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The debt collector that runs Texas

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Bigun:
The debt collector that runs Texas

By Blake Ellis and Melanie Hicken

Over the course of a few months, a debt collector you’ve probably never heard of spends more money wooing politicians than most Americans earn in a year.

Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson has countless politicians -- from school board members to state lawmakers -- on its side. It takes them to fancy dinners and spends millions on their campaigns. It even puts current elected officials on its payroll.

These connections have paid off big time. For decades, the firm has beat out the competition, gotten some state and federal laws changed in its favor and landed lucrative contracts nationwide -- making it one of the favorite debt collectors for state and local governments across the country.

And nowhere is its political pull greater than in its home state of Texas. It all started here, when 1980s legislation paved the way for local governments to hire private attorneys like Linebarger to collect unpaid taxes and hit debtors with big fees. This sparked such a boom in the industry that it even led a group of former partners to name a hunting ranch after that part of the state tax code -- dubbing it 3348 Ranch...

Headline is link to full story.

Bigun:
Or who do your elected officials REALLY work for?

Bigun:
@Sanguine @thackney

Sanguine:
Thanks, @Bigun.  Reading it now.

Absalom:
Certainly the left has countless frauds and liars who parrot it's nostrums.
As well, the right has plenty of grifters and hustlers whose one and only
propose in life is to fatten their wallets.

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