Texas State Representative Larry Taylor (R) is exposed as corrupt

[sonias]

http://bayareahouston.blogspot.com/2011/02/texas-state-representative-larry-taylor.html">Bay Area Houston blog 2/9/11
Texas State Representative Larry Taylor exposed as Insurance Lobbyist

Last night KHOU did an absolute great job of exposing State Representative Larry Taylor, the darling of the Clear Lake Tea Party, for what he is. Taylor not only owns an insurance company and heads the committee that provides government oversight to the insurance industry, but his decisions and bills has put money into the industry's and his own pockets.

He is nothing but an insurance lobbyist with a seat in the House. He is the new Tom DeLay of the Texas House of Representatives.

John Coby's blog has the link to the KHOU com excellent video!

Enormous conflict of interest is quite an understatement. :grr:

[sonias]

1. State politician profits from insurance agency he ‘watchdogs’

KHOU.com 2/9/11
I-Team: State politician profits from insurance agency he ‘watchdogs’

HOUSTON -- In four years, the co-chairman of oversight of a state insurance agency made more than $300,000 off the company he is supposed to oversee on behalf of consumers in Texas.

State Rep. Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood), a veteran member of the House Insurance Committee and the co-chair of a subcommittee that oversees Texas Windstorm, is also an insurance salesman who receives commissions for selling insurance policies from the company. Windstorm is the state’s insurer of last resort.

“It raises the specter of a conflict of interest,” said Dave Levinthal, of the non-partisan Center For Responsive Politics in Washington D.C. “It strikes to the question as to whether he's putting on his insurance agent hat or his public official hat.”

Political critics of Taylor, Democrats, have asked the same question.

Sleazy insurance bastard! :puke:

[sonias]

2. Whiner Taylor to File Ethics Complaint on Back to Basics PAC

Quorum Report 2/8/11
LARRY TAYLOR TO FILE ETHICS COMPLAINT ON BACK TO BASICS PAC FOR ROBOCALLS WITH NO DISCLAIMER

Mostyn says he knows nothing about any robocall and they should go ahead and file

State Rep. Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood) says he is filing an Ethics Commission complaint against Steve Mostyn and the Back to Basics PAC for illegal robo-calling into his district.

The call urges folks to watch an investigative piece on Taylor that will air on a Houston’s KHOU TV tonight at 10. The story apparently raises questions about Taylor profiting off of selling Texas Windstorm Insurance while chairing the oversight committee. The station has been promoting the story for several days which leads Taylor to speculate on what appears to be a very close relationship with the Motsyn Law Firm.

(snip)
Back to Basics consultant Jeff Rothkopf called such a complaint "frivolous". He said Taylor is not a candidate for office and will not be one again until 2012 when he presumably runs for re-election.

:nopity:

[Melissa G]

3. Oh, let's see if any Republicans investigate this Tea Party Darling..

:eyes:

[sonias]

4. Not a chance

He just got appointed to head the Elections Committee in the house!

:(

[white cloud]

5. Got

The Monkies running the zoo.

[Melissa G]

6. Double @#^$#&%&*^%$!!!!

:cry:

[sonias]

7. Oh and get this - there is now a separate committee just for voter ID

Texas Legislature Committee Assignments

House Committee on Voter Identification & Voter Fraud, Select
Legislature: 82(R) - 2011
Appointment Date: 2/9/2011

Position Member
Chair: Rep. Dennis Bonnen
Vice Chair: Rep. Marc Veasey
Members: Rep. Jose Aliseda
Rep. Roland Gutierrez
Rep. Patricia Harless
Rep. Harvey Hilderbran
Rep. Scott Hochberg
Rep. Aaron Pena
Rep. Larry Taylor

What a load of crock! :puke:

[Melissa G]

16. What, the gajillions of bucks they wasted last session on Voter ID was not enough?

They never even got a conviction, right? Do you remember how much time and money they wasted? We ought to read that into the public record for saving money! Article idea: How much of the budget can be saved by not chasing phantom issues.

