March 03, 2006 |
Leininger Clan Injected $3.1 Million Into Texas Politics in Last 5 years
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Agenda includes vouchers, gay-marriage ban, weak tort laws
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State Republican Party pockets $500,470
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.
Meet the Leiningers
Leininger Donor |
|
| James & Cecelia | $3,098,441 |
| Peter (brother) | $29,350 |
| John (brother) | $10,250 |
| Berneta (mother) | $7,000 |
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.
Leiningers Spend
Like Clockwork
Period |
Amount |
2001-2002 |
$1,373,850 |
2003-2004 |
$1,318,741 |
2005 |
$452,450 |
TOTAL: |
$3,145,041 |
Recipients of Leininger Largess, 2001 Through 2005
| Recipient | ||
| 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 |
