-

Making an Impact

“The Lone Star Project … hammers Republicans whenever it gets a chance, promoting strong local Democratic candidates and even bringing lawsuits.”
(Roll Call, Stuart Rothenberg,
March 12, 2009)

“Anyone who questions whether [The Lone Star Project] can make life difficult for a Republican legislator should talk to former Sen. Kim Brimer.”
(Austin American Statesman, February 17, 2009)

“[The Lone Star Project] is responsible for the aggressive stance the party has taken toward DeLay and other Lone Star State Republicans since the 2004 election.”
(The Washington Post, March 6, 2006)

"David Dewhurst has said most Texans don't have much sympathy "for someone who that can't fill out a two page [health insurance] application every six months".

The Democrat-supported Lone Star Project in Washington reported this week that Dewhurst failed to file necessary forms at least six times in recent years.
(San Antonio Expres News,, 4/12/2007)

"The Justice staff memo was obtained by the Lone Star Project ...The story broke the same day the U.S. Supreme Court was considering legal challenges to the plan brought by Democrats and minority groups."
(Houston Chronicle, 12/3/2005)

Pete Sessions Subject of DOJ Bribery Investigation Request Lone Star Project Forecast Proves Accurate As the Lone Star Project predicted in January, questionable official actions by Congressman Pete Sessions are now the subject of a formal request for investigation by the U.S. Justice Department. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), a highly respected nonpartisan ethics watchdog organization, has filed a request for a formal investigation with Attorney General Alberto Gonzales that details official actions taken by Pete Sessions that appear to be in exchange for contributions to his congressional reelection campaign account and his leadership PAC. In its letter to the Attorney General, CREW states, “Rep. Sessions’ contacts with entities tied to convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff and official actions he has taken on behalf of those entities raise serious issues of potential criminal activity and undermine the credibility of Rep. Sessions’ office and the U.S. House of Representatives.” (read the CREW Press Release) After disclosing Sessions’ activities to assist the Malaysian government and lobbyists affiliated with convicted felon Jack Abramoff, the Lone Star Project predicted earlier this year that Sessions’ actions would be called into question. The Lone Star Project report led to several major press stories about the growing scandal. The principle concerns of the Lone Star Project were included in the CREW complaint. (Read the Original LSP Report)  Pete Sessions with John Mullen, Promia CEO and Ms. Linda Whittington, Navy SBIR New Evidence Shows More Improper Relationships The CREW complaint includes a newer and perhaps more damaging complaint involving Sessions promoting a multimillion dollar appropriation for a California defense contractor, Promia Inc., in exchange for tens of thousands of dollars of donations to his reelection campaign and leadership PAC.  Sessions actions on behalf of Promia Inc. and the corporation’s assistance to Sessions bear all the markings of an illegal “quid pro quo.” Sessions Assistance to California Defense Contractor Arranged by a Former Staffer and Convicted Felon Sessions contact with Promia Inc. was arranged by former Sessions’ staffer Adrian Plesha. The CREW complaint reveals that Plesha is a convicted felon who most recently pled guilty to felony perjury charges. Detailing the contributions Sessions received in exchange for his official actions, the CREW complaint states: Rep. Sessions has advocated publicly for Promia and the nearly $800,000 Navy research and development contract the company was awarded in May 2000… Rep. Sessions received contributions of $1,000 each -- the maximum allowed by law -- from eight Promia executives for his re-election campaign. Promia executives contributed more to Rep. Sessions’ campaign than to any other candidate in that election cycle… In total, Promia and its executives have contributed nearly $55,000 to Rep. Sessions and his PAC since 2000 -- by far the largest contribution Promia has made to any Member of Congress.” Read the CREW letter to Alberto Gonzalez Read the CREW press release See the CREW complaint exhibits Read the original Lone Star Project Report

