Raising Campaign Cash: Final Houston City Elections

January 23, 2024

Just an FYI to candidates. Even if you didn’t win you are required to file a report that was due Jan 16. The following have not filed as of 1/23/24:

  • Lee Kaplan
  • Melanie Miles
  • Marina Coryat
  • Obes Nwabara
  • Richard Cantu
  • Casey Curry
  • James Joseph
  • Donnell Cooper
  • Ericka McCrutcheon
  • Leticia Plummer
  • John Branch
Jan-24
CandidateRaisedExpendituresIn-KindCOHLoans
Gilbert Garcia*113705260696052280
Sheila Jackson Lee1095673699990908050
Lee Kaplan
John Whitmire7900071195804025327780
Robert Gallegos25250901276460
At Large 1
Candidate
Melanie Miles
Conchita Shelly Reyes00000
Leah Wolfthal853323170000
Julian Ramirez23590417520399830000
At Large 2
Candidate
Nick Hellyar68615126192026260
Danielle Bess00000
Holly Flynn Vilaseca53452553905210
Marina Coryat
Willie Davis71003301034762000
Obioha “Obes” Nwabara
At Large 3
Candidate
Twila Carter260071247044954000
Richard Cantu
Casey Curry
James Joseph
Donnell Cooper
Ericka McCrutcheon
At Large 4
Candidate
Letitia Plummer
John Branch
Roy Morales5000130220482211979
At Large 5
Candidate
Sallie Alcorn163618061901323950
District E
Candidate
Martina Lemond Dixon50251164100
Fred Flickinger18375140810140811003000
Controller
Candidate
Chris Hollins9646714637102722290
Shannan Nobles1000349880779112000
Dave Martin510037665000
Orlando Sanchez1988343369010415198128

Houston Chronicle has questions about Dick

January 22, 2024

Harris County Department of Education (HCDE) Trustee Eric Dick should be removed from office just for wearing those glasses.

But seriously, what does it take to be removed from office in Harris County? That’s the question the Houston Chronicle is asking in their article “Harris County trustee Eric Dick under investigation for alleged illegal activities after Maui fires”. It’s worth a read.

Dick is currently under investigation by Hawaii for soliciting clients after the Maui fires. Dick is not licensed in Hawaii but he sent out mailers telling people “YOU MAY BE ENTITLED TO MONEY!”. He has used the same type of mailer here in Houston after various events.

The Chronicle also mentions his $40,000 fine that was assessed by the Texas Ethics Commission (TEC), his reelection to the board and his wife’s campaign for the board against Trustee Cantu. Dick endorsed Cantu for City Council in the 2023 election. Go figure.

The TEC fined Dick $30,000 for sending out deceiving mailers in the 2019 City election. He initially claimed he had nothing to do with it. As the Chronicle quoted me “I never expected a historic fine of $30,000”. Dick at one time was offered to settle the complaint for a $5000 fine. Before he could refuse, the TEC rescinded the offer after emails from the printer showed Dick not only paid for the mailer he was providing instructions on the development and mailing. In short, under oath, he deceived the TEC and for that he received a $30,000 fine.

There is something happening at the HCDE. Calls and emails to the Trustees are ignored except my initial email to the President. No one will discuss this situation or if they will take any action against Dick. Here is the only response I received from the HCDE:

I hear your concerns. I share these same concerns. I am currently in discussions with administration and other board members about what actions can be taken in this matter. 

–Andrea Duhon, President HCDE

The Chronicle quotes Brandon Rottinghaus, political science professor at the University of Houston. He claims “None of these violations are major transgressions.” which is bullshit. Dick is an attorney, an arm of the Court. After the fine he was referred to the Texas Bar for disciplinary action. He deceived the Commission, under oath. He refused to honor a subpoena to attend his hearing. And there are questions about whether he instructed or suggested the owner of the printer and his partner in the mailing scheme to ignore the subpoena to attend the hearing.

These ARE major transgressions and actually should be investigated by the District Attorney. So far no one except the TEC has taken any action to hold Dick accountable. No one, not even the HCDE.

It is frustrating.


Raising Campaign Cash: Texas Majority (Democratic Socialist) PAC

January 18, 2024

The republicans have extreme right wing billionaire donors who fund special PACs like Defend Texas Liberty who met with known white supremacists. The extreme left has their own billionaire (one) but they don’t meet with white supremacists. There is a HUGE difference between the two.

The Texas Majority PAC, formed in 2023, raised $1,400,508 in their latest report from July-Dec 2023. Of that $1,400,000, or 99.96%, came from one donor, George Soros. Over the last year they have raised $2,152,548 of which $2,150,000, or 99.98% came from George Soros. Texas Majority PAC is just a fancy name for George Soros.

