Study Finds Federal Stimulus Spending Accounted for More Than 250,000 Texas Jobs

An economic study commissioned by TPJ concludes that federal spending through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) saved or created at least 264,459 Texas jobs by the end of 2010. The economic modeling study generally confirms the Texas job creation figures reported directly to the federal government by ARRA grant recipients (243,814). The study refutes Governor Rick Perry’s pronouncement that the stimulus “created zero jobs.” Read the TPJ jobs study.

Lobby Watch: Simmons' Lobby Money Shifted From Texas to DC

Harold Simmons' Waste Control Specialists long concentrated its lobby power in Austin as it sought to open its West Texas nuclear dump. The company's federal lobby spending then briefly matched its Texas expenditures in 2009 and 2010, as Simmons pressed Democrats in Congress and the White House to send more radioactive junk to Texas. When that lobbying effort appeared to strike out Simmons quickly established himself as the nation's No. 1 contributor to anti-Obama super PACs.

Read TPJ's radioactive new Lobby Watch.

Nader Calls on Apple to Reject Texas Taxpayer Welfare

Consumer advocate Ralph Nader joined TPJ in calling on Apple CEO Tim Cook to reject taxpayer incentives from Texas state, city and county governments to expand an existing Austin facility.

Read Nader's letter to Cook.

Lobby Watch: Can Billionaire Simmons Bury Nuke Waste & Obama 'Socialism'?

Dallas billionaire Harold Simmons has given $15.4 million to GOP super PACs in the past year in an effort to keep that "Socialist Obama" from realizing his schemes to "eliminate free enterprise." Lobby Watch finds that since 2000 Simmons has given $32 million to state and federal politicians as he hungrily expands his nuclear dump in West Texas.
Read the Lobby Watch.

Judge: King Street Patriots subject to prohibition on corporate contributions

In a lawsuit originally filed by the Texas Democratic Party charging that the Houston-based Tea Party Group, The King Street Patriots made illegal political contributions in the 2010 elections a Travis County court has ruled that Texas laws against corporate expenditures apply to the so-called non-profit group. TPJ filed an Ethics Complaint against the group last October claiming they were using corporate money for electoral activities. That complaint is still pending.

Read the Houston Chronicle story on the ruling.
Read TPJ's October Ethics complaint.

TPJ Urges Apple CEO Tim Cook To Reject Corporate Welfare To Ease Apple’s Excess Cash Problems

Texans for Public Justice sent Apple CEO Tim Cook a letter today, urging the head of the world’s wealthiest company to reject a $21 million taxpayer grant offered by Governor Rick Perry to expand Apple’s operations in Austin. TPJ asked Cook to also decline another $14.5 million in incentives that the City of Austin and Travis County are considering giving to the technology giant.

Apple is struggling to find ways to dispose of an unprecedented $100 billion in cash reserves. TPJ notes that Texas tax dollars will only exacerbate this excruciating cash surplus. Given that Apple is choking on too much cash, TPJ advised Cook to stop taking corporate welfare.

Read TPJ’s letter to Tim Cook.

Texas Earns a D-Plus on "Corruptibility" Survey

Texans for Public Justice comments on Texas earning a D-plus for government transparency and accountability in the “State Integrity Investigation” released today by the Center for Public Integrity and Public Radio International.

“Texas fell just a few points shy of totally flunking a major civics exam,” said Texans for Public Justice Director Craig McDonald. “The culture of corruption in Texas politics is deeply entrenched. Our politicians—and their paymasters—have worked hard to preserve it.”

“It is no coincidence that a state bringing up the rear in corruption and open-government rankings also ranks among the worst states on human-needs indicators measuring education, health care and income equality. Texas’ D-plus grade poses a simple question: Do most Texas politicians serve the people—or do they serve themselves and their donors?”

Visit the State Integrity Investigation website.

Lone Star Tarnished: SMU's Cal Jillson challenges Texas "Miracle"

SMU Professor Cal Jillson, the oft-quoted political analyst delivers much more than a sound-bite in his new book, Lone Star Tarnished. Jillson makes clear that unless Texas changes its ways in the areas of social and economic policies, we're headed for the cliff. A good read exposing the myths that make up the foundation of Texas' current and looming troubles. (Published by Routledge press. Available at Amazon.)

Lobby Watch: Keep Your Government Hands Off of My Medicare Fraud

Physician accused of bilking feds out of $345 million backed Tea Party, Governor Perry.

Read the Lobby Watch.

Simmons PAC Admits Illicit Contributions

The treasurer of Harold Simmons Texas PAC admitted that TPJ's allegations that the PAC acted illegally in giving 18 lawmakers a total of $65,000 were correct. The PAC will ask the 18 legislators to return the contributions.

Read the story at the New York Times.