Leader of Defend Texas Liberty is out after meeting with a white supremacist

October 18, 2023

The Texas Tribune scored a huge story with some great gumshoeing.

The Tribune received a tip that a known white supremacist, Nick Fuentes, was meeting at the offices of Pale Horse Strategies, operated by former Texas Representative Jonathan Stickland. Stickland is/was the leader of Defend Texas Liberty, the PAC funded by 2 Texas billionaires and who have spent millions in campaigns including a race in CCISD.

Stickland didn’t meet with Fuentes for a quick cup of coffee. According to the Tribune he met with Fuentes for 7 hours and it has cost him. From the Tribune:
Luke Macias, a longtime conservative political consultant, is listed as the new president of the conservative PAC on its website. Jonathan Stickland, the former president, met with Fuentes for nearly seven hours.

Looks like Stickland is out of Defend Texas Liberty and replaced by a Mexican MAGAt. Being associated with a known white supremacist isn’t good for your resume. Campaigns tend to shy away from working with your company or taking campaign donations, except for Texas Lt Governor Dan Patrick who stated he will keep the $3 Million he received.

It will be interesting to watch who will want to be associated with Stickland, Pale Strategies, or Defend Texas Liberty in the coming elections.

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Posted by johncoby

Nick Fuentes, Defend Texas Liberty, and CCISD Trustee Scott Bowen

October 12, 2023

CCISD Trustee Bowen needs to speak up.

It’s hard to stay quiet without looking like I don’t like Scott Bowen, but I don’t like Scott Bowen anyway especially with his ties to the Defend Texas Liberty PAC. The leadership of DTL had a 7 hour meeting with Nick Fuentes a known white supremacist. According to The Texas Tribune:

White supremacist and antisemitic leader Nick Fuentes has been thrust into the state political spotlight after he was hosted by the president of an influential group that has donated millions of dollars to top Texas Republican officials.

On Sunday, The Texas Tribune published photos of Fuentes at the headquarters of Pale Horse Strategies, where he spent nearly 7 hours on Friday. Pale Horse is owned by Jonathan Stickland, a former state representative who also leads Defend Texas Liberty — a political action committee that two West Texas oil billionaireshave used to give millions of dollars to right-wing candidates, including Attorney General Ken Paxton and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.

What to know about Nick Fuentes. The Texas Tribune

I’ve looked at DTL campaign finance reports. They have spent almost $8 Million in just a couple of years on extreme far right candidates including State Representative Bryan Slaton, who was removed from office after providing alcohol to a minor and having sex with her. DTL claims they are now targeting Republican House members who voted to impeach Ken Paxton, the same guys who voted to remove Bryan Slaton from office.

How does Scott Bowen fit into this picture? Well, out of 1207 school districts in Texas, Defend Texas Liberty PAC donated to multiple candidates in only 1 district, just 1 out of 1207. Guess which one? DTL donated almost $2,000 for text messaging services for Bowen’s 2022 campaign. Then they donated to two candidates in 2023, one a political friend of Bowen for $5000, and another who returned a $5000 donation.

How did Defend Texas Liberty pick CCISD out of 1207 districts to meddle in? How did they know who was running? Why would two billionaires care about CCISD? It’s pretty clear that Bowen invited them. He has some association with this organization and brought them into our school board.

And the leader of that organization, former State Representative Jonathon Stickland, met with a known white supremacist for 7 damn hours. Stickland is silent. So is Bowen.

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Posted by johncoby

Raising Campaign Cash: Buzbee vs Huffman District G

October 11, 2023

District G is in the River Oaks area.

The last time we saw Buzbee running for office he was trampled by Mayor Turner. Buzbee spent around $12 Million of his own money to get a Texas sized ass whooping. Now he is at it again challenging the incumbent Mary Nan Huffman.

As with his other campaign, Buzbee is self financing. So far he has reported raising $17,383, spent $259,946, has $7,437 COH, and loaned his campaign $250,000.

