Ethics probe sought in voucher fight

Web Posted: 03/03/2006 12:00 AM CST
Peggy Fikac
Chief, Express-News Austin Bureau

AUSTIN — A group that opposes school vouchers asked the Texas Ethics Commission on Thursday to investigate whether two political action committees financed by voucher proponent James Leininger violated campaign finance laws.

The assistant treasurer for one of the PACs, All Children Matter, responded that he might have failed to report a Leininger donation through an oversight but that he is not trying to hide anything.

The treasurer for the other PAC, the Texas Republican Legislative Campaign Committee, didn't return a call from the Express-News.

Leininger, a retired physician and businessman from San Antonio, didn't respond to a request for comment.

The ethics complaint was filed by Kathy Miller, president of the Texas Freedom Network, which describes itself as a nonpartisan group promoting public education, religious freedom and individual liberties.

The network has tracked spending by Leininger, noting he has contributed more than $2.3 million to three political action committees so far this election, as he continues his effort to elect candidates who will back taxpayer financed vouchers for private school tuition.

"One man is spending mountains of money to buy a Legislature that will agree to siphon money from neighborhood public schools to pay for private school vouchers," Miller said in a statement. "Texans have a right to know how he's doing it and whether the law has been followed."

The complaint regarding the Texas Republican Legislative Campaign Committee asks whether the PAC violated a law that requires committees to have 10 contributors before making a donation.

The PAC's reports show it got more than $1.8 million from Leininger, $100 from a Midland man and $225 that wasn't itemized. The $225 would have come from at least eight people to meet the standard.

The complaint about All Children Matter notes that it reported giving an in-kind contribution of $54,360 for polling data to another PAC, the Future of Texas Alliance, after previously reporting that it only had $2,168.95 cash on hand. It said the discrepancy suggests the PAC received money without meeting reporting requirements.

Jimmy Evans, assistant treasurer, said Leininger sent a check to cover the cost of the poll and if it hasn't been reported, it was an unintentional error.

"If I didn't carry it over and report the contribution, it was just a dumb, innocent mistake," Evans said.

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