Governor Has Cancelled Lobby Contracts, But TxDOT Continues To Use Same Firm

A few weeks ago, Texas Governor Rick Perry, in a meeting with Congressional Democrats, claimed that the state, through his office, had cut ties with two lobby firms tied to disgraced former lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

It has recently been reported, however, that the Texas Department of Transporatation has continued to maintain a contract with one of the two lobbying firms in spite of the Governor’s actions. The firm, The Federalist Group, employs Tom DeLay’s former chief of staff, Drew Maloney.

State Rep. Jim Dunnam (D-Waco) this week sent TxDOT a Public Information Request requesting [here, .pdf] a thirteen-point laundry list of documents from the agency concerning contacts with a number of law firms, including:

Any and all documents, including, but not limited to, electronic mail, to of from Tom Craddick, Tom DeLay, David Dewhurst or RIck Perry regarding any TxDOT lobby contract, the Rodman Group, ViaNovo, The Federalist Group, Chard Bradley, Drew Maloney, Todd Boulanger, Chris Giblin, Jack Abramoff or Italia Federici.

TxDOT has ten days to release the information to Dunnam under the Texas Public Information Act, or to request an opinion from the Texas Attorney General concerning its confidentiality. However, given that Dunnam has requested the information for legislative purposes, such exceptions usually do not apply.

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