PEYTON WOLCOTT - COMMENTARY

2009
Lobbyists registered
with the Texas
Ethics Commission

626 Texans looking to
make a buck from
Texas schoolkids

Aanstoos, Alice L.
Abel, Douglas Deane
Aguirre, Lionel
Aguirre, Valeria
Ahart, Rodney Eugene
Akard, Jessica
Akers, Patty L.
Allaway, William
Allday, Martin L. III
Allen, George B.
Allen, Robert R.
Allison, James P.
Alvarez, Sandra
Anderson, David D.
Anderson, Edra C.
Anderson, Luke
Apodaca, Michelle
Arbuckle, David S.
Arnold, Ellen
Arnold, Jay
Arnold, Jim
Aschmann, Adam
Bailey, Charles W.
Bailey, Dennis
Banda, Jennifer
Chapman
Bashur, Reginald G.
Baxter, Todd A.
Baylor, Don
Beaird, Nanette K.
Bean, Joe Patrick
Beasley, J. Barry
Beinke, Allen Penn Jr.
Bell, Henry M. III
Bellsnyder, Luke
Beneski, Amy T.
Bennett, Joey
Bennett, Jon Paul
Bennett, Smithie Leon
Berger, William E.
Berlanga, Hugo
Bernhardt, Rebecca
Bertin, Suzanne L.
Billingsley, Grant A.
Bingham, William H.
Black, Albert C. Jr.
Blakey, Eric
Blanton, Paul M.
Block, Robert
Blocker, Lisa A. Sano
Blocker, Trey J.
Bocanegra, Irma O.
Bordas, Mark E.
Borreca, Christopher P.
Borskey, Crissy
Camacho
Bosse, Portia
Brackin, Dewey A.
Brenner, Elizabeth
Bridges, Linda
Bridges, Russell B.
Bright, G. Michael
Brock, Elizabeth
Broussard, Terri
Brown, Jay P.
Brown, Kirby L.
Bryan, Beth Ann
Bui, John M.
Burdett, Jeffrey W.
Burke, James A.
Burns, Marc H.
Cain, Brian D.
Cain, Don E.
Caldwell, Jan
Calvert, Jess M.
Calvert, Raif Massey
Campbell, Kimberly
Canaday, Jennifer
Canales, Ramiro
Caram, Linda R.
Carr, Mindy
Carrathers, Charles
Carter, Bill G.
Carter, Janis L.
Casey, Daniel T.
Castaneda, Tristan Jr.
Castillo, Yvonne R.
Chick, Craig Preston
Clark, Catherine
Clevenger, Don J.
Cohen, Bruce D.
Cole, Richard A.
Connor, Geoffrey S.
Contreras, Sergio
Cooper, Deirdre
Cooper, Kevin
Cooper, Michael L.
Copeland, Christopher
Corona, Constance
    Trimble
Cosgrove, Joseph E. Jr.
Couch, Leland Brooks
Courreges, David Carl
Courreges, Erin
Cowan, Johnny M.
Craymer, Dale K.
Cron, Richard H.
Culley, Robert D.
Cumberbatch, Ashton
Cunningham, Michael W.
Cutrer, L. Michelle
Darr, Susan T.
Davis, Chester
Davis, Denise
Davis, Genevieve E.
Davis, Helen Kent
De Leon, Marty
DeWitt, Cathy S.
Dean, David A.
Delisi, Dianne W.
Delisi, Thomas
Digneo, Robert H.
Dippel, Donnie
Domino, Joseph F.
Dougal, Leonard H.
Downing, Clayton W.
Drennan, Larry M.
DuBois, Douglas E. Jr.
Duncan, David P.
Duncan, Michael S.
Dunn, Mike
Dunsavage, Douglas
Duty, David Charles
Ehlers, Laci
Ellis, Ella M.
Ellmer, Mindy R.
Engelke, Tommy
Erben, Andrew C.
Erben, Randall H.
Erhart, Carl E.
Erskine, Candis B.
Erskine, John M. Jr.
Erwin, Gay
Eschberger, Brenda
Etter, Kristin
Eugene, Darrick W.
Evans, Charles W.
Evans, Tiffani Price
Exter, William Monroe
Farmer, James Aaron
Farmer-Neal, Rochonda