Mary Nan has reported raising $31,100, spent $37,937, has $99,398 COH with no loans.

The voters in Houston sent Buzbee’s rich ass packing 4 years ago. Hopefully the rich ass voters in District G sends his rich ass packing in November.

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Posted by johncoby

White supremacists, Defend Texas Liberty, and CCISD

October 10, 2023
Texas Monthly

Thanks to the voters of CCISD we dodged a white supremacist group.

Former State Representative Jonathon Stickland is the lead of the Defend Texas Liberty PAC, an extreme right wing organization funded by two Texas billionaires. (background here) DTL donated $5000 to fund Peter Lauzon’s campaign for CCISD Trustee. (he lost) They also attempted to donate $5000 to fund Glencora Rogers campaign. (She returned it) CCISD Trustee Scott Bowen had something to do with these donations. He has ties to DTL. He should be speaking up about the following issue.

The Texas Tribune received a tip and seemed to have staked out the DTL headquarters. Guess who they saw. From the Tribune:
FORT WORTH — Jonathan Stickland, the ultraconservative leader of a group that has donated millions of dollars to high-profile Texas leaders, hosted prominent white supremacist Nick Fuentes and other right-wing activists for several hours on Friday.

Other white wing activists included Kyle Rittenhouse, the kid who killed two Black Lives Matter protestors. Also in attendance was Matt Rinaldi, the chair of the Republican Party of Texas although he claims he had no idea Fuentes was there. The building is the headquarters of Pale Horse Strategies a consulting firm owned by Stickland.

This is who was trying to infiltrate our school board. Thanks to the voters of CCISD we beat back the billionaires and defeated their candidate. I doubt Lauzon would have accepted money from Stickland if he had known that he was meeting with a known white supremacist, but others have accepted money from him including Lt Gov Dan Patrick for $3,000,000 just days before the Paxton trial. Elected officials have called upon him to donate the money to charity.

CCISD Trustee Scott Bowen should be denouncing his buddies at Defend Texas Liberty.

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Posted by johncoby

Elected officials in Clear Lake who supports vouchers

October 9, 2023

Doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure this one out. So who’s in favor of school vouchers? Teachers aren’t. The vast majority of parents aren’t. Their constituents aren’t but that doesn’t matter to them and for good reasons.

Senator Money Mayes Middleton has self financed his campaigns. He owes no one not even his constituents. he recently wrote an op-ed supporting vouchers claiming that parent know what’s best for their children (they don’t). He is all in for vouchers.

Representative Dennis Paul. Paul isn’t going to upset the apple cart for fear of being primaried. Abbott has him by the nose. he is a solid vote.

Representative Terri Wilson out of Galveston is exclusively funded by Texans for Lawsuit reform [sic]. She knows who butters her bread and it’s not teachers. She is another solid vote.

CCISD Trustee Scott Bowen. Corporal Chaos is too much in bed with the party to be against vouchers even though CCISD is clearly against it. Will he travel to Austin and testify? We will be watching.

Tony Buzbee. Tony is running for Houston’s city council and doesn’t know what the fuck he is doing. I threw him in because Scott likes him.

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Posted by johncoby

Houston Chronicle endorsement watch: At-Large 3

October 6, 2023

The Houston Chronicle has endorsed Richard Cantu for At-Large 3. From the Chronicle:

Perhaps it was coincidence that Richard Cantu, 54, sat in the center of the table at our screening with candidates for this race, but we found him to have the right mix of personal and professional experience while also seeming to speak to the largest groups of Houstonians.

Cantu is my favorite also. He has elected official experience as a Trustee with the Harris County Department of Education as well as applicable experience working with and in the City of Houston.

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Posted by johncoby

UPDATED: Raising Campaign Cash: Houston City Council Oct 2023

October 5, 2023

Still waiting for Donnell Cooper’s report that is now 10 days late. Next reports are due 8 days before the election. I’ll update this post as the results are posted.

