Carter Casteel

Will voters let Texas House be bought?

By Doug Toney
The Herald-Zeitung
Published March 05, 2006

Can one man buy control of the Texas House of Representatives? That question will be answered Tuesday.

No matter whether you consider yourself a conservative, a moderate or a liberal, Republican or Democrat, the outcome could affect all Texans.

Last week in this column, it was reported that a San Antonio businessman/physician, Dr. James Leininger, had poured more than $555,000 into five GOP state representative races to defeat incumbent Republicans.

A review of updated campaign finance reports Friday for those same five races showed that Leininger’s contributions have now topped $2.4 million.

All five of these incumbents have been targeted, according to published reports, because they opposed school vouchers during the 79th Legislature.

One of those five targeted races is the House District 73 race here in Comal County. Leininger-funded PACs, according to financial reports examined Friday, donated $753,894.27 in cash and in-kind services (advertising) to Nathan Macias in an effort to defeat incumbent Republican Carter Casteel.

That amount is staggering.

Leininger has contributed more than three-quarters of a million dollars to unseat one incumbent state representative, who happens to be an incumbent of his own political party.

According to those same financial reports, Leininger-funded PACs also have spent $395,000 in a campaign to defeat incumbent Republican state Rep. Delwin Jones of Lubbock; $504,000 to unseat GOP state Rep. Tommy Merritt in Longview; $342,000 to defeat incumbent GOP state Rep. Roy Blake Jr. over in Nacogdoches, and about $175,000 to unseat Republican state Rep. Charlie Geren in Fort Worth.

On the Quorum Report Web site, Harvey Kronberg reported that Leininger also has contributed another $495,000 to 13 incumbent Republicans who he wants to keep in the Legislature.

That pushes his contributions close to $3 million, and that’s just what he had spent as of Friday, and there are four more days to go.

The conclusion seems obvious: One very rich person obsessed with a single issue is trying to buy control of the Texas House of Representatives.

Whether you are pro-voucher or anti-voucher should not matter when it comes to being repulsed by what this ideologue is attempting to do.

Although the question Tuesday will be whether the voters can be bought, it appears that an Irving Republican legislator already has been bought by Leininger.

This past week, a direct mail piece was sent to voters throughout the District 73 that featured Republican incumbent Rep. Linda Harper-Brown of Irving.

Harper-Brown criticized her fellow GOP legislator Casteel and endorsed Casteel’s opponent. Harper-Brown is unopposed in the primary, but financial records reviewed Friday showed that Leininger had donated $5,000 to Harper-Brown’s campaign anyway.

Harper-Brown’s actions reportedly offended some fellow Republicans, including state Rep. Jim Pitts, the Republican from Waxahachie who chairs the House appropriations committee.

On Friday, a letter to the editor by Pitts was distributed to newspapers in District 73. A portion of his letter follows:

“Recently, I was saddened to find that one of my colleagues in the House of Representatives has been suggesting that Representative Carter Casteel has worked to defeat conservative legislation and has betrayed the voters that elected her. Nothing could be further from the truth.

“I have been a member of the Texas House of Representatives for fourteen years, and have had the privilege of serving with Carter Casteel the past four. I have never witnessed a moment where I saw her betray any of her core conservative values or ever cast a vote that she felt was not in the best interests of her district and her constituents. In fact, these are exactly the qualities that drive Representative Casteel: her desire to do what is best for Texas, and most importantly, what is best for the residents of her district.”

Apparently, Leininger has not yet bought off all Republican legislators.

But on Tuesday, we will find out whether the state House has been sold to the highest bidder.

March 2, 2006      3:22 PM

HK: HARPER-BROWN ENDORSES MACIAS,
VIOLATES UNSPOKEN HOUSE PROTOCOLS

Has received $20K from Leininger and one of his many PACs

It has long been an unwritten rule in the Texas House of Representatives that one member does not interfere in another member's race.

That rule was first busted in the late 1990s when some House Republicans engaged in trying to beat Democratic incumbents. But no one can remember one Republican overtly trying to defeat one of their GOP colleagues.

Until today.

Today, a direct mail piece hit in the Carter Casteel-Nathan Macias race in which Linda Harper-Brown endorsed the challenger. Parroting the rhetoric now standard in all of the Leininger 5 races, Harper-Brown accuses Casteel of being the most liberal member of the Republican Caucus and says that she worked to block good conservative legislation.

Of course, others would argue that what Harper-Brown considers conservative legislation would have severely limited local control and imposed unfunded mandates on local government, forcing city councils, school boards and commissioners courts to either cut services or raise local taxes. But we will leave that argument for another time.

The reverberations are already being felt around the Capitol.

Harper-Brown is certainly free to exercise her First Amendment rights to engage in political campaigns, but she will be a price to pay. As more than one lobbyist and member has already noted, Reagan's 11th Commandment is now history. In addition, Harper-Brown has marked herself among her colleagues as a member who operates in bad faith. Disagree with her about legislation and she will get involved in your primary.

Oh, and by the way. Harper-Brown has received $20,000 from James Leininger, the financer of the Leininger 5. One contribution was $5,000 from the San Antonio millionaire. The other $15,000 was from yet another one of the PACs all but exclusively funded by Leininger. This one is named All Children Matter PAC.

That represents 18% of the $118,000 or so she has raised on her January 2005-January 2006 reports.

For One Operative, it Pays to Play Dirty

So Rister now has a $150,000 a year job working in Austin, just weeks after being paid to provide research to distort the voting records of state Rep. Casteel and four other legislators of his own political party.

By Doug Toney
The Herald-Zeitung

Published February 26, 2006

As the attack advertisements are stepped up against incumbent Republican state Rep. Carter Casteel, let's connect the dots on some of the people involved.

When one looks at the funding for Casteel's GOP opponent, Nathan Macias, the overwhelming source is a millionaire businessman/physician from San Antonio, Dr. James Leininger.

Leininger has dropped more than $550,000 into five state representative races in an effort to defeat the five incumbent Republicans who voted against a school voucher bill.

The money, which was funneled through political action committees, was then used in part to fund research against the five incumbents and finance a series of attack ads against Casteel and her four fellow legislators.

Reports indicate that about $22,000 of that money was paid to Milton Rister, a state Republican operative who is known for his attack-dog-type research against opponents. The politically correct term for this narrow form of strategic political character assassination is "opposition research."

Many believe Rister is the person who provided the content for the attack ads' used against Casteel in House District 73 and the four other legislators on the hit list.

And this is not Rister's first rodeo when it comes to attack ads.

Just four years ago, another PAC zeroed in to unseat seven incumbents who voted for a hate-crime bill. This political action committee produced direct-mail pieces that included a photograph of two men kissing and accused the legislators of being supporters of gay rights. One of the persons involved with the PAC that helped create those attack ads was Milton Rister.

One of the seven attacked was state Sen. Jeff Wentworth, who represents Comal County.

