Texas Scorecard By Tony McDonald April 22, 2020
Reporter cut off while attempting to ask question regarding the appointment of lobbyist Mike Toomey.n response to calls for him to lift government restrictions he has imposed on Texas businesses, Gov. Greg Abbott has appointed a “Strike Force to Open Texas†to study the issue and make recommendations. But his appointment of a lobbyist to serve as chief operating officer of the strike force has drawn questions from Texans concerned about conflicts of interests.
Abbott appointed taxpayer-funded lobbyist Mike Toomey to serve as the COO of the strike force. As a partner of Texas Lobby Group, Toomey earns upwards of 3 million dollars per year lobbying on behalf of more than two dozen clients, including Walmart, pharmaceutical giant Merck, and local governments like the cities of Houston and San Antonio.
According to his website, Toomey has taken a “leave of absence†from Texas Lobby Group, deregistered as a lobbyist, and has assigned his clients to his partner, Lara Keel. However, it appears that Toomey maintains a financial interest in the firm and expects to return to his private-sector lobbying gig when his work on the strike force is complete.
More:
https://texasscorecard.com/state/abbott-appointment-of-taxpayer-funded-lobbyist-to-strike-force-raises-ethics-questions/
