Texas Democrats file lawsuit to unmask benefactor of pro-GOP petition drive

[derby378]

The Texas Democratic Party has gone to court to force the Green Party to identify who funded a petition drive to put them on the November ballot. Democrats say the drive was a disguised effort to help Rick Perry. The Republican governor could be the beneficiary if the liberal Green Party candidate for governor draws votes from Democrat Bill White. The motion for a restraining order was filed this morning in district court in Austin. If granted, it would allow lawyers for the Democratic Party to take depositions of participants under oath to find out who bankrolled the effort.

Texas Democratic Party Chairman Boyd Richie: "Texans need to know the truth about Rick Perry's involvement in the Republican/Green Party petition scam." Perry spokesman Mark Miner said the governor was not involved. The secretary of state on Wednesday cleared the way for the Greens to field candidates for the fall campaign. But questions have arisen about out-of-state Republican interests that collected 92,000 signatures to put the party on the Texas ballot. The drive was spearheaded by a GOP consultant from Arizona with a history of working for conservative causes and Republican candidates. The consultant arranged for a Chicago-based petition-gathering firm with money from a company called Take Initiative America. The signatures were given to the Green Party as an in-kind contribution.

http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/06/tx-democrats-file-suit-to-disc.html

[MilesColtrane]

1. I would bet that that money comes directly from Paul E. Singer.

http://www.muckety.com/Take-Initiative-America/5018325.muckety

He's a Republican party stalwart, CEO of a multi-billion dollar hedge fund, and a contributer to Take Initiative America.

[Scurrilous]

2. K & R

:thumbsup: