Top Texas GOP lawyer hired to represent the Green Party. Who's paying?

[Ed Barrow]

Source: Dallas Morning News

A top Republican lawyer has been hired to represent the Green Party in a lawsuit in which Democrats want to know who bankrolled a petition drive to put the party on the ballot. Gov. Rick Perry could be a beneficiary if the Green Party candidate takes votes from Democrat Bill White in the fall. The petition drive was funded by an out-of-state group with ties to the GOP - but the actual source of the money remains a mystery. Democrats filed suit in district court in Austin to find out. Perry's campaign has denied involvement.

Andy Taylor, a Republican redistricting lawyer with ties of Tom DeLay, John Cornyn and Rick Perry - will represent the liberal Green Party. It's unknown who's paying him. Neither Taylor nor Green Party state coordinator Kat Swift returned telephone calls. The hiring of Taylor is the latest in a series of GOP connections to the Green Party effort.

Taylor represented GOP efforts to beat Democrats in legislative races in 2002 to clear the way for a DeLay-backed redistricting plan. He has represented DeLay's political action committee, Texans for a Republican Majority, and the Texas Association of Business, which spent corporate money that is banned in Texas races to elect legislative candidates. He was a top aide to then-Attorney General John Cornyn. And he has defended Republican candidates in political cases. As a lobbyist, his clients have included top GOP money givers such as Houston homebuilder Bob Perry, the governor's biggest campaign contributor (no relation). Democrats charge the GOP is behind the bid to put the Green Party on the November ballot to help Rick Perry and other Republicans. Said Lone Star Project Director Matt Angle: "The Green Party has made a deal with the devil and hired the devil's advocate."


Read more: http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/06/top-texas-gop-lawyer-hired-to.html

[socialist_n_TN]

1. I want to know who's paying for this effort myself, BUT

If Texas is going to go Republican this Fall anyway, I would actually be curious as to how many votes the Greens would get in the big red state. If Perry, et. al. were up by 10% close to the election, I'd consider voting Green as a protest against corporate capitalism. Dems in red states tend to be a LITTLE less crazy than the Republicans, but they ain't liberal by ANY stretch of the imagination.

[applegrove]

2. Glad they are looking into the funding. In Canada we have 3 or 4 left of centre

parties and it means the neocons can keep getting in even though so far they have only been in minorities.

[harkadog]

3. Karl Rove is still busy.

[davidinalameda]

4. and the Green party members are okay with this?

they need some new leadership in Texas

[Zorra]

7. Agreed. They're making a deal with the devil, and it'll cost them their soul. nt

[salguine]

8. If it weren't for the Democrats, there'd be no need for a Green Party.

[Zorra]

11. LOL! Sad...but true. nt

[glinda]

9. This is what smoking too much pot does to a person. In the end, makes them stupid.

Apologies to all the many many pot-heads out there but what I have just said is true.

[GReedDiamond]

12. Sorry, but speaking of "stupid"...

...your comment is beyond stupid, bordering on bigotry.

Your "apologies" are not accepted.

PS: your ridiculous flamebaiting comment also has absolutely nothing to do with the subject of the OP, in case you did not notice.

[Tempest]

13. Is that how you see the Green party?

Ignorance beyond words.

[glinda]

14. I used to be a Green but after working with them years back, I was saddened

that they could not see how bad Bush would be if he got into office and yet they couldn't see how this would play out. I remember breaking out into tears asking them to please not do what they were going to do. (Nader).
In an ideal world, the Greens would rule but that is not where we are.

[northoftheborder]

5. This smells like skunks.

I'm glad they're going to look into this. S. Carolina may get away with their election tricks, but I don't think Texas Democrats will let this not be investigated. Bill White (Dem. candidate for gov.) may not be a flaming liberal, but he is a good, honest, decent man who has been proved to be capable and pragmatic. It would be a huge success for Texas to elect him over Perry, a real black eye for the Repubs here. He has an even chance to win. I think he is a draw enough that the Green Party wouldn't make much difference this time, but if it is very close, it could hurt. White will also draw moderate Republicans to his side, some of Hutchison's supporters who despise Perry.

[Tarheel_Dem]

6. Greens in bed with Repukes again? Say it ain't so. I'm shocked.

NOT!

[glinda]

10. I'm not.