"That PAC was called Free PAC, the Free Enterprise PAC," Wentworth said. "They went around raising money for the PAC telling businessmen that it was for business, but instead it was actually about social issues, abortion, anti-gay rights ... but they were spectacularly unsuccessful. Of the seven they targeted, which included Edmund Kuempel, all seven of us were re-elected."

Rister, who hails from Midland, also has worked for former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay in Texans for a Republican Majority, the PAC that has been under investigation for illegally funneling money to Republican candidates. DeLay and several others associated with his TRMPAC and the Texas Association of Businesses are under indictment as a result of that investigation.

Rister was one of the first people subpoenaed in the grand jury investigation.

Rister also has worked in the past for House Speaker Tom Craddick and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst. And those connections lead to where Rister is now.

Rister has been appointed as executive director of the Texas Legislative Council. This organization of more than 300 employees works directly with the Legislature to ensure that legislation is written to meet the intentions of a bill's author or authors. This department of lawyers and staff also ensure that the bills are handled confidentially.

"The Texas Legislative Council has a history of being nonpartisan," Wentworth said when asked about Rister being appointed executive director of the Texas Legislative Council. "The executive director has always been nonpartisan and a lawyer.

"This is what offends me (about Rister taking over the TLC). ... (Rister) has a long history of partisan politics, and he is not an attorney."

The ruling body of the TLC consists of the lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house, six senators appointed by the lieutenant governor, five house members appointed by the speaker, and the chairman of the house administration committee. The lieutenant governor and the house speaker serve as joint chairmen, and it is this group that appoints the executive director.

About three weeks ago, Dewhurst and Craddick called a meeting of the legislators on the council. The vote was 9-1 to hire Rister, although Rister had never submitted a resume and reportedly more than 150 other people had applied for the job.

The only vote against Rister was cast by Wentworth, who is one of the six state senators on the council.

"This guy (Rister) worked against legislators in this current election cycle," Wentworth said. "That's what so offensive about this. This had been a trusted, nonpartisan group. Now suddenly, it's all changed,"

So Rister now has a $150,000 a year job working in Austin, just weeks after being paid to provide research to distort the voting records of state Rep. Casteel and four other legislators of his own political party.

I guess in this particular faction of the Republican Party, it apparently pays well to play dirty.

District 73 candidates compare conservatism

Roger Croteau
Express-News Staff Writer

NEW BRAUNFELS — State Rep. Carter Casteel, R-New Braunfels, has campaigned for school board, county judge and state representative during her 22-year political career, but she's never been as fed up with the process as she is this time.

"This is the first race I've ever been involved in that gave me distaste," Casteel said. "All the races I've been involved with are the way I've taught government when I was a schoolteacher, the way I've lived government and the way I thought government should be.

Nathan Macias, her challenger in the GOP primary for House District 73, which includes Comal, Bandera, Gillespie and Kendall counties, says he's just pointing out her record.

"Elected officials at the state level are defined by their voting records," he said of his advertising campaign. "The 73rd District deserves a strong, Republican conservative who will vote their values. If Representative Casteel feels her voting record is that negative, I'm sorry."

The barrage of radio and television ads and two to three direct mailings a week from the Macias camp, painting Casteel as voting with "liberal Democrats," has gotten under her skin. She spent much of a recent interview going over the votes Macias criticized, one by one, explaining why she believed he was distorting them.

"Most of these votes were positions advocated by the conservative Republican leadership of the House," she said. "If Mr. Macias is running against the House leadership, I'm surprised.

"In this district we run on who we are and what we have to offer," she said. "This kind of race is what turns people off to do public service."

Macias, a decorated veteran who retired as an Air Force lieutenant colonel after a 20-year career, is a vice president at a marketing agency.

"I'm running because I have a heart for public service," he said. "Pride, position, prestige, power — that's not why I want to do this."

Macias said the issue most important to him is limiting state spending and cutting taxes.

"As I walk door to door and talk to people, the tax burden seems to weigh most on people," he said. "As a conservative Republican we are for limited government, less regulation, less burden on the citizenry."

While he stressed the need to cut "wasteful spending," Macias could not identify any areas he would advocate cutting.

"I need to get in there and really take a look at it," he said. "Do an across-the-board, up-and-down review and look for ways to relieve some of the burden."

He also advocates tougher border enforcement to stop illegal immigration and education reform that cuts administrative overhead and "drives dollars to the classrooms."

While Casteel bristles at what she calls Macias' attack ads, Macias dismisses criticism that his campaign represents an attempt by an out-of-district millionaire to buy a seat in the House.

More than 90 percent of Macias' campaign funds have come from San Antonio businessman James Leininger, who has pumped at least $180,000 into the campaign. Casteel is one of five House members Leininger targeted for defeat after they opposed a school voucher bill last year.

"I am proud to have the backing and support of a strong, conservative Republican," Macias said. "I line up with a conservative perspective. I'm definitely more conservative than the incumbent."

He points out that conservative groups, including Americans For Prosperity, Young Conservatives of Texas and the Texas Eagle Forum, all rate Casteel among the bottom of the Republican House members in their legislative report cards.

Casteel, seeking a third term, says Macias is not her true opponent.

"Really, it's about me and Dr. Leininger and vouchers," she said. "He is somebody who has unlimited sources of money and will spend whatever it takes to misrepresent Carter Casteel. Well, I've been here 33 years. I've taught 1,800 kids. I've served as a school board member and county judge. I've volunteered for lots of organizations. He can't make me something I'm not."

She ticked off a dozen bills she shepherded through the Legislature during her first two terms, from creating new courts in Comal County to stopping new billboards in Bandera County.

She said she is committed to helping find a solution to the school funding problem that would cut school property taxes from $1.50 to $1 per $100 of taxable value. A special session is likely in April.

Her goals also include finding a way to fund river cleanups in New Braunfels and giving fast-growing counties more tools to manage growth.

"I like that this is a citizen Legislature and whatever we pass we come home and live under it," she said. "As long as people appreciate my service, I'm happy to do it."

Re-Elect Casteel to Represent Us

New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung
Published February 19, 2006

The March Republican primary ballot shows the District 73 race to be between incumbent State Rep. Carter Casteel and Nathan Macias, but it's about much more than that.

This house seat race is about whether one person from outside this district can buy the election.

For two terms, Casteel has done an excellent job of representing District 73, which includes Bandera, Comal, Gillespie and Kendall counties. Most times she has voted with her GOP colleagues; occasionally she's broken ranks because she felt it was best for her district.

That's rankled the feathers of at least one major Republican donor, Dr. James Leininger of San Antonio. Since Casteel and four other GOP representatives voted against a bill supporting school vouchers, Leininger has contributed more than $550,000 into the campaign coffers of those five state representatives' opponents, including Macias.

Casteel has said she could have supported school vouchers if there had been a provision for accountability, but this particular bill did not contain that provision.

The Macias campaign has misstated several of Casteel's positions.