NOTES:
Gilbert Garcia, candidate for Mayor is self financing his campaign for over $3,500,000. Of the $277,911 that was raised this period, $250,000 was from his own pocket.
Fred Flickinger, candidate for District E (Clear Lake) is also self financing for over $100,000.
Have not posted yet. Donnell Cooper and Roy Morales.

Raised: Total money raised this period. Includes In-Kind donations.
In-Kind: Something of value donated as opposed to cash such as used of an office space.
Expenditures: Amount spent over the period.
Loans: Outstanding loans. This may not be the total loan amount for the entire election period.
COH: Cash on Hand. Money that is in the bank.

CandidateRaisedExpendituresIn-KindCOHLoans
Gilbert Garcia*$277,911$2,030,646$7,547$1,542,929$0
Sheila Jackson Lee$630,518$756,621$6,363$901,824$0
Lee Kaplan$111,655$552,791$0$915,353$300,000
John Whitmire$1,092,518$3,924,144$52,060$6,876,948$0
Robert Gallegos$11,450$16,607$0$145,075$0
At Large 1
CandidateRaisedExpendituresIn-KindCOHLoans
Melanie Miles$53,133$58,396$0$144,643$50,000
Conchita Shelly Reyes$38,405$47,688$5,231$18,206$0
Leah Wolfthal$40,054$76,371$380$10,040$0
Julian Ramirez$19,540$33,294$0$21,392$20,000
At Large 2
CandidateRaisedExpendituresIn-KindCOHLoans
Nick Hellyar$48,125$42,840$1,450$138,413$0
Danielle Bess$10,245$53,774$0$65,996$0
Holly Flynn Vilaseca$44,550$57,436$0$84,158$0
Marina Coryat$13,836$14,250$0$9,500$0
Willie Davis$12,950$8,283$0$1,805$0
Obioha “Obes” Nwabara$11,736$28,649$5,000$18,446$20,000
At Large 3
CandidateRaisedExpendituresIn-KindCOHLoans
Twila Carter$32,425$21,975$0$200,546$4,000
Richard Cantu$23,097$10,831$0$39,120$0
Casey Curry$3,938$19,571$0$2,360$0
James Joseph$27,250$64,605$58,200$37,493$0
Donnell Cooper
Ericka McCrutcheon$2,725$11,437$0$0$25,000
At Large 4
CandidateRaisedExpendituresIn-KindCOHLoans
Letitia Plummer$35,240$41,099$0$87,533$7,000
John Branch$300$1,157$0$300$0
Roy Morales
At Large 5
CandidateRaisedExpendituresIn-KindCOHLoans
Sallie Alcorn$64,520$50,029$0$432,922$0
District E
CandidateRaisedExpendituresIn-KindCOHLoans
Martina Lemond Dixon$35,950$17,910$0$18,039$0
Fred Flickinger$11,975$45,914$0$63,169$103,000
Controller
CandidateRaisedExpendituresIn-KindCOHLoans
Chris Hollins$160,578$598,460$500$214,799$0
Shannan Nobles$8,150$98,752$0$69,663$112,000
Dave Martin$107,475$31,629$0$225,202$0
Orlando Sanchez$91,808$27,416$0$71,681$198,128

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Harris County Dept of Education Trustee fined $40,000 by Ethics Commission

October 4, 2023

What the hell is happening at the Dept of Education?

I filed two ethics complaints against former candidate for City Council Eric Dick. I truly expected a slap on the wrist, a small fine, and a promise from Dick to not do it again. Instead he received a record fine of $30,000, which he has not paid since 2021 and another $10,000 just last week.

The Ethics Commission rarely fines anyone $10,000 much less $30,000. The largest fine ever imposed was against former Harris County Commissioner Jerry Eversole for $75,000. Eversole is now (or was) a paid lobbyist for the Harris County Department of Education. WTF?

