TDP Statement on Strayhorn’s suspension of payment to GOP Lobbyist Cronies: Late to the Game, Short of the Mark

Below is a statement from Texas Democratic Party Communications Director Amber Moon on Carole Strayhorn’s announcement today that she would suspend payments on a contract approved by Governor Perry with the Washington DC-based lobbying firm Cassidy & Associates:

“Unfortunately, Carole Strayhorn is late to the game and short of the mark. While Rep. Jim Dunnam and Texas Democrats called to stop payments nearly a year ago to these Tom DeLay/Jack Abramoff Washington lobbyists and voted to direct all of the funds to Texas veterans, Carole Strayhorn was one silent grandma. Republican leaders, including both Strayhorn and Rick Perry, ignored Texas veterans and backed the Washington lobbyists instead. Since then, hundreds of thousands of dollars in Texas taxpayer funds have been squandered on well-heeled lobbyists loyal to Tom DeLay and Jack Abramoff. Carole Strayhorn had the authority to stop these payments from day one, and she acted now only because it might benefit her campaign against Rick Perry. Democrats took a stand to protect Texans against the corrupt Tom DeLay style “pay-off your lobby friends” culture that Republican leadership brought to Texas. Fortunately, Texas is gaining from the collateral benefit, even if it did result from Republican political ambition, not good public policy.”