Fenton, Carmen M.
Fickel, Ann
Fickessen, Debbie
Figueroa, Luis
Finch, Daniel Thomas
Finney, Robert H.
Fisher, Jon K.
Fisher, Nancy C.
Fisher, Scott B.
Flores, Renee
Flores, Robert C.
Floyd,
Jackson Beaman Jr.
Forbes, Thomas A.
Ford, Victoria C.
Fowler, Meredyth
Francisco, C. J. III
Friese, Janice H.
Fuchs, Gary A.
Galant, Carl
Galloway, Wil
Garcia, David
Garcia, Lisa A.
Garza, Norman
Gaspers, Mark Gerald
Gast, Candice
George, Larry
Giarratani, Dominic
Gibson, Machree Garrett
Gilmore, Scott E.
Girard, Charles H.
Glacken, Pamela Shawn
Glenn, Eric
Gonzalez, Celinda
Gonzalez, Daniel E.
Gonzalez, David M.
Gonzalez, Luis E.
Goodell-Polan, Deborah
Goodman, Christie L.
Goodman, Louis J.
Goodman, Toby
Goolsby, Tony
   (use acct #20224 )
Grace, Jim M. Jr.
Grant, Kathy
Gray, James
Graydon, Galt
Green, Jayne L.
Green, Shelton
Green, Terry
Greene, Suzan L.
Greer, James A.
Gregg, Brock
Gregg, Michele Molter
Grey, John
Greytok, Marta
Griffey, Charles
Grimm, James C.
Grusendorf, Wm. C.
Guenthner, David A.
Gustafson, Lindsay
Gutierrez, Hugo A.
Hackney, Clint
Haecker, Rita C.
Hagemeier, Kelly
Haley, James W.
Hamilton, Kathleen S.
Hamilton, P. Wayne
Hammond, Bill
Hanna, Mark J.
Harris, Dwight
Harris, Martha B.
Harris, Michael R.
Hartman, Eric B.
Hastings, Debbra
Mamula
Haverlah, Sandra
Hawkins, John M.
Hempstead, Charles A.
Henderson, Wallace
Henley, Paul Ph.D
Henny, Damon Kerrick
Hernandez, Alysha N.
Hernandez, Richard A.
Herzog, Amy L.
Herzog, Greg
Hester, Trudy
Heyer, Connie N.
Higdon, Lawrence W.
Hill, Gerald W.
Hill, Kate Thornberry
Hillman, Jason
Hines, James R.
Hinkle, K. Daniel
Hixson, Jana L.
Hodgins, David B.
Hoffman, Courtney Read
Hogan, Suzanne
Holcombe, Linda Kay
Hollingsworth,
   Lonnie F. Jr.
Holt, David F.
Hood, Norman R.
Horn, Thomas J.
Horton, Janet Little
Howard, Jay
Howden, Robert S.
Hubbard, David John
Huey, Helen
Hughes, Lindsey
Hull, Sherri M.
Hundley, Michelle C.
Hutto, Kathy N.
Imler, Robert L.
Ingersoll, Deborah C.
Jackson, Richie
Janek, Kyle L.
Jernigan, Travis E.
Jewell, Michael J.
Johnson, Karen R.
Johnson, Michael J.
Johnson, Richard W. Jr.
Johnson, Thomas
Jonas, W. James III
Jones, Bill
Jones, Bradley C.
Jones, D. R.
Jones, Donald G.
Jones, Elizabeth B.
Jones, Erin K. Florence
Jones, Neal T. Jr.
Jones, S. Meigs
Jordan, Clair B.
Jordan, Walter E.
Kalkbrenner, Louis
Kamm, Katrina E.
Kamm, Robert R.
Kay, Rebekah
Keel, Deborah K.
Keener, Justin C.
Keller, James K.
Kelley, Russell T.
Kelly, Byron
Kemptner, Sara
Kennedy, John R.
Kever, Andrew
King, Tracy
Kinney, Donna B.
Kleinworth, Thomas W.
Klumpyan, Julie K.
Knaggs, Helen Soto
Knaupe, Gregg W.
Koenig, Linda B.
Kohler, Robert D. Jr.
Kolodzey, Patricia
Kouri, Richard
Kress, B. Alexander
Kroll, Carrie
Kuhl, P. John Jr.
Kurio, Frances
LaBoon, R. Bruce
Ladd, Norman R. III
Lain, Jacqueline F.