Here are five accusations from Macias' Web site:

· Carter Casteel voted against increasing the homestead exemption from $15,000 to $30,000, resulting in higher property tax bills for homeowners (79th Second Called Session, Record Vote 18).

According to the House Journal, the vote was to table an amendment to House Bill 2 in regard to school funding that would have changed some of values in the bill in regard to homestead exemptions. Casteel was among the 74 bipartisan votes that got the amendment tabled.

Sixty-eight voted against tabling the item.

House Bill 2, like previous school funding reform attempts, got nowhere. Legislators could not decide on the best way to offer property tax relief while also funding schools adequately. To say Casteel was against giving taxpayers a break on property taxes by this vote is a gross misstatement. Casteel's vote was the right vote for District 73.

· Carter Casteel voted for imposing a new payroll tax on working Texans (79th First Called Session, Record Vote 30).

Record Vote 30 was for tabling an amendment on House Bill 3, a school funding bill that would have closed many of the loopholes in the way businesses are taxed in Texas, according to the House Journal. By a vote of 96 to 47, the amendment was tabled, with Casteel voting against tabling the amendment.

A payroll tax as the Legislature was debating would have charged businesses for the people they employ and would not have been a deduction from employees' paychecks. The payroll tax would have been imposed on businesses -- not on employees -- and is not technically an income tax. Casteel's vote was the right vote for District 73.

· Carter Casteel voted for the legislation that would allow state government to convert free roads into toll roads, making you pay a fee every time you drive on it (79th Regular Session, HB 2702).

This bill further delineated the Trans-Texas Corridor, a mammoth transportation project spearheaded by Republican Gov. Rick Perry that is being set up as a series of toll roads. The bill allows regional transportation authorities to propose turning existing highways into toll roads, but only if local voters approve. The bill passed the House 120-9, with Casteel voting in the majority. The Senate also passed the measure, and Perry signed it into law.

Casteel's support of the bill does not equate to her supporting tolls for existing local roadways. It simply backs local control of those roads. It's better for voters in Comal County to determine whether Texas 46 is a toll road rather than the state Legislature. Casteel's vote was the right vote for District 73.

· Carter Casteel introduced a bill to impose a 10 cent per gallon gas tax to pay for county roads (79th Regular Session, Record Vote 489).

The bill would allow county governments the option of implementing a 3 to 10 cent gasoline tax to fund road work. The bill currently is before the Local Government Ways and Means Committee.

Like most, we'd prefer not to see our taxes increase. But we also realize that many local governments are having difficulty securing funding for roadway improvements. We feel if a county sees the need to fund road improvements via a gasoline tax -- and voters in that county agree to it -- then that county should have the right to impose it. It's about local control, an issue that, at least at one time, was a pillar of conservatism. Casteel's vote was the right vote for District 73.

· Carter Casteel voted against reducing the tax burden on Texas families, but did vote to increase her own taxpayer funded retirement (79th Second Called Session, Record Vote 7).

The statement also is misleading, as House Bill 11's primary purpose was to increase judges' pay. As is current state law, the retirement benefits of legislators are linked to any increases in the judges' retirement system. The bill passed 105 to 26, with Casteel voting with the majority.

And, as Speaker of the House Tom Craddick said Thursday in defending Casteel's vote: "Very few members qualify for retirement anyway because you have to be in office at least eight years to receive the first level of benefits." Casteel has been in office for four years.

If you're a Republican who is thinking about sitting out this primary so you can sign Kinky Friedman's or Carole Keeton-Strayhorn's petitions, reconsider. Too much is at stake March 7. The District 73 representative should answer to us, and not to a single-issue Republican donor from San Antonio.

Carter Casteel should be re-elected to House District 73.

Carter Casteel has earned your support and vote.

House Speaker Stands Firmly Behind Casteel

By Leigh Jones
The Herald-Zeitung
www.herald-zeitung.com

Published February 17, 2006

Tom Craddick, speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, looked right at home strolling through downtown New Braunfels with Carter Casteel on Thursday.

Craddick and Casteel, who is seeking re-election to her District 73 House seat, visited several downtown businesses on their way to a rally for the local representative.

The speaker’s visit was a re-affirmation of Casteel’s support among Republican leaders, a contradiction to her opponent’s suggestion she is a liberal in conservative clothing.

Before heading to the rally, Craddick sat down with the Herald-Zeitung to explain his dedication to the member from New Braunfels.

“She’s straight-forward and forthright,” he said. “She tells it like it is. In that respect, she’s a lot like me.”

Craddick said that after two sessions in Austin, Casteel was well-respected by her fellow members and was a valuable ally in accomplishing important Republican initiatives, like tort reform. He was not concerned about whether Casteel agreed with him on every issue.

Casteel’s Republican opponent, Nathan Macias of Bulverde, has accused her of voting against the conservative values of her district and being one of the most liberal Republicans in the House.

Craddick said he was not bothered if Casteel occasionally supported a bill offered by a Democrat.

“Texas is different than a lot of other states, in that Republicans and Democrats work together. You have to in order to get anything done,” he said. “And members have to do what is best for their district, no matter who proposes it.”

Casteel nodded emphatically.

“You’ve always told me to vote my district, and that’s what I’ve done,” she said.

The speaker defended Casteel’s votes on two issues raised by Macias as criticisms — payroll tax and legislator’s retirement benefits.

The payroll tax, Craddick said, was just half of a broad-based business tax proposed to make up for a reduction in property taxes. The bill Macias criticizes Casteel for supporting would have offered businesses a choice between participating in the franchise tax or the payroll tax, whichever gave them a lower tax bill.

“The business community really liked that idea because it gave them a choice,” he said.

Craddick also scoffed at the suggestion Casteel voted to increase her retirement benefits.

“I don’t believe any member voted for that bill because they thought it would increase their retirement,” he said. “Very few members qualify for retirement anyway because you have to be in office at least eight years to receive the first level of benefits.”

The legislators’ retirement plan is tied to the judicial retirement system, so when the House voted to raise judges’ pay, they also increased their own benefits.

Although the business tax praised by both Craddick and Casteel did not make it out of last year’s regular session or either of the two special sessions, the Legislature will get another chance once the primary election is over.

Craddick said he expected Gov. Rick Perry to call the lawmakers back to Austin in mid-April. He optimistically anticipated being able to solve the tricky problems of school finance and reform before the June 1 deadline set by the Texas Supreme Court.

And he is looking forward to having Casteel’s support at the microphone, a position he said she occupied with a natural flair.

The well-known Casteel charm was in full swing by the time she escorted her colleague into Seekatz Opera House for the rally.

She led him around the room and had introduced him to almost all of the roughly 250 guests in attendance before they reached the other side.

Before he took his seat, Craddick found a “Re-elect Carter” T-shirt thrust into his hands. Without hesitation, he removed his suit coat, pulled the shirt over his head and flashed his host a broad smile.

