Rep. Richard Raymond cordially invites you to a reception this evening.Download file(.pdf file)

Now we aren't sure but we thought you weren't supposed to be raising money during the legislative session. Regardless of what office it may or not be for. (Somebody was pissed off about it--see press release in extended entry) The Texas Ethics Commission tells us that "a fundraiser for a national office or exploratory committee does not violate the moratorium, but as to the question of whether or not it violates the 'spirit' of the moratorium is another matter. That's for you to decide."

Read the Extended Entry for the Press Release and our EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH RAYMOND on his way to the event.

Here were our simple 3 Questions for Rep. Raymond.
Do you believe, as charged in this press release, you are violating the 'spirit' of the moratorium on raising campaign funds during the legislative session? No, His press release is reckless and a distraction. I'm following the letter of the law."

You sit on two committees, Civil Practices and Criminal Jurisprudence.Will any people in attendance this evening have any business before those two committees before the end of this legislative session? No, I will not be accepting any funds from lobbyists during the Session. This event is being held by old friends.

Do you think with the Speaker Craddick/Tom DeLay issues swirling around in Texas right now, the mere appearance of raising funds during the legislative session will not INVITE criticism? No, The only criticism I would expect from Henry Cuellar is a distraction. I wouldn't be having a dinner if my attorneys had not thoroughly reviewed the letter of the law.

He is just apparently scared that I have formed an exploratory committee.

For Immediate Release:
For More Information Contact: Jason Stanford 512/619-5756
March 31, 2005

Rep. Raymond Violating State, Fed Laws State Rep Ignores Moratorium, Filing Requirements, Raises Money

Laredo, TXâ??Today a spokesman for Congressman Henry Cuellar's Re-Election Campaign charged State Representative Richard Raymond with violating the spirit of the moratorium banning state officials from raising campaign funds during a legislative session and federal elections laws requiring filing of candidacy papers.

"Richard Raymond is raising money from people with business before his committee despite the moratorium on fundraising during the legislation session," said spokesman Jason Stanford. "This is exactly why we have this law. Richardâ??s a nice fellow and he does a great Elvis impression, but circumventing the ethics law creates the unavoidable impression that he is trading on his government job to political money. It's a clear conflict of interest. In plain English, it's wrong, it's unethical, and even if he figured out a clever way to get around the ethics law, what heâ??s doing should be illegal. Is Richard the only Democrat in Austin who doesnâ??t get that ethics is a big deal these days?"

Stanford cited as his source an invitation to a fundraiser in Dallas tonight, March 31, 2005, benefiting Raymond's "exploratory" committee. According to the invitation, Raymond is raising money from both lawyers and lobbyists that could benefit from his actions on both the Committee on Civil Practices and the Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence.

"Not only is Raymond thumbing his nose at well-established state ethics laws, he is ignoring completely federal elections laws," Stanford continued, noting that the Federal Elections Commission reports that Raymond has not filed the appropriate paperwork to raise money for a federal officeâ??including an exploratory committee.
According to the FEC, candidates must file if they raise, spend, or "intend" to raise or spend more than $5,000 in an election cycle. And based on recent changes to federal law, Raymond can raise money for a federal campaign and then transfer those funds back to his state account.

"Raymond is displaying a flexible value system that allows him to exploit loopholes and circumvent the law. It's like heâ??s getting fundraising advice from Tom Craddick," Stanford concluded. "Raymond needs to decide if integrity really matters to him. If he can't bring himself to follow the spirit of the moratorium law, he can at least follow the letter of the federal law. Richard keeps this up, he's going to give politics a bad reputation."