Yesterday the Houston Chronicle wrote about Dick’s latest fine. The first line took me by surprise:

Attorney and Harris County Department of Education Trustee Eric Dick faces $40,000 in fines for campaign finance violations after the Texas Ethics Commission recently tacked on another $10,000 penalty.

Dick is a Trustee with HCDE? Turns out Dick was going to run for one of the HCDE positions after he lost his race for Harris County Treasurer. He filed an assignment of treasurer in May of 2022 then pulled out in July. But….the Trustees appointed Dick to an empty seat in January of 2023! So the two elected officials with the two top fines by the Texas Ethics Commission now works, or worked, for the Harris County Department of Education.

Wow. In the words of George W. Bush: Rarely do we ask, is our children learning?

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Posted by johncoby

Another letter to State Rep Dennis Paul. You are killing your own

October 3, 2023

I’ve written to Paul before after he contributed to the death of another young State Republican Executive Committee member. It’s sad that I have to do it again.

The Honorable Dennis Paul
P.O. Box 2910
Austin, Texas 78768

Representative Paul,

You did it again. I am sorry to hear about the passing of a young Republican Activist, Grace Jones. As you know she was a 35 year old, State Republican Executive Committee member and was shot by her husband in a murder-suicide. She leaves behind 3 young children without a mother or father. As with Mr. Scott Apley, another SREC member that died from COVID, you should be apologizing to these children for your lack of action on gun safety to prevent this senseless killing. You and your party are responsible for her death and you should be asking for forgiveness from your god.

You enjoy providing more protection for your guns than for your own members. The death of this young lady is on your hands. Instead of offering worthless thoughts and prayers you should offer an apology to what’s left of her family and to the countless families who have lost their loved ones due to senseless gun violence because of your cowardness. I am truly ashamed of you.

May God have mercy on you. If you find a pair, give me a call. We can have lunch and discuss.

John Cobarruvias

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Posted by johncoby

Texas GOP mourn the loss of a young conservative after contributing to her death

October 3, 2023

This is sad and avoidable.

The Texas Republican Party mourned the loss of a young conservative activist. From CBS News:

“Words are difficult to express the feelings we have at the moment. Our heart goes out to Grace’s family, especially to her three children still at home, who are now left parentless. The best option we have at this time is fervent prayer for peace that surpasses our understanding,” said Matt Rinaldi, Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas.

Greg Abbott also offered his useless thoughts and prayers in the Midland Reporter-Telegram:

“Cecilia and I offer our heartfelt condolences to the family of Grace Jones, a wonderful mother, patriot and Texas Republican leader. … Forever grateful for her work on my campaign and her leadership in the conservative movement. … May God bless her and her family.”

Grace Jones was only 35 years old. She was a member of the State Republican Executive Committee (SREC). She had 3 children. Her husband shot her and then shot himself. They were going through a divorce. Abbott and the GOP have created a 2nd Amendment sanctuary in Texas providing more protection for their guns than for their own. They have resisted red flag laws or any gun laws that could have prevented this tragedy. Abbott once again has blood on his hands.

Republicans are quick to offer thoughts and prayers even if they are responsible for the death of someone in their own party. Case in point right here in Clear Lake, State Representative Dennis Paul took to the House floor to offer his worthless comments after another SREC member died of COVID. Paul let his friend, David Apley, a Dickinson City Council Member, shoot his mouth off about COVID “hoax” and he died from it. My letter to Paul:

Your party has failed Mr Apley by allowing misinformation to be spread by your members. Your party has failed over 53,000 families in the state by not taking this pandemic seriously. You allowed members of your party, “conservative” leaders in the community, and elected officials, such as Mr. Apley to mock science, downplay the severity of the virus, spread rumors, and fight every move by every elected official to stop this deadly virus in its track. You, personally failed Mr. Apley.

So fuck you Abbott, Paul, and the GOP. You helped kill this young lady.

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Posted by johncoby

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