"I generally try to stay out of primaries, but I'm making an exception this time. Carter Casteel deserves to be re-elected to the Texas House. Carter is strong, independent, and an ally of those of us who firmly believe in the constitutional right to keep and bear arms."

Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson
Former State Senator and author of the Texas Concealed Handgun Law

"Carter Casteel and I have worked side-by-side to protect traditional Texas values. She co-sponsored the Defense of Marriage Act and has been an effective conservative voice in Austin. I am proud to join other Republican leaders endorsing Carter for re-election to the Texas House."

State Representative Warren Chisum (R-Pampa)
Author of Texas Defense of Marriage Act

It's payback time for voucher foes

Web Posted: 02/11/2006 12:00 AM CST
Peggy Fikac
Chief, Express-News Austin bureau

AUSTIN — When Rep. Carter Casteel worked to kill a proposed school voucher program last year, she told colleagues she was taking a political risk.

"I've made a decision. It may send me home," the New Braunfels Republican said in a speech against a proposed pilot program to allow taxpayer money to be used for private school tuition for at-risk students.

"I'm here to do what's right for public school children and ... make the public school system the best in this nation," she said, "not take money away from it because I may want my little grandson to go to Sts. Peter and Paul because he's Catholic."

She made the public speech fresh from a private meeting with wealthy and influential school-choice advocate James Leininger of San Antonio, who she said was "very pleasant" as he tried unsuccessfully to win her support for vouchers. She said he didn't threaten to unseat her.

But now Leininger is trying to send her home, along with four other GOP lawmakers who helped derail last year's voucher effort.

A physician who founded a medical company — and who has been a big donor to GOP candidates over the years — Leininger is responsible for the overwhelming majority of money contributed to the campaigns of Casteel's challenger, Nathan Macias of Bulverde, and four GOP primary challengers to Reps. Roy Blake Jr. of Nacogdoches, Charlie Geren of Fort Worth, Delwin Jones of Lubbock and Tommy Merritt of Longview.

Up to 95 percent of the challengers' war chests comes from Leininger-related money. Their donations largely have come through a Leininger-funded political action committee called the Texas Republican Legislative Campaign Committee. As of Jan. 26, according to reports filed with the Texas Ethics Commission, Leininger had donated $550,000 and pledged $250,000 more to the PAC. Almost all of its money comes from him.

"He single-handedly seems to want to cleanse the Texas Legislature of moderate Republicans," said Craig McDonald of Texans for Public Justice, which monitors money in politics.

Leininger didn't return repeated calls for comment.

Macias, a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel, and others receiving Leininger-related donations discount the idea he's trying to buy legislative seats.

"It's an insult to me," Macias said. "Second, it's an insult to the primary voters of the district, (to suggest) that they could be bought."

Macias, who is getting 93 percent of his campaign money from Leininger, said the issue of vouchers is a small one in his race with Casteel, but he would support a pilot program to help "those children trapped in some of the worst schools in the state." He said such a program wouldn't pertain to House District 73, which he is running to represent, because "we have some of the finest schools in the state."

Casteel said she's not set against vouchers. But she said she first wants public schools to be fully funded, and that she wants to ensure entities getting taxpayer money are accountable to the taxpayers. She said she would be willing to work on the idea with Leininger.

"This is not a race between me and Mr. Macias," she said. "This is a race about the process and the future of Texas politics ... At the same time when I say that — that I think there is a man trying to buy my seat — I'm holding my hand out to him saying, 'Look. This is silly. We could have resolved this issue.'"

Casteel said she expects to be far outspent by Macias, who as of Jan. 26 had received $182,911 in Leininger-related contributions, out of $198,275. Casteel, who started with $11,741 cash on hand last year, had raised another $139,027 by Jan. 26.

McDonald said his group is considering filing a complaint with the ethics commission about the Leininger-related PAC, citing a law that requires PACs to have 10 contributors before making a donation. The PAC report shows it got money from Leininger and a Midland man who gave $100, plus $225 that wasn't itemized. The $225 would have to come from at least eight people to meet the standard.

A message left Thursday at the phone number of the man listed as the committee treasurer wasn't returned.
McDonald noted, however, that in a state without limits on the size of campaign contributions, the size of Leininger's effort doesn't run afoul of any law.

"Regretfully, under Texas law, this is just fine," he said.

Leininger's decision to fund opponents of GOP incumbents comes despite House Speaker Tom Craddick, R-Midland, having backed several of them, including Casteel. GOP Gov. Rick Perry, who supports the idea of a pilot voucher program and has received contributions from Leininger, said he would disclose "at the appropriate time" whether he'll weigh in on any of the races. But Perry defended Leininger's right to support the candidates of his choice.

"I support any citizen of this state to engage in the First Amendment process, whether it's Dr. Jim Leininger or whether it's Joe Jamail," Perry said, referring to the Houston lawyer who has contributed to Democratic candidates.

Leininger engaged in the process last year in the governor's press conference room, across the hall from Perry's Capitol reception room and close to the House chamber. That's where Rep. Jones of Lubbock said Leininger tried to change his mind on vouchers.

"He called me out to meet with him and wanted to know if I would support his pilot project," said Jones, who added that he has always opposed vouchers and that the venue didn't bother him. The press conference room is where Perry appears before media and is used for meetings by his staff and by others, subject to his office's approval.

"I imagine any billionaire in Texas could get into that office and use it on request," Jones said. "I'm not criticizing the governor for it. If I were governor, I'd visit with billionaires."

Perry press secretary Kathy Walt said the room is available on a case-by-case basis.

"His assumption that anyone with money could use the room is incorrect," Walt said. "It was made available because they (lawmakers) were in session. He wanted to meet with a number of legislators who, frankly, were probably on the floor at that time."

PAC taking aim at state House Republicans
Prominent donor pours funding into campaigns to defeat voucher critics

By ROBERT T. GARRETT / The Dallas Morning News

AUSTIN - A political committee associated with school-voucher advocate James Leininger poured money into five state House races in January, giving a total of nearly $700,000 last month to the Republican primary opponents of members who fought voucher proposals during last year's legislative session.

Dr. Leininger, a San Antonio businessman and philanthropist, has given or pledged at least $838,000 since early November to defeat five moderate Republican House members, according to reports to the Texas Ethics Commission.

The main conduit was a political action committee, the Texas Republican Legislative Campaign Committee, which was created in October. In the latest reporting period, it had one contributor - Dr. Leininger, who gave it $500,000 and pledged $250,000 more. Dr. Leininger also made direct donations to some of the challengers.

The PAC made in-kind contributions of advertising and mailings to opponents of Reps. Carter Casteel, R-New Braunfels; Tommy Merritt, R-Longview; Roy Blake Jr., R-Nacogdoches; Delwin Jones, R-Lubbock; and Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth.

