Metamorphosis: |
April 11, 2007 |
Eight More Lawmakers
Morph Into Lobbyists
Since the Texas Legislature’s 2005 regular session eight lawmakers have shed their public-servant shells to embrace their inner lobbyist. This newest crop of revolving-door lobbyists is billing 71 clients a total of up to $2.2 million this year.
Leading the class of 2007 are former Reps. Ray Allen, Todd Baxter and Vilma Luna—the first 2005-session lawmakers to come out of the closet. All three of these lawmakers resigned from the House between November 2005 and July 2006. The other top-billing new revolvers—former Reps. Carter Casteel and Toby Goodman—entered the lobby after voters retired them in 2006.
As a group the new revolver class does a good job illustrating the public’s concerns about how much independence lawmakers sacrifice when they consider future careers in the lobby.
Lawmakers considering future lobby careers must think twice before opposing Texas’ two largest lobby clients: AT&T and TXU. AT&T already has former Reps. Ray Allen and Vilma Luna on its payroll, while former Reps. Toby Goodman and Peggy Hamric now lobby for TXU.
The Lege’s Latest Crop of Revolving-Door Lobbyists
| Revolver (Party) | House District |
Min. Value of Contracts |
Max. Value of Contracts |
No. of Clients |
| Ray Allen (R) | 106 |
$395,000 |
$835,000 |
16 |
| Todd Baxter (R) | 48 |
$225,000 |
$350,000 |
3 |
| Vilma Luna (D) | 33 |
$20,000 |
$320,000 |
31 |
| Toby Goodman (R) | 93 |
$110,000 |
$245,000 |
6 |
| Carter Casteel (R) | 73 |
$95,000 |
$200,000 |
4 |
| Suzanna Hupp (R) | 54 |
$55,000 |
$145,000 |
6 |
| Peggy Hamric (R) | 126 |
$0 |
$40,000 |
4 |
| Joe Nixon (R) | 133 |
$10 |
$25,000 |
1 |
TOTALS: |
$900,010 |
$2,160,000 |
71 |
The revolving door also makes citizens wonder when a lawmaker stops serving the public and starts serving special interests. Toby Goodman, the 2005 vice chair of the House Juvenile Justice Committee, now lobbies for the Association of Independent Child Welfare Administrators and the Juvenile Justice Association.
Carter Casteel, a recent member of the House County Affairs Committee, now lobbies for the Texas Association of Counties. Suzanna Hupp, who chaired the Human Services Committee and sat on the Law Enforcement Committee, lobbies for Disability Services of the Southwest and Texans for Public Safety Solutions.
One-time House Corrections Committee Chair Ray Allen now lobbies for the industry he once oversaw. Allen counts private jailer Geo Group (formerly Wackenhut Corrections) among his top clients. He also lobbies for corrections contractors Bottom Line Utility Solutions and Securus Technologies.
Former Rep. Todd Baxter became the top lobbyist for the Texas Cable and Telecommunications Association in 2005 — just months after he promoted legislation favorable to that industry.
Vilma Luna parlayed her position as vice chair of the powerful House Appropriations Committee into a job representing 31 clients at lobby powerhouse HillCo Partners. Fellow former Appropriations Committee member Peggy Harmric has agreed to lobby for two tobacco companies.
Joe Nixon, who championed limits on lawsuits as chair of the House Civil Practices Committee, now lobbies for a major beneficiary of such limits: the building branch of the Associated General Contractors.
Nixon’s position on civil claims famously fluctuated depending on whether he was acting in an official or personal capacity. At a time in 2003 when his legislative website ostracized “frivolous” mold claims, Rep. Nixon obtained a $300,000 award from Farmers Insurance to settle mold-remediation claims that the lawmaker filed on his own home. The record showed that when Farmers generously settled this claim it realized that Nixon had a second home—in the Texas House.
Nixon and his seven colleagues never really left the House. They’re still living in—and off—its imposing lobby. ■
Lobby Contracts for the Revolving-Door Lobbyists
Client
of Contracts
of ContractsAT&T GEO Group, Inc. JLL, LLC Public Strategies, Inc. TX Conf. of Urban Counties Penske Truck Leasing Co. Satellite Tracking of People, LLC Vanguard Electronics, LLC Bottom Line Utility Solutions City of Sunset Valley Game Warden Peace Ofcr Assn. SEG Strategic Alliances Texas Bicycle Coalition TX Mining & Reclamation Assn. Solutions Group, Inc. Securus Technologies TOTALS:
Client
of Contracts
of ContractsTX Cable & Telecom. Assn Alliance of Retail Markets Lost Creek Mun’l Utility Dist. TOTALS:
Client
of Contracts
of ContractsAlamo Community College Dist. Driscoll Children’s Hospital A-ABC Services, Inc. Airtron, LP Amgen, Inc. AT&T City of South Padre Island CPL Retail Energy, LP Direct Energy, LP Dutko Worldwide, LLC El Paso Water Utilities First Advantage Freighliner, LLC HEB Grocery Co. Hallmark Air Conditioning, Inc. K&N Plumbing Heating & AC MedImmune, Inc. Molina Healthcare, Inc. Psychiatric Solutions, Inc. SavaSenior Care Admin. Services S. Padre Isle. Econ. Dev. Corp. Sterling Air Conditioning Tarrant County. Hospital District Tenet Healthcare Corp. TX Assoc. of Property Tax Prof. Texas Motion Picture Alliance Texas Stadium Corp. WTU Retail Energy, LP Wyeth TX Assoc. of Broadcasters TX Daily Newspaper Assoc. TOTALS:
Client
of Contracts
of ContractsTX Assn. Ind’t Child Welfare Admins Juvenile Justice Assn of TX TXU Corp. TX Assn. Psychological Associates Steven Sinkin Harry Tindall TOTALS:
Client
of Contracts
of ContractsTX Assoc. of School Boards TX Assoc. of Counties TX Civil Justice League New Braunfels Utilities TOTALS:
Client
of Contracts
of ContractsBarrett Burke Wilson Castle… American Pharmacies Bill Siebert Texans for Public Safety Solutions Disability Services of the SW TX Massage School Owners Assn. TOTALS:
Client
of Contracts
of ContractsChiropractic Strategies Group, Inc. [RJ] Reynolds American, Inc. Swisher International, Inc. TXU Corp. TOTALS:
Client
of Contracts
of ContractsAssoc. Gen’l Contractors
