The motive behind Swift Boat ad man Bob Perry's political donations
Those who follow Texas politics might call Houston homebuilder Bob Perry a modern day kingmaker. Although Perry skips pomp, circumstance and much of the flashy nonsense associated with kingmakers past and present, he is a formidable force in the Lone Star State and is fast becoming one in states across the union...But Ahmed says she thinks the busloads of elderly lobbyist were in fact brought in, fed breakfast and along the way, educated by pro-business coaches about so-called frivolous lawsuits, in what Ahmed believes was smoke and mirrors politics move that was meant to promote tort reform specifically favorable to home builders and developers. Ahmed says the Austin tort reform blitz was organized by the group Texas For Lawsuit Reform (TLR), run by Richard Weekly. Richard Weekly is the brother of homebuilder/developer David Weekly. She and others say that Tort reform efforts in Texas were bankrolled directly and through political donations by David Weekly and Houston developer and Republican money man, Bob Perry.

The Long Goodbye
In 2003, after spreading around $9 million in campaign contributions, the powerful home builders’ lobby got the Legislature to agree with its contention that implied warranties were too darn vague and that the lawsuits they produced were too damaging to the industry. Instead, it asked lawmakers to create a new state agency to protect builders from legal retribution. It was one of the most blatant power plays in recent years, made possible by an anti-lawsuit fervor that swept through the new Republican-controlled Legislature and by the influence of two politically active builders: the biggest individual contributor, Bob Perry (no relation to Governor Rick Perry but lots of political ties), and the co-founder of Texans for Lawsuit Reform, Dick Weekley.

The motive behind Swift Boat ad man Bob Perry's political donations
Those who follow Texas politics might call Houston homebuilder Bob Perry a modern day kingmaker. Although Perry skips pomp, circumstance and much of the flashy nonsense associated with kingmakers past and present, he is a formidable force in the Lone Star State and is fast becoming one in states across the union...But Ahmed says she thinks the busloads of elderly lobbyist were in fact brought in, fed breakfast and along the way, educated by pro-business coaches about so-called frivolous lawsuits, in what Ahmed believes was smoke and mirrors politics move that was meant to promote tort reform specifically favorable to home builders and developers. Ahmed says the Austin tort reform blitz was organized by the group Texas For Lawsuit Reform (TLR), run by Richard Weekly. Richard Weekly is the brother of homebuilder/developer David Weekly. She and others say that Tort reform efforts in Texas were bankrolled directly and through political donations by David Weekly and Houston developer and Republican money man, Bob Perry.

Texan's donation buys last-minute anti-Tester ads
In three days beginning last Friday, a Virginia group calling itself Americans for Honesty on Issues, took a $1 million donation from a single Texas donor and spent $369,778 of it to produce and run one television ad in Montana against Democratic candidate Jon Tester...It is also unclear where the group is headquartered. Federal records show Americans for Honesty on Issues lists an Alexandria, Va., address - the same address Walden lists on the paperwork. However, Walden's business - Walden & Associates - has a Houston telephone number.

Outsiders spend big on Senate race here
Everyone wants to tell Tennesseans how to vote in the U.S. Senate race between Democratic Rep. Harold Ford Jr. and Republican Bob Corker... VoteVets falls into this category, as does the Free Enterprise Fund Committee, primarily funded by Bob Perry, a Houston homebuilder who financed the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth ads attacking Sen. John Kerry during his presidential bid. The group paid $108,068 for a television ad accusing Ford of "living it up on campaign cash but pushing higher taxes for Tennessee families."

CREW Files IRS Complaint Against Americans for Honesty on Issues; 527 Organization Fails to File Mandatory Reports With IRS
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) filed an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) complaint against Americans for Honesty on Issues (AFHOI), a registered 527 organization, for failing to report contributions and expenditures as required by federal law... AFHOI filed as a 527 political organization in August 2006, and has subsequently raised over $3 million from its sole donor, Bob Perry. Perry previously gave $95,000 to former Majority Leader Tom DeLay's Americans for a Republican Majority (ARMPAC) and he contributed $200,000 to Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.

Ads slamming Hooley duck details of votes
The ads: Several mailings by the Economic Freedom Fund claim U.S. Rep. Darlene Hooley voted against legislation to properly equip U.S. troops and crack down on terrorists...The truth: Hooley is endorsed by the Veterans of Foreign Wars political action committee and has worked to make sure U.S. combat troops are adequately equipped and that military veterans receive proper care....The California-based Economic Freedom Fund, which paid for the mailings, is financed by Texas millionaire homebuilder Bob Perry, a political ally of President Bush. The organization targeted Democratic Congressional candidates in Georgia, Iowa and West Virginia with similar fliers.

The power of Bob Perry's 'Swift-Boating' money
This electoral season Perry has already contributed at least $8 million to a host of Republican congressional candidates around the country. A Los Angeles Times article dated August 15, 2004, pointed out the Perry guarded his privacy, lived fairly modestly considering his wealth, and willingly donated huge sums of money to the Republican Party. Interestingly enough, although he has given millions to many political candidates "the vast majority of those people have never laid eyes on him," Court Koenning, executive director of the Republican Party in Harris County, told the Los Angeles Times.

Mowery says she will amend reports
State Rep. Anna Mowery said Thursday that she will amend her campaign finance filings after a Fort Worth resident filed a state ethics complaint saying information was missing about some of her largest donors.The Texas Election Code requires that contributions of $500 or more from individuals include the donor's occupation and the full name of the donor's employer. The complaint says Mowery, a Fort Worth Republican seeking a 10th term, did not provide that information for more than a dozen contributions, including a $10,000 donation from Houston home builder Bob Perry.

Builder's $8 million tops GOP donor list
Perry has given $2 million to Americans for Honesty on Issues, a new group that is buying television ads aimed at helping Republicans facing tight House races in Iowa, Colorado, Indiana, Arizona, North Carolina, Kentucky and New Mexico, according to the group's latest report to the Federal Election Commission... Earlier this election cycle, Perry contributed $5 million to the Economic Freedom Fund, which targeted Democratic congressional candidates in competitive races in Georgia, Indiana, Iowa and West Virginia.