As PD mentioned last night, QuorumReport is monkeyshining James Leiniger. Surprise, surprise, the asshole is throwing gobs of cash at the incumbents who rub him the wrong way. One thing that I'd like to note from QR's article...
"TRLCC (Leininger's PAC) also spent $15,000 with Keep Texas Strong. According to Williamson County Assumed Name records, Keep Texas Strong is a proprietorship owned by Milton Rister"
This is the same Milton Rister that came to Austin with Tom Craddick; who helped run the 76 in '96 and 8 in '98 campaigns; who worked with Rove to handpick certain legislators; who worked for TRMPAC, TLR, and both Dewhurst and Craddick.
Now Craddick, Perry and Dewhurst have agreed on a guy to head the vacant position of Legislative Council director. Their pick? Bingo, Milton Rister. This guy is actively campaigning RIGHT NOW to knock out several incumbents in the House. Does this not strike anyone as odd? An ultra-partisan running the Lege Council while snipering wayward House members? These Lege Council folks are the poor saps who work tirelessly (and unbiasedly) to punch up into legalese whatever wet dream a legislator can think of. With this guy at the helm, things look like they could take a fairly unbalanced swing.
Legislators on the TLC are scheduled to meet tommorrow to vote on him, maybe contact them or something and tell them no. These are the senators on the council: Senator John Carona, Senator Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa, Senator Kyle Janek, Senator Frank L. Madla, Senator Jane Nelson, and Senator Jeff Wentworth. These are the reps: Representative Ryan Guillen, Representative Peggy Hamric, Representative Linda Harper-Brown, Representative Lois Kolkhorst, Representative Robert Talton, and Representative Corbin Van Arsdale.
OK, he got to know Craddick in Midland, he came to Austin with the Williams campaign and set up roots here. I still don't want the guy running Lege Council.
Not to be snotty, but I happen to know that M.R. is not only NOT an attorney... he also does not have an undergraduate degree...
sounds like Craddick just fired a shot into Perry or has everyone kissed and made up?
I do not understand why no one aroung the Capitol seems to have noticed!
Have previous TLC directors been partisans? Just curious.
Socrature -- they've noticed. I just don't think they get on blogs and announce they've noticed.
The Legislative Council director has always been apolitical. Rister will be a disaster to this great agency.
I'm pretty sure Milton came to town with Claytie Williams, not Speaker Craddick.