Rick Perry Is Ethically-Challenged

Houston homebuilder, Bob Perry, has given over $700,000 to Rick Perry's campaign fund since he became governor. When the state created an agency to resolve disputes between builders and homeowners, Gov. Perry appointed Bob Perry's corporate council to the governing board of the agency.

Three highway contractors, who have given Gov. Perry large campaign donations since he bacame governor, have been awarded lucrative contracts to help build the Trans- Texas Corridor.

Three of Perry's largest donors, including one that loans his plane to Perry, have been appointed to the governing board of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission.

Two men, who each gave over $200,000 to the Perry campaign, have been put on the Board of Regents of Texas Tech University. Two other large donors were also rewarded with Regent appointments - one at the University of Texas, and the other at Texas A&M University.

Three other men who made large donations to Perry's campaign, have had the state of Texas invest millions of dollars in the companies that they own.

Of course, Rick Perry's people claim that none of this had anything to do with campaign donations. What was it then - coincidence? Perry has 85 donors, called the Century Council, who each give at least $25,000 a year to Perry's campaign. All of the men above are in this group. I don't know if it can be proven there was a quid pro quo at work here, but it sure doesn't look good. What it looks like is that Perry is rewarding large donations with access, appointments and government contracts. So far, these 85 individuals have donated $10 million to Perry.

In spite of their campaign denials, it looks like Perry may have some serious ethical problems. I don't know if these things can be proven to be illegal, but they are certainly morally and ethically repugnant. As the election draws closer, it becomes clearer and clearer that Texas needs a new governor. Texas needs a governor who is not ethically-challenged.