Wednesday, February 27, 2008
By David Doerr
Tribune-Herald staff writer
Two state representatives Tuesday sharply criticized Jonathan Sibley, a Waco Republican running for the Texas House of Representatives, after he denied doing “advocacy” work as a lobbyist during the last legislative session.
Rep. Beverly Woolley, chairwoman of the House Calendars Committee, and three-term Rep. Larry Taylor provided the Tribune-Herald with 30 pages of documentation they say is “indisputable” proof of Sibley’s efforts to lobby them in the 2007 legislative session.
Sibley said in Sunday’s Tribune-Herald that he did “research” for the law firm he works for during the last session but did not advocate to lawmakers on behalf of his clients. He seeks to unseat incumbent Charles “Doc” Anderson in next week’s GOP primary election race for Texas House District 56.
“There is no question that Jonathan Sibley is a lobbyist, and no other explanation withstands scrutiny,” Woolley, a Republican, said in a statement. “He lobbied my office on several occasions in 2007, and there was never even a question about it. If Sibley thinks ‘lobbyist’ is a dirty word, I can think of an even worse ‘L’ word that involves misleading the people he wants to represent.”
Sibley didn’t return phone calls from the Tribune-Herald seeking a response Tuesday. His campaign manager said he was busy at campaign events through the evening.
In Sunday’s Tribune-Herald article, Sibley said he served in a “support role” doing research for his law firm, which held the lobby contracts. He said he registered as a lobbyist during the last session “out of an abundance of caution” to be in compliance with state ethics laws.
Sibley, son of lobbyist and former state Sen. David Sibley, has registered as a lobbyist on two separate occasions.
The first time he registered was in 2005, when he worked as an intern in his father’s firm. The second time was in 2007, when he worked for his current employer, Thompson, Coe, Cousins & Irons, L.L.P., a law firm representing insurance companies.
In a previously unpublished comment from the same interview for last Sunday’s Tribune-Herald article, Sibley said the following:
“Honestly, it was more of a support role. That’s why we registered to be overly cautious. If you are researching something for somebody, whatever contact there is, regardless of advocacy, which I don’t believe there was any, I think that is a misconception” to call it lobbying.
Sibley said his primary work for the law firm was representing insurance companies in administrative cases before the Texas Department of Insurance. He said it was a misconception to compare him to lobbyists such as San Antonio businessman Jim Leininger, who has given millions of dollars to lawmakers to create a private-school voucher program in Texas.
But Taylor, a Republican state representative from League City, said he was shocked to read in the Tribune-Herald that Sibley denied working as a lobbyist during the last legislative session. Taylor, who sits on the House Insurance Committee, said Sibley often “camped out in our office.”
“Literally, he was sometimes in my office, and I would have to go to the (House floor), and I would come back hours later and he would be back in my office,” he said. “Before committee meetings he was prepping in there.”
Although Sibley didn’t return phone calls Tuesday, he did issue the following statement:
“After months of dodging questions about his record on issues important to McLennan County, Doc is using his friends to deflect the fact he has received most of his campaign contributions from the Austin lobby during this campaign, including $50,000 from wealthy pro-voucher advocate Jim Leininger, and $10,000 from (Texas Jobs & Opportunity Build a Secure Future Inc. PAC), which is funded by Midland Speaker Tom Craddick who was criticized recently by the Waco Tribune for his dictatorial rule over the Texas House.”
Taylor said there was no question as to Sibley’s lobbying work during the last session.
“In fact, I carried legislation he brought on behalf of his clients to us, we spent hours working with him on it, and he was one of the most frequent visitors in my office,” Taylor said in the statement. “I have no idea why Mr. Sibley would want to mislead the voters in this election, but misleading he is. I don’t appreciate that in a lobbyist and I don’t think the voters of (District) 56 will either.”
In Sunday’s article Anderson questioned why Sibley had not included the work he did when he was a registered lobbyist in his campaign materials. And now that other lawmakers have challenged Sibley’s portrayal of his work history, Anderson said he’s eager to hear his opponent’s explanation.
“I’m sure the folks of McLennan County would want to hear it, also,” Anderson said. “As far as my campaign, we are going forward and going to maintain the high road and get our message out there and stay positive.”
ddoerr@wacotrib.com
757-5755
Comments
By Waco knows
Feb 27, 2008 9:54 PM | Link to this
Have some of you checked out what Doc has done for the Texas Rangers Headquarter here in McLennan County, have you really checked out what he's done for Baylor, have you seen what he did single handed to stop the coal-fired plants with unexceptable emmissions for Waco? Doc didn't stop progress, he haulted the old method of how energy can be produced safely and effectively. Have you seen what Doc has done for his constituents? What about his sponsorship to hault the fast tract of the Trans-