There's a huge blockbuster story in the Dallas Morning News about how Governor Perry gave away $4.5 million of our taxpayer money without approval by the review board and gave it to one of his biggest campaign donors!
Here's more from the Dallas Morning News on Rick Perry's unauthorized use of our taxpayer money:
Gov. Rick Perry approved a $4.5 million award from the state's technology fund to a company founded by a major campaign donor despite the company's failure to win the endorsement of a regional screening board, The Dallas Morning News has learned.
The money was awarded in August to Convergen Lifesciences Inc., founded by Perry contributor David G. Nance. Convergen was allowed to bypass a key part of the Texas Emerging Technology Fund's extensive process for vetting applications, and to proceed for approval to a statewide advisory board appointed by Perry.
Gov. Perry's spokeswoman claims that the appeals process allowed the company to get around the regional screening board. Problem: there's no appeals process. Those interviewed for the Dallas Morning News story were confused, and said that approval by regional boards is mandatory.
The chairman of the regional board in Houston, one of the state's largest, told The News he had never heard of an appeals process. Walter Ulrich, also a former member of the tech fund's statewide advisory committee, said approval by regional boards is mandatory.
"It cannot go to the state without our board's approval," he said. "I've never seen that happen."
The big campaign donor that Rick Perry showered $4.5 million of taxpayer money on is David G. Nance, who's given $80,000 dollars to Rick Perry since 2000. This stinks like yet another case of, "You scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours."
And Rick Perry continues to insist that giving away millions of our taxpayer money to one of his biggest campaign donors has nothing to do with friendships or contributions. No wonder why Rick Perry likes the Enterprise Technology Fund -- it's his own personal slush fund full of taxpayer money to use for his crony friends.
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Disclosure: Donations will be used by the Back to Basics PAC to advocate on behalf of Texans against the hypocrisy of self-serving politicians.
written by Noelle Bell aka slinkerwink, Director of New Media