Local politics is dirty, too

I found this interesting story in my local paper(pointed out by a friend this morning) about a Texas billionaire out of San Antonio who is in effect trying to buy five state house seats.

In effect what he's doing is completely, and I mean completely, financing Republican primary challengers against sitting Republican house members who voted against school vouchers.

Leininger set up a political action committee called Texas Republican Legislative Campaign Committee, to which he has contributed $1.8 million.

The PAC received only one other contribution, from a Midland oilman for $100......

•Wayne Christian, running against incumbent Roy Blake, of Nacogdoches, has raised $195,058. Leininger's PAC gave him $190,388, or 98 percent.
•Mark Williams, running against Tommy Merritt, of Longview, has raised $351,179. Leininger's PAC gave him $338,359, or 96 percent.
•Nathan Macias, running against Carter Casteel, of New Braunfels, has raised $278,132. Leininger's PAC gave him $265,774, or 96 percent.
•Chris Hatley, running against Charlie Geren, of Fort Worth, has raised $161,373. Leininger's PAC gave him $124,528, or 77 percent.
•Van Wilson, running against Delwin Jones, of Lubbock, has raised $301,707. Leininger's PAC gave him $265,443, or 88 percent.

Leininger hasn't actually given his guys cash. He's given them their entire campaigns. He hired a complete campaign staff to run all five campaigns.

He hired one firm to do opposition research, one to do polling, one for general political consulting, one for printing, one for broadcast ads.

This may be of no interest outside Texas, but this is so wrong.

(Thanks, Don.)