Elite Chic:  

April 19, 2007

54 More Rich Donors
Join the '$100,000 Club'

During the recent 2006 election 140 wealthy individuals donated more than $100,000 apiece to Texas state PACs and candidates. This is up 63 percent from the 86 individuals who cleared $100,000 in 2004.

With many “$100,000 Club” members spending much more than 100 grand the 140 elite donors dropped $52 million on the last election, accounting for 27 percent of the $191 million total raised by state PACs and candidates. The word on Texas’ gated streets is that you can beat the S&P 500 by investing in the state’s ingratiating politicians.

Meanwhile barbarians at the gates are trying to put a lid on the country-club set. A bill by Rep. Mike Villareal (D-San Antonio) would bar any individual from contributing an aggregate total of more than $100,000 to state candidates and PACs in a given election (HB 111).

The $100,000 Club’s burgeoning membership accounts for only part of the club’s $23 million spending increase. The almost $13 million that longtime club pacesetters Bob Perry and James Leininger spent on the 2006 election more than doubled what this dynamic duo spent in 2004. Perry and Leininger accounted for a stunning 30 percent of the spending hike by all club members in this period.

The contributions by Republicans Perry and Leininger were partially offset by $2.1 million from club newcomer Fred Baron. This recently retired trial lawyer has been trying to resuscitate the ailing Texas Democratic Party. 

The accompanying table breaks down $100,000 Club members by their underlying industries and compares the 2006 industry breakdown to that of 2004. This comparison reveals the biggest industry shifts in the $100,000 Club’s membership and contributions.

While Construction moved up a notch to become the club’s top-spending industry in 2006, this increase is almost entirely the result of homebuilder Bob Perry, who contributed an additional $2.6 million in 2006.

A more interesting shift occurred in the Miscellaneous Business sector, which jumped to second place from its No. 6 ranking in 2004. Contributions from club members in this sector increased more than 300 percent as the club signed up a net increase of 16 new members from this sector in 2006.

The Special Interests of ‘$100,000 Club’ Members

 Interest Group
2006
Rank
2004
Rank
Total From
$100-G Club
(2006 Cycle)
No. of
Club
Donors
Percent
of Club
Money
Change In
Club Money
Since 2004
Change In
Members
Since 2004
 Construction
1
2
$9,075,242
10
18%
56%
3
 Miscellaneous Business
2
6
$8,605,282
28
17%
304%
16
 Lawyers & Lobbyists
3
3
$7,352,144
22
14%
71%
2
 Health
4
7
$6,941,771
5
13%
243%
0
 Finance
5
4
$6,822,523
19
13%
157%
8
 Energy/Natural Resources
6
1
$4,129,793
18
8%
-45%
7
 Real Estate
7
5
$3,144,290
13
6%
47%
4
 Transportation
8
8
$2,396,359
9
5%
202%
4
 Agriculture
9
10
$1,090,120
3
2%
142%
2
 Communications
10
9
$818,850
3
2%
52%
0
 Insurance
11
11
$439,134
3
1%
80%
1
 Computers & Electronics
12
0
$603,607
5
1%
NA
5
 Other
13
0
$298,649
2
1%
NA
2
TOTALS:
 
 
$51,717,765
140
100%
81%
54

 

Seven of this sector’s 16 new recruits made fortunes as alcohol distributors. Republic Beverage (which includes Block Distributing and Magnolia Marketing) now boasts four $100,000 Club members. Rival Glazer’s Distributing has three.

These booze wholesalers served politicos triple shots in 2006 in an effort (HB 2266) to repeal rules that force bars and restaurants to buy hooch from package liquor stores. Yet those who demand free markets must beware what they ask for. Package stores retaliated by urging the legislature to allow liquor manufacturers to sell directly to package stores—thereby bypassing the wholesalers (HB 2525).

Another dynamic sector for the $100,000 Club is Health, which moved up to No. 4 from its seventh-place ranking in 2004. Although members in the Health sector increased their contributions $5 million, this was almost entirely the handiwork of Dr. James Leininger, who made a fortune selling hi-tech hospital beds. Leininger spent $4 million more in 2006 than he did in the preceding election.

