The Green Party of Texas is the state party of the Green Party of the United States. It was organized in the late 1990s and grew throughout the state during the lead up to the 2000 presidential run of
Ralph Nader. While dormant throughout much of the early aughts, in 2010, its spirited petition drive to make it onto the ballot generated controversy after court testimony and documents showed the petition drive was linked to people with ties to Republican Gov. Rick Perry.
Democrats charged that the petition drive, backed by groups with extensive Republican links, was aimed at helping siphoning votes from Democrat Bill White, but the Perry campaign denied any involvement. Corporations are forbidden from funding a party's political activity but may pay for administrative expenses, such as office rent and overhead.
The Green Party contended its effort to get on the ballot — spearheaded by Republicans and funded with $532,000 from an out-of-state nonprofit corporation — was an administrative expense.
The court challenge to the party's ballot access reached the Texas Supreme Court in the summer of 2010. If the court rules that the use of corporate money for the petition drive was legal, the Green Party's candidates will stay on the ballot. But if it rules the contribution violated state law, the party could be blocked before the November 2010 general election.
