In the wake of a dismal election, while facing the prospect of an intraparty civil war, Texas House Republicans certainly have a lot to talk about. But did they need to do it at an exclusive spa, while collecting gobs of corporate cash in return for access?

Republican bigwigs in the House met this week at the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines resort in Bastrop (30 minutes outside of Austin) to talk fundraising and strategy. One issue they clearly did not discuss: Ethics. From the Lufkin Daily News:

Contributors — corporations, individuals and lobbyists — who gave $25,000 got 15 VIP dinner tickets, four rounds of golf with a "Preferred House Member," and prominent company advertising. The caucus began Tuesday and ended Wednesday night with dinner at a prominent lobbyist's home.

The Burnt Orange Report, which crashed the the Lost Pines' extravaganza, witnessed Gov. Rick Perry and House Speaker Tom Craddick nattily attired in suits. It didn't look like they were ready to shoot a round. Meanwhile, Reps Burt Solomon and Delwin Jones, who have filed to run against Craddick, apparently skipped the festivities.

Earlier this week, Paul Burka excerpted a portion of a conservative's critique of the Republican Party. Written by the Lonestar Report's Will Lutz, who covered state government for a decade, it hit on a range of ills afflicting the GOP, not the least of which is the party's cold, hard addiction to corporate cash:

In short, big money isn’t principled; it’s self-interested. And it will turn on Republicans whenever the political winds change. Pandering to big money is building a foundation on quicksand.

Check out Lutz's column. Maybe next time, the GOP will pick up their own tab at Lost Pines.