The Energy & Natural Resources industry was the only sector in which contributions by club members plummeted. This industry dropped from No. 1 in 2004 to sixth place. The more than  $5 million drop in spending by these members resulted from oil billionaire Tony Sanchez’s retirement from the $100,000 Club. Sanchez belonged in 2004 when he still was paying off some of the tens of millions of dollars that he had loaned himself for his failed 2002 Democratic campaign to be governor.

Some newcomers to the $100,000 Club in 2006 joined as a result of one-horse bets on Texas’ bizarre four-way gubernatorial race.1 The candidacy of independent Kinky Friedman prompted his friends John McCall ($1.2 million), Barbara Bowman ($264,025) and Jimmy Buffet ($219,700) to join the club for perhaps the first and only time.

Chris Bell’s Democratic candidacy brought newcomer Ricardo Weitz ($555,956) into the fold and prompted veteran John O’Quinn ($1.1 million) to almost quadruple what he spent in 2004.

Similarly, independent Carole Keeton Strayhorn had much to do with increased expenditures by Ryan & Co. partners in the $100,000 Club.  Ryan & Co.—which dunned Strayhorn for corporate tax breaks when she was comptroller—went from three to four club members in 2006. Meanwhile, chief George Ryan more than quadrupled his spending in 2006 to $1.4 million, with most of it benefiting Strayhorn.

 

Texas’ 2006 Election Cycle ‘$100,000 Club’

