TX19: Starr-backing PAC spent big on “legal services”, reimbursed Lubbock’s Fred Underwood $5375

Robert Pratt

The Federal Political Action Committee formed by Congressman Randy Neugebauer’s former district director, Mitch Barnett, to back Michael Bob Starr for Congress in TX19’s GOP Primary has filed its FEC termination report containing some interesting figures.

On this report alone, the PAC reported spending over 10,000 of its donors’ dollars on legal services with a Washington, DC K-street firm. It also spent over $2000 on “accounting services” with an Austin firm. Interestingly the PAC couldn’t seem to find legal and accounting services in Abilene or in the District. (It used an East Texas media firm too for website design despite tons of firms in TX19 who could have done the work.)

I’ve registered, run and terminated an active Federal PAC before and didn’t spend even one cent on legal or accounting services as it is all quite simple.  I guess this is another example of how non-conservative with other people’s money the “Conservative Texans” group was.

The report also contains a list of returned contributions refunding $375 each to a short list of donors with the exception of Lubbock’s Fred Underwood. The moderate GOP money-man had the $375 returned to him like everyone else as well as another refund of $5000.

The PAC was a lot like the candidate it backed: Not really of the people of Texas 19, for the people of Texas 19, or by the people of Texas 19.