A Texas Tribune investigation into contributions to both Gov. Rick Perry's campaigns and to TexasOne, a quasi-governmental agency that has become Perry's chief marketing tool to tout the state's "wide open for business" model, found that representatives from the highest-contributing companies to TexasOne and their political action committees are often prolific donors to Perry's campaigns. Many of these companies and their top executives have also been the beneficiaries of millions of dollars in awards from state economic development programs championed by Perry, of gubernatorial appointments to influential state government boards and have won hefty state contracts.
Corporate sponsors and donors to The Texas Tribune are named throughout this interactive, and are identified with an asterisk (*). View a complete list of Texas Tribune donors and sponsors.
The companies listed in the center column below have had a financial relationship with both TexasOne and Perry's campaigns. Hover or tap on a company or a recipient of the contributions to view the connections.
The Texas Tribune is pleased to provide the opportunity for you to share your observations about this story. We encourage lively debate on the issues of the day, but we ask that you refrain from using profanity or other offensive speech, engaging in personal attacks or name-calling, posting advertising, or wandering away from the topic at hand. To comment, you must be a registered user of the Tribune, and your real name will be displayed. Thanks for taking time to offer your thoughts.
Comments (52)
John Cobarruvias via Texas Tribune on Facebook
If I had woken up with my head sewn to the carpet I wouldn't be more surprised.
Tom Knapp via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Ah, Perry's pay-to-play slush fund is finally getting some attention.
Tracie O'Neal Pape via Texas Tribune on Facebook
No one is surprised or shocked by this, right?
Daniel Astalas via Texas Tribune on Facebook
And...?
Audie Wigley via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Seriously!?!?!?! That's all they can come up with. Pathetic.
Kimberly Turner Klepcyk via Texas Tribune on Facebook
But corporations are people and should have the right to give unlimited funds. Perhaps SCOTUS might look our way in Texas to see what happens in such instances!
Vibeke Mendonca Lee via Texas Tribune on Facebook
no surprise here ... Texas has long been a pay-to-play state.
Dustin Kinas via Texas Tribune on Facebook
No! Not that DB Perry. there is no way he was shelling out millions to private donors.
Yolanda Carmony via Texas Tribune on Facebook
This guy is still a Saint compared to OBama and his Obamacare and ":CHange"
Josh Venghaus via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Y'all should just change your name to the "Texas Whiny Liberal Tribune."
Jason Stone via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Perry? Corrupt??? Naaaawwwww.
Paul Martinez via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Who are all these "critics" you keep referencing? Seriously, no other big time publication uses as many weasel word attributions as the Texas Tribune.
Mauro Beltramini via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Josh Venghaus what's "whiny" and "liberal" about exposing specific acts of pay-for-play?
Thomas Money via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I'm not surprised by this...I'm surprised he's still governor, I'm surprised nobody's shot him, but him being corrupt and evil no surprise.
Josh Venghaus via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I would just like to see the Tribune call both sides. Members of each party are corrupt.
Dinah Miller via Texas Tribune on Facebook
This ran in Dallas Morning News Letters: I live in San Luis Obispo, Calif., and for the last two weeks we have been inundated with television ads featuring Gov. Perry and ostensibly being run for the purpose of encouraging companies to relocate to Texas. Apparently the ads are not appearing in the Democratic strongholds of Los Angeles and San Francisco but in rural, more Republican areas.
I smell a rat. If you are recruiting business owners, wouldnt you focus on the population centers? Are these, in fact, thinly disguised political ads? Are the taxpayers of Texas paying for Gov. Perrys presidential campaign? You might want to look into this little caper.
Oh, speaking of transparent, the governor is wearing his spiffy new glasses in the ads.
Preston Van Leeuwen, San Luis Obispo, Calif.
Rick Bentley via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Guess who else contributes to the Texas One account? Texas cities and towns. You may ask, where do these cities and towns get the money to contribute? What is the primary source of revenue for cities and towns?
Neil Moyer via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Shocking....not really...
Tim Jones via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Investigate how he became rich while in office. That will be an interesting, but well hidden trail to follow.
Johnlene Kennedy via Texas Tribune on Facebook
blah blah blah liberial media
Chuck Waldrep via Texas Tribune on Facebook
What is liberal about pointing out that Perry is a big business lapdog?
C.g. David via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Look into TEDC too.
Creek HiLife via Texas Tribune on Facebook
OOPS.
Jay New via Texas Tribune on Facebook
And the 6 major media outlets are OWNED by conservatives.
Bobbie Sue Dorough via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Conservatives are so quick to defend this imbecile...whom I might add, showed his uneducated true self in the presidential debates !
Dewey Hulme via Texas Tribune on Facebook
It helped create more new jobs in Tx.,didn't it? The State generated more revenue by doing this,Didn't it?
Dewey Hulme via Texas Tribune on Facebook
How would you have done it differently ?
