Builder puts $16 million into election process

[Judi Lynn]

Dec. 6, 2006, 12:40AM
Builder puts $16 million into election process
Bob Perry is nation's biggest campaign donor

By CLAY ROBISON
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle Austin Bureau

AUSTIN — Houston home builder Bob Perry poured $16 million into state and federal races during the recent election cycle, apparently making him the biggest individual political contributor in the country for 2005-06, a money-tracking group reported Tuesday.

A legislator from San Antonio hopes the report will boost his proposal to place limits on big donors, but similar efforts have failed in the past.

Perry has been a leading political donor in Texas for several years, but the $6.7 million he gave to state candidates, mostly Republicans, and political action committees over the past two years was a 44 percent increase over 2003-04, according to Texans for Public Justice.

Additionally, he put $9.3 million into federal elections, mostly through conservative groups that bought ads attacking Democratic congressional candidates throughout the country, TPJ reported, citing Congressional Quarterly's PoliticalMoneyLine.
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http://chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4382008.html

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Mr. Swift Boat sponsor, Bob Perry's on the right.

[leveymg]

1. my guess from the photo, he offshores a lot of his profits. GOP all the way.

How can this guy still consider himself to be a good American?

Anti-American on so many levels.

[Tempest]

2. If there is one silver lining to the housing bubble burst

It's that Perry won't have as much money to contribute in 2008 as his business tanks along with the rest of the housing industry.

[KKKarl is an idiot]

3. Maybe he can find

the construction offshore to get cheap labor to build the houses over there & sell them a little cheaper here to keep the housing market roaring ahead. I wonder how many illegals he employs in his construction company?

[Tempest]

4. Perry Homes is considered the largest employer of illegals in Texas

It's the least well kept secret in Texas.

Perry supports a guest worker program and amnesty for illegals. That should tell you something.

[jmowreader]

5. Bob Perry is the primary source of Swift Boat lie funding

http://www.mediatransparency.org/story.php?storyID=156

This guy has been a major player in far-right-wing politics for a while.

[Katzenjammer]

6. Guys like that know it's an *INVESTMENT*, not a real donation

They get 10X to 100X more (one study showed over 800X) back than they ever "donate".

It's a sure-thing investment, practically a license to steal.

[leftofthedial]

7. this has to end

[AtomicKitten]

8. money talks

but even a wad couldn't save his party.