The Midday Brief: Oct. 18, 2010

Your afternoon reading:

• "Rick Perry’s biggest campaign donor has given $3.5 million to the Republican Governors Association, potentially setting up an infusion of campaign cash in the final days of the governor’s reelection race." — Houston homebuilder Bob Perry donates $3.5M to Republican Governors Association, The Dallas Morning News

• "The state's GOP star-power gathered to kick-off the voting season outside a Mexican restaurant, where smashing President Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was the breakfast order of the day." — John Cornyn, Rick Perry, et al early vote, Trail Blazers

• "At least a dozen Texas lawmakers who voted against the $787 billion stimulus bill later drafted letters to federal agencies asking for stimulus money for projects for their own constituencies." — Texas stimulus opponents later sought stimulus funds for their districts, Texas Watchdog

• "Texans for Public Justice (TPJ) filed a formal complaint with the state ethics commission Monday alleging that a Houston tea party spinoff has violated Texas’ prohibition on corporate campaign contributions, according to a news release from the non-profit watchdog." — Texans for Public Justice files ethics complaint about King Street Patriots and KSP/True The Vote, The Texas Independent

New in The Texas Tribune:

• "A Houston-area tea party group may have illegally supported GOP candidates for office, according to a complaint filed with the Texas Ethics Commission today." — Tea Party Group Under Ethics Scrutiny

• "A Houston-based group sent mailers into at least two House races, but instead of using its political action committee to pay for the mailings, it used a 501(c)4." — Group Skirting Disclosure Laws in Two Texas Races