Laine, Dale E.
Langford, David K.
Larson, Dohn S.
Lavine, Richard
Lawson, Richard
Leck, Ashlei
Ledbetter, Luke
Lee, Donald C.
Lehman, Mark
Leo, Myra
Lett, Sam
Levy, Lori
Lewis, Gibson D.
Lewis, Ron E.
Liendo, Raul G.
Lively, Lance D.
Loeffler, Thomas
Long, Wade C.
Longley, Susan
Longoria, Ruben Jr.
Looney, Robert L.
Lopez, Elvia Caballero
Lopez, Gabriel E.
Lopez, M. Edward
Love, Jarod Alan
Luna, Vilma
Luskey, Lane M.
Luttrell, Toni
Lydon, James J.
Maldonado, Fred
Malone, Mark
Marosko, Fred W.
Martinez, Louann H.
Martinez, Maria Elena
Martinez, Raul G.
Martinez, Ray III
Matthews, C. L.
Matz, Laura McPartland
Mayberry, Warren E.
Mayes, Elizabeth Gray
Mays, Daniel Brookhart
McBride, Richard H.
McCain, Demetria
McCall, Michael T.
McCartt, J.
McCauley, Cindy A.
McCollough, J. Parker
McCord, CeeGee
McCown, F. Scott
McCreary, Casey
McCulley, Hugh L.
McDaniel, Myra A.
McDonald, Carol L.
McDonald, Chuck M.
McFarland, Bob
McFarlin, Don
McGarah, Carol
McGarry, Mignon
McGinnis, Larry D.
McKaig, Paul T.
McKinney, John M.
McKnight, Peyton
McMahan, Benny
McWilliams, Andrea
McWilliams, Dean R.
Megally, Sam
Melina Raab, Ted
Mendez, David
Meraz, Gloria R.
Meroney, Mike
Messer, Bill
Metcalf, Steve
Midence Steen, Yuniedth
Miller, Emily Carol
Miller, Jack D.
Miller, Robert D.
Miller, Scott A.
Millsap, Michael D.
Minick, Steve
Mitchell, Deborah B.
Mizcles, Amy
Moak, Lynn M.
Monroe, Cameron W.
Moore, Adrian L.
Moore, Julie W.
Moore, William A.
Moreno, Eugene
Morgan, Tom
Morris, Timothy Aaron
Moss, Rebecca G.
Munoz, Evangelina
Munoz, Manuel Jr.
Mutscher, Gus F.
Myres, Albert H.
Nabers, Mary Scott
Nava, Mary E.
Newton, Chris
Newton, William R. Jr
Niemann, Fred Jr.
Noble, Shannon
Norman, Michael Scott Jr
O'Hanlon, Kevin
O'Sullivan, John
Ohlenforst, Cynthia M.
Oliphint, Robert Paul
Oliver, Harold
Oney, Thomas E.
Osborn, O. Maurice
Osobase, Derrick
Oswalt, Vicki R.
Pace, Sheryl S.
Parker, Carl A.
Parker, David Doran
Partida, Neftali
Pate, Jan
Patterson, Jennifer K.
Payne, Brinton P.
Paynter, Susan Y.
Peeler,
   William Robert Jr.
Pena, Martin
Perez, Sonia
Perkins, David S.
Perkins, Vicki S.
Perry, Stephen H.
Phelps, William W.
Pierce, Denise Nance
Pierce, Wayne R.
Pitts, John R.
Poe, Charley
Pogue, A. W.
Polan, Kraege
Ponder, Richard Byron
Propes, Jay W.
Puthoff, Elizabeth M.
Quinten, Jimmy C.
Quinzi, Patricia
Rachels, Darrell J.
Ramsey, Lesley Nicole
Ratliff, William R.
Ray, James E.
Rayburn, Megan
Reagan, Karen Kenney
Redmond, Gregory M.
Reed, Holly
Reed, Michael
Reeves, Stephen
Reyes, Deborah Ann
Reynolds McEwan,
   Jennifer
Reynolds, David
Richardson, Jody
Richie, Carl S.
Roach, Tracey
Roberts, Cary L.
Roberts, Jack
Rocap, Blake
Rod, Kelli A.
Rodas, Claudia Flores
Rodriguez, Jennifer
Rodriguez, Marc A.
Rogers, Doug
Romero, Jesse
Romero, Michelle