The combined gifts from him and the PAC to the challengers ranged from about $50,000 for retired Army Lt. Col. Chris Hatley of Fort Worth, one of Mr. Geren's two GOP opponents, to almost $183,000 for retired Air Force Lt. Col. Nathan Macias of Bulverde, Ms. Casteel's opponent.

The average help for each challenger was $138,000.

One veteran campaign consultant said that amount would come close to fully funding many House campaigns. Though some political professionals used higher figures, Fort Worth Republican political consultant Bryan Eppstein said the average House candidate's primary campaign costs $75,000 to $150,000 in suburban and urban markets, where candidates use mainly mail and signs to get their message out.

Mr. Eppstein, whose firm represents 40 House members and 12 senators, said that in rural districts, the costs can be higher - $100,000 to $200,000 per candidate per primary. The tab varies depending on how much newspaper, radio and TV advertising the candidate buys, he said.

Calls to Dr. Leininger at his hospital-bed manufacturing firm, Kinetic Concepts International, were not returned.

On Monday, Bill Crocker of Austin, one of the state's two members of the Republican National Committee, issued news releases saying the Texas Republican Legislative Campaign Committee has endorsed opponents of the five targeted House GOP incumbents.

Mr. Crocker said he founded the PAC last October to go after "liberal Republicans" in the Legislature, who he said have been "betraying the very Republicans who put them in office."

He was particularly harsh in describing Ms. Casteel, who last May offered an amendment to strip a pilot voucher program from a bill to reauthorize the Texas Education Agency.
"Time and again, we have seen candidates such as Carter Casteel run on a conservative platform and, once elected, vote with liberal Democrats," he said. "Carter Casteel has been hostile to taxpayers ... and attacked our conservative values."

Ms. Casteel said her opposition to the pilot voucher program that Dr. Leininger favored arose from a conservative desire to protect taxpayers.

"Those voucher dollars have to be accounted for, and that bill didn't provide for that," she said.

The former civics teacher, school board member and Comal County judge said she debated vouchers in a private meeting with Dr. Leininger before last year's vote. They disagreed, she said, but she promised to work with him to shutter public schools where children are not safe. She said she would consider vouchers if the Legislature would "fund public education" - and replace aging textbooks that hadn't been funded when the vote took place.

Though she views Dr. Leininger's donations to beat her "a little bit daunting," Ms. Casteel said that as a big-boned youngster in West Texas, she regularly thrashed schoolyard bullies.

"My mother would be rolling in her grave if she thought I was intimidated by someone who is trying to buy a [House] seat," she said.

Adam Bell, political director of Mr. Macias' campaign, said, "They're implying that my candidate is owned, that he's beholden to doing whatever Dr. Leininger wants. That is not the case. Nathan is his own man."

Mr. Bell said liberal bloggers have praised Ms. Casteel and that "liberal donors" - teacher groups and defense attorneys - have given to her campaign.

"She claims to be a conservative," he said. "That simply does not bear up."

QUORUM REPORT www.quorumreport.com
2/7/06 4:11 p.m.

LEININGER PAC RUNS AT LEAST FIVE CAMPAIGNS
Overwhelmingly, contributions were in kind

Last week we revealed that the Texas Republican Legislative Campaign Committee PAC was apparently a vehicle to conduit funds from San Antonio physician James Leininger into a series of campaigns targeting selected anti-voucher Republicans including Charlie Geren, Carter Casteel, Roy Blake, Tommy Merritt and Delwin Jones.

This campaign finance report verifies that assumption.

In this reporting cycle, TRLCC reports only one contribution -- $500,000 from Dr. Leininger and his pledge for another $250,000. The PAC reports support for five candidates -- all opponents to the above listed incumbents.

In fact, in all but one case, Dr. Leininger individually or through his PAC represents 93% or more of the candidate's total contributions. The exception is Chris Hatley who is opposing Geren. Leininger only contributed 88% of his total on this report. But when you add Bob Perry's contributions, the two men are responsible for 97% of the challenger's total dollars.

The candidates themselves have actually received little or no direct funding from Leininger's PAC. The vast majority of the dollars are paid from TRLCC PAC directly to media buyers, production companies, opposition researchers and the like.

On January 10, Milton Rister's Keep Texas Strong received five $1,500 payments totaling $7,500 for opposition research on behalf of the five challengers. Rister was appointed director of the Legislative Council last week.

The question is whether or not these candidates actually have any control over their own campaigns.

Here are the percentages of Leininger money in their campaigns

Mark Williams ($176,201) challenging Tommy Merritt -- 94%. With homebuilder Bob Perry's money, the total comes to 96%
Wayne Christian ($172,629) challenging Roy Blake -- 94%
Nathan Macias ($197,754) challenging Carter Casteel -- 92%
Van Wilson ($139,281) challenging Delwin Jones -- 93%. Add Bob Perry's money and it is 97%.
Chris Hatley ($62,433) challenging Charlie Geren -- 88% plus $10,000 from Bob Perry

Yesterday, Republican National Committeeman Bill Crocker claimed that he had founded the PAC to elect true conservatives. However, according to the reports, he has not made a single contribution to the PAC he supposedly founded.

Texas Railroad Commission Chairman Elizabeth Ames Jones endorsed State Representative Carter Casteel (R-New Braunfels) for re-election to the Texas House today. “Having served with Carter in the State House, I can vouch for her dedication to the constituents in District 73, as well as her commitment to making Texas an even better place to live, work, and raise a family,” Jones said. “She continues to work hard on tough issues and I’m pleased to support her re-election to a third term.”

A sixth generation Texan from San Antonio, Jones was elected three times to the Texas House of Representatives before her appointment in February 2005 by Governor Rick Perry to the Texas Railroad Commission. She is the third woman to serve as chairman in the commission’s 114-year history.

Casteel has been endorsed by prominent Republican leaders, including U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), House Speaker Tom Craddick (R-Midland), Texas Agriculture Commissioner Susan Combs, Congressman Henry Bonilla (R-Texas), Congressman Mike Conaway (R-Texas), Congressman Lamar Smith (R-Texas), State Senator Troy Fraser (R-Horseshoe Bay), State Senator Todd Staples (R-Palestine) and State Senator Jeff Wentworth (R-San Antonio).

SA physician working to oust Casteel

By Leigh Jones
The Herald-Zeitung
Published February 04, 2006

State Rep. Carter Casteel’s New Braunfels campaign office was full of people Friday afternoon.

While the District 73 incumbent greeted constituents who stopped by to voice their support, volunteers dropped off collected contributions and sign-posting teams came in and out with the signature black-and-orange banners that soon would appear in prominent locations all over town.

In the middle of the organized chaos, campaign adviser Cary Roberts sat at the end of a long board room table with a flowchart in front of him.

The graphic was not a representation of his strategy for Casteel’s re-election or a diagram showing the hierarchy of her grassroots organization. It was a complicated map, full of twists and turns, showing the financial trail left by her opponent’s financial backers.

