Tx Supreme Court orders TAB to reveal donor data

[PDittie]

A notable name in Republican litigation regarding election law turns up again in this news. Andy Taylor, who lost the case for Talmadge Heflin's recount, which resulted in Hubert Vo's victory. He (along with dozens of others) also has represented TRMPAC in their string of recent court defeats.

Andy Taylor is on one hell of a losing streak. I hope the Texas GOP keeps retaining him:

A long-awaited ruling from the Texas Supreme Court on Friday requires the Texas Association of Business to answer questions about how it raised $2 million spent in targeted Texas House races in 2002.

The Supreme Court, without comment, lifted a stay it had issued on Jan. 28, 2004.

"All the information we requested is due right now," said Buck Wood, who represents James Sylvester of Austin, a Democratic candidate who was defeated in the November 2002 general election for District 50 in Travis County. "I'm sending a letter giving them a week."

*snip*

The TAB targeted 22 Texas House races, with its endorsed candidates winning 18 of those contests. The wins were key to the Republican takeover of the House.

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/3220790

[acmejack]

1. Another crack in the wall!

You can hear it here in Austin. After the stupidity of the lege this session, I think things may be starting to turn.

[NoPasaran]

2. Andy Taylor

Should have stuck with being Sheriff of Mayberry.

[sonias]

3. Great news!

I can't wait to see it, but we do know at least one name - Bob Perry of course. As a matter of fact, I won't be surprised if Bob Perry was 80-90% of all the money raised.

Sonia

[PDittie]

4. Here's what they were trying to hide:

Documents released in a civil lawsuit Friday show that Texas Association of Business officials were trying to influence the outcome of state House races when they ran a $1.7 million "voter education project" paid for with corporate money.

"Of the nine incumbents ... we went after, seven were defeated. This is huge news," a TAB executive said in a 2002 e-mail the day after the group helped Republicans win control of the Texas House for the first time since Reconstruction.

TAB officials have claimed that their corporate spending was meant to educate voters, not affect elections.

Houston Chronicle

Charles Kuffner has more:

What do they say doesn't count as advocacy? http://www.mysanantonio.com/business/stories/MYSA062505.5B.tab_disclosure.5a40217.html">Here's an example.

One mailer targeted voters in Bexar County, where Rep. Ken Mercer, a Republican, was running against Democrat Raul Prado and would ultimately defeat him.

"The Texas Association of Business is committed to fighting for free enterprise," the mailer said. Then beside a picture of Mercer, the ad reads: "Ken Mercer stands with us in promoting the principles that will ensure that Texas remains a leader in jobs, economic development, quality education and improving transportation."

It also mentioned Mercer's positions on jobs and the economy, health care and corporate responsibility.

If you can read something like that and not conclude that the Texas Association of Business wants you to vote for Ken Mercer, then all I can say is that it's a good thing you finished school before there were TAKS tests.

Exactly.

And Tejano Politico reiterates that indictments are due any day.

:bounce: :popcorn: :applause:

[sonias]

5. Doesn't that sound like Craddick and DeLay?

http://tejanopolitico.blogspot.com/2005/06/long-awaited-austin-indictments-any.html
This Politico is now prepared to say that several key indictments involving key legislative players will happen in a very short period of time.
Some individuals will be from Washington others will be of course from Austin. An indictment will not immediately stop business as usual, but several key players will be severely wounded.

I sure hope it's true. Awaiting anxiously for those damn indictments.

Sonia