Raising Campaign Cash: Senator Konni Burton

October 16, 2018

Konni Burton is in a good competitive fight for her seat in the Texas Senate. That is probably why the big guns have come out in her fundraising defense.

According to her latest financial reports Burton raised an impressive $1,055,000 over the last 3 months but look closer. $938,000 came from just 1 individual and 4 PACs. Dan Patrick contributed $40,000. Texans for Lawsuit Deform donated $333,000. Empower Texas $250,000. $40,000 from Texas Realtor PAC. And here is the kicker: $250,000 from Texans for Fiscal Responsibility PAC.

So Konni Burton raises 89% of her million dollars from 4 PACs including one that advocates for “Fiscal Responsibility”. Yeah right. Its like taking money from a condom manufacturer for abstinence only policies. There is nothing fiscally responsible about funding your campaign with PAC money.

$1,036,400 comes from donations of $1000 or more, 98% of her entire fundraising. She also has an outstanding loan from her husband for a total of $240,000. Her loan totals $295,000.


Texas Congressman Brian Babin on NASA. Lost in space.

October 16, 2018

Texas Congressman Brian Babin has finally realized he is in a race to keep his job. He started a twitter account and he is posting on Facebook, even though he is factually incorrect. From his latest concerning NASA:

With the Russian Soyuz spacecraft grounded indefinitely and no other options available, American astronauts now have no way to get to the ISS.

And/Or DUH! Babin has been lost in space ever since being elected to Congress. He has neglected the agency until this year, touring NASA/JSC with others afraid of losing their jobs, like Ted Cruz. He has spent less time working for NASA than John Culberson whose district is in Katy. Under Babin’s watch NASA/JSC lost a Shuttle as a museum piece. Major integration and test facilities were sent to other states. He has been working hard to take NASA’s money and distribute it to others, others as in non-Texans.

The retirement of the Shuttle was under his party’s watch. George Bush signed the bill, authored by then Republican Senator from Texas Kay Bailey Hutchinson. The agreement to ride with the Russians was their idea. Babin has supported it ever since. 
Until he found himself in a race for his job. As with all mishaps, the cause of the problem with the Russian vehicle must be found and corrected before another flight. Space flight is dangerous and should never be rushed. We knew those risks when President Bush signed the bill.
Besides shooting his mouth off, Babin has a $1 Trillion deficit to deal with. One that his party created. We really have no extra money for Space exploration.

Left with Egg on his face Texas Congressman Pete Olson

October 15, 2018

Texas Congressman Pete Olson CD22 isn’t as conservative as one might think. Just because you have an R behind your name doesn’t mean you are a Conservative. In the case of Pete Olson it means Conspiracy. Even the Houston Chronicle stated:

He has pandered to bizarre conspiracy theories on talk radio and inaccurately claimed that Pakistan was responsible for the terrorist attacks on 9/11 — it wasn’t.

But there is more. For instance….

No Prayers at Military Funerals
In 2011 Olson fell for the fake conspiracy concerning the National Cemetery not allowing prayers at a funeral for a veteran.  According to his press release:

“Recent media reports raising concerns with alleged censorship of certain words during funeral services at Houston National Cemetery are deeply troubling. 

Unfortunately his “media reports” came from breitbart and Michael Berry, the white wing radio host of Houston. It wasn’t true. Olson went on to file various religious freedom legislation that died on the House floor.

Health care stunt
In his only town hall meeting held in LaMarque back in 2009, Olson was taped using a woman and her son as props in a failed attempt to warn about the Affordable Care Act. He described how the private insurance industry and private hospitals and private medical doctors turned down a treatment for her son. She eventually received the care (provided by government provided healthcare) but Olson went on to claim that under the government’s Affordable Care Act, she would have been turned down.

Someone (me) with a camera yelled “THE GOVERNMENT DIDN’T TURN HER DOWN! THE PRIVATE SECTOR DID!”. Olson looked like a deer caught in the head lights of a truck. His look of stupidity earned him a spot on Keith Olberman. 

Nobel Peace Prize
Pete Olson was one of a few Congressman including conspiracy darling Louie Gohmert and Brian Babin and a dozen of The Who the Hell are You club to nominate Donald Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize for his photo op with Kim Jun Un. Even his photo op was a disaster.

Honoring James O’Keefe III
Olson was on the floor of our House introducing a resolution to honor Jame O’Keefe. O’Keefe secretly recorded actions by ACORN, an organization dedicated to helping low income people. O’Keefe’s video was later found to be heavily doctored and false. According to his press release:

Rep. Pete Olson today introduced a resolution in honor of Hannah Giles and James O’Keefe III for their diligent investigative journalism exposing the fraudulent and potentially illegal activities of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now or ACORN.

