#Greg blake st rita football free#

“The gifts can pay off either in decisions on whether to pursue a legal action, whether to make an appointment or whether to endorse a particular legislative proposal.”

“When you are the heir apparent to the governor, currying favor is a very important component of big business,” said Tom “Smitty” Smith, director of the Texas chapter of Public Citizen. With Abbott being groomed for the state's highest office for some time, those same watchdog groups say the personal gifts from people with power are no coincidence.

Texas laws place some prohibitions on personal gifts - those specifically coming from outside the lobby - but a number of exceptions provide enough wiggle room for the office holders to accept presents. Personal gift-giving long has been in the DNA of Texas politics, and watchdog groups say the practice, which is legal in the state, is akin to buying access in exchange for future favors. Metro, A3 See More CollapseĪmong them are San Antonio's James Leininger, beer distributing baron Barry Andrews and Marvin Rush, who owns the largest U.S. In subsequent years, and as Abbott's political stock continued to rise, the gifts magnified in volume and often flow from donors with hefty pockets.Īnalysts say Republican hopeful Dan Patrick's primary performance could prove a path to victory for Democrat Leticia Van de Putte. Supreme Court given by staff at the state attorney general's office, including then-Solicitor General Ted Cruz. Kevin Eltife, followed the next year by a framed argument from the U.S. His first reported gifts were equivalent to trinkets: an ink stand in 2004 from Sen. The gifts are disclosed in personal financial statements Abbott has filed with the state since coming into elected office in 1993 as a district court judge in Houston.

#Greg blake st rita football free#

The list includes hunting trips, a new gun, football tickets and free travel and lodging for the family. Yet, Abbott and his family have been on the receiving end of more than 30 personal gifts - many from high-powered donors and influential movers and shakers - during his term as Texas' chief lawyer. Abbott, the front-runner for the Republican gubernatorial nod, earns a state paycheck of $150,000 a year and annually collects a six-figure lump sum from a legal settlement after a fallen oak tree left him in a wheelchair.