“It’s a muddy money trail,” Roberts said, tapping his finger on the top square, labeled “Nathan Macias.” “They hope that this shell game campaign finance system will avoid detection until after the primary.”

But it has not, and no one who keeps up with Texas politics has any doubt about where the Macias campaign is getting its money — San Antonio physician and conservative political activist James Leininger.

The founder of Kinetic Concepts Inc., a specialty medical-bed company, Leininger has been one of the state’s most active political donors for several years and has become a major power broker behind the scenes in the Republican Party. In the 1998 election, Leininger, a multimillionaire, helped guarantee two loans shortly before the November ballot — $1.1 million to Rick Perry and $950,000 to Carole Keeton-Strayhorn — that many political insiders say made the difference in Perry’s race for lieutenant governor and Strayhorn’s race for comptroller. He also gave extensively in the 2002 election cycle.

So far, Leininger has not donated any money to Macias directly, but his political action committees have.

Roberts’ flowchart listed five PACs that are involved in funding or advising Macias’ campaign — Keep Texas Strong, Texas Republican Legislative Campaign Committee, Future of Texas Alliance, All Children Matter and the Texas Public Policy Foundation.

All of the organizations point back to money coming from Leininger, whose main focus is school vouchers.

Leininger reportedly is out to get legislators who did not support school vouchers in the last legislative session, and Casteel is not the only member in his sights.

Roy Blake, R-Nacogdoches, and Tommy Merritt, R-Longview, both have GOP primary opponents backed by groups funded by Leininger. Rumors swirling around the statehouse indicate Leininger might be interested in as many as eight Texas House races.

The Macias campaign did not respond to questions about its candidate’s relationship with Leininger, but did acknowledge receiving support from the Texas Republican Legislative Campaign Committee. Leininger gave the PAC $50,000, almost all of which was used to buy $42,804.30 worth of Macias commercial advertisements on Time Warner Cable of San Antonio, which serves the New Braunfels area.

While political backing through PACs is not illegal, Roberts said it falls into a gray area in campaign finance that might not violate the law but certainly tramples on its spirit.

“Campaigns should be about transparency. Voters have the right to know where a candidate’s money is coming from,” he said. “It’s not about open government when voters have to dig to get that information.”

The first round of campaign finance reports showed Casteel had a decided advantage over Macias, but Roberts does not expect it to last.

In addition to the cable television spots, the challenger has been sending out direct mail advertising almost every week since the first of the year. The advertising expenditures should appear on the next campaign finance report, due out Monday.

“We don’t have those kinds of financial resources,” Roberts said. “We have to rely on grass roots campaigning.”

Which is why Casteel’s campaign office was not a quiet place to work on Friday afternoon.

As he watched a parade of campaign workers and supporters file past his makeshift desk, Roberts said he hoped voters would be able to see the difference between a true broad base of support and one that looked broad because it was well-financed.

“The amount of money Macias has gives the impression of a grass roots effort with lots of supporters,” he said.

Roberts claimed he was not too worried about the exposure Leininger’s contributions were allowing Macias to get, saying the only people who would believe the advertisements’ claims would be people who wanted to believe them anyway. But he did question Leininger’s motives.

“Why not give the money directly, instead of trying to orchestrate a campaign to avoid transparency?” he asked.

Texas House Speaker Tom Craddick will headline a “Get Out the Vote” Rally for State Representative Carter Casteel’s re-election campaign, Thursday, February 16, 2006 in New Braunfels. The voter rally will be held at the Seekatz Opera House (265 West San Antonio Street) beginning at 6:00 p.m. The event is open to the public. Tickets are $5 per person and include dinner. To purchase tickets, contact the Carter Casteel Campaign (830-627-8820 or bonnie@cartercasteel.com).

“I whole-heartedly support Carter Casteel’s decision to continue her service as a state representative,” Craddick said. “The people of House District 73 have a hard working leader in her when it comes to representing their interests here in Austin.” In January 2003, Tom Craddick, who has served 37 years in the Texas House of Representatives, became the first Republican to be elected speaker in more than 130 years. He was re-elected last year.

Casteel has been endorsed by prominent Republican leaders, including U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), House Speaker Tom Craddick (R-Midland), Texas Agriculture Commissioner Susan Combs, Congressman Henry Bonilla (R-Texas), Congressman Mike Conaway (R-Texas), Congressman Lamar Smith (R-Texas), State Senator Troy Fraser (R-Horseshoe Bay), State Senator Todd Staples (R-Palestine) and State Senator Jeff Wentworth (R-San Antonio).

Republican State Senators Troy Fraser (R-Horseshoe Bay), Todd Staples (R-Palestine) and Jeff Wentworth (R-San Antonio) endorsed State Representative Carter Casteel (R-New Braunfels) for re-election to the Texas House today. Fraser and Wentworth represent the Hill Country in the Texas Senate. Staples will be the Republican candidate for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture in the November general election.
 
“Carter Casteel works hard for the Hill Country,” Fraser said. “She is a strong conservative voice in the Texas House. I enthusiastically support her re-election.”
 
“Carter Casteel is an effective, independent, conservative voice in the Texas House,” Wentworth continued. “As a former teacher and county judge, she brings a wealth of practical life experience to the table when working toward solutions to challenges facing her constituents. A hard working, no-nonsense legislator, Carter Casteel deserves to be re-elected to the Texas House of Representatives.”
 
Staples commended Casteel on her diligent efforts representing the citizens of Texas House District 73. “Representative Casteel is a tireless advocate and has demonstrated great leadership. I am proud to join other conservative leaders in endorsing her for re-election,” he added.
 
Casteel has been previously endorsed by U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), House Speaker Tom Craddick (R-Midland), Texas Agriculture Commissioner Susan Combs, Congressman Henry Bonilla (R-Texas), Congressman Mike Conaway (R-Texas), Congressman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) and the National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund.

QUORUM REPORT www.quorumreport.com
1/31/06 1:01 PM

LEININGER PROVIDES FIRST MONEY IN CHRISTIAN CHALLENGE TO ROY BLAKE
Camouflaged through the Texas Club for Growth

Yesterday we reported the linkage between voucher proponent, Dr James Leininger and the Nathan Macias challenge to incumbent Carter Casteel (R-New Braunfels) as well as to Mark Williams' challenge to Tommy Merritt (R-Longview).

There may be a stronger linkage in the Merritt-Williams race, but the Texas Ethics Commission website indicates that the Williams has yet to file his January 17th contribution and expense report.

However, the seed money for the Wayne Christian effort to beat Roy Blake (R-Nacogdoches) clearly comes from the San Antonio physician, albeit through a circuitous route.

Christian's Contribution and Expenditure Report shows only one contribution -- a $12,000 in kind contribution from the Texas Club for Growth (TCG).

A quick visit to the Texas Club for Growth report shows three contributions totaling $28,000. Of that, $15,000 came from two contributors in early September. The remaining $13,000 came from Dr. Leininger on November 28.