O’Keefe was eventually sued, issued an apology, and paid a settlement leaving Pete Olson with egg on his face. 

Space Shuttle
And while Olson was busy chasing conspiracy theories his district lost out on a Space Shuttle berth at Space Center Houston. If there was one place a Shuttle should have been placed as a museum piece, it was here in Houston. Once again Olson failed leaving egg on our face.


Raising Campaign Cash: Stan Stanart

October 12, 2018

Not much to see here folks.

Stan Stanart the Harris County Clerk is the guy who can’t seem to do the one job he was assigned, that is to run the elections in the 3rd largest county in the country efficiently. He can’t seem to raise money either.

In his last report he has raised about $26,000 from 17 individuals, but $17,000 came from just 5 individuals who are out of the county. This includes $5000 from Colorado and another $5000 from Kathleen Wall, the lady who spent $6 Million of her own money in a losing effort to win a seat in Congress.

And that is it. Not a lot to be smiling about. #FireStanStanart


Raising Campaign Cash: Ruben Villarreal HD 144

October 12, 2018

Looks like Ruben Villarreal running for State Representative in House District 144 has been abandoned by Texans for Lawsuit Reform.

Villarreal’s financial report for the last reporting period isn’t very impressive. As stated in my last post:

$22,500 out of the $24,850 raised came from 3 PACS, $20,000 from Texans for Lawsuit Reform a front group for businesses in Texas, $1500 from the Hispanic Republican PAC, and $1000 from the State Farm PAC. Only $2350 came from individuals.

This time around he has only raised $4475 from 5 individuals and one builder PAC for $1500. TLR didn’t contribute. Neither did the Republican Hispanic organization. It looks like they are cutting their losses. He still has a $13,000 outstanding loan and he has only $6200 cash on hand. 


Spending Campaign Cash: David Mayes Middleton

October 11, 2018
For someone who isn’t running much of a campaign David Mayes Middleton running for State Representative in Galveston is spending a boatload of money.


During this last reporting period Middleton spent $182,000 with $33,000 coming out of his own pocket (again) for donations to various organizations. He spent $63,000 on salaries (in just 3 months for 11 people), $51,000 on “campaign services”, $39,000 on “Consulting”, $40,000 on advertising, and $3000 was spent on “Overhead” for electricity and utilities.

Middleton must not care too much about spending campaign cash. Why would he if most of it is his own?

See Buying a State Representative seat: David Mayes Middleton


Buying a State Representative seat: David Mayes Middleton

October 10, 2018

This is just plain sick.

David Middleton is running for a State Representative seat in Austin representing the Galveston area. As I have stated before:

According to his latest report Middleton has raised over $1.7 Million with $1.5 coming from his own pocket, 87% of his entire fundraising efforts. He paid $1.7Million to win in the Republican primary.

His latest filings claims he has raised about $248,000 during the period ending in Oct. That is a very good haul for a State Representative campaign. But the $248,000 includes $225,000 from his own pocket! Once again Middleton is buying his seat in Austin. He has since written off all of his $1.7 million loans.

So he only raised $23,000 for the period ending in Oct, about as much as Sid Miller raised. Let’s face it Middleton is rich. Filthy rich. He has enough money to donate almost $2 Million of his own money to win a seat in Austin. $2 Million is an insane amount for a State Representative race. Completely insane

Middleton is buying his seat in our government. This is what is wrong with politics today coupled with dark money, PACs,  and allowing unlimited contributions from anyone. The amount of money he is spending is filthy.

Ain’t that rich?


Raising Campaign Cash: Sid Miller

October 10, 2018

OUCH! Sid Miller is all hat and no cash.

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller cant raise money. Currently he has $52,000 which includes a $350,000 loan. He only raised $24,000 in this period and he still owes $195,000 towards the loan.

Miller only has 13 donors and 2 pledges of $15,000 including $10,000 from Drayton McClane, former owner of the Houston Astros. His total loans dating back to 2012 $750,000 came from 3 individuals, Brad Allen, Richard Redalen, and Trammell Crow. Allen is a nursery owner in Stephanville he loaned Miller $400,000. Miller’s campaign treasurer is Ted Nugent. Yes. Ted Nugent. I’m not kidding. Miller has come under fire for his lax reporting. According to the Dallas Morning News:

In November, The Dallas Morning News revealed that Miller lent himself $10,000 at an interest rate of 10 percent when he was running for the House in 2000. When Miller lost his seat 12 years later, he repaid himself more than $31,000 due to interest accrued.

In contrast his opponent Kim Olson has raised over $125,000 in the same period from over 1000 donors.


