Leininger Clan Injected $3.1 Million
Into Texas Politics in Last 5 years
- Agenda includes vouchers, gay-marriage ban, weak tort laws
- State Republican Party pockets $500,470
Meet the Leiningers
| Leininger
Donor |
Amount
|
| James & Cecelia |
$3,098,441
|
| Peter (brother) |
$29,350
|
| John (brother) |
$10,250
|
| Berneta (mother) |
$7,000
|
| Total: |
$3,145,041
|
Conservative activist James Leininger—Texas’ No. 2 individual
donor—is making headlines again for trying to defeat moderate Republican
Primary candidates who opposed his school-voucher agenda. From 2001 through
2005, Leininger’s family contributed more than $3.1 million to conservative
PACs and Republican candidates in Texas, second only to Houston homebuilder
Bob Perry, whose family spent $11 million in that period. This spending
reflects Leininger’s agenda, which includes vouchers, home schooling, weaker
tort laws and abortion restrictions.
The Leiningers’ varied agenda keeps their political
machine spinning year after year. When Republicans made a big push to take
over the Texas House in 2002, Leininger was there, contributing heavily
to Tom DeLay’s Texans for a Republican Majority PAC ($142,500) and several
leading TRMPAC-backed candidates.
Yet the Leiningers spent almost as much in the next election
cycle. During the 2004 cycle they heavily backed constitutional amendments
prohibiting gay marriages and establishing weaker tort laws. Meanwhile
they invested in legislative candidates in advance of their failed 2005
push for school vouchers.
Leiningers Spend
Like Clockwork
| Period |
Amount |
| 2001-2002 |
$1,373,850 |
| 2003-2004 |
$1,318,741 |
| 2005 |
$452,450 |
| TOTAL: |
$3,145,041 |
The Republican Party, especially its more conservative
wing, has been the top beneficiary of the Leiningers’ political spending,
with the Republican Party of Texas receiving $500,470 directly from the
Leningers over the past five years. The next largest beneficiary is Texas’
largest special-interest PAC, Texans for Lawsuit Reform, which got $350,500
from the Leiningers.
The Leiningers’ favorite statewide candidates in this
period were Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst ($225,000), Attorney General
Greg Abbott ($198,844) and Governor Rick Perry ($173,068). The Leiningers’
favorite legislative candidates were failed Senate candidate John Shields
of San Antonio and failed House candidate Talmadge Heflin of Houston. The
latter went to work for Leininger’s Texas Public Policy Foundation think
tank after voters threw him out in 2004.
Recipients of Leininger Largess, 2001 Through
2005
| |
Office
Sought
|
|
| Recipient |
Or Held
|
Amount
|
| Republican
Party of TX |
GOP |
$500,470
|
| Texans For
Lawsuit Reform |
Backs weak
tort laws |
$350,500
|
| David Dewhurst |
Lt. Governor |
$225,000
|
| Greg Abbott |
Attorney General |
$198,844
|
| Texans For
Governmental Integrity |
Leininger-controlled
PAC |
$193,000
|
| Rick Perry |
Governor |
$173,068
|
| Texans for
a Republican Majority |
GOP |
$142,500
|
| John Shields |
Senate |
$123,481
|
| Stars Over
Texas |
Backs Speaker
Craddick |
$103,135
|
| All Children
Matter |
Pro-voucher |
$102,000
|
| Texans FOR
Marriage |
Hetero. marriage
amend. |
$100,000
|
| Yes on 12 |
Weak tort laws |
$100,000
|
| Carole Keeton
Rylander |
Comptroller |
$76,000
|
| Talmadge L.Heflin |
House |
$51,000
|
| Kevin P. Eltife |
Senate |
$50,000
|
| TX Republican
Legis. Campaign Com. |
Targets moderate
Repubs |
$50,000
|
| Jack Stick |
House |
$36,000
|
| Robert F. Deuell |
Senate |
$35,000
|
| Kevin M. Kolb |
House |
$30,700
|
| D. Bryan Hughes |
House |
$30,000
|
| Texas Right
To Life |
Anti-abortion |
$30,000
|
| Billy Clemons |
House |
$25,000
|
| John Cornyn |
Attorney General |
$25,000
|
| Victor Carrillo |
Railroad Commissioner |
$25,000
|
| Kenneth B.
Mercer |
House |
$21,000
|
| Susan Combs |
Agriculture
Commissioner |
$20,000
|
| Ed Harrison |
Senate |
$20,000
|
| Judy Strickland |
Board of Education |
$20,000
|
| Jodie A. Laubenberg |
House |
$17,500
|
| Nelson H. Balido |
House |
$17,000
|
| Associated
Republicans of TX |
GOP |
$15,000
|
| Texas Club
for Growth |
Leininger-controlled
PAC |
$13,000
|
| Craig Estes |
Senate |
$12,000
|
| Jane Nelson |
Senate |
$11,000
|
| Ben Bentzin |
House |
$10,000
|
| Walter W. Christian |
House |
$10,000
|
| Dallas Co.
Republican Party |
GOP |
$10,000
|
| Elizabeth Jones |
Railroad Commissioner |
$10,000
|
| Teresa S. Leo |
Board of Education |
$10,000
|
| Jerry E. Patterson |
Land Commissoner |
$10,000
|
| Kel G. Seliger |
Senate |
$10,000
|
| Ann L. Witt |
House |
$10,000
|
| TX Home School
Coalition |
Home schooling |
$9,500
|
| Jim Valdez |
Senate |
$9,500
|
| Paul Green |
Supreme Court |
$7,000
|
| Rene Diaz |
District court
judge |
$5,500
|
| Scott A. Brister |
Supreme Court |
$5,000
|
| Betty J. Brown |
House |
$5,000
|
| Scott E. Campbell |
House |
$5,000
|
| Barbara Calhoun
Cargill |
Board of Education |
$5,000
|
| Dan Flynn |
House |
$5,000
|
| Rick Green |
House |
$5,000
|
| Michael W.
Hamilton |
House |
$5,000
|
| Linda L. Harper-Brown |
House |
$5,000
|
| Charles F.
Howard |
House |
$5,000
|
| James F. Landtroop |
House |
$5,000
|
| David Medina |
Supreme Court |
$5,000
|
| Michael H.
Schneider |
Supreme Court |
$5,000
|
| Jesse W. Wainwright |
Supreme Court |
$5,000
|
| Don Willett |
Supreme Court |
$5,000
|
| Florence Shapiro |
Senate |
$2,500
|
| Relvin Kent
Sharp |
House |
$2,500
|
| TX Republican
Legislative Caucus |
GOP |
$2,500
|
| Frank J. Corte |
House |
$1,600
|
| Rebecca Simmons |
Court of Appeals
judge |
$1,500
|
| Michael Williams |
Railroad Commissioner |
$1,250
|
| Kris J. Gillespie |
House |
$1,000
|
| Phillip S.
King |
House |
$1,000
|
| W. Kenneth
Paxton |
House |
$1,000
|
| Deborah A.
Riddle |
House |
$1,000
|
| Eugene J. Seaman |
House |
$1,000
|
| Joe Straus |
House |
$1,000
|
| William W.
Zedler |
House |
$1,000
|
| South TX Republicans |
GOP |
$750
|
| Tom Craddick |
House Speaker |
$643
|
| Judicial Roundup
PAC |
Backs judicial
candidates |
$500
|
| Lori D. Massey |
District court
judge |
$500
|
| Wilson Co.
Republican Party |
GOP |
$100
|
|
TOTAL:
|
|
$3,145,041
|
|