According to the report, the two contributions totaling $15,000 were consumed before November. There were no extra dollars in the TCG because the Jan-June 2004 report was the last to show any activity and the final cash on hand was $188.75.

So, the Texas Club for Growth was essentially out of dough until Dr. Leininger kicked in his $13,000 contribution. On December 12th, the Texas Club for Growth paid Public Opinion Strategies of Alexandria, Virginia to poll the district. Since Christian notes the in-kind contribution on his report, it is fairly obvious that Leininger funded the poll to encourage Christian to get into the race with Blake.

Leininger's apparent commitment to Christian suggests that the former state Rep has indicated that he supports vouchers -- a potential hot button issue in that district.

One side note. This is the second time an Alexandria, Virginia company has popped up. Crossroads Media who did the media buys for Williams and Macias also offices in Alexandria.

According to the incumbents, all three districts are running early but very heavy TV and mail from the challengers suggesting a major influx of money into each campaign after the first of year so it did not appear on the January 17th report.

QUORUM REPORT www.quorumreport.com
1/30/06 4:26 p.m.

NEW LEININGER PAC APPEARS TO BE FUNDING HOUSE REPUBLICAN CHALLENGERS
Likely new Legislative Council Director included as Leininger consultant

For months now, rumors have swirled around the capital that operatives of Dr. James Leininger were recruiting primary opponents for House voucher opponents, specifically Carter Casteel, Charlie Geren, Delwin Jones, Roy Blake and Tommy Merritt.

However, on January 10th of this year, Dr. Leininger appeared on a panel about school vouchers at a Texas Public Policy Foundation event in Austin.

When quizzed by reporters afterwards, Dr. Leininger seemed to distance himself from efforts to unseat House Republicans. He told Associated Press, "For 15 years I've tried to support people who support school choice and I guess that means opposing people, in a sense, that are against school choice. I'll focus more on open seats, it's hard to beat incumbents, is a lot more productive to focus on open seats and hopefully protect incumbents that believe the way you believe, and oppose people that don't believe what you believe"

Nevertheless, a newly formed General Purpose PAC appears to be the vehicle for organizing the challenge and promoting pro-voucher Republican candidates.

The Texas Republican Legislative Campaign Committee (TRLCC) was formed on October 18th. It's report identifies only two contributors, Dr. James Leininger for $50,000 and John Norwood of Midland for $100.

Leininger's PAC made only three expenditures during the reporting period. The largest was to consulting firm Anthem Media for $20,000. Anthem Media is owned by Republican consultant Jeff Norwood from Midland who may or may not be related to the Norwood in the report.

Although Anthem Media has not yet appeared on Contribution and Expenditure Reports for the five challengers, we have verified that the company is working with media buying firm Crossroads Media in the Nathan Macias race against Carter Casteel. Crossroads has also surfaced doing the media buys for Mark Williams who is running against Tommy Merritt.. There may be more. The media buys took place after January 1, so they will presumably appear on the next report.

TRLCC also spent $15,000 with Keep Texas Strong. According to Williamson County Assumed Name records, Keep Texas Strong is a proprietorship owned by Milton Rister, the current leading candidate to be head of the Legislative Council. Rister is listed in the Texas State Directory as a "senior advisor" to Lt. Governor David Dewhurst and ran the Lt. Governor's legislative senate research operation.

Rister has previously specialized in opposition research for Republican political campaigns. In the C&E Report, Keep Texas Strong is being paid for "Initial Retainer -- consulting fee."

The remaining expenditure was to Austin attorney Ed Shack for legal expenses related to organizing the PAC.

Neither Norwood nor Rister had returned calls at press time.

Republican Congressmen Henry Bonilla, Mike Conaway and Lamar Smith endorsed State Representative Carter Casteel (R-New Braunfels) for re-election to the Texas House today. “Carter Casteel’s conservative leadership has made her an influential voice in Austin,” Smith said. “The Texas Hill Country can be proud of its remarkable state representative.”

“Carter Casteel is a proven conservative leader. She fights for Hill Country and Republican values in Austin,” Bonilla continued. “I am proud to endorse Carter for re-election to the Texas House.”

“Carter Casteel is a dedicated public servant. She represents the Hill Country with distinction in the Texas House,” Conaway added. “Count me among the many elected officials and Republican leaders supporting her re-election this spring.”

“The support of my area congressmen is gratifying,” Casteel said. “The Texas Hill Country is fortunate to have three strong voices in the nation’s capitol. We work together on many important federal and state issues, such as eminent domain and immigration reform.”

Casteel has been previously endorsed by U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), House Speaker Tom Craddick (R-Midland), Texas Agriculture Commissioner Susan Combs and the National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund.

U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison formally endorsed State Representative Carter Casteel (R-New Braunfels) for re-election to the Texas House today. “Carter Casteel is a conservative leader in the Texas House,” Hutchison said. “I salute Carter’s outspoken determination and heartily support her re-election this year.”
 
Hutchison, herself a former state representative, applauded Casteel’s public service. “Representing the Hill Country with conviction and vigor, Carter’s record demonstrates a commitment to the values that make Texas great,” Hutchison added.
 
“Senator Hutchison and I have worked together for the Hill Country and Texas. Her leadership in both the Republican Party and the U.S. Senate is invaluable to our state,” Casteel said. “I am honored to have her endorsement and support.”
 
Casteel has been previously endorsed by House Speaker Tom Craddick (R-Midland), Texas Agriculture Commissioner Susan Combs and the National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund.

FAIRFAX, VA — The National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF) is pleased to endorse Carter Casteel for re-election to the 73rd State House district in Texas.
 
“The NRA is synonymous with freedom, and gun owners in Texas’ 73rd House district are lucky to have a loyal friend like Carter Casteel (R-New Braunfels) represent them in Austin,” said Randy Kozuch, Director of State and Local Affairs for the National Rifle Association.
 
Rep. Carter Casteel’s steadfast pro-gun record in the Texas State House proves her resolute support of the Second Amendment. The National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF) recognizes this by giving Representative Casteel an “A” rating this election cycle.
 
“We urge gun owners to vote for freedom on March 7,” continued Kozuch. “Texans value their freedom to own firearms and we are pleased to endorse Rep. Carter Casteel’s re-election campaign. Vote for freedom. Vote Carter Casteel."
 
Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America’s oldest civil rights and sportsmen's group. Four million members strong, NRA continues its mission to uphold Second Amendment rights and advocates enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation's leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the military.

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Susan Combs formally endorsed State Representative Carter Casteel (R-New Braunfels) for re-election to the Texas House today. “Carter has worked hard for the farmers and ranchers of the Hill Country,” Combs said. “She is an effective leader and I am pleased to support her for re-election.”
 
In 1998, Susan Combs became the first woman elected Texas Commissioner of Agriculture. She previously served in the Texas House of Representatives. Combs will be the Republican candidate for Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts in the November general election.
 