Dear @TedCruz. They said Kick not Kiss his ass.

October 9, 2018
My exact thoughts. If Ted Cruz won’t stand up for his own family, why would he stand up for your? After someone calls your wife a dog face, you don’t kiss his ass, you KICK his ass. Someone didn’t give Ted that memo.

Endorsement Watch 2018 Justin Nelson and Dayna Steele

October 3, 2018

Endorsements from various newspapers are starting to trickle in. I’ll update each time one is published. Be the first to know when I post by signing up to receive posts as they are posted. Look for the “Follow My Posts by Email” on the left and enter your address.

Dayna Steele
The Houston Chronicle endorses Dayna Steele for Congress.
Steele has a contagious energy, impressive fundraising and undeniable communication skills that has some political observers looking at this typically deep-red district with renewed interest. She also has the ability to get Crosby and Etheridge to show up for campaign concerts, which has classic rock fans paying attention.

Justin Nelson
The Dallas Morning News Endorses Justin Nelson for Texas Attorney General.
Nelson, who also teaches law and clerked for former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, seems to have the energy and passion for upholding the rule of law. He promises to avoid Paxton’s overreaching tendencies and focus on issues that most impact the lives of Texans. A top priority will be to reinvigorate the office’s consumer fraud responsibilities. Another priority will be to use his position to guide redistricting with written opinions during the process, which he hopes will discourage blatantly political gerrymandering of Texas’ state legislative districts. 

Justin Nelson
The Houston Chronicle Endorses Justin Nelson for Texas Attorney General. 
Besides the fact that our current AG has 3 felony indictments and conflict of interests galore the Chronicle states:

Valedictorian of his class at Columbia Law, Nelson is an adjunct professor at the University of Texas Law School and partner at the Susman Godfrey law firm in Houston. He clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and founded One Nation One Vote, a nonprofit dedicated to ending gerrymandering. During his endorsement meeting with the Chronicle editorial board, Nelson said he would use the attorney general’s office to continue fighting against the partisan gerrymandering that lets politicians pick their voters, rather than the other way around.

Kim Olson

The Houston Chronicle endorses Kim Olson for Texas Agriculture Commissioner

The Chronicle joins the Dallas Morning News.

What voting for Olson will do is return a sense of dignity to the chief office for Texas farmers and ranchers. She will run the office much like Republican former agriculture commissioner Susan Combs, with a focus on the issues. She plans to work with the Legislature in preparation for the department’s upcoming sunset review in 2020, address rural needs like broadband access and also grow the languishing Go Texan buy-local program.

Sri Preston Kulkarni

The Houston Chronicle endorses Are Preston Kulkarni for Congress CD22

First-time candidate Sri Preston Kulkarni, 40, wowed the editorial board with his knowledge, eloquence and robust resume that included time working in the U.S. Senate and 14 years as a State Department foreign service officer that took him all over the globe. That experience only emphasized to Kulkarni the value of American ideals, he told the editorial board, which sit at the core of his campaign. He’s running an optimistic, forward-looking effort that aims to combat the tribalism ripping apart our nation with a renewed sense of decency. That’s also why he’s not accepting corporate donations.


Besides English, the product of Houston schools speaks Spanish, Hindi, Mandarin Chinese, Russian and Hebrew. This polyglot skill comes in handy when running in this fast-growing, incredibly diverse district, which includes most of Brazoria County and Fort Bend Counties, including Sugar Land.

Diane Trautman:

The Houston Chronicle endorses Diane Trautman for Harris County Clerk.

Instead, we encourage voters to support his challenger, Diane Trautman. A current at-large board member at the Harris County Department of Education, Trautman has managerial experience in the public and private sector and a doctorate from Sam Houston State University with a dissertation on women’s leadership styles. Meeting with the editorial board, she offered a litany of ideas for improving those frustratingly slow election night returns, including better training and a more transparent process. She also has a passion for creating countywide voting centers so that people don’t have to cast their ballots at specific — and often inconvenient — precincts on Election Day.


Diane’s opponent, Stan Stanart is one of the most partisan hacks in an elected office that should not be partisan hack. He runs the voting process in Harris County and has not done a very good job of it. He was swept into office in the tea bagger revolution back in 2010. He is a true supporter of a racist that is now president therefore he should be disqualified from serving in office.


Kim Olson:
Dallas Morning News endorses Kim Olson for Texas Agriculture Commissioner.

Olson’s knowledge of what Texas farmers and ranchers need and her track record of strong leadership make her the better choice for voters. Olson, 60, of Mineral Wells, has a wide range of experiences to apply to a job that not only works to protect Texas crops, but also administers the National School Lunch program and regulates fuel pumps.


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