Conservative activist James Leininger—Texas’ No. 2 individual donor—is making headlines again for trying to defeat moderate Republican Primary candidates who opposed his school-voucher agenda. From 2001 through 2005, Leininger’s family contributed more than $3.1 million to conservative PACs and Republican candidates in Texas, second only to Houston homebuilder Bob Perry, whose family spent $11 million in that period. This spending reflects Leininger’s agenda, which includes vouchers, home schooling, weaker tort laws and abortion restrictions.
The Leiningers’ varied agenda keeps their political machine spinning year after year. When Republicans made a big push to take over the Texas House in 2002, Leininger was there, contributing heavily to Tom DeLay’s Texans for a Republican Majority PAC ($142,500) and several leading TRMPAC-backed candidates.
Yet the Leiningers spent almost as much in the next election cycle. During the 2004 cycle they heavily backed constitutional amendments prohibiting gay marriages and establishing weaker tort laws. Meanwhile they invested in legislative candidates in advance of their failed 2005 push for school vouchers.
The Republican Party, especially its more conservative wing, has been the top beneficiary of the Leiningers’ political spending, with the Republican Party of Texas receiving $500,470 directly from the Leningers over the past five years. The next largest beneficiary is Texas’ largest special-interest PAC, Texans for Lawsuit Reform, which got $350,500 from the Leiningers.
MORE: <
http://www.tpj.org/publication_view.jsp?pubid=729>
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