Amount
In Cycle
 Contributor  City  Company/Occupation  Interest Group
$7,167,064
 *Bob & Doylene Perry  Houston  Perry Homes  Construction
$5,551,966
 *James & Cecilia Leininger  San Antonio  Kinetic Concepts Inc.  Health
$2,100,821
 Fred & Lisa Baron  Dallas  Baron & Budd, PC  Lawyers & Lobbyists
$1,390,354
 *George & Amanda Ryan  Dallas  Ryan & Co. PC  Finance
$1,205,921
 *Charles C. Butt  San Antonio  HEB Grocery Co.  Miscellaneous Business
$1,201,545
 John Herschel McCall  Spicewood  Armstrong McCall Beauty  Supply  Miscellaneous Business
$1,200,348
 *T. Boone Pickens Jr.  Dallas  BP Capital  Finance
$1,129,400
 *Harold Simmons  Dallas  Contran Corp.  Finance
$1,116,556
 *John M. O'Quinn  Houston  O'Quinn Laminack & Pirtle  Lawyers & Lobbyists
$766,300
 *David & Martha Alameel  Dallas  Jefferson Dental Clinics PC  Health
$620,750
 *Robert C. McNair Jr.  Houston  Houston Texans, CoGen  Energy/Nat’l Resources
$555,956
 Ricardo Weitz  Houston  Auto Dealer   Transportation
$554,717
 *Richard W. Weekley  Houston  Weekley Properties  Real Estate
$548,509
 *John L. & Barbara Nau III  Houston  Silver Eagle Distributors L.P.  Miscellaneous Business
$537,175
 *Thomas Dan Friedkin  Houston  Friedkin Companies Inc.  Transportation
$531,114
 *Lonnie A. 'Bo' Pilgrim  Pittsburg  Pilgrim's Pride Poultry  Agriculture
$525,889
 *Walter Umphrey  Beaumont  Provost & Umphrey Law  Firm LLP  Lawyers & Lobbyists
$503,600
 *Michael Stevens  Houston  Michael Stevens Interests Inc.  Real Estate
$496,385
 *John Eddie Williams Jr.  Houston  Williams Bailey Law Firm, LLP  Lawyers & Lobbyists
$469,934
 *Harlan & Katherine Crow  Dallas  Crow Holdings  Real Estate
$460,100
 *Geoffrey Raynor  Fort Worth  Q Funding, LP  Finance
$458,262
 *Louis & Julie Beecherl  Dallas  Beecherl Co’s  Energy/Nat’l Resources
$419,657
 *Russell Kelley  Austin  Public Strategies LLC  Lawyers & Lobbyists
$415,750
 *Peter & Edith O'Donnell  Dallas  O'Donnell Foundation  Finance
$408,875
 Bennett Joe Glazer  Dallas  Glazer's Wholesale Drug Co. Inc.  Miscellaneous Business
$401,000
 *Alice L. Walton  Mineral Wells  Wal-Mart  Miscellaneous Business
$400,000
 *Stevan Hammond  Dallas  Marketing Investors Corporation  Communications
$397,000
 *James D. Pitcock Jr.  Houston  Williams Brothers Construction  Construction
$393,780
 *Peter & Julianna Holt  Blanco  Holt Companies  Construction
$389,975
 *Alan W. Dreeben  Schertz  Block Dist./Republic Beverage Co.  Miscellaneous Business
$365,000
 Alan Franco  New Orleans  Magnolia Marketing Co.  Miscellaneous Business
$365,000
 Jeff Goldring  Houston  Republic Beverage Co.  Miscellaneous Business
$364,375
 Edward Block  Schertz  Block Distributing  Agriculture
$341,000
 W. Marvin & Barbara Rush  San Antonio  Rush Enterprise Inc.  Transportation
$332,000
 *Robert & Terry Rowling  Irving  TRT Holdings, Inc.  Miscellaneous Business
$326,000
 *Barkley J. Stuart  Dallas  Glazer's Wholesale Drug Co. Inc.  Miscellaneous Business
$319,125
 Gordon T. Graves  Austin  Graves Management, Inc.  Miscellaneous Business
$303,000
 *Gerald Ridgely Jr.  Dallas  Ryan & Co. P. C.  Finance
$302,500
 *Kenny & Lisa Troutt  Dallas  Mt. Vernon Investments LLC  Communications
$301,370
 Russell W. Budd  Dallas  Baron & Budd PC  Lawyers & Lobbyists
$287,625
 Harold W. Nix  Daingerfield  Nix Patterson & Roach L.L.P.  Lawyers & Lobbyists
$265,463
 Greg LaMantia  McAllen  L & F Distributors  Miscellaneous Business
$265,141
 Paul L. Foster  El Paso  Western Refining Co.  Energy/Nat’l Resources
$264,025
 Barbara Bowman  San Antonio  Oil Heiress  Energy/Nat’l Resources
$248,348
 *Dan L. Duncan  Houston  Enterprise Products Partners  Energy/Nat’l Resources
$239,505
 *Dian Owen Graves Stai  Abilene  Owen Healthcare Inc.  Health
$239,191
 Barry G. Andrews  Dallas  Andrews Distributing Co. of North TX  Miscellaneous Business
