ustxtxb_obs_1982_10_15_50_00008-00000_000.pdf

POLITICAL vs’ John Thomas Henderson, the Republican candidate for the Texas Railroad Commission, was invited to Houston recently to appear before a group of politically active black ministers. The ministers told Henderson they were willing to help him for a price. Henderson explained to the ministers, as he does to everyone, that he pays his own campaign expenses, that he will be under no obligation to any individual or group or company, and that he wouldn’t pay for anyone’s help even if he had the money. Then he walked across the street for a meeting with Mack Hannah, perhaps the wealthiest black man in Texas. After talking to Hannah for some minutes, Henderson was ushered out onto the balcony by the Houston banker who put his arm around the candidate, shook his hand, and wished him luck in full view of the ministers who had just stepped outside to go to lunch. Henderson’s opponent; Jim Nugent, often professes not to remember his opponent’s name, referring to him recently as “some ex-lipstick salesman.” \(“I was, and I was a damn good one too,” Henof the Texas Railroad Commission, Nugent continues to crusade for complete deregulation of natural gas in the U.S., complaining that existing federal law results in the sale of some Texas natural gas to other states at rates significantly lower than those paid by Texans. Earlier this year, Nugent told a group of Texas congressmen and industry officials meeting in Washington, D.C., that the state should consider halting Texas natural gas shipments to other states because of “those damn thieving Yankees.” Henderson charges that Nugent has consistently sided with natural gas suppliers in rate cases after accepting their campaign contributions; that he has been insensitive to minority hiring since no women or minorities work in 14 top administrative positions at the Railroad Commission; that he has failed to enforce a state law outlawing oil bypass devices which prevent the state from accurately collecting taxes due. Nugent told Richard Dunham of the Dallas Times Herald that any rate increases were justified, and that the commission has hired “a healthy mix of the various segments of the population of Texas in our more responsible positions.” He also said the commission had forwarded the oil bypass complaint to state Comptroller Bob Bullock who in vestigated the complaint and then dismissed it. Henderson, 74, who ran unsuccessfully for railroad commissioner as a Democrat in 1978 and as a Republican in 1980, says he realizes that he’s a longshot, but that he’ll keep campaigning to the end. He says he is amused by people who tell him he sounds more like a Democrat than a Republican. 1.01 Capitol observers were not particularly surprised by revelations that Rep. Ron Wilson of Houston has been living in Austin, at state expense,, and letting the state pay for his trips back to Houston . to see his constituents. Wilson is chairman of the House Health Services Committee, and it may be because of his expenses that the committee is expected to spend at. least $9,000 over. its $60,000 budget by the end of September. Records show Wilson actually lives in Austin and has collected $60 a day from the state while attending law school. The state also paid for his trips from Austin to Houston to take care of business in his district and for his return trips. During the past year, he has collected $60 a day for 230 days. Of those 230 days, 54 were Saturdays and Sundays. Wilson’s coinmittee is budgeted for $3,750 a month, but the committee has been spending more than $5,000 a month, despite the fact ‘that Wilson fired three committee staff members whose salaries accounted for about $3,000 a month. Since Sept., 1981, Wilson has also made, at state expense, 40 phone calls to Jack Valenti, president of the Motion Picture Association of America, 68 calls to the Malibu, Calif. home of Levar Burton, the young actor who starred in the television series, Roots, and more than 30 phone calls to a West Coast talent agency. Wilson’s ambition to get into the business end of the motion picture business is well known. Rep. Bill Haley, who heads a subcommittee set up specifically to monitor Wilson’s spending habits, has said, “There will be no investigation as far as I’m concerned.” Travis County DA Ronnie Earl has launched his own investigation. io’ The death of Senate President pro tern John Wilson after a long battle against cancer ignited yet another battle involving Sec. of State David Dean. Wilson died on Sunday, Sept. 19. The Texas Election Code states that if a candidate dies or withdraws after 45 days preceding the Nov. 2 general elections, his Richard Murray, an Andrews campaign consultant, predicts Andrews will win with 59.5% of the vote. District 26 If there’s a Democrat anywhere who could run a respectable race in this heavily Republican new district, it’s Tom Vandergriff, the popular former mayor of Arlington. His -opponent is Jim Bradshaw, a 42-year-old businessman and Fort Worth mayor pro-tem who is well known because of his unsuccessful 1980 race against Jim Wright. The district takes in much of the. Mid-Cities area, parts of Fort Worth, and parts of Collin and Cooke counties. Both Reagan and Clements won big in the area. The district needs a man who can work with a Republican administration, Bradshaw argues. His campaign slogan urges, “Give President Reagan more than a chance, let’s give him a hand.” Bradshaw is also hammering at Vandergriff’s labor support. Vandergriff had chided his opponent for not= supporting the president’s $98.3 billion tax increase, and he has labeled the New Federalism concept “an attempt by the federal government to pawn those programs off to local agencies.” Current polls give Vandergriff a slender lead, but Bradshaw hopes to woo enough undecided voters by Nov. 2 to give him the victory. ginnys ‘ COPYING SERVICE Copying Binding Printing Color Copying Graphics Word Processing Austin Lubbock Son Marcos OPEN MONDAYSATURDAY 10-6 AND OPEN SUNDAY 10-4 WATSON & COMPANY BOOKS OCTOBER 15, 1982