Perry Won't Refund Security Costs for Presidential Bid
Texas Democrats calling on Gov. Rick Perry to repay the taxpayer-funded security costs associated with his run for president shouldn't hold their breath. A Perry spokeswoman said Monday that it wasn't the governor's decision to have a security detail out on the campaign trail — it was the Department of Public Safety's. And she said "not a dime" of Perry's own travel expenses were paid by taxpayers.
"The Department of Public Safety has a policy of providing security for governors and their families everywhere they travel, as they have back several administrations," said Perry spokeswoman Lucy ...
Comments (39)
Reba Latimer
Gov.Perry needs to repay Texans the dollar a month tacked on our electric to help the poor and elderly
pay AC bills,that he used to balance the state budget.
Ricky will wish he had a little AC where he is going.
Tim ThèRockstâr via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Perry. Is. A. Tool.
Rob Turk via Texas Tribune on Facebook
That's a chicken shit response, Governor. That's partly why you won't be President.
Tim ThèRockstâr via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Call for his Resignation!
Michael Crabtree via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Rick, you sir are a pussy.
Jack Suggs via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Stop capitalizing every word in the headline.
Candace Hall via Texas Tribune on Facebook
This guy gives other perrys a bad name. No one cares, He shouldnt have ran an he knew he wasnt gonna win noone wants someone who ran with bush. :)
Michael Joseph Dole via Texas Tribune on Facebook
because people really want to shoot him....well to put him out of his misery mostly...
Alexandra Richmond via Texas Tribune on Facebook
She should start a petition.
David Huang via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I don't really care if he does. I mean, ideally, he would pay back the extra costs incurred during the campaign, above what his security detail would normally cost. But at this point, meh. Just focus on getting him out of office in 2014 so we don't have to deal with this again.
Jose B. Gonzalez via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I'm certainly not a Perry fan, but this issue is a bunch of crap... There is PLENTY to criticize, no need to beat a horse that's already dead & really isn't ti blame...
Duane Florschuetz via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Disgusting though noone is surprised. Is there any somewhat reasonable reason that he even ran this campaign? His party can rightly be upset about this as well as the Democrats.
Robert Adams via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Flake!
Jeff Dean Case via Texas Tribune on Facebook
There's a Texas term for this: Chickens**t!
Fernando Perez via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Can U say, IMPEACHMENT !!!! Pay Up....
Jason Harris via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I want Obama to refund all the tax payer money he (in one way or another) uses for his campaign.
Stanley Moore via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Jason -- they have clues on sale down at Wal*Mart--buy one.
There was no reason for the DPS to travel all over the place with this brain dead poser. He needs to pay up. He has enough cash in his coffers. The state is going to Hell in a hand-basket.
Jim Hsu via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Jason: I also want you to repay all the money spent on you and your life thus far by the federal government. Maybe start with the road you drove or traveled on this morning that cost a few million bucks to build. And if you actually live in Texas, the federal subsidies fund most of the "Texas Miracle" your hero Perry had been touting which is really just a mirage.
Miki Hawkins via Texas Tribune on Facebook
That's okay. We just wanted to underline how incredibly stupid Republicans are for serial-voting for this snake salesman, who turns around and picks the pockets of Texas taxpayers. Republicans/Democrats - it doesn't matter. Perry shamelessly steals from all of us.
Rudy Gonzales
Term Limits! Initiative and Referendum! One Party State! Impeachment! Recall! Read multiple times!
Donna Thomas Woolf via Texas Tribune on Facebook
OMG you people are ignorant! Security is always paid wether he is here in Texas or anywhere else! Guess Obama wouldn't foot the bill like he did for Cain! And being asked by a democrat in Houston! What a freakin joke! Hey Jessica Farrar why don't you get your own damn city in order before you start demanding anything! Clean up your own back yard! How about fixing the voter fraud that is rampant in your great liberal sancturary city? And the TEXAS TRIBUNE...LIBUNE is a joke!
Carl Fant via Texas Tribune on Facebook
He should resign as Gov as well. I can't believe he actually tried to compete with people who have substance.
lewis ramsey
Running for president is not a function of the Texas Governor's duties. That is why he should reimburse the state. Going to the Republican debate in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina is not related to what Texas pays the Governor for. Going to a governor's conference in Hawaii, or going to a Republican governor's conference in Maine would be. The president is in a different category. It has been decided by both democrats and republicans which expenses the president pays and which the government picks up. You might recall the uproar caused by someone thinking the president has used the wrong room in the white house to deliver a speech.
