Now that lawmakers have convened in Austin, private citizens and PACs are no longer able to make political contributions, so the sole financial influence on lawmakers during the legislative session comes from lobbyists. In fact, in session and out, lobbying is by far the biggest source of money in Texas politics — and taxpayers are footing the bill for a lot of it. This look at the City of Houston is the first installment in our series analyzing the top taxpayer-funded entities in Texas.
John Smithee
House of Representatives (R)
$295,761Cash on Hand
$68,450Total Donations
$117,870Total Expenditures
Financial Activity
Top Donors
| Total Donations | Name |
|---|---|
| $4,000.00 | TALHI Life Insurance PAC |
| $4,000.00 | United Services Automobile Association Employee PAC |
| $3,000.00 | Allstate Insurance Company PAC |
| $3,000.00 | Atmos Energy Corporation PAC |
| $2,500.00 | BNSF Railway Company RAILPAC |
| $2,500.00 | Oncor Texas State Political Action Committee of Oncor Electric Delivery Administration Corp. |
| $2,500.00 | Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC |
| $2,500.00 | Texas REALTORS PAC (DISSOLVED) |
| $2,000.00 | Golden Spread Political Action Committee |
| $2,000.00 | K & L Gates LLP Committee for Good Government |
Top Expenditures
| Total Expenditures | Payee |
|---|---|
| $64,100.00 | Sandy Goodwin |
| $12,909.52 | Chase Card Services |
| $10,500.00 | Linda Colwell |
| $8,107.27 | Southwest Airlines |
| $4,000.00 | Tamme Aureli |
| $1,531.97 | Charter Communications, Inc. Texas PAC |
| $1,182.43 | Priceline.com |
| $1,129.41 | Cort Furniture Rental |
| $1,088.20 | Texas Capitol Gift Shop |
| $1,023.36 | City of Austin |
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To find some of the most influential people in Austin, look no further than the lobbyists employed by hundreds of entities across the state of Texas. The highest paid lobbyists in Texas politics are hired by organizations willing to spend significant resources persuading lawmakers to support legislation that is favorable to their interests.
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