Politicians depend on this lucre to stay in power to advance personal, ideological and professional ambitions, which more often than not involves higher office or easing into lucrative lobbyist jobs
Send your comments to the Express-News (complete story) or click on the "comments" here at the bottom of the storySan Antonio Express-News
Published Oct. 14 2011
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By O. Ricardo Pimentel
Help me with something.
Eduardo Elizondo was the senior director of the San Antonio Independent School District's federal programs department and Tony Mayhan was the department's compliance monitor. They resigned after an internal district investigation found thousands went to companies owned by their wives.
Clearly wrong if they steered these public dollars, right?
So, has anyone noticed the special relationships that our state elected officials and special interests enjoy in Texas? This coziness is also between people in bed with one another — figuratively, if not literally.
Low-level school district officials do not create laws. Legislators do and — coincidence! — Texas has no limits on how much individuals or PACs can give in “campaign contributions.” And there are ways corporations can get around laws that prohibit direct giving.
9 comments:
I read somewhere that Jason Isaac's entire campaign was financed by one person to the tune of $400k. Does anyone know if this is true? Sorry, I don't recall where I read it.
"Texas Culture of Corruption"
Isn't that an official business development branch of the Perry Governorship?
Let's talk failed solar companies, Solyndra, First Solar, SunPower Corp. and ProLogis. They have received $4.75 billion in federal loan guarantees by the Obama Administration.
All of the companies have since declared bankruptcy -- victimizing the American taxpayer, and nobody's answering questions.
Both parties are as corrupt as any 3rd world country.
Try his campaign finance reports. He was "loaned" that amount from one individual - who also made larege campaign contributions.
Anon @6:42 AM, a company getting a gov/t guaranteed loan and then failing is a far cry from the illegal theft of gov't funds in the article. And a far cry from Pointy Boots giving no bid contracts to donors; or funneling millions of tax dollars to donors, unless you can document a Solyndra donation.
Anonymous, you are making things up - like most of your right wing counterparts try to do to prove their falsehoods.
Of all those companies you named only Solyndra has failed.
Readers can search each company and see that all but Solyndra are functioning solar companies.
Just because there is a glut of solar technology coming from China does not make the other solar companies you foolishly name failed businesses. Their stock prices are down, but hardly out.
When you claim something like you did, make sure a simple normal person can't check your facts. You end up looking quite stupid, like now.
Ralph, since you are so smart why don't you run for elected office so you can really make a difference?
Grow up people.
It's been like this for decades and it's not going to change.
Anonymous says:
"Grow up people. It's been like this (corruption) for decades and it's not going to change."
Sorry. Bud, if growing up means giving up and allowing endemic sleaze to control my life, I hope I am immature all my life.
It is the failed attitude and lost hope that your comment (not necessarily you personally) fosters that allows corruption to occur and never get addressed because we have been beaten down so often - you confuse "growing up" with being "defeated."
They are not the same thing for the people I respect and want to hang with.
I confront and attack corruption and hypocrisy because we adults need to set good examples for our children and future generations.
Although I understand your cynicism, I hope you will reconsider your defeatism.
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