Nbadan
06-12-2006, 12:32 PM
http://cache.boston.com/resize/bonzai-fba/AP_Photo/2006/06/09/1149896176_2242/300h.jpg
Craddick's love Pad
An interior view of a living room in the apartment of House Speaker Tom Craddick, is shown March 19, 2003, in Austin, Texas. Craddick and his wife are in the process of raising private money to renovate the apartment located inside the Capitol. But watchdog groups are aghast at the fundraising effort, saying people and businesses that could benefit from future legislation shouldn't be allowed to spruce up the taxpayer-provided home of the man who controls the destiny of many bills.
AUSTIN, Texas --Businessmen, a lobbyist and a major corporate foundation have donated almost $700,000 in the past eight days to pay for the renovation of Texas House Speaker Tom Craddick's apartment inside the Capitol, according to documents obtained Friday by The Associated Press....
"Special interests shouldn't be lined up to give the Craddicks a personal gift of a new apartment," said Craig McDonald, director of Texans for Public Justice. "If it's in need of repair or if it's in need of renovation, then it should be paid for by the people of Texas."
Craddick spokeswoman Alexis DeLee said the speaker and his wife don't think it would be appropriate to use public money for the renovation project, which is expected to include redoing the apartment's kitchen and two bathrooms and tearing down a loft over the living room.
The donations so far include $250,000 from the AT&T Foundation and $250,000 from billionaire investor Harold Simmons and his companies, according to records the AP obtained from the State Preservation Board under the Texas Public Information Act. Another $25,000 came from Tom Loeffler, a former congressman who founded and chairs the lobbying firm The Loeffler Group.
Boston (http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2006/06/09/texas_politician_gets_700000_donation/?rss_id=Boston.com+%2F+News+%2F+National+news)
Why can't the Craddicks decorate their own home like the rest of us? You know, within our own incomes?
Craddick's love Pad
An interior view of a living room in the apartment of House Speaker Tom Craddick, is shown March 19, 2003, in Austin, Texas. Craddick and his wife are in the process of raising private money to renovate the apartment located inside the Capitol. But watchdog groups are aghast at the fundraising effort, saying people and businesses that could benefit from future legislation shouldn't be allowed to spruce up the taxpayer-provided home of the man who controls the destiny of many bills.
AUSTIN, Texas --Businessmen, a lobbyist and a major corporate foundation have donated almost $700,000 in the past eight days to pay for the renovation of Texas House Speaker Tom Craddick's apartment inside the Capitol, according to documents obtained Friday by The Associated Press....
"Special interests shouldn't be lined up to give the Craddicks a personal gift of a new apartment," said Craig McDonald, director of Texans for Public Justice. "If it's in need of repair or if it's in need of renovation, then it should be paid for by the people of Texas."
Craddick spokeswoman Alexis DeLee said the speaker and his wife don't think it would be appropriate to use public money for the renovation project, which is expected to include redoing the apartment's kitchen and two bathrooms and tearing down a loft over the living room.
The donations so far include $250,000 from the AT&T Foundation and $250,000 from billionaire investor Harold Simmons and his companies, according to records the AP obtained from the State Preservation Board under the Texas Public Information Act. Another $25,000 came from Tom Loeffler, a former congressman who founded and chairs the lobbying firm The Loeffler Group.
Boston (http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2006/06/09/texas_politician_gets_700000_donation/?rss_id=Boston.com+%2F+News+%2F+National+news)
Why can't the Craddicks decorate their own home like the rest of us? You know, within our own incomes?