At Blackout Hearing, Big Political Donors Questioned
Editor's Note: A previous version of this story including a company that donated a relatively small amount of money to a legislative caucus, not to political candidates. Those donations have been removed from this analysis, as has the name of the company.
The power companies and execs at today's hearing on the rolling blackouts this month were familiar faces to the senators asking the tough questions. Over the years, they've helped bankroll the lawmakers' political campaigns.
Since 2000, in fact, power companies have donated at least $430,000 to members of the two Senate committees represented at ...
Comments (8)
Mac Mcclure via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I see they gave 14,000 to Wendy Davis
Mary Lynn VanZandt Neill via Texas Tribune on Facebook
GOOD!!
Texas Tribune via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Right, we didn't mention Sen. Davis specifically in the post because she's not on those two committees. But she's listed in the data file attached to the post.
Elmo
Demand to see the list of plants that were down. I am told that plants that were shut down for years are on that list. Tradinghouse and Lake creek are among them
M. D.
Is this really a surprise to anyone? Is the Tribune going to really start digging on this story or not? If someone robbed a bank of $50-100 million dollars would it be any different?
It begs the question: does the Tribune receive funding from these same sources?
Dale Curry
This is surreal. First they file a "winterization" plan with the state, which evidently failed utterly at 82 plants. Which causes rolling blackouts and runs the wholesale price up, which these "ole boys" benefited from massively. Then they are investigated by the very Senators who are investigating. This on top of Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and Gov. Rick Perry contributuions totallng more than $290,000 and $180,000, respectively.. From my perspective, I have no illustion that our PUC will do anything and that this hearing will NOT result in any penalties to these "ole boys." Futhermore, we can expect our already too high electric bills to continue to rise..
Despite the whitewash, this is nothing more than Perry and his co-conspirators providing value to their corporate constituents. So you can NOTING TO OCCUR. You can also expect at the first opportunity, these guys will be "going off line" again.
I wonder if there has ever been a Corporate Contribution that Perry has turned down? I wonder if there has ever been a Corporation he has stood against on behalf of the people of Texas?
Mary Lynn VanZandt Neill via Texas Tribune on Facebook
They ought to be onafreezing cold seat...everyone else was.
Elmo
The same thing happened when Perry tried to ram 28 new coal plants down our throat 5 years ago with 5 in Mclennan County alone. Senator Averitt who took money from TXUsaw no problem with it despite objections of the city , county, chamber and many schools . People it is about money. Ask Sibley who started all this when electricity was deregulated. He then went to work for the people he dergulated and we now are one of the highest rates in the country. He is one of the highest paid lobyist in Texas