Perry Tries To Help Corporate Errand-Boy

State Rep. Phil King (R-Weatherford) is the Chairman of a legislative committee that's supposed to oversee and propose rules for corporations such as energy companies. The problem with King is that he accepts gifts (including Super Bowl tickets) from these corporations, lets them throw him lavish parties, and accepts illegal campaign help from the corporations.

King is the very definition of a politician who has been bought and paid for by the corporate interests he is supposed to be overseeing. He has been getting away with this for years, but King (pictured above) may be in a little trouble in the Republican primary this year. He has a capable and honest Republican opponent this time. I know that sounds like an oxymoron, but it looks like it's true.

He is being opposed by former Weatherford mayor Joe Tison. Thanks to newspapers and blogs exposing King's wrongdoing, it's starting to look like Tison is gaining some ground. Now Gov. Perry enters the picture.

The governor's personal PAC (Texans for Rick Perry) has donated $25,000 to the campaign fund of Phil King. Perry had the choice of staying out of this race, supporting the honest candidate, or supporting the corporate errand-boy. He chose the latter.

Is anyone surprised? Given a choice between helping the consumer or helping corporations, Perry has always chosen the corporate bigwigs. He's just being true to form and helping his corporate masters.

I would have been surprised if he'd done anything else!

Rep. King Lied About Accepting Gifts

Last month, We learned that State Rep. Phil King (R-Weatherford) was accepting unethical and very possibly illegal campaign help from ATandT. The problem is that Rep. King's House Committee oversees companies like ATandT, and King is the chairman of the committee. Now we find that may just have been a little of what is going on, and it has been happening for a while.

In 2005, King threw a dinner for the members of his Regulated Industries Committee. It just happened to be held at the house of a lobbyist representing some of the very industries that committee regulates. The catering for the party was also paid for by a couple of those industries who had business before the committee.

It also turns out that at least a third of his current contributions have come from the PACs of these regulated industries. Of course, these companies say they're just giving King donations, parties and gifts because they like him and not because they're trying to buy his vote. But can there really be anyone who doesn't think these companies expect something in return?

And we know we can't believe what King says, because he doesn't mind lying about it. He watched the 2004 Super Bowl from the luxury box of CenterPoint Energy, but told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that they didn't pay for his tickets. Now, four years later, he is forced to admit that the energy company did give him the tickets.

King has been bought and paid for by the companies he is supposed to be regulating. It doesn't get more unethical than that. The good people of Weatherford should be embarrassed by his actions.They should vote him out in the upcoming election.

They don't have to do it in November with a Democrat. If they want to be represented by a Republican, King has an honest Republican opponent in the primary next month -- former mayor Joe Tison. But whether they replace him with a Republican or a Democrat, replace him they must.

It time to start cleaning up the corruption in state leadership, and Rep. King would be a good place to start.

Rep. King Gets Some Campaign Help From ATandT

State Rep. Phil King (R-Weatherford) is head of the House Regulated Industries Committee. Some have said he's just a bit too close to some of the industries that the committee is supposed to regulate. Some recent evidence shows that may well be true.

King (pictured above) has opposition in the Republican primary from former Weatherford mayor Joe Tison, and in the general election from Democrat Charles William Randolph. It looks like his corporate friends may be starting to worry he might not get re-elected.

ATandT-Texas company president Jim Epperson sent a memo last week to all company employees and retirees living in King's district. The memo asked them to "make the time to help your state representative win this important race".

ATandT says the letter is a legal effort by its PAC. Epperson just happens to be both chairman of the PAC and company president of ATandT. Others disagree and see it as illegal corporate help in a campaign.

Tom Smith, Texas head of Public Citizen, said, "Texas law has long prohibited corporations from contributing to campaigns. The contributions can come in money but also from labor, and we think it's inappropriate for a regulated industry to be turning their staff people out to support a sitting legislator who is in a position to grant them large favors in return."

King's primary opponent, Joe Tison, said, "I think [the letter] adds to the perception that...he does spend more time working for the industries than he has doing things for his constituents in Parker and Wise counties."

In 2005, King helped to pass a telecommunications bill that was very advantageous to ATandT. Now it looks like the corporation wants to make sure their legislator gets re-elected.

This is just one example of how the state Republican leadership has sold out to the corporations. If ATandT wants King re-elected so badly, then I recommend the people in his district vote for his opponent.

The ordinary citizens of Texas will never get a break until the corporate hold over our state leadership is broken.