Will Terral Smith Really Dump A Lucrative Lobbying Gig To Return To State Service?

According to the Texas Ethics Commission, lobbyist Terral Smith, a former Legislative Director for Governor George W. Bush, and one of the top people rumored to become Tom Craddick’s next chief of staff, made between $250,000 and $600,000 last year.

Is Smith really going to forego that income and return to public service as Craddick’s chief of staff?

Or, will Smith play a shell game, and ‘park’ his clients with Nancy Fisher like Mike Toomey parked his clients with Bill Messer when he became Rick Perry’s chief of staff, and like Dan Shelley parked his clients with daughter Jennifer while he served as Lt. Governor Dewhurst’s Legislative Director? Only time will tell.

At any rate, via the Texas Ethics Commission, here are Smith’s lobbying clients (as of 15 days ago):

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On The Speakership

One more reason the Republicans will replace Craddick:

“We can have a new speaker, have bipartisanship and get back to the people’s business instead of whatever Mr. Craddick’s business is,” said Rep. Jim Dunnam of Waco, chairman of the House Democratic Caucus. “Or else he can stay, and we’ll pick up another six seats next time.”

That’s very true. As I said earlier, Craddick is poison to the electorate statewide. And, while the “DeLay” part of the “DeLay/Perry/Craddick,” era has passed, the “Perry/Craddick” era still has a nice ring to it.

And, I think Dunnam’s being conservative. I’d say we could do seven seats.

Speaker Kolkhorst? Speaker Hartnett? Who Will Republicans Turn To If They Desire Change?

Following revalations that bribery and intimidation by registered lobbyists is present in the race for Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, it’s clear that Speaker Tom Craddick (R-Midland) is clearly on the ropes and desparate to keep his 109 pledges intact.

Given that Craddick is looking more and more unpalatable to Republicans given that some of his top lieutenants have gone down in the past two cycles and considering that mere association with the speaker is poisonous, one must wonder who Republicans will look to when it comes time to actually elect a speaker.

Sources indicate there are at least two different minor movements afoot in the House right now geared toward replacing Craddick. One is reportedly centered around electing a more moderate speaker and the other is supposedly centered around electing a speaker who is just as right-wing as Craddick but not as despised by the general population.

This all begs the question, “Who are potential contenders?”

Well, here’s a rundown (and some serious speculation).

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Farrar Seeks Ethics Commission Opinion On Lobbyists Working For Speaker; Lobbysts Are Contacting Reps In Regards To Speaker’s Race

State Rep. Jessica Farrar (D-Houston) has asked the Texas Ethics Commission for an opinion concerning whether or not registerd lobbyists communicating with Legislators at the behest of a registered candidate for Speaker of the Texas House are in violation of the “Speaker Statute,” especially if they make promises and threats.

Specifically, Farrar asked about lobbyists making promises of “good committee assignments,” and making threats like, “We can make sure that you remember that you made a mistake,” according to the letter, a copy of which which Capitol Annex has obtained (.doc).

Farrar was not on the list made public by Speaker Craddick’s office of Democrats who have signed pledge cards supporting Speaker Tom Craddick’s re-election.

The “Speaker Statute” is Chapter 302 of the Texas Government Code (.pdf).

Secifically, Ferrar alleges that registered lobbyists who must register as such under Chapter 305 of the Texas Government Code (.pdf) are contacting “Members and Members-elect of the Texas House of Representatives on behalf of a named Speaker candidate and asking Members to agree to vote for the candidate because the candidate will “put [the Member] on good committees,” “take care of [the Member,]” and “see to it that [the Member] has the right support in two years.”

Clearly, the tactics described in Ferrar’s letter are quite intimidating. And, since one can assume that Senfronia Thompson, the only other candidate for Speaker right now, is not responsible for these actions, the only other likely culprit is Texas House Speaker Tom Craddick (R-Midland).

Farrar went on to note in the letter:

Other comments made include statements that if the Member does not vote for the named Speaker candidate, “we won’t forget it,” and “we can make sure that you remember that you made a mistake.”

These calls and statements are also being made by former Members of the Texas House to Members and Members-elect.

Purely speculation on my part, but I’d guess a few names on this one, namely Bill Hammond, Chair of the Texas Association of Business, who is also a lobbyist.

Farrar asks for the Commission’s opinion on three key questions:

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