Public corruption: State, fed leaders, including Rick Perry, yet to return donations
AUSTIN -- Several state and federal lawmakers who received more than $100,000 in campaign contributions from an El Paso businessman convicted on public corruption charges have not donated the money to charities as they said they would.
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, both Republicans, have donated a portion of the old campaign contributions -- about $15,000 -- they received from Robert "Bob" Jones to charity. The remaining contributions to politicians that included Republican Gov. Rick Perry and U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, are still in limbo.
The lawmakers told the El Paso Times two months ago that they would consider giving away campaign contributions they received from Jones for past elections because of his conviction last year. Politicians often shed contributions from tainted donors but they are not required to do so by law.
Perry was the largest recipient of campaign contributions from Jones with at least $80,000 between September 2002 and October 2005.
http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_19899961
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