An incumbent Republican lawmaker is being accused of working for a lobbying firm while holding office.
State Rep. Stan Gerdes (R–Smithville) was elected in 2022 in a 5-way open race. Tom Glass, a longtime activist and ExxonMobil retiree who also ran in 2022, is currently in a head-to-head battle in the upcoming primary against Gerdes.
Now Glass is shining light on Gerdes’ employer.
In August of 2023, Gerdes was hired by Hance Scarborough LLP, a law group that engages in lobbying.
Gerdes—who is not a lawyer—has the title “Legislative Consultant.” His listing on the firm’s website focuses on his time in Washington D.C. as a senior advisor to then Energy Secretary Rick Perry, as well as his current appointment to the national energy council.
“Hance Scarborough’s legal and government relations teams and clients are greatly enhanced by Stan’s leadership, knowledge and experience regarding both state and federal energy and critical infrastructure policies, issues, and energy-related existing and prospective legislative and agency directives and initiatives,” the biography reads.
The firm’s clients include numerous taxing entities.
With early voting beginning on Tuesday, Glass says the revelation reveals a deeper problem with the Austin swamp.
“The theme of my campaign has been that Stan Gerdes, the incumbent I challenge in the GOP primary that starts February 20, was installed and is controlled by the Austin swamp,” said Glass. “But this news which we just learned tells us more than that. Gerdes IS the swamp!”
“To defeat the war on Texas and everything we hold dear by D.C. and globalists, we must drain the Austin Swamp. When you have an occupied D.C., the Texas government is the next line of defense of Texans against the assault on everything Texans hold dear is Texas government, but the Texas House is the weak link in that defense,” he added.
As of publishing, Gerdes has not responded to a request for comment.
