Liberal trial lawyer should be held accountable for actions benefiting campaign contributors

For Immediate Distribution: News Release October 4, 2010

Texans for Rick Perry: (512) 478-3276 Mark Miner: markminer@rickperry.org Catherine Frazier: catherinefrazier@rickperry.org

Liberal trial lawyer Bill White should be held accountable for actions he took as Houston mayor that benefited contributors to his political campaigns.

“Bill White needs to be held accountable for the actions he took benefiting donors while he was mayor of Houston,” said Texans for Rick Perry spokesman Mark Miner. “From appointing donors to the Houston Metro board to using millions in taxpayer funds to benefit an out-of-state contributor, Bill White used his official office as a rapid rewards program for political supporters.”

Bill White’s own political career began when he was rewarded for raising more than $1 million for Bill Clinton’s 1992 presidential campaign by being appointed Deputy Secretary of Energy in 1993. [1]

On April 8, 2009, in a departure from Bill White’s previous policy, the Houston City Council approved his plan to provide $10 million in incentives for the Boston-based GID Urban Development Group for downtown development. [2]

The decision to award $10 million to the Boston-based company was described as “a question of politics” by the Houston Chronicle in the days after it was announced. [3]

On April 29, 2009, the CEO of the company contributed the maximum allowed $2,400 to Bill White’s Senate campaign even though he had never given to a Congressional candidate before. [4, 5]

On Jan. 23, 2004, Bill White appointed one of his largest campaign donors, real estate developer David Wolff, to serve as Houston Metro chairman. David Wolff and his wife contributed $15,000 to Bill White’s 2003 mayoral campaign, and since then have contributed an additional $35,000 to Bill White’s campaigns. [6, 7]

Of the five Metro appointments Bill White made on Jan. 24, 2004, four had previously contributed to his mayoral campaign, and the fifth contributed to his campaign less than two months after receiving the appointment. [8]

In his final days as mayor, Bill White urged Mayor-elect Annise Parker not to change Metro’s leadership. [9]

Days later, White accepted a $7,500 campaign contribution from David Wolff and a $7,500 contribution from Wolff’s wife. [10]

SOURCING

[1] “Houston lawyer to fill deputy energy secretary post, sources say,” Dallas Morning News, 4/1/93

[2] “City OKs deal to boost $850 million development,” Houston Chronicle, 4/9/09, http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6365125.html

[3] “Critics question fairness in help for developers,” Houston Chronicle, 4/12/09, http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6369493.html

[4] About General Investment & Development, Robert E. DeWitt, Vice Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, http://www.generalinvestment.com/about/people.aspx

[5] Robert DeWitt (Massachusetts) contribution history, OpenSecrets.org, http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.php?id='cam_body_html' id='cam_body_html' name=DeWitt%2C+Robert&state=MA&zip=&employ=&cand=&all=Y&sort=N&capcode=bh5v6&submit=Submit

[6] “Mayor appoints members to Metro,” Houston Chronicle, 1/24/04

[7] Contributions from David Wolff and Mary Wolff to Bill White:
David Wolff:
2/28/2003, $5,000.00
11/18/2003, $5,000.00
10/24/2005, $5,000.00
3/31/2009, $2,400.00
3/31/2009, $2,400.00
12/12/2009, ($2,400.00)
12/30/2009, $7,500.00
6/25/2010, $5,200.00
Mary Wolff
2/28/2003, $5,000.00
4/18/2005, $5,000.00
3/31/2009, $2,400.00
3/31/2009, $2,400.00
12/12/2009, ($2,400.00)
12/30/2009, $7,500.00
Total: $50,000

[8] Contributions from Bill White’s 1/23/04 Metro appointees:
George Demontrond, $5,000, 11/18/03
Rev. James Dixon, $500, 3/12/04
Carmen Orta, $105, 5/15/03; $145, 8/21/03
Gerald Smith, $5,000, 4/10/03; $1,000, 11/18/09

[9] “With a plethora of pressing issues, the new mayor should tread lightly on Metro,” Houston Chronicle, 12/20/09, http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/6778840.html

[10] Bill White For Texas, COH report, Jan. 15, 2010, (page 418), http://204.65.203.5/public/437937.pdf

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