Despite not running for re-election himself, disgraced Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen is staying in the political game—and using his campaign war chest to help fund colleagues in the Texas legislature.
After an audio recording revealed Bonnen, along with State Rep. Dustin Burrows (R–Lubbock), attempted to offer media credentials to Empower Texans CEO Michael Quinn Sullivan in exchange for the political targeting of certain Republican House members, Bonnen was forced to announce he would not seek re-election in October of last year.
According to statements released to The Texas Tribune, Bonnen’s newly formed political action committee, Texas Leads, donated $15,000 each to State Reps. Briscoe Cain (R–Deer Park), Dan Flynn (R–Van), Jared Patterson (R–Frisco), Chris Paddie (R–Marshall), Geanie Morrison (R–Victoria), Dennis Paul (R–Houston), and Phil Stephenson (R–Wharton).
Stephenson, notably, was on the list of lawmakers that Bonnen was caught seeking to have removed from the Texas House.
Of these members, Cain and Patterson also accepted money from Burrows, Bonnen’s accomplice in the backroom offer.
