in contributions from 6 individuals, 5 of whom are Hillco employees. The 6th contributor to the Hillco PAC was none other than the largest Republican donor in the state of Texas, Houston homebuilder Bob Perry.
His $75,000 contribution to the Hillco PAC represented 87% of their contributions for the entire month.
Hillco spent around $90,000 in political expenditures for the month. Most of their contributions were a standard $1000 contribution to various state reps. and senators. However, 4 contributions raised some eyebrows for me.
Why did Hillco give $10,000 to Kevin Bailey, $10,000 to Dawnna Dukes, and $10,000 to Kino Flores. What do these three State Reps. have in common? I can think of three things; 1) They are all Craddick D's who have pledged their "absolute" loyalty to Speaker Craddick, 2) They are all potentially facing primary opponents, and 3) Each of them knows a direct contribution from Bob Perry wouldn't go over so well with Democratic primary voters in their deep blue district.
It has been well documented that primary opponents have already surfaced against Bailey and Flores, and the Austin political community continues to be full of chatter regarding a primary challenge to Dukes. Just ask Ron Wilson, Glenn Lewis, Jaime Capelo, Roberto Gutierrez, Al Edwards, what their primary voters thought of their allegiance to Speaker Craddick. Even Robert Puente made the decision to retire rather than fight in a primary, and he had over $200,000 in the bank. (Apparently loyalty to Craddick can be a costly decision.)
Obviously, Buddy Jones and Bill Miller are flowing Bob Perry money through their PAC to Craddick D's who appear to be in jeopardy. I assume this arrangement is carefully orchestrated by Craddick to make sure the Craddick D's who are facing democratic primary challenges have a way to get resources from one of his most prominent moneymen (Perry) without disclosing that on their own ethics filings. Considering the millions of dollars Bob Perry has contributed to candidates (mostly R's but also some D's), why didn't he just give the 10k directly to Kevin Bailey and Kino Flores and Dawnna Dukes? Why did he choose instead to funnel that money through Buddy Jones' PAC?