[sonias]

19. Doesn't matter how much money is wasted

Their rabid right wing base insists people are impersonating people at the polls (in person mind you) in droves. Especially those dark skinned people you know. :sarcasm:

:eyes: :crazy:

[TxVietVet]

8. I've just moved back to Texas after 20 years away.

It's unbelievable just how indoctinated these people are. Insurance in Texas has some real bad history here. The Texas Windstorm may be the insurer of last resort, but if I'm not mistaken, it's just as crooked as the guy sitting on the regulatory committee. I believe quiet a few people got screwed really bad after Hurricane Ike.

[glinda]

9. Should anyone wonder why the Conservatives want Insurance sold across State lines.

[sonias]

10. Yes they did

The guy in the video story Steve Mostyn, successfully sued TWIA on behalf of many clients. That's how he's connected to Taylor. He knows first hand how Taylor is the biggest fox in the hen house ever! That fox actually gets the state to build the hen house and fill it with hens just for him!

Same story link KHOU.com linked above.

(snip)
How the insurance commissioner got stripped of power

In 2009, following Hurricane Ike, Taylor sponsored House Bill 4409, meant to strengthen disaster readiness in Texas. Eventually the bill would contain several changes to laws that affect Texas Windstorm.

One provision that was added allows Texas Windstorm to raise rates on consumers every year, up to five percent. Taylor says it was the result of long negotiations with other lawmakers who were demanding much steeper rate increases.

Taylor is a sleazy, greedy, slimy bastard. :puke:

[glinda]

11. Looks illegal. Will anyone press charges of corruption?

[sonias]

12. Oh I wish I could tell you that corruption was swiftly prosecuted in Texas

It's not. In fact, whatever this creep is doing is probably not even illegal in Texas. Yes most people would understand it is at the very least unethical, but the Rs in Texas are very thick skinned. Think Tom DeLay - they never do anything wrong. It's always "someone out to get them". In DeLay's case Ronnie Earl our district attorney was gunning for DeLay. Never mind that DeLay got to "judge shop" a new judge for his money laundering case. The first one he claimed was a Democrat who obviously would throw the book at him. Higher courts (republican controlled) agreed with him. The Republican he got for the trial still gave him 3 years! But that whole judicial process took 8 long years and it's still not over since DeLay is appealing.

What I'm getting at is that Larry Taylor will never suffer anything more than embarrassment for his obvious screwing of the public. This is Texas - a pro-business state!

[PDittie]

13. Larry Taylor appointed chair of Elections committee

... in the Texas House, announced yesterday. Which means he's now in charge of redistricting. This guy is Tom DeLay reincarnated.

[sonias]

14. Redistricting committee - chair is Burt Solomons

Not saying it's a good membership but Taylor is not on this committee. He is on the http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/Committees/MembershipCmte.aspx?LegSess=82R&CmteCode=C485">new Voter ID/Fraud committee though. He's just not the chair of that one though.

Redistricting Committee membership 82nd session

Position Member
Chair: Rep. Burt R. Solomons
Vice Chair: Rep. Mike Villarreal
Members: Rep. Roberto R. Alonzo
Rep. Carol Alvarado
Rep. Jimmie Don Aycock
Rep. Dan Branch
Rep. Rob Eissler
Rep. Charlie Geren
Rep. Patricia Harless
Rep. Harvey Hilderbran
Rep. Todd Hunter
Rep. Jim Keffer
Rep. Jerry Madden
Rep. Aaron Pena
Rep. Larry Phillips
Rep. Joseph Pickett
Rep. Marc Veasey

:kick:

[PDittie]

15. I confused Redisticting with Elections

Burka says he got the shaft anyway, which is a good thing ...

... the real Elections committee is the House Select Committee on Voter Identification and Voter Fraud, chaired by Dennis Bonnen. Sorry, Leo. And sorry to Larry Taylor, too, who is chairman of Elections and won’t get to do anything meaningful.

http://www.texasmonthly.com/blogs/burkablog/?p=9250

[sonias]

18. True!

:thumbsup:

[plumbob]

17. Why would I be surprised that an R is as crooked as two snakes in love?

And yet, when it's THIS bold, I'm still surprised!

Born here. Been here 6 decades. Still a lot of work for old Judge Lynch.