ustxtxb_obs_2005_04_01_50_00006-00000_000.pdf

FEATURE TRMPAC in Its Own Words Exhibits from a civil trial reveal potential illegality and influencing peddling BY JAKE BERNSTEIN nlike other organizations, your corporate contributions to TRMPAC will be put to productive use,” reads the document subpoenaed from Texans for a Republican Majority Executive Director John Colyandro. It’s one of hundreds of exhibits offered into evidence for a recent civil trialand presumedly, presented to the Travis County grand jury for its ongoing criminal investigation as well. The political brochurepaid for with corporate moneywas aimed at donors to the Tom DeLay-founded PAC, and titled What, you may ask, made TRMPAC so “productive” that it could accomplish what “other” political organizations had been unable to do in a century of political campaigning? It continues: “Rather than just paying for overhead, your support will fund a series of productive and innovative activities designed to increase our level of engagement in the political arena.” Specifically, TRMPAC took corporate money in 2002 from companies with business before the Texas Legislature or the U.S. Congress and used it for fund-raising, phone banks, polling, and campaign support for individual state candidates. The interpretation of what constituted legal administrative expensesup until nowconsisted primarily of items such as rent, utilities, and clerical needs. Spending corporate or union money on candidates has been illegal in Texas since continued on page 8 04 MISSION Texans for a Republican Majority PAC will help Republican candidates successfully run and win campaigns in Texas, and increase and maintain our majority of statewide and legislative offices for the next decade.