So did that taxpayer-funded lobbying contract that went to the DeLay soldiers down in Texas really get put out to competitive bidding as Gov. Rick Perry’s spokesperson claimed?
A TPM Reader gives us some info to follow up on …
I saw your note regarding the hiring of lobbyists in Texas. If in fact the contracts were awarded by competitive bidding, a notice of the contract and the process to submit bids would have either been published in the Texas Register or would have been posted on the Governor’s web site. Also, the information regarding the bid process would be an open record that could be obtained under Texas law (Section 552.022(a)(3) provides that “information in an account, voucher, or contract relating to the receipt or expenditure of public or other funds or taxes by a governmental body” is a public record. “Governmental body” includes an office that is within the executive branch, which would include the office of the Governor in Texas. There are about 50 exceptions to providing information under Chapter 552, but none appear to apply to this type of contract.
Sounds like something worth looking into.