Lessons from Tom DeLay - How to Rig A Texas Election Chapter 1:  Avoiding a Special Election and Hand Picking Your Candidate Situation You are a powerful but controversial incumbent politician who is embroiled in a bribery scandal and under indictment for money laundering.  You must resign your seat to avoid an embarrassing defeat at the polls and to use your campaign funds to pay legal fees.  However, you want to retain influence in order to hand pick a successor beholden to you.  Follow the simple steps below. Step 1 Remain a candidate until after your party primary has passed.  If necessary, make bold statements declaring that you will win the race.  This will protect your tough guy image and most importantly keeps campaign contributors on the hook and giving as long as possible. "I plan to run a very vigorous campaign, and I plan to win it," he [DeLay] said.  (Source: The Associated Press -  March 4, 2006).  Step 2 Soon after the primary, announce that you are not going to run after all.  This is tricky.  You need to announce quickly following the primary, so you can protect as much campaign cash as possible for your legal bills.  Don’t announce too soon though, because you don’t want to trigger a special election on May 13, a statutory election day in Texas. (Source: Texas Election Code § 41.001)  An announcement during the first week of April is just about right.  See Steps 3 through 7 or in PDF Tom DeLay: A Bully Takes a Coward’s Exit Lone Star Project Sorts through Texas Election Code Regarding DeLay Replacement “It's just so contrary to what Texas is all about, to turn tail and run and not fight for what you believe in.”-Tom DeLay, (El Paso Times, May 14, 2003) in a now ironic comment criticizing Texas House members who broke quorum to block his redistricting scheme. Tom DeLay will apparently leave Congress in the same shameful way he exercised power, acting like a bully who is above the law and a coward who wants to rig one last election. DeLay will leave the State of Texas bitterly divided along partisan lines, led by corrupt leaders like House Speaker Tom Craddick and Governor Rick Perry. From Sam Rayburn to George W. Bush, Texans crossed party lines to do what was best for our state and its people. First in Washington and then in Austin, Tom DeLay destroyed traditional bipartisanship and now leaves Texas in worse shape than he found it. As a result of DeLay’s corrupt redistricting scheme and the ethics scandal that surrounds him, Texas lost almost 100 years of seniority and high leadership positions in both parties. Now, rather than face the judgment of the voters in a race against an accomplished and ethical opponent, Tom DeLay has decided to “turn tail and run.” Replacing a resigning Member of Congress is not a straightforward task.  Read the Full Lone Star Project release in HTML or in a PDF

Baseline Analysis of Texas Governor's Race Strayhorn’s Task Harder and Bell’s Chances Better than Assumed The unusual multi-candidate gubernatorial field in Texas has created an environment that may defy current conventional wisdom.  Particularly, early observers may be overestimating the ability of Carole Strayhorn to garner a plurality of support in a potential four candidate field without the base of support that a party nomination provides.  Conversely, although Chris Bell has raised relatively little money to date, he won the Democratic primary easily and has a voting record and political history virtually all Democrats, and some true independents, can embrace. An analysis of the four-candidate field, based on projected voter turnout in 2006, shows that in order to compete and win, Strayhorn would have to run a campaign that simultaneously cuts deeply into the expected Republican vote that would otherwise go to Rick Perry AND cut significantly into the expected Democratic vote that would otherwise go to Bell.  Gaining a little from both won’t work, and cutting deeply into one, but not the other, falls short as well.  The Lone Star Project developed a model to help forecast the election results for Texas Governor.  An explanation of the model and the Lone Star Project’s conclusions are offered below.  However, you can use the model to develop your own forecast online at the Lone Star Project Vote Simulator. Read the rest of full release or in PDF

The Lone Star Project is an activity of the Lone Star Fund.

Contributions to this committee are not tax deductible.  Federal law requires political committees to use our best efforts to report the name, mailing address, occupation and name of employer for each individual whose contributions exceed $200 in a calendar year.  The Lone Star Fund accepts federal contributions from individuals, partnerships, and other federal political committee of up to $5,000 per calendar year.