Leon Drozd
Perry is a sidelines kind of guy --- cheerleader --- with no skin in the game. He as an "entitlement" mindset. Rather than say "thanks," his question to the taxpayes of Texas is why they didn't do more for him. He's been on the dole too long --- government job and salary, government housing, government power, government this and government that. A smart executive would have created a budget to cover this expense and set aside money for it. He's trying to get the most squeal out of the pig --- which is the state of Texas in this instance.
JC DemocratofTejas
Hey Loser Perry, we are not surprised at all that you are an arrogant pompous joke. Seriously, no one expected anything from you. Much less a refund. By the way, it isn't just Texas Democrats only that are sick of your using taxpayer dollars for your personal gain. We just figured your double-dipping self out first! Buy a house won't you? Or are we buying your Westlake home for you? Not a dime. Classy dude. NOT.
RECALL!
and grow up Jason and go to Wal-Mart fast!
richard sansbury
Really. Does Rep Farrar expect Pres Obama to pay for his security while campaigning?
lewis ramsey
richard sansbury
Really. Does Rep Farrar expect Pres Obama to pay for his security while campaigning?
***************************************************************************
No. Not as long as he is campaigning for the job he currently holds. Like we would not expect Gov. Perry to pay for his security if he was campaigning for Governor of Texas. If the President was campaigning for Secretaru General of the United Nations or Chairman of the International Monetary Fund while he held the office of president of the United States, we would expect him to pay for his security.
Zachariah T. Evans via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Does Nashed's response sound familiar? See Castle's response from Sept 17, 2011 here: http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Perry-s-security-costs-on-Texas-taxpayers-tab-2176178.php
Reba Latimer
We can't recall Perry but he probable doesn't know that either.Now Thanks to Perry,the other states
think Texans are like Perry,as slow as two turtles mating.
Lisa Barsumian via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I guess, based on the snarky response from the Governor's staff re Representative Farrar, that they've forgotten that she was the one legislator who supported the Governor's ill-fated HPV mandate.
Dale Curry
Just how many laid off teachers would the $2.7 million hire? So much for his "fiscal responsibility". The only way Perry would recognize responsibility would be if it gave him a 5 figure campaign contribution. Hey Republicans, don't look now but your boy Rick is showing your true colors of fiscal responsibility. So much for his and their credibility! ROFLMAO!
Dan Van Cleve
I suppose it's too much to expect any measure of civility, much less respect for an individual, from Rick Perry.
Toby Marie Walker via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I don't see anyone calling on Obama to pay for his Secret Service Security to campaign. Protecting elected officials is part of the deal, whether we like them or not they deserve to be protected. Remember Gabby Giffords!
kirk pitman
My Republican State Senator thinks Perry should pay back the money. I have the letter from him dated last week. Pony up Perry and do the right thing by Texas.
Reba Latimer
I also got a letter from the state attorney General's office,saying that if Gov.Perry didn't refund the tax
payers of Texas,he was going to court.
Dale Curry
@ Toby - Nice try to misrepresent the truth. The State of TX is not responsible for the cost of protecting Presidential candidates. If he needed Secret Service protection there are procedures in place to obtain such (if needed). Perhaps he should have brought his gun and protected himself. What a sleazy man your Perry is!
Reba Latimer
Toby,You can take up for our dead beat Governor all you want but he not only owns tax payers for
security cost,he owes Texas punitive damages for embarrassing us by acting
like a idiot.
Dan Me
When Barnum and Bailey Circus have a rogue clown that decides to take the microphone at a serious attempt to out stage the real ringmaster, and the attempt fails badly, is it not fair to give a refund to the paid patrons of that circus?
Lea Matthews
How is this possible! It is my understanding that it is strictly illegal for candidates to use taxpayer's money to run for office. It doesn't matter who's idea it was. As a matter of fact, Perry himself passed a law that anyone who makes more than $10,000 a year in public office, must resign that office before he or she runs for another office so that is another law he is breaking. Someone, commented that we can't impeach him, why not? Is there a real reason or do you still think he is too popular? I am ready, and since as soon as he was elected he went on a book tour, how many days has he actually been here acting as Governor and I do mean acting,