Chisum: Legislators aren’t state employees; will ask Ethics Commission about disclosure

State House Appropriations Committee Chairman Warren Chisum says he didn’t list his $600-a-month legislative salary on his 2007 personal financial disclosure form because he doesn’t believe “in the truest sense of the word” that he’s an employee of the state.
But he also said he’d call the state Ethics Commission and ask for clarification on it. [...]

Texas ranks near the top nationally in public officials’ convictions

Texans want to be No. 1. They want to be bigger, better, faster, at the very top of every list.
Well, Texas, here’s a ranking where you’re almost at the very top. In fact, you’re No. 3 in the entire nation.
It’s the number of public officials convicted of criminal charges between 1998 and 2007. The [...]

Jaworski: Allegations of favoritism on hurricane cleanup are ‘total speculation’

It was a serious charge, even though it was never substantiated: AshBritt, a debris removal company with a checkered past, claimed that Joe Jaworski, the former mayor pro tem of Galveston, used Hurricane Ike to help a client at his law practice.
In a letter sent to Jaworski and obtained by Texas Watchdog, the corporate counsel [...]

Flores got cabin from racetrack developers: AP

When you go to Rep. Kino Flores’ campaign Web site, you hear a sound file of Flores talking, saying “It is better to give than to receive.” Does that explain the fishing cabin on South Padre?

Mayor Bill White looking at Kay Bailey Hutchison’s Senate job

People across Houston have been speculating about Democratic Mayor Bill White’s political future — and now they know. He’s eyeing the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican Kay Bailey Hutchison, if she steps down to challenge current governor Rick Perry.
From the Houston Chronicle:
In considering his future in recent weeks, White said a number of Texans [...]

Off the Kuff: Justice Hecht the focus of another ethics complaint

Justice Nathan Hecht, who was punished Thursday by the Texas Ethics Commission for failing to report an illegal campaign contribution, is the focus of another ethics complaint. This from Off the Kuff.

Judge fined $29K for failing to disclose political contribution

State Supreme Court Justice Nathan Hecht was fined $29,000 Thursday for taking an illegal political contribution and then failing to report it, the Dallas Morning News reports.

Rep. Flores’ land dealings being probed by Austin DA

From the McAllen Monitor:
Smoke continues to billow from an ongoing criminal investigation into state Rep. Ismael “Kino” Flores, but prosecutors remain mum about the possibility of fire.
The Travis County district attorney’s office has widened its probe to include the legislator’s land dealings, including the purchase of a six-acre ranch north of Alton, Flores’ attorney Roy [...]

Judge broke the law in not disclosing reduced legal fees: Ethics investigators

From the AP: Ethics investigators say a state Supreme Court justice broke the law when he failed to disclose a six-figure discount he received in personal legal fees.

Craddick’s pay, insurance for grown daughter breaks state law, critic says

State House Speaker Tom Craddick has paid his 30-something lawyer daughter $625,000 in salary from his campaign account over 6 years and has her on his state insurance plan. A Democratic attorney from Houston says that’s against the law — and we’ve got a copy of the complaint.

No criminal charges for ex-DA Rosenthal; current DA cites ‘insufficient evidence’

The former district attorney of Harris County who left office earlier this year after pornographic and racist e-mails were found on his computer will not be prosecuted criminally for those and other forms of misconduct, Harris County’s current DA announced this afternoon.
Interim DA Kenneth Magidson says there is insufficient evidence to prosecute Chuck Rosenthal.
Magidson [...]

‘Star-Telegram’ editorial praises online lawmakers’ disclosure forms

We’re awfully grateful for the shout out from the editorial board at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram — and they’re right: lawmakers’ personal financial disclosure forms should be available in a searchable database.

Another Harris County official caught sending offensive e-mails

When are public officials going to learn to stop sending e-mails that offend others? Better yet, when are they going to learn that racist, sexist and/or sexually suggestive jokes just aren’t funny?

NW Harris Co MUD officials get four years for misuse of public funds

As Richard Connelly wrote today on the Houston Press’ Hair Balls blog, “Who the hell pays any attention to what MUD directors do?” In this case, local prosecutors did.

Ex-inspectors say TEA bosses blocked their efforts to investigate fraud and waste

From The Dallas Morning News:

AUSTIN – Two former inspectors for the Texas Education Agency sued the agency Thursday, alleging they were wrongfully fired for trying to investigate fraud and waste in the TEA and certain school districts – and then speaking out when their efforts were blocked.
The lawsuit by James Catazaro and Jim Lyde leveled [...]

House GOP golf and spa retreat looks bad

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 [...]

Galveston mayor blames newspaper for killing disaster recovery panel

The newspaper had pointed out a glaring conflict of interest in the appointment of the committee chairman — and instead of faulting the conflict of interest, the mayor is blaming the newspaper for pointing it out.

BexarMet stalled reporter on controversial water contract

San Antonio’s troubled water utility intentionally “slow-boated” a newspaper reporter’s public records request for a contract fraught with conflicts of interest, the Express-News reported this morning citing the utility’s own internal e-mail communication.
Using e-mails obtained through the Texas Public Information Act, the Express-News found that BexarMet spokesman T.J. Connolly purposefully stalled Express-News reporter Josh Baugh’s [...]

Public records show school system feels ripped off by land broker

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram has used the state’s Public Information Act to show that a local school system is accusing its own former real-estate broker of buying up land for a school site and then reselling it to the school system — at a profit of $621,500.
The FBI is involved in probing the dealings of [...]

Cost of House lounge renovations skyrocket to $140K: AP

Yikes! The price tag for the state House lounge renovations is now up to $140,000 — and still, no one is taking responsibility for it.
This from the Associated Press, via the Dallas Morning News:
AUSTIN – State officials have ordered up at least $140,000 in renovations to the members-only lounge in the Texas House of [...]

Troubled San Antonio water utility was linked closely with Uresti, public records show

The San Antonio Express-News used the state’s Public Information Act to access more than 500 e-mails that shed new light on the relationship between state Sen. Carlos Uresti and local water provider BexarMet.

Officials in Hempstead, ‘city of character,’ accused of bribery

Two city officials in Hempstead have been indicted and arrested on charges of taking bribes, several local news outlets are reporting this morning.
Mayor Pro Tem Larry Wilson and City Alderman Paris J. Kincade Jr. took $13,000 in bribes, the Chronicle story says:
The contractor was paid more than $19,000 to demolish four Hempstead buildings in 2007, [...]