In their last report TM spent about $650,000 on consultants, travel, salaries, and polling. This period they have spent $928,079. They have not donated to any specific candidates but they have donated to county parties including a $25,000 to the El Paso County Democrats. They are hosting the 2024 Democratic State Convention. $703,340 has been spent on the following including $333,840 on salaries for 13 employees.

Salaries$333,840
Consulting$193,633
Payroll Taxes$117,000
Legal Services$99,000
Overhead$70,000
Travel$47,500
Donations$36,000
$896,973

Before all you white wing MAGAts start yelling about George Soros meddling in Texas elections there are more billionaires meddling on the white wing in Texas and they are not good people.

More later.


The (Court) Case against Democratic Socialist Pervez Agwan

January 18, 2024

This can’t be good.

I’ve said my peace about Democratic Socialists in general and about candidate for Congress Pervez Agwan. “Much like the members of “The Squad” Agwan is fast talking, rattling off pie in the sky Bernie Sanders ideas such as Medicare for All, the Green New Deal, giving power to the people, yada, yada, yada. It was old in 2016. It’s old now.”

Pervez is running against Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher who has served her district and the party very well. Pervez is running to the left of the left and has a nasty lawsuit filed against his campaign for sexual harassment. And it is pretty nasty. You can read the entire original petition here. This is a civil case with the plaintiff asking for $250,000 plus exemplary damages and lawyer fees from the campaign. From the original petition:

  • Plaintiff claims he made sexual advances at the campaign HQ. (assault and battery)
  • He prohibited her from leaving. (False imprisonment)
  • He caused (Intentional infliction of emotional distress)
  • The plaintiff left her position because of the harassment

But it gets worse. According to the Houston Landing the campaign hired Over Santiago Garcias Lopez. He has since been charged with improper relationship with an underaged student. He is on $100,000 bail is no longer with the campaign.

The campaign has seen a loss of endorsements and a mass resignation of mostly female staff members in October of last year. The Houston Landing’s article is pretty bad. It claims the campaign has provided conflicting information concerning the allegations. It is worth a read.

Of course the campaign has denied the allegations and is blaming a pro-Israeli PAC. We will see.


Raising Campaign Cash: 2024 Democratic Primary

January 16, 2024

Campaign reports are due by the end of the day. I will update as the reports are posted. To see the results from July 2023 and Jan 2024 look here. Campaign reports for Federal candidates are due Jan 31.

Jan-23
CandidateRaisedSpentCOHLoans
District Attorney
Kim Ogg2822749763445577548489
Sean Teare2788172375225507920
County Attorney
Christian Menefee47415755243978000
Umeka UA Lewis
County Sheriff
Ed Gonzalez154778725061438820
Joe Inocencio
Vergil /ratliff351544480307
Dana M. Wolfe2003168
Tax Assessor
Danielle Keys Bess151750151750
Desiree Broadnax58401700411401000
Claude Cummings0000
Jerry Davis22817511405000
Annettee Ramirez1808111266232830
JP Place 1
Jo Ann Delgado0000
Oscar Salazar Jr0000
Constable Pct 2
Jerry Garcia112676230001461220
David Garza
HCDE
Cantu0000
Wallenstein0990312425000
Railroad Commissioner
Bill Burch12141351881626625580
Katherine Culbert3560926302400
US Senate
Colin Allred
Aaron Arguijo
Meri Gomez
Mark Gonzalez
Roland Gutierrez
A Robert Hassan
Steven Keogh
Heli Rodriguez Prilliman
Carl Oscar Sherman
Thierry Tchenko

It’s over. Republicans are stuck with Trump

January 16, 2024

They are like a dog wiping their ass on the ground and just making more of a mess.

The Republican Party had an opportunity, twice, to rid their party of this piece of shit, Donald Trump, but they didn’t. So now Trump is stuck and he will be their nominee for President. The dude who was impeached twice, indicted by 4 grand juries on 91 felony counts, who is literally out on bail, who committed adultery, who stole nuclear secrets and hid them from the FBI, who incited a riot that resulted in the death of 5 police officers, who lies every single day in his miserable life is the guy republicans admire.

The cartoon above by Mr. Fish, may be a bit gross, but it is fitting for the current situation. The republican party is stuck with him.


“Anti Government” group enters League City elections

January 9, 2024

UPDATE: Candidate Chris Dodson has also refused to attend.

They’re not doing very well.

