Why do you donate money to candidates?
Can’t say I find this surprising.
AUSTIN — Charles Lawrence has donated nearly a quarter of a million dollars to Gov. Rick Perry over the past six years, by far the largest amount of anyone with a vested interest in the governor’s controversial Trans-Texas Corridor.
Lawrence is chairman of Kirby Corp., a Houston-based transportation company operating the nation’s largest fleet of inland tank barges and towing vessels.
His donations, totaling nearly $229,000, make him the largest contributor to Perry of anyone with a strong interest in transportation in general and the Trans-Texas Corridor in particular, according to a database analysis by the San Antonio Express-News.
Perry, a Republican, received upward of $1.2 million over the past six years from individuals or political action committees that, like Lawrence, have a stake in the proposed $7 billion system of toll roads and rail lines Perry has championed. Lawrence did not return calls for comment.
And the following makes no sense.
A spokesman for Perry adamantly rebutted the notion that political contributions influence the political process.”There is no link,” Robert Black said. “The governor has lots of contributors. Thousands of contributors. … They give money because they believe in what he wants to do and where he wants to lead Texas. If they have any other motivation, they need not give.”
Well, yeah. He believes in the Trans-Texas Corridor and he wants to lead it directly to a select group of special interest. Geeze, do you think they’re donating because of strong leadership in education finance?
Technorati Tags: Trans-Texas Corridor, Kirby Corp, Charles Lawrence, Rick Perry, Texas, Govenor, campaign contributions, elections, toll roads
Filed under: 2006 general election, Charles Lawrence, Kirby Corporation, Rick Perry, Toll Roads, Trans-Texas Corridor, texas, texas politics
