9/19/2007

Melinda Wheatley, One of the Most Wanted Lobbyists in Texas Gets Nabbed.

TOLL ROAD LOBBYIST
VIOLATED STATE LAW AND
MUST PAY FINE, SAYS COMMISSION.


One of the Most Wanted Delinquent Lobbyists
in
the State of Texas signs Commission Order.

AUSTIN - The Texas Ethics Commission (TEC) has determined that toll road lobbyist Melinda Wheatley violated Texas law and must pay a $10,000 civil penalty. Wheatley failed to file dozens of financial reports describing her lobbyist activities over many years, according to TEC records. The order also states that Wheatley failed to pay the Office of the Attorney General for a default judgment for delinquent reports stretching back into the 90’s.

For years, Wheatley has been listed as one of the most delinquent filers in the State of Texas on the TEC website.

Melinda Wheatley is also a known associate of State Rep. Mike Krusee, the chair of the House Transportation committee. Wheatley and Krusee began working on education issues together in the late 90s. In 2003, when Krusee shifted gears to transportation and became the Chair of the House Transportation Committee, Wheatley also made the shift and began to lobby on transportation issues.

TransCore, one of Wheatley's transportation clients, landed a multi million dollar contract in 2005 to produce 500,000 TxTAG's for TxDOT toll roads. According to the Comptroller report, "A Need for a Higher Standard", Wheatley also received NO BID contracts from the local tolling authority, the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA).

Sal Costello, TexasTollParty.com founder, said, "It's a good day when the most wanted lobbyist in the state, who has been hiding her toll road lobbying activities, is found to have violated Texas law. But we need to be aware that there are still way too many toll road profiteers lurking in the shadows."

The TEC order was signed by Melinda Wheatley on September 10th, 2007.

Download and read the TEC order here: http://www.ethics.state.tx.us/sworncomp/2006/2606164.pdf

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Big deal! If you or I violated Texas law, we'd be serving time in prison.

Just another incident of many where the wealthy follow a different set of guidelines and laws than the rest of us.

Until the law gives violators REAL punishment for their offenses against the public good, the state encourages further abuse.

And until the voters "step-up to the plate" to demand positive changes, the vermin will continue to proliferate.

PS

Anonymous said...

She sure looks bad when you read the Commission report. She has had fines and judgments against her since 1997 when she first started! When she finally does file her reports (after a complaint), she "accidentally" checks the wrong box for income. The 2-year statute of limitations expired for many of these charges and the Commission couldn't even rule. She's either a slime-bag trying to hide her income or she's incredibly irresponsible. I'm glad she got busted. She should be barred from lobbying our legislators.