It sucks getting caught trading political favors for political favors.
According to Reform Austin:
Clear Lake area State Representative Dennis Paul (R – Houston) is in a bit of a pickle. On April 19, 2018, a concerned El Lago residents group in District 129 discovered that the state representative may have recommended a local mayor to a state commission in exchange for Paul’s engineering company receiving no-bid construction contracts with the city.
Quid Pro Quo is the act of granting a favor in return for something. Quid Pro DOH is being caught in the act of Quid Pro Quo. Reform Austin believes Paul might have this problem. One thing is for sure Reform Austin has read hundreds of pages of emails and City Council minutes. They might be on to something. The Mayor of El Lago, Mark Briggs did donate $2000 to Paul which, based upon his ability to raise money, is a very large donation. And he did give a no bid contract to Paul Engineering. The City Council eventually overturned that contract.
Paul has a strange way with money. His doesn’t raise money very well. He only has about $37,000 Cash on Hand with a $150,000 loan from his Engineering firm. He has also accepted $5000 from James Dannebaum who owns another Engineering firm which was raided by the FBI in April of 2017 as part of a corruption probe. So could Paul have exchanged a seat on a Commission for a no bid contract? Maybe.
I have not been able to find out if Briggs was actually put on the Commission or even what Commission he was recommended for but it is clear Briggs gave a no bid contract to Paul and the City Council took it away.
Bay Area Houston 