Perry settlement should trouble voters

[white cloud]

The more than 2,000 pages of Gov. Rick Perry's latest campaign finance report detail all sorts of standard expenditures: office supplies, copy machine rentals, barbecue for lunch meetings and more.

Also Online What's The Big Story? Find out at dallasnews.com/opinion

Blog: Opinion
But buried in the bowels of the report is a not-so-standard expenditure that should trouble voters. The few political watchers who manage to read to the bottom of Page 1,838 will find a $426,000 payment to Democrat Chris Bell for a "settlement expense."
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http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/editorials/stories/DN-perry_21edi.State.Edition1.1858936.html

[sonias]

1. Great editorial by DMN

A little more from the editorial:

What could have been an awfully messy – and potentially incriminating – lawsuit played out quite nicely for Perry. The confidential settlement absolves the governor's campaign from answering tough questions. And Bell, who will pocket the money personally, is not allowed to talk, either.

Perhaps both parties to this lawsuit are satisfied with the outcome, but voters shouldn't be. They deserve to know whether Perry pulled a $1 million fast one in the waning days of his 2006 campaign. Unfortunately, election shenanigans and misdeeds often aren't sorted out until long after the votes have been cast – in this case, nearly four years after the polls closed.

So far, Perry's campaign has offered only this less-than-illuminating statement about the whole affair: "Due to the unnecessary cost and time factors of litigation, both parties have decided to pursue other strategies."

Spot on! Perry pulled a fast one and basically paid up in order to keep the details of the lawsuit private.

:kick:

[kjackson227]

2. Yep, this is quite troubling, indeed...

I wonder why KBH's office didn't catch this while she was campaigning??? But, yes, unfortunately, there are crooked Dems just like there are crooked RepubliCONS, and apparently Bell sold Texas down the drain for a measley(sp) $426,000.

[sonias]

3. Perry didn't settle the lawsuit until after he won the primary

That's why KBH could not make it an issue. Chris' lawsuit had been out there for 2 years, but not settled. According to the article as soon as Perry won the primary, he paid Bell so that it would not become an issue this November. How convenient, right?

Ricky, Chicky, Chicky....:grr:

[kjackson227]

5. So, Sonias, I'm a little confused...

Did Chris Bell know of Slick Rick's campaign embezzlement while they both were running for governor, but he waited until AFTER the primary to settle the lawsuit? Because that's what it sounds like to me. I'm focusing on Chris Bell moreso because I already know SR is a piece of sh*t, but I am a little surprised at Chris Bell. ~Sigh~ I tell you, politics is a dirty business.

[sonias]

7. Not while he was running but afterward

The money laundering scheme that Bob Perry (Perry Homes) participated in was in the last quarter of the election. Those finance reports didn't have to be filed until early 2007. That's when Chris Bell and the Democrats found out that the Republican Governor's association sent money to Rick Perry in the amount of $1 million dollars and the source of the money was Bob Perry Homes - a corporation. Corporate donations are illegal in Texas. So this was nothing more than money laundering, exactly the same kind of scheme Tom DeLay's TMRPAC did earlier.

Here's a little bit from one source. Vince has a copy of the lawsuit linked to this post:

Capitol Annex blog 11/15/2007
Chris Bell Sues Rick Perry, Republican Governor’s Association

Former Democratic Gubernatorial nominee Chris Bell has sued Texas Governor Rick Perry and the Republican Governor’s Association alleging that Perry essentially accepted illegal funds in the 2006 race for governor.

The long and short of the filing is this: Houston homebuilder Bob Perry–who was a dangerous commodity in Texas in 2006–gave a million dollars to the Republican Governor’s Association. Shortly thereafter, on October 26 and November 1, the governor’s association cut Rick Perry two half a million dollar checks for his campaign. In other words, to conceal his money and influence over the governor, Bob Perry funneled his money to the Governor’s Association who, in turn, did a back-hand slide to Governor Perry.

Also, the suit (full version below the fold), alleges the Republican Governor’s Association PAC wasn’t properly registered in Texas.

Why does Chris end up with the money? Because he sued personally. That means that he paid for the attorneys to file the suit. He was the candidate and he was the one who was wronged. So any settlement does go to him personally. This is no different than someone suing another person/corporation for damages.

Was Chris wrong to settle? I don't think so. Look at it this way - he just sucked $426,000 out of Rick Perry's campaign (and Bob Perry's pocket) and that's a good thing.

Should Chris give some of this money to our slate this year. It wouldn't hurt his image if he did.

:kick:

[kjackson227]

11. Okay, thanks :)

[tbyg52]

4. OK, I am furious at Bell

That wasn't his personal business, as described in the editorial. That was the people's business. Maybe there's something I don't understand, but my current opinion is that Bell had no right to agree to keep his mouth shut about it for any amount of money.

[kjackson227]

6. ITA. I feel a lot of times that voters/citizens just can't win...

when it comes to politics. Seems like every darn day there's something new and sleazy.

[sonias]

8. I think you should ease up on Chris

He's not the villain here. I actually think it's a good thing that Rick Perry and Bob Perry are out $426,000. Serves the ass holes right.

It's was probably a settlement agreement that the details be kept private. That's just how these legal things go. Perry is buying the right to keep the details private, because it is politically embarrassing to him. He and Bob Perry essentially broke campaign finance laws in Texas.

But remember this is Texas where we're lucky to get any kind of conviction/settlement in the courts. Tom DeLay never went to jail for his crimes remember. What chance did Chris Bell have in the courts even if he was right?

I think Chris did the sensible thing and took his settlement to which he was entitled to.

And as a bonus we still know that Bob and Rick Perry are essentially criminals.

Just saying. :shrug:

[tbyg52]

9. That's why I added "perhaps there's something I don't understand"

or at least wasn't thinking of. Sometimes I forget and have delusions I'm actually living in civilization.... ;->

[txlibdem]

10. Rethugs prove that government doesn't work every time THEY get into office

If you want a crooked, incompetent government then keep electing Republicans, Texans. If you want honest government that works and doesn't steal, elect only Democrats.

So we find out that Rick Perry is crooked and the Republican political machine is a criminal organization and they made a payoff to cover up their crimes. You sound surprised. I'm not sure why.

[Downwinder]

12. Add the Ethics Commission to the list.

It was their responsibility to protect the voters.