State Representative Glenn Rogers, a Republican from Grafford, strongly criticized Governor Greg Abbott of Texas, accusing him of deliberately concealing the extent of his financial support from undisclosed sources. Rogers claimed that Abbott is reluctant to disclose the amount of “dark money” he has received from undisclosed donors.
In a column published in The Community News, Rogers criticized Abbott for not successfully enacting crucial transparency legislation. This legislation would have provided the public with information about the amount of money spent by PACs or candidates to target incumbents. Abbott had proposed a bill that mandated individuals and political organizations to disclose the candidates they supported when spending money to oppose other candidates in the same race.
In the primary, both Paxton and Abbott focused on different incumbents. Rogers, on the other hand, faced defeat by his primary challenger, Mike Olcott. It is worth mentioning that Olcott received endorsements from Abbott, Paxton, and former President Donald Trump.
According to Rogers, although the attack campaigns did not explicitly mention the names of the challengers, the challengers of the incumbents definitely gained an advantage from these ads. However, the problem lies in the lack of transparency regarding the financial information of these PACs or “dark money” support for political candidates under current Texas law. While it’s evident who these campaigns are targeting, the support they receive remains concealed, and this significant level of support never appears on a candidate’s public financial report.
In the primaries, both Paxton and Abbott focused on challenging different incumbents. Rogers, who was the target of their efforts, experienced defeat at the hands of his primary opponent, Mike Olcott. Notably, Olcott had the endorsement of Abbott, Paxton, and former President Donald Trump.
The bill authored by Rogers, HB 2629, successfully passed through both the House and Senate, with only one dissenting vote from expelled former state representative Bryan Slaton.
Abbott vetoed the bill when it reached his desk.
“Why is the Governor against transparency and accountability in political action committees (PACs)? Has Abbott aligned himself with other state officials who are compliant with Dunn/Wilks? How much undisclosed financial support has Abbott received? Did Abbott intend to hide the amount of money that was used to oppose those who stood up against the voucher lobby, supported public schools, and resisted the Dunn/Wilks’ efforts to privatize our public education system?” Rogers questioned.
According to Rogers, billionaires Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks are allegedly exerting influence over state leaders and compelling them to support their own agenda. In a column published in the Weatherford newspaper, he criticized the current Texas government, describing it as the “most corrupt ever,” and implicating Abbott and Paxton in this alleged corruption.
“It’s just too easy for billionaires to buy candidates and elections,” he concluded.
Rogers is set to step down from his position in January 2025.
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