$233,894
 *James D. Dannenbaum  Houston  Dannenbaum Engineering  Construction
$227,000
 *Ralph & Joy Ellis Jr.  Irving  Belmont Oil And Gas Corp.  Energy/Nat’l Resources
$226,993
 Robert A. Mosbacher Jr.  Houston  Mosbacher Energy Company  Energy/Nat’l Resources
$223,000
 Maconda O'Connor  Houston  Doctor   Health
$219,700
 Jimmy Buffet  Hollywood  Singer  Miscellaneous Business
$214,000
 *Charles E. Hurwitz  Houston  MAXXAM Inc.  Finance
$208,373
 *Charles W. & Judy Tate  Sugar land  Capital Royalty LLC  Finance
$206,638
 *H. Ross Perot Jr.  Plano  Hillwood Development Group L.P.  Real Estate
$200,000
 Dawn Arnall  Los Angeles  Ameriquest Mortgage  Finance
$197,500
 Joseph F. Phillips  Mission  Convenience stores  Miscellaneous Business
$197,000
 *Mr. & Mrs. Erle A. Nye  Dallas  TXU Energy Corp.  Energy/Nat’l Resources
$196,065
 *W. Mark & Becky Lanier  Houston  Lanier Law Firm P.C.  Lawyers & Lobbyists
$195,000
 Terralynn Swift  Houston  Swift Energy Company  Energy/Nat’l Resources
$194,631
 Jerry & Glenda Kane  Corpus Christi  Sam Kane Beef Processors Inc.  Agriculture
$194,100
 *Ray L. Hunt  Dallas  Hunt Consolidated, Inc.  Energy/Nat’l Resources
$193,500
 *Mr/Mrs William A. McMinn  Houston  Sterling Group  Energy/Nat’l Resources
$193,329
 Patrick J. Moran  Houston  Moran Resources  Energy/Nat’l Resources
$192,961
 Mr/Mrs Steve Sterquell II  Amarillo  American Housing Foundation  Real Estate
$190,100
 Richard & Ginni Mithoff  Houston  Mithoff & Jacks LLP  Lawyers & Lobbyists
$189,500
 Richard Thompson  Lucas  Ryan & Co. P. C.  Finance
$189,014
 David H. Dewhurst  Austin  State Of Texas  Other
$187,347
 *Ned S. Holmes  Houston  Parkway Investments/Texas Inc.  Real Estate
$186,595
 *Randall G. Goss  Dallas  U.S. RISK  Insurance
$186,000
 *Mr/Mrs Albert Huddleston  Dallas  Hyperion Resources Inc.  Energy/Nat’l Resources
$184,500
 Richard Scott  Houston  Trans-Global Solutions (TGS), Inc  Transportation
$180,000
 Christine Mattsson  Austin  Tippingpoint Technologies  Computers & Electronics
$179,359
 *John Victor Lattimore Jr.  Mc Kinney  Lattimore Materials  Construction
$176,234
 *Michael B. Boylan  Houston  Houston Property Management Corp.  Real Estate
$174,865
 *James L. Huffines  Dallas  Huffines Auto Dealerships  Transportation
$174,773
 *HB & Mollie Zachry Jr.  San Antonio  Zachry Construction Corp.  Construction
$170,750
 *B.J. 'Red' McCombs  San Antonio  Red McCombs Automotive Group  Transportation
$169,250
 *Robert D.McLane Jr.  Temple  Mclane Company Inc.  Miscellaneous Business
$165,704
 *Charles B. Lawrence  Houston  Kirby Corporation  Transportation
$164,980
 *J. Robert & Sherry Brown  El Paso  Desert Eagle Distributing Co.  Miscellaneous Business
$163,500
 John Speer  Houston  Royce Homes  Construction
$162,500
 Stephen Jones  Dallas  Dallas Cowboys Football Club  Miscellaneous Business
$161,500
 Trammell S. Crow Jr.  Dallas  Crow Holdings  Real Estate
$161,000
 *William & Wendy Boothe  Dallas  Booth Eye Care Center  Health
$160,323
 *Woody L. & Gayle Hunt  El Paso  Hunt Corp.  Real Estate
$159,567
 *George C. Hixon  San Antonio  Hixon Properties  Real Estate
$158,000
 Lee Fikes  Dallas  Bonanza Oil Inc.  Energy/Nat’l Resources
$156,880
 Robert D. Gillikin  Dallas  Cummins Southern Plains Inc.  Miscellaneous Business
$156,000
 Julia Jones Matthews  Abilene  Dodge Jones Foundation  Energy/Nat’l Resources
$155,503
 *Kenneth P. Banks  Schulenburg  International Muffler Co.  Transportation
$154,997
 Michael T. Gallagher  Houston  Gallagher Law Firm  Lawyers & Lobbyists
$152,500
 *Joseph D. Jamail  Houston  Jamail & Kolius  Lawyers & Lobbyists
$152,000
 *H. Gary & Diane Heavin  Gatesville  Curves International, Inc.  Miscellaneous Business
$151,000
 *James Trester  Plano  Ryan & Co. P. C.  Finance
$150,000
