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Rick Perry’s Patronage Nets Him $17 Million

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This is wrong. This is cronyism. This is patronage on crack. This is corrupt as hell!

Perry Reaps $17 Million from his Political Appointees Full Report or one page Summary

Governor Rick Perry has received $17 million in campaign contributions from his political appointees and their spouses, according to a new report by Texans for Public Justice. One out of every $5 raised by Governor Perry since 2001 has come from appointees or their spouses.

Key findings of the report include:

  • Texas Governor Rick Perry tapped 3,995 appointees 5,662 times to serve on hundreds of state agencies, boards and commissions between January 2001 and February 23, 2010 (some appointees were appointed multiple times).
  • From 2001 through June 2010 Perry’s campaign received $17,115,865 from 921 of these appointees or their spouses. Gubernatorial appointees accounted for an impressive 21 percent of the $83.2 million that Perry’s campaign has raised since 2001.
  • Perry’s most-lucrative appointee is Wendy Lee Gramm, whom he appointed to the A&M Board of Regents and the Texas Tax Reform Commission. The U.S. Senate campaign of Gramm’s husband transferred $610,000 to Perry’s campaign in 2002. It was the largest same-day contribution of the governor’s political career.
  • Only two other appointees gave Perry more than $450,000 apiece: Peter Holt and T. Dan Friedkin. Perry appointed both of them to the Parks and Wildlife Commission. Parks and Wildlife is Perry’s favorite appointee fishing hole. He bagged more than $2 million from this commission ($118,477 per appointee).
  • A&M Regents were Perry’s No. 2 source of appointee cash, yielding $113,127 per appointee. Four A&M appointees besides Wendy Gramm gave the governor more than $200,000 apiece.
  • Inaugural Committee appointees gave the governor an average of $102,194 apiece, making this Perry’s No. 3 source of appointee contributions.
  • University of Texas regents ranked fourth, giving Perry an average of $83,463 each.

About Sharon Wilson

Sharon Wilson is considered a leading citizen expert on the impacts of shale oil and gas extraction. She is the go-to person whether it’s top EPA officials from D.C., national and international news networks, or residents facing the shock of eminent domain and the devastating environmental effects of natural gas development in their backyards.

Comments

  3. TXsharon says

    Seriously, Tillotson?

    Haven't we had this conversation previously? Let me refresh your memory: this is MY blog and I blog about any damn thing I want to.

    However, this has everything to do with drilling reform. EVERYTHING! Pay attention!

  4. Tillotson says

    Yes, we had this conversation before.

    You said political blog entries were meant as voter education pieces as related to drilling reform. I didn't see where any of those contributions were from drillers or gas companies, which is what I expected.

    Obviously, it's your blog and you can post whatever you like. But if your postings are too blatently political, you play right into the hands of those who oppose drilling reform. They paint us as "left wing enviro-whackos". That helps them dismiss our efforts to reform drilling practices here in Texas.

    I'm trying to help, Sharon. You and I are on the same side.

  5. Anonymous says

    YOu bet it has to do with drilling! Just look at these Texas universities and their ties to O&G–just look at the money coming in from minerals, etc. Lots of connections!!

  6. TXsharon says

    1. Perry is a big enabler of big gas.
    2. Perry vetoed the eminent domain bill last session that was even supported by Republicans. That bill was written specifically for Barnett Shale residents.
    3. Perry appoints the people that control our regulatory agencies, hence patronage is even more alarming to Barnett Shale residents.
    4. With patronage in our universities, how will we get the unbiased studies we need?
    5. Rick perry's dishonest dealings are NOT GOOD FOR TEXANS.

  7. Dick Head says

    Cut the crap, Tillotson! No one for drilling reform needs to ask what this has to do with drilling reform.

  8. Anonymous says

    Tillotson Tillotson Tillotson. Turn down the Ted Nugent music, put down your gun and smell the polluted air.

  10. Anonymous says

    We have 3 branches in our guvmnt system–1st is the legislative–Perry is an example of corruption and money influence–no help here! 2nd is the executive branch–corrupt state agencies such as the TCEQ and the RRC–no help here. And 3rd is the Judicial system–nothing but oil soaked courts in Texas–no help here! End of story.

  11. Anonymous says

    Wendy Gramm of the famous Enron scandal and complete deregulation of the energy industry fame?

    You can bet your ASS that if she's giving money to Perry then theres something energy and drilling related involved.