- Gov. Rick Perry
Over in the comments to this story from last week’s Voice, one F.S. Enriquez espouses the theory that TABC Administrator Alan Steen has only been so profusely apologetic for the Rainbow Lounge raid because the man who appoints his bosses, Gov. Rick Perry, is up for re-election next year and wants the gay vote. It seems a little far-fetched, given that most LGBT people would seem more likely to support Perry’s opponent in the Republican Primary, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, or one of the Democrats. But Enriquez’s theory makes a little more sense in light of this story from The Dallas Morning News, which reveals that the chairman of the TABC, Perry appointee José Cuevas, has been soliciting campaign contributions for the governor from owners of the same restaurants and bars that the agency regulates. Not surprisingly, Perry spokesman Mark Miner denies that this represents any conflict of interest, but The DMN notes that Perry himself once criticized an opponent for a similar practice:
Campaign records show that Perry has received more than $400,000 from restaurant interests since he became governor in 2000. In addition, he has raised nearly $800,000 from beer and liquor interests regulated by the TABC.
As a candidate seeking statewide office for the first time in 1990, Perry called for an investigation of his Democratic opponent, Agriculture Commissioner Jim Hightower, because a grain and seed regulator under Hightower was soliciting campaign contributions from those he regulated.
Perry’s campaign manager denounced “the shakedown of people regulated by the Texas Department of Agriculture” and said that “this kind of political strong-arming is reprehensible.”
I doubt the Perry campaign is naive enough to think that anything it could do would attract votes from the LGBT community. If anything, I would think that pissing off the LGBT community would be a better strategy for him to attract votes from those who hate us.
About 20 percent of the LGBT community votes Republican, maybe a little higher in Texas. From what we’ve heard, more are supporting Hutchison.
However, I would think that the Rainbow Lounge raid would send chills down the spines of every bar and restaurant owner in this state and stopping the threat of a repeat would remove a big worry from business owners since gay bars have not been the agency’s only targets. In this case, they just pissed off the wrong queens. Reigning in this renegade agency might attract donations from the bar and restaurant industry, although I have no idea whether that group tends to vote in any one particular direction.
Rick Perry is a murderer. Sending an innocent man on death row to his death.
Rick Perry needs to be in prison for murder, NOT running the f’ing STATE.
What the hell is wrong with Americans these days? Electing people with ZERO morals???
The ‘great’ state of Texas deserves EXACTLY what it will get from Rick Perry.
What’s next, Rick? Trolling airport bathrooms for BJ’s?
This man is a CRIMINAL. A MURDERER.
I had thought that — at least since Ronald Reagan’s reign — that Republicans despised watchdog agencies. Apparently they are willing to make exceptions when they can appoint the chairmen.
I look forward to learning what the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission is supposed to do. Surely manhandling (!) gay guys and soliciting political contributions are not on their task list.
I seriously doubt that Rick Perry is after the gay vote. The TABC just suffered a major PR blow that had most of the media and the general public wondering if that agency is out of control. Of course the people at TABC want to appear humbled and sorry for what happened. How else are they going to solicit money with a straight face?
Bill you sound like a crack pot, you must give more info: Shout this name from the rooftops, Todd Willingham. He was innocent and Texas killed him.
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Jose Cuevas is in charge of the TABC? Ha ha ha ha!
In memory of Donna Day