[Texgreen] Who rules Texas?

[Roger Baker]

It used to be the rich. Today its the super-rich. To a billionaire, =20
ten million to buy elections isn't much; they could live just as well =20=

on fifty million. In Texas it is legal to give ANY amount of cash to =20
a politician so long as you call it a campaign contribution. -- Roger

                        *******************************************

 =46rom San Antonio Express-News Sept 22, 2006:
  Group seeks limit on political contributions
Web Posted: 09/21/2006 11:15 PM CDT

Janet Elliott
Express-News Austin Bureau

AUSTIN =97 The multimillion-dollar political largesse of Texans =20
including Houston home builder Bob Perry and San Antonio businessman =20
James Leininger should be cut drastically, a coalition of citizen =20
groups said Thursday.

The coalition called for a $100,000 aggregate limit on individual =20
contributors for each two-year election cycle.

"If this is truly to be a House of the people, we've got to make sure =20=

that the voices of citizens aren't drowned out by the checkbooks of =20
the few," said Craig McDonald, director of Texans for Public Justice.

McDonald was joined by representatives from Common Cause, the League =20
of Women Voters, Gray Panthers of Texas and the Texas Baptist =20
Christian Life Commission at a news conference outside the Texas =20
House chamber.

The groups unveiled a five-point reform agenda for lawmakers to =20
consider next year. Other proposals would prohibit legislators from =20
lobbying for two years after they leave office; end partisan judicial =20=

elections by initially appointing judges and later having them stand =20
in retention elections; record all non-ceremonial legislative votes; =20
and create an independent redistricting commission.

All the changes have a common element, McDonald said.
"Each in its own way would loosen the grip that special interests, =20
the super-rich, the well-funded, the well-organized industries hold =20
over our state's democratic institutions," he said.

Perry and his wife, Doylene Perry, have given $4.5 million to Texas =20
candidates over the past two years, and Leininger and his wife have =20
contributed $4 million, according to McDonald.

The Perrys and the Leiningers give most of their money to Republican =20
candidates, but the third-biggest giver, Dallas attorney Fred Baron, =20
donates primarily to Democrats. Baron gave $1 million between January =20=

2005 and July 2006.

Leininger spent most of his money in this year's Republican primary =20
as he tried to defeat lawmakers who had voted against a school =20
voucher bill. His spokesman, Ken Hoagland, said Leininger will be =20
supporting pro-voucher candidates in the November general election.

"His interest is to open up greater opportunities for low-income =20
children to get a good education, and to do that he will abide, as he =20=

always has, by any rules that are in place," Hoagland said.

Anthony Holm, a spokesman for Bob Perry, said the proposal would let =20
some large law firms continue to donate millions of dollars.

"It appears the intention of these groups is to stop donors they =20
oppose from fully participating in the political process while their =20
trial lawyer buddies continue to give millions of dollars through =20
their law firms, just not as individuals," he said.

Weston Ware, who has lobbied against gambling for the Texas Baptist =20
Christian Life Commission, called for a constitutional amendment that =20=

would require all non-ceremonial votes to be on the record.

Although both the House and Senate strengthened their rules last =20
session to require more record votes, Ware said those rules could be =20
abandoned.