Kathi Thomas via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Shocked! NOT. :(
Jay New via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Well I wouldn't have sold part of our roadways to Spain (Cintas toll roads), funneled government contracts to campaign contributors, turned down Medicaid funding, or push the evangelical agenda down our throats.
Bobbie Sue Dorough via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Well stated Jay !
Bobbie Sue Dorough via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Gosh...." Sheep"?....really...do people still listen to Glenn Beck ?? The idiot who puts hot sauce in his eyes so he can cry on cue ! Sheep my ass !
Joan Hardy via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Just in time for him to try to disgrace our state again!
Sharon Richter Perica via Texas Tribune on Facebook
More low paying no benefit jobs.
Jay New via Texas Tribune on Facebook
But the Supreme Corp just legalized bribery......
Dusti Noblitt via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Will be in Granbury, Texas Saturday to reunite with brothers I haven't seen in 51 years.
Steve Fields via Texas Tribune on Facebook
OH GOLLY -GEE:"...A Texas Tribune investigation into contributions to both...
Larry Tho via Texas Tribune on Facebook
UMM, this is how patronage politics is done by both parties.
Victor Tovias via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Whats a "liberial"?
Sheep. Funny coming from someone who probably watches Faux News like its REAL news. Sadly no real news outlets exist anymore, unless you count the BBCA but thats not 'Murican enough for some i guess.
Sam Davis via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Is this our fiscally conservative governor squandering tax payer dollars for his own self-interest? If Abbott gets in he will make Perry's corruption seem trifling.
Velita Waddell via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Like I have said over and over , Lets vote all these white hair old men out Get some new blood and women! Turn TX Blue!
Josh Venghaus via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Sam got mad. He called me a name.
A Lerma Stickelbault via Texas Tribune on Facebook
time for this assh***** to go.
Linda Jacobson via Texas Tribune on Facebook
You people are soooo ignorant.
Robin Goodwin Collmorgen via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Those "monthly fees" are their insurance premiums they pay in order to keep from going to the emergency room where the rest of us must pick up the tab if they do. It amazes me how people conveniently forget this is a conservative healthcare law that originated with Newt Gingrich in the 90's, was picked up and used by Mitt Romney with success in Mass., but is now seen as socialized government run healthcare at its worst. Hypocrites.
Judy Rae Jackson via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Duh?
Angela Dickenson via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Not a surprise
Cynde Peace via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Rick is a moron. He has good hair. But he's still a scum sucking bottom feeding moron... that said.. he's probably done more to make Texas the laughing stock of the US than anyone I can think of. And when I read someone calling other people "sheeple" I always go to their FB page to see how credible they appear to be - since I'm relatively open minded and interested in others opinions should they have facts to back up their opinions.. until I see uneducated babble... and I'm sorry but then I just get so sad that the state of Texas can produce people who get out of school (presumedly) that can't write a complete lucid sentence (or spell elite correctly) that I tend to discount their opinions totally. I know , I know.... I'm a horrible person for judging people based on intelligence and lucidity and the ability to think before they open their mouths...and I'm working on it...
Dan Tucker via Texas Tribune on Facebook
More damn fruits and nuts in Texas, than in all
the breakfast cearal in the whole damn world..
Dan Tucker via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Between this GOVERNOT, and teddy CASTRO cruz,.Texas takes the prize for illegitimacy!!
Kyle Love via Texas Tribune on Facebook
..........and Soros is a saint.
Sylvia G. Rodriguez via Texas Tribune on Facebook
If the money he gives to open up business do not make it do they pay that money back? It seems that this has happened many times. I am so pleased that finally someone is looking into this. This come into office empty handed and leave with their pockets and good bank accounts.
Christina DeLaigle
I was born in San Antonio many, many years ago. I left abruptly before I was a year old. My aunt took my brother and me, illegally, in the dead of night on the train back to Kentucky because the State of Texas was going to adopt us out separately. Enough background. Suffice it to say I am proud to have been born in the home of the Alamo and that ends there. What I have found about Texas the last few years makes me ill to say the least. Your governor and the man (?) running to replace him are lacking in intelligence, common decency, and probably other areas where I wouldn't even begin to search. Their opinion of themselves is much higher than most people would think of themselves. I hope, and I pray that Texas will see fit to elect the candidate who STANDS for what she believes and has made it a point to CARE for her fellow Texans, both female AND male - something you couldn't find anywhere around Rick Perry or Greg Abbott. It's time that Texas women started telling their mates to get with the NEW PROGRAM in Texas, the one that puts women on an equal platform with men, stops trying to dictate how women behave, see to their bodily needs, and vote, and then VOTE BLUE and put Wendy Davis in the Governor's Mansion. Then, SUPPORT HER when she tries to clean up your state because right now you are as close to the bottom as the state in which I live, Georgia, and the only way to go is UP. VOTE BLUE, TEXAS!