The Southern Poverty Law Center has added the True Texas Project to their list of extremist organizations categorized as a general anti-government organization. The local group has attempted to enter the League City elections by holding a forum for the candidates. Unfortunately only one, the book burner an Nick Long’s boy, Courtney Chadwell, has accepted the invitation. Here is the line up:

I don’t think Ange or Dodson knows who the TTP is or who Joshua is. Joshua is leading the book banning charge in League City roaming the kids section of the library searching for books that say pee-pee or wee-wee. His group has had speakers advocating for Texas to secede from the United States (a really stupid and illegal idea). His group was banned from using the facilities by Buzz Aldrin’s Presbyterian church in Webster for its extreme views which the church did not condone. From the Chronicle:

The group’s lineup of featured speakers indicates its alignment with radical white supremacist and anti-LGBTQ policies. Kelly Neidert, founder and leader of the anti-LGBTQ organization Protect Texas Kids, said she’s slated to be a featured speaker at TTP’s upcoming events

They also have interfaced with Chris Russo, leader of a local anti-immigrant PAC, outed by The Texas Tribune as meeting with a known white supremacist, Nick Fuentes. They supported Bryan Slaton an anti LGBTQ State Representative who was removed from the Texas House for providing alcohol to a minor and they having sex with her.

I’ll make sure Ange and Dodson knows who they are meeting with. Courtney knows who they are. We should know who he is.


Raising Campaign Cash: League City Special Election Jan 2023

January 8, 2024

The choices are pretty clear.

Campaign finance reports are in for the special election for League City Council. One thing is for sure. We know who the book banner wants on city council.

Courtney Chadwell. Raised $2432.10 from one donor, Mayor Nick Long from an in-kind contribution. Besides that donation Chadwell has used his own wealth to run. He has $0 Cash on hand and has spent over $5500. From a prior report: Spent $4595 on a personal credit card. Ange Mertens has spent over $7000 and over $4500 is from personal loans.

Ange Mertens. Raised $250. She has $543 Cash on hand. From a prior report: Raised $3300. $2800 from one donor out of Texas City and $500 from an unknown donor. Spent $7034. Has a $3000 personal loan and a $1515 loan.

Chris Dodson. Did not raise any funds. He has $339 Cash on hand. From a prior report: Raised $100 spent $250.

Katherine Swanson. Raised $1021 from a number of individuals. From a previous report: Raised $1272. Spent $464. Includes a personal contribution of $1000.

Rachel McAdam. Raised $180. She has $239 Cash on hand. From a previous report: Raised $1691. Spent $327.


Clear Lake elected officials who continue to tolerate racism, white supremacy, Trump

January 8, 2024

It makes you want to ask “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

We all know who trump is. If an elected official still supports trump then they tolerate lying, fucking a porn star, paying her off, and lying about it, cheating, stealing highly classified documents, hiding them and lying to the FBI, meeting with Nick Fuentes a known white supremacist, making racist comments, inciting a riot at the United States Capitol and watching it for over 3 hours on TV, attempting to overturn an election, condoning violence, failure to transfer power peacefully, whining like a little bitch about everything, mimicking Hitler, palling around with dictators, being an incredible fucking hypocrite, and the list goes on and on.

So here are the elected officials in the Clear Lake area that continue to support this filthy human being for President of the great country on earth:

  • Congressman Randy Weber. Weber has his nose so far up trump ass he can’t smell the corruption.
  • Congressman Brian Babin. Firmy stuck in Trump’s ass.
  • Senator “Money” Mayes Middleton. Mayes is a new kind of “christian conservative”. LOL. Go figure.
  • State Representative Terri Wilson. She has no problem with his comments about grabbing women by the p*ssy.
  • State Representative Dennis Paul. Dennis is a “Catholic conservative”. He needs to have a talk with his priest.
  • State Representative Little Baby Briscoe Cain. He worked on helping to overturn the election. He and trump failed. 61 times.
  • League City Mayor Nick Long. Leader of the famous book ban and The Purge.
  • League City Councilman Justin Hicks. A veteran who obviously has no problem with stealing classified documents, claiming our military is weak, or calling Veterans “losers”.
  • City Councilman Fred Flickinger. Newly elected city councilman for Clear Lake. Pure MAGAt.
  • CCISD Trustee Scott Bowen. Another MAGAt.

So who am I missing? I’m going to update this list as necessary. If any of the above does not support this filthy human being for President, please contact me so I can update the list.

Until then, GFY.


Raising Campaign Cash: League City Special Election

January 5, 2024

League City will have a special election to fill a vacant seat on City Council on Jan 13. Here is a summary of the candidates campaign finance reports from their Dec 2024 reports. You can view all council members and candidates reports here.

Ange Mertens. Raised $3300. $2800 from one donor out of Texas City and $500 from an unknown donor. Spent $7034. Has a $3000 personal loan and a $1515 loan.

Chris Dodson. Raised $100. Spent $240.

Courtney Chadwell. Raised $0. Spent $4595 on a personal credit card.

Katherine Swanson. Raised $1272. Spent $464. Includes a personal contribution of $1000.

Rachel McAdam. Raised $1691. Spent $327.