An Austin tech executive gave political contributions to Republican House Speaker Joe Straus and other lawmakers days before her company sought approval of a $90 million contract that is now the focus of a criminal investigation, a newspaper reported Saturday.
Straus spokesman Jason Embry said the speaker’s campaign received and "quickly returned" a $10,000 contribution from 21CT chief executive Irene Williams in early December. Republican state Rep. John Zerwas and Republican state Sen. Craig Estes also told the Austin American-Statesman (http://bit.ly/1vHCHYb ) they also don’t want the money Williams gave them.
All are members of the influential Legislative Budget Board, and are the latest officials to distance themselves from 21CT following revelations that the company secured lucrative state contracts without going through the usual bidding process.
via Political donations preceded $90M no-bid contract | The Sacramento Bee.