Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst is said to be worth $200 million -- and is one of the most powerful officials in the state.

So, when you look at the Houston Republican's 2008 personal financial disclosure form, what does it say about his fortune? Not much. It says he makes more than $25,000 a year from something called the "David Dewhurst Trust." And that's about it.

This just in from the Associated Press' Jay Root in Austin:

AUSTIN, Texas — Travis County prosecutors are almost finished with a months-long probe into the personal financial disclosures of Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, who has been criticized for failing to provide details of his vast wealth.

The fact that Dewhurst's sources of income are withheld from the public is a violation of the spirit of the financial disclosure law, if not the letter of it. How are we to know for certain that the state Senate, over which the lieutenant governor presides, isn't passing legislation at this moment that will benefit companies, ventures or individuals to whom Dewhurst has financial ties?

Root quotes our Trent Seibert in the story:

"The lieutenant governor needs to come clean with every business dealing that he's involved with and every asset that he owns," said Trent Seibert of Texas Watchdog. "The fact that he is so secretive in hiding his sources of income and his business relationships raises all kinds of questions."

So, what will Dewhurst put on his 2009 personal financial disclosure form? We'll have to see. It's only April 30, you know -- the day that the 2009 forms must be postmarked by. (Provided he doesn't ask for an extension.)

Here's a link to Dewhurst's 2008 financial disclosure form, for what it's worth -- and that's not much.

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