“I am thankful for Commissioner Combs's friendship and support,” Casteel said. “Susan and I have worked together to promote Texas agriculture and protect landowners. She has championed rural economic development, which greatly benefits agribusiness and tourism in the Hill Country.”
 
Combs applauded Casteel’s support for farmer and ranchers. “She has sponsored and supported legislation to ensure their way of life by preserving property rights and protecting them from annexation,” Combs added.  “Last year, the Texas County Agricultural Agents Association recognized her as the ‘Person of the Year in Texas Agriculture.’”
 
Casteel is seeking a third term as the state representative for Bandera, Comal, Gillespie and Kendall Counties. An attorney and former public school teacher, Casteel was first elected to the Texas House in November 2002. A New Braunfels resident since 1973, she previously served eight years as Comal County Judge (1990-98) and six years on the Comal Independent School District Board of Trustees (1984-90).

Speaker Tom Craddick (R-Midland) formally endorsed State Representative Carter Casteel (R-New Braunfels) for re-election to the Texas House today. “I whole-heartedly support Carter Casteel’s decision to continue her service as a state representative, and I wish her the best of luck,” Craddick said.

“I am grateful for Speaker Craddick’s support,” Casteel said. “Tom and I have worked together to advance the Republican Party’s conservative values. We both come from West Texas and were shaped by communities that taught the importance of conviction and integrity. Under his leadership, those principles guide the Texas House of Representatives.”

In January 2003, Tom Craddick, who has served 37 years in the Texas House of Representatives, became the first Republican to be elected speaker in more than 130 years. He was re-elected last year.

“Carter Casteel is a dedicated and loyal public servant to her constituents,” Craddick continued. “The people of House District 73 have a hard working leader in her when it comes to representing their interests here in Austin.”

Casteel is seeking a third term as the state representative for Bandera, Comal, Gillespie and Kendall Counties. An attorney and former public school teacher, Casteel was first elected to the Texas House in November 2002. A New Braunfels resident since 1973, she previously served eight years as Comal County Judge (1990-98) and six years on the Comal Independent School District Board of Trustees (1984-90).

Quorum Report
January 12, 2006 5:17 PM

TWO HOUSE CHALLENGERS DO EARLY TV BUYS
Both challenging Republicans who voted against vouchers

Republican challenger Wayne Christian today announced that he was going up on TV today in his primary challenge against Roy Blake (R-Nacogdoches).

Meanwhile, QR has learned that Nathan Macias has done a $16,000+ buy on cable stations in the New Braunfels market in his challenge to incumbent Carter Casteel (R-New Braunfels)

Copyright January 12, 2006 by Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved
Thank you for your interest!

Casteel: Memo was not an attack strategy

By Leigh Jones
New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung
Published January 13, 2006

State Rep. Carter Casteel has claimed the “attack strategy” memo brandished by her opponent’s campaign but identified it as nothing more than talking points she planned to use if asked about his candidacy for the District 73 seat.

In a press release sent out Tuesday with a copy of the document, Macias claimed it outlined her plot for a negative campaign and expressed disappointment that she would resort to such mean-spiritedness.

The two-page document, provided to the Herald-Zeitung by the Nathan Macias campaign, includes the text of an image commercial and a list of four issues Casteel, a two-term member of the Texas House, said she planned to discuss in the weeks leading up to the March 7 Republican primary.

It also includes the two items that rankled Macias and his staff.

“Nathan Macias has lived in the district for two years and has voted in one Republican primary election. He has no record of service in the community,” the second paragraph of the document states.

Macias defended his 20-year military career as a valued service to the community. He also lists volunteer efforts as a Youth Center baseball and assistant track coach and as a leader and Bible teacher at his church, Bulverde Fellowship.

On the document’s second page, Casteel had listed in two columns a comparison between Macias and her.

While the word “independent” appears beneath Casteel’s name, the word “owned” appears in Macias’ column.

Casteel claimed the designation was tied to Macias’ own statement about people outside the community approaching him to join the race. Macias told the Herald-Zeitung in a Jan. 4 story that not all the people who asked him to run were his potential constituents.

His statements, combined with rumors Casteel said she has heard about Macias’ “wealthy” backers, apparently were enough to earn him the “owned” label.

“We had heard from several sources that (he) had been asked to run against me and would be supported by an influential and wealthy source. Money was no object,” reads the first sentence of Casteel’s talking points document.

The document goes on to list several questions she hoped Macias would answer, including “Who paid for the ‘push poll?’” and “Where does the money come from?”

In his press release, Macias said he was not owned and promised to vote to uphold his district’s conservative principles, if elected.

Macias also told the Herald-Zeitung previously he had nothing to do with a “push poll,” a questionnaire designed to elicit specific responses from participants, but acknowledged his supporters had conducted some telephone surveys.

Although Casteel did claim the document, she scoffed at calling it a memo that outlined an attack strategy. She also questioned where the person who provided it to Macias could have picked it up.

Macias’ campaign director Adam Bell told the Herald-Zeitung someone sent it to the campaign office after finding it at a Republican function Jan. 2, but Casteel claimed she was not missing any paperwork after the event.

Casteel reiterated Thursday her intention of running a clean campaign and said she hoped personal attacks would not resurface for the remainder of the race.

“I hope we can go forward talking about the campaign and the issues now,” she said. “That’s what I want to do.

More than 200 supporters showed up in New Braunfels early Tuesday morning for Carter's first campaign breakfast and briefing. Additional campaign events will be scheduled throughout the district in the weeks ahead.

The opponent starts advertising on cable television Thursday in Fredericksburg and New Braunfels.

Candidates should campaign nicely

New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung
Published January 05, 2006

Campaign season in Texas officially began at 6 p.m. Monday with the end of filing season. But for most local politicians, the campaigning has been going on for months.

Over the next three months, candidates for local, state and federal offices will traverse Comal County searching for votes.

Before things get going too fast, we have a suggestion: Campaign nicely.

State Rep. Carter Casteel will face a challenge in the Republican primary, and she predicts the race could get dirty. Long before opponent Nathan Macias of Bulverde officially filed, someone — no one will claim credit — was conducting a telephone “push poll.” Casteel said the questions were leading and negative.

Campaigning for office should not be about denigrating your opponent. Obviously anyone who chooses to challenge an incumbent does so believing he or she could do a better job.

Over the next few months, we encourage political candidates to tell voters why they would be better choices. Tell us what your qualifications are, tell us what your plans in office are and tell us why we should vote for you.

In doing so, it is perfectly normal to point out differences between your views and those of your opponent. But pointing out differences does not have to be dirty. The problem with slinging mud is it’s hard to do so without getting dirty yourself.

Over the next three months, we encourage candidates to run hard but run clean. Voters want to know what you will do if elected, not just what your opponent’s flaws are.

Bulverde resident Nathan Macias, 45, files on the last day to challenge State Representative Carter Casteel in the March Republican Primary. According to county records, Macias registered to vote in the district October 23, 2003.