 Frank & Molly Homer  Paris  Sonic franchisee   Miscellaneous Business
$148,000
 R. L. Glazer  Dallas  Glazer Dist.  Miscellaneous Business
$147,822
 *Kent R. Hance  Austin  Hance Scarborough Wright Woodward...  Lawyers & Lobbyists
$146,750
 Garrett & Cecilia Boone  Dallas  Container Store  Miscellaneous Business
$144,125
 *Walter & Suzette Negley  Houston  WWN Corp./TX Screw Products, Inc.  Miscellaneous Business
$139,507
 Carl F. Raba Jr.  San Antonio  Raba-Kistner Consultants Inc.  Construction
$139,153
 Clayton Williams Jr.  Midland  Clayton Williams Energy Inc.  Energy/Nat’l Resources
$136,751
 Ben & Melanie Barnes  Austin  EntreCorp  Lawyers & Lobbyists
$136,163
 Joe R. & Teresa Long  Austin  First State Bank Central Texas  Finance
$136,125
 Mr/Mrs James Perkins Jr.  Rusk  Citizens First Bank  Finance
$133,354
 Larry Anders  Dallas  Summit Alliance Companies  Insurance
$130,350
 Mark Friend Shurley  Fredericksburg  Attorney  Lawyers & Lobbyists
$130,000
 Johnny Baker  Houston  Baker Managers LLC  Real Estate
$125,171
 John Needham  Austin  Riverside Resources Property Mgmt.  Real Estate
$125,040
 Thomas W. Pirtle  Houston  O'Quinn Laminack & Pirtle  Lawyers & Lobbyists
$124,955
 R. Steven & Donna Hicks  Austin  Capstar Partners LLC  Finance
$122,805
 *Ben & Kathy Streusand  Woodlands  Home Loan Corporation  Finance
$122,690
 Stanley P. Jobe  El Paso  Jobe Concrete Products Inc.  Construction
$122,578
 Mr/Mrs Thomas Black Jr.  Lewisville  Black Mann & Graham LLP  Lawyers & Lobbyists
$120,500
 Meredith J. Long  Houston  Meredith Long & Co.  Miscellaneous Business
$119,500
 *Mauricio R. Celis  Corpus Christi  Attorney   Lawyers & Lobbyists
$119,200
 Stanley K. Harper  Arlington  Lenders & Members Service Group  Finance
$119,185
 Charles Wood Jr.  Dallas  Dallas Fire Insurance Co.  Insurance
$117,500
 Morton L. Topfer  Austin  Castletop Capital Management  Computers & Electronics
$116,350
 Lowry & Peggy Mays  San Antonio  Clear Channel Entertainment  Communications
$115,300
 *Vance & 'Tincy' Miller  Dallas  Henry S. Miller Companies  Real Estate
$114,160
 *Wayne Reaud  Beaumont  Reaud Morgan & Quinn L.L.P.  Lawyers & Lobbyists
$113,000
 Gary R. Petersen  Houston  Encap Investments LP  Finance
$110,907
 Ramsay Gillman  Houston  Gillman Companies  Transportation
$109,635
 Tom Craddick  Midland  State Of Texas  Other
$108,519
 George Fleming  Houston  Fleming & Associates LLP  Lawyers & Lobbyists
$105,500
 Richard N. Laminack  Houston  O'Quinn Laminack & Pirtle  Lawyers & Lobbyists
$104,000
 Michael S. & Susan Dell  Austin  Dell Inc  Computers & Electronics
$103,750
 Mr/Mrs Truman Arnold  Texarkana  Truman Arnold Company  Energy/Nat’l Resources
$103,500
 John McStay  Dallas  McStay Investment Council  Finance
$103,444
 Bill Orr  Austin  Orr Holdings Ltd  Energy/Nat’l Resources
$103,300
 Marc & Wendy Stanley  Dallas  Stanley Mandel & Iola LLP  Lawyers & Lobbyists
$103,000
 Frank Mcguyer  Houston  Mcguyer Homebuilders  Construction
$101,975
 *Bobby D. & Leona Cox  Ft. Worth  Bobby Cox Companies Inc.  Miscellaneous Business
$101,600
 David & Jennifer Spencer  San Antonio  On Board Software Inc.  Computers & Electronics
$101,000
 Moshe Azoulay  Dallas  American Garment Finishers Corp.  Miscellaneous Business
$100,517
 Berkley V.Dawson  San Antonio  Budweiser Dist. Co.  Miscellaneous Business
$100,507
 Richard & Jill Salwen  Austin  Dell Inc  Computers & Electronics
$100,450
 Alan K. & Patti Harper  Arlington  Lenders & Members Service Group  Finance
$51,512,934
 TOTAL      
*This donor also made the $100,000 Club in the 2004 cycle.

 

Download "Texas' 2006 Election Cycle '$100,000 Club' " table in pdf.

 


1  See Keeping Texas Weird 2006, Texans for Public Justice, September 25, 2006 and the report update, 30 Days Before the Election, published October 11, 2006.