Romo, Joel
Rose, Thomas W.
Rose, Vera Denise
Ross, Susan Baumbach
Rudd, Jim D.
Russell, Claudia
Sabo, Jason T.
Sadler, Paul L.
Saenz, Jonathan M.
Saenz, Luis J.
Saitas, Jeffrey Anthony
Sanaie, Kandice K.
Sanders, Tom
Sanderson, Josh
Santos, Frank R.
Scheberle, Andrew
Schlueter, Randy
Schnarr, Lea Ann
Schotz, Charles R.
Schroeder, Rebekah
Schulle, Gerhardt Jr.
Schwartz,
    Marcus Frank Jr.
Scott, Rider
Seales, Terri
Sebree, Benjamin W.
Seidlits, Curtis L. Jr
Self, John W.
Setliff, Aaron
Sewell, Jim I.
Shackelford, George T.
Shannon, Fred
Shearer, James F.
Sherburne, Jon Michael
Shields, Brad II
Shields, Bradford T.
Shields, Christopher S.
Shields, Julie
Shields, Susan Galloway
Shilling, Mark A.
Shipton, Patricia A.
Sibley, David
Simpson, Jenny
Simpson, Matthew Kyle
Sjoberg, Elizabeth
Skaggs, Jason P.
Slaughter, Chris
Slaughter, Laura
Small, Ed
Smith, Carole L.
Smith, Casey
Smith, Mark A.
Smith, R. Clint
Smith, Todd M.
Snowden, Tara D.
Sords, David B.
Southers, Stanley R.
Spangler, Lee A.
Sparks, Andrea
Sprinkle, G. K.
Stagner, Robert S.
Stansell, Loran Wade
Stephenson, Randa
Stone, Jeri
Stone, Sam V. Jr.
Strama, Virginia
Strother, Stephanie M.
Stultz, Dan
Suhm, Vic
Sullivan,
   Michael Quinn
Sullivan, Raymond C.
Swan, Shannon Lea
Tabel Eaton, Holly
Teague, John M.
Teakell, Randall D.
Telford, Barry B.
Terry, Brocke Dollens
Terry, Gary
Tessen, Robert J. MS
Texas A&M Foundation
Texas Association of
REALTORS
Thomas, Robert P.
Thompson, Frank F. Jr.
Thompson, Jeffrey Todd
Thompson,
   John David III
Timmaraju, Rukmini
Torres, Gerard
Trevino, Leslie Adrienne
Tuggey, Timothy N.
Tulloh, Brian T.
Turner, Robert R.
Turner, Usha-Maria
Valdez, Gerald A.
Vallot, Colette
Vane, Mark
Vasquez, Michael John
Vazquez, Tanya C.
Veselka, Johnny L.
Volkening, Ronnie R.
Von Kennel, Tim
Waddy, Victoria J.
Wakefield,
   Kakhi Huffaker
Waldon, Barbara
Walker, E. C.
Walker, Lacy Lee
Walker, Mark Andrew
Walla, Kelly
Wallace, Barron F.
Wallace, Grant J.
Walters, Robert C.
Ward, Leslie L.
Warren, Autry L.
Weaver, Kristine
Weber, David T.
Weekley, Richard
Weldon
Weinheimer,
   Benjamin Todd
Weisfeld, Shanna
Weist, Jon
Welch, Matt
White, Michael L.
Whitehurst, Darren
Whitman, Andrea
Whitmire, Whitney
Widrow, Robert
Wilkes, Morris E.
Williams, Ellen
Williams, Joe
Williams, Julie
Williams, Paige
Williams, Shane
Willmann, James H.
Wilson, Jay R.
Wilson, Phil
Wilson, Wendy R.
Windscheffel, Jennifer
Winegarner, Josh
Withrow, Damon
Woods, Lee A.
Woolbert, Lynda Freed
Woomer, Eric
Wright, Barbara Ann
Wright, Charles Eric
Wright, Michael J.
Wurzel, Geoffrey
Yanaway, Dianne
Yancy, Justin
Yarbrough, Brian G.
Yelkin, Kimberly A.
Young, Gerald
Young, Michael
Zachary, Mance
Zepeda, Guadalupe
Zermeno, Roy
Zion, Kristen
Zolnierek, Cynthia
Zottarelli, Angelo P.
Zottarelli, Sarah

Conservative Commentary - Education lobbyists

P E Y T O N W O L C O T T

How we take back our children's education:
one person, one question, one school at a time.

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AT THE SBOE - JULY 2007
Above, SBOE member Pat Hardy (L to R) with social studies "buddies"
Nancy Hester (curriculum liaison/Texas Council for the Social Studies, SS
coordinator/Georgetown ISD), Betty Barringer (curriculum liaison & past
president/TCSS, teacher/Dallas ISD), and Sharon Pope (past president-
TCSS, editor/The Texan, retired director-secondary social studies/Spring Branch
ISD). Below, SBOE member Ken Mercer (R) speaking with attendees after
SBOE meeting.

Coalition of Professional Associations of
English and Reading Teachers
"Education groups have convinced the State Board of
Education to slow down a plan to revamp the way
schools teach English and writing to the state's 4.6
million public school children.

Instead of taking a preliminary vote in September and
final action in November, the board agreed last week
to hold off until February before approving new
curriculum standards for English language arts. It's
been 10 years since the state last changed the
curriculum for English and reading.

'Revisions are necessary because we learn more
about how to better teach and because our world
changes. When the textbooks were written, students
weren't as well versed with technology as they are
now,' said Cynthia Tyroff, supervisor of secondary
language arts for San Antonio's Northside
Independent School District. Like others, she
appealed for the board to take more time so
educators could provide input on how to best teach
reading and writing skills.

Tyroff spoke for the 16-member Coalition of
Professional Associations of English and Reading
Teachers, which, she said, represents 9,000
teachers and administrators. Changing the
curriculum is an important process "because it's
going to determine what we teach. It will determine
what students know and will be able to do," Tyroff
said.

(SOURCE--Gary Scharrar/The Houston Chronicle)

* I have telephoned and emailed the writer of the letter and
have yet to receive a response of any kind.

IN THE CORRIDORS
OF POWER

Tincy Miller (above left) with fellow SBOE
member Mavis Knight, also of Dallas.

Audience (above) on July 19, 2007
at SBOE meeting in Austin

Sometimes, it's interesting to
see who's roaming the halls at
the Lege and the SBOE and
other meetings; ofttimes it's
someone like the fellow at left
who was busy mostly last
Thursday outside the SBOE
meeting, on his cell, with legal
pad and pen. A

friend in another part of the
state may email me or call me
up after this publishes and say,
"Oh, that's my buddy Bill" or
"Joe" or whomever.

Two years ago I took pictures
in this manner and captured an
image on a party boat at the
AASA conference in San
Antonio; shortly thereafter I
learned that one of the smiling
faces on the boat was none
other than Carlos Garcia, who
shortly thereafter resigned

Ellen Williams (R)
in TEA lobby outside SBOE

Gee. Rob had been too busy to schedule a meeting with
this commentator at any time during that period, yet time
yet appeared to be available to two paid lobbyists'
last-minute (by Rob's own account, later) phone messages.

Wow.

The timing was particularly interesting as Houston ISD's
legislative coordinator Rebecca Flores that very day was
circulating an eleventh-hour letter from HISD's bank
(Chase*) saying, in effect, their security was so lax that
HISD would be unable to post their full check register as
disclosure of the check numbers would jeopardize their
apparently fragile security system.

Carlos Garcia (far right) at AASA
convention in San Antonio, at the
time Clark County (Las Vegas)
schools supe; shortly afer this photo
was taken he went to work for
McGraw Hill, represented in Texas
by lobbyist Ellen Williams

Education Committee chair Rob Eissler hurrying out of the
entrance to the House chamber, in session at that moment,
to warmly greet two lobbyists: Eanes ISD's Brad Shields,
and Houston ISD's Ellen Williams; shortly thereafter the
threesome immediately disappeared from view.

Question: I can see
that a major
corporation like
McGraw-Hill would pay
for lobbyists to sell
their wares to public
schools. I may not be
happy about it but as a
free-market advocate I
believe any regulations
should be on the
government-schools end,
not on the corporate end.
So here's my question:
Why should Houston ISD
taxpayers be spending as
much as $99,999.99 plus
expenses to a lobbyist?
Houston ISD is already
paying Rebecca Flores'
salary as HISD's director
for government relations

2000 LOBBY LIST

American Forest & Paper
Association / Atlanta, GA
Compensation $ 0.01 - 9,999.99

Associated Builders and
Contractors Inc. / Austin, TX
$ 0.01 - 9,999.99

AT&T / Austin, TX 78701-
$ 0.01 - 9,999.99

Eastman Chemical Company /
Kingsport, TN     $ 0.01 - 9,999.99

Envirocare / Austin, TX
$ 0.01 - 9,999.99

Green Mountain Energy Resources
Austin, TX       $ 0.01 - 9,999.99

Harris County / Houston, TX
$ 0.01 - 9,999.99

Lockheed Martin / East Teaneck,
NJ      $ 0.01 - 9,999.99

Lower Colorado River Authority
Austin, TX   : $ 0.01 - 9,999.99

McGraw / Hill Companies
Westerville, OH   $ 0.01 - 9,999.99

Merck & Co., Inc. / West Point,
PA    $ 0.01 - 9,999.99

Rohm and Haas Texas
IncorporatedDeer Park, TX     $
0.01 - 9,999.99

Southern Union Gas Company
Austin, TX     $ 0.01 - 9,999.99

Texas Bowling Centers Assn.
Austin, TX     $ 0.01 - 9,999.99

Texas Council Of Community
Mental Health & Mental Retardation
Centers, Inc. / Austin, TX 78759-
$ 0.01 - 9,999.99

Texas Hotel & Motel Assoc.
Austin, TX      $ 0.01 - 9,999.99

Texas School Alliance
Houston, TX    $ 10,000.00 -
24,999.99

Toomey, Michael / Austin, TX
$ 50,000.00 - 99,999.99

EDU-LOBBYISTS
Their hands in our pockets
By Peyton Wolcott
Monday, February 18, 2008

We all have our own defining moments in this life.

One of my "Aha" moments in public education came after
several years as a volunteer in our local high school. Where
I'd been concentrating on the educational equivalent of trees,
I came across something written by Dallas Morning News
reporter Scott Parks which brought my attention to the forest.

HOME

Scott described public education as being a
b ig pile of money. Trusted teacher friends
had been telling me that one of the main
problems with our schools is the fact that
they are vendor driven and I finally
understood what they meant.

There are wonderful teachers in our schools,

Scott Parks

Their hands in our pockets
(continued)
That said, too many major
decisions in our schools are
made to benefit vendors and
administrators and some
trustees and have little or
nothing to do with our
schoolchildren.

Clean hands, clean hearts?
The TEKS rewrite on the State
Board of Education's agenda
currently raises the issue, "How
pure are the players' hearts?"
and "How clean are the players'
hands?"

Meaning, do the people
advocating, whether for this
position or that, have a dog in
the race.

Unfortunately, looking at the
past, we have late learned that
too many do.

Edu-lobbyists in the corridors of power, Texas-style

Ellen Williams
(more below)

Above and below,
2007 SBOE meetings - TEA

A CLOSER LOOK AT: Lobbyist Ellen Williams (00033592)
Texas Ethics Commission Lobby Lists

2008 Lobby List

Junior Achievement Association
Fort Worth, TX
$10,000 - $24,999.99

McGraw-Hill Companies
New York, NY
$100,000 - $149,999.99

CONTACT INFO as
reported to Texas Ethics
Commission:

Williams, Ellen
(00033592)
(512)970-9597
1122 Colorado Ste. 1803
Austin, TX 78701

2008
Texas Ethics
Commission Lobby
Lists

Client:
Houston Independent
School District
4400 West 18th Street
Houston, TX 77092

Lobbyist:

Thompson, John David III
(00035306)

Bracewell & Giuliani LLP
711 Louisiana Suite 2300
Houston, TX 77002-2770

$10,000 - $24,999.99

2003 LOBBY LIST

ACS Corporation / Dallas, TX
$50,000 - $99,999.99

AT&T / Austin, TX 78701
$10,000 - $24,999.99

Aetna ING Financial Services
Hartford, CT / Less Than
$10,000.00

American Forest and Paper Assn.
Atlanta, GA / $25,000 - $49.999.99

AquaSource, Inc. / Austin, TX
Less Than $10,000.00

Associated Builders and
Contractors, Inc. / Austin, TX
$25,000 - $49.999.99

Association of Chemical Industry of
Texas / Austin, TX
Less Than $10,000.00

Bearing Point / Austin, TX 78701
$10,000 - $24,999.99

Bracewell & Patterson on
behalf of the Houston
Independent School District
Houston, TX/ Less Than $10,000.00

Corrections Corporations of
America / Nashville, TN 37215
$25,000 - $49.999.99

Evercare / Minnetonka, MN 55343
$10,000 - $24,999.99

Fortis Health / Milwaukee, WI
$10,000 - $24,999.99

Green Mountain.com
Austin, TX $25,000 - $49.999.99

HCR Manor Care / Toledo, OH
$25,000 - $49.999.99

Harris County / Houston, TX
$25,000 - $49.999.99

Harris-Galveston Coastal
Subsidence District / Friendswood,
TX / $10,000 - $24,999.99

International Business Machines
Washington, DC
Less Than $10,000.00

Kraft Foods North America, Inc.
(by it's service company Altria
Corporate Services, Inc.)
Northfield, IL / $25,000 - $49.999.99

Liberty Mutual / Boston, MA
$10,000 - $24,999.99

McDonald's Corporation / Oak
Brook, IL / Less Than $10,000.00

McGraw / Hill Companies
Westerville, OH
$25,000 - $49.999.99

Merck & Co., Inc. / West Point,
PA / $10,000 - $24,999.99

Miller Brewing Company
Milwaukee, WI 53208
$25,000 - $49.999.99

Obethur Gaming Technologies Inc.
San Antonio, TX
$50,000 - $99,999.99

Philip Morris USA Inc. (by it's
service company Altria Corporate
Services, Inc.) / New York, NY
$25,000 - $49.999.99

Port of Houston Authority
Houston, TX / $25,000 - $49.999.99

Rohm & Haas Texas, Inc. / Deer
Park, TX / Less Than $10,000.00

Schering Sales Corp./ Kennilworth,
NJ / Less Than $10,000.00

Scott and White Health Plans
Belton, TX / Less Than $10,000.00

State Farm Insurance / Austin, TX
Less Than $10,000.00

Structural Metals, Inc. / Dallas, TX
Less Than $10,000.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform
Houston, TX
$100,000 - $149,999.99

Texas Asbestos Consumers
Coalition / Austin, TX 78701
$25,000 - $49.999.99

Texas Association of Independent
Nursing Home Operators / TX
$10,000 - $24,999.99

Texas Chemical Council / Austin,
TX / Less Than $10,000.00

Texas Coalition for Competitive
Electricity / Austin, TX 78701
$ 0.00

Texas Gas Service / Austin, TX
Less Than $10,000.00

Texas Greyhound Association
Lorena, TX / Less Than $10,000.00

Texas Hotel & Motel Association
Austin, TX / $10,000 - $24,999.99

Texas School Alliance
Amarillo, TX / $25,000 - $49.999.99

USA Managed Care Organization
Austin, TX $10,000 - $24,999.99

Union Pacific Railroad
Minneapolis, MN
Less Than $10,000.00

UnitedHealthcare / Minnetonka,
MN / $25,000 - $49.999.99

Williams Co. / Houston, TX 77251
Less Than $10,000.00

2007 Lobby List

Houston Independent
School District
Houston, TX
$50,000 - $99,999.99

Junior Achievement Association
Fort Worth, TX
$10,000 - $24,999.99

McGraw-Hill Companies
New York, NY
$100,000 - $149,999.99

Lest anyone fear Houston
ISD is going without
outside lobbyist
registration, here's our
friend David Thompson
once again to the rescue:

Here below is a question I
asked last year; looks like
Houston ISD answered it
this year (see right).

Questions?

SBOE member Pat Hardy (second from right)
talking with education lobbyists after 2007 SBOE meeting

It's a small edu-world
after all . . . a world
filled with
edu-conferences,
edu-lobbyists,
edu-opportunities,
edu-opportunists.

Former SBOE chair Tincy Miller (L) joins SBOE Permanent School Fund
subcommittee in progress.

and to this day I am hard-pressed to pass up
a high school car wash; I know what fund raising events like
that mean to kids and parents and our schools. (continued below)

from the Clark County schools (Las Vegas, Nevada)
superintendency to join McGraw-Hill which he's already left
to begin filling Arlene Ackerman's shoes at San Francisco
USD; here's hoping he doesn't run up the $45,000 Diners
Club tab she did one year.

Edu-Lobbyist Ellen Williams
Other times it turns out to be someone more camera-shy
like lobbyist Ellen Williams (left).

I first learned Ellen's identity back in May when I was
visiting the Lege; I was waiting in the lobby outside the
House chamber for a friend when I noticed Public

RECOGNIZE ANY FAMILIAR NAMES FROM 2006?

Lobbyist                Employer                        Previous Employment                   Max. Value of Contracts     No. of Contracts
David Thompson Bracewell & Giuliani        TEA, TASB                                    $325,000                                        5
Lynn M. Moak       Moak Casey & Assoc.     TASB, Comptroller, Legislature    $220,000                                        8
Daniel T. Casey    Moak Casey & Assoc.     TEA, Comptroller, Lt. Governor   $210,000                                         7
Paul M. Colbert     Self                                 Texas House Representative       $200,000                                         2
David Anderson    HillCo Partners                TEA                                             $185,000                                         6
Catherine Clark    TX Assoc. School Bds      State Property Tax Board           $150,000                                         1
Barry Telford        Self                                  Texas House Representative      $150,000                                         1
Rusty T. Kelley     Public Strategies              House Speaker's aide                 $110,000                                         3

Eight elite education lobbyists reported maximum lobby incomes exceeding $100,000 from one or more education clients.
Many of these lobbyists wield revolving-door credentials.
   Mega-school lobbyist J. David Thompson III of Bracewell & Giuliani did prior stints as general counsel of the Texas
Education Agency (TEA) and chief staff lobbyist at the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB). Helping districts
challenge Texas’ school-finance system, he has litigated Edgewood ISD v. Moreno and West Orange-Cove v. Neeley. The
latter case set the stage for the current crisis when state District Judge John Dietz ruled last year that the school finance
system in Texas is unconstitutional.
   Partners Daniel Casey and Lynn Moak are revolving-door veterans. Casey, who also did a stint as TASB’s chief
lobbyist, worked for the Comptroller’s Office, Senate Finance Committee and Legislative Budget Board. Casey also co-
wrote the book on school finance (Basics of Texas Public School Finance). Moak is an ex-Deputy Commissioner of
Education who worked in the Comptroller’s Office, Lieutenant Governor’s Office and at TEA.
   As a state representative Paul Colbert helped launch student-assessment testing and the so-called Robin Hood school-
finance system. Now a school-finance consultant, Colbert was an expert witness for plaintiffs in West Orange-Cove v.
Neeley. Fellow ex-Representative Barry Telford parlayed a stint on the House Pensions Committee into a lobby gig at the
Texas Retired Teachers Association.
   Before becoming a HillCo lobbyist, David Anderson worked for textbook publishers and served as the TEA’s director of
curriculum and professional development. Anderson also lobbies for the College Board and Teachscape, which sells
teacher-development materials.
   TASB Associate Executive Director Catherine Clark previously worked at the TASB-linked Texas Center for Educational
Research and at the now-defunct State Property Tax Board.
   Public Strategies Managing Director Rusty Kelley is Texas’ top-grossing lobbyist. By the end of this year’s regular
session he reported that 61 clients were paying him up to $3.7 million. Kelley was a top aide to ex-House Speaker Billy
Clayton, who also became a lobbyist.

1This excludes higher education lobby contracts.
2A state civil court judge ruled in May that Ceverha broke Texas elections law by failing to report $600,000 in corporate
contributions as the 2002 treasurer of Texans for a Republican Majority PAC. Ceverha filed for bankruptcy in October to
dodge responsibility for $196,660 in court-ordered damages and attorney fees. His bankruptcy filings state that
sympathetic clients have been steering more consulting work his way to help him pay his legal bills.

NOTE TO READERS: I am attempting to locate the source of the foregoing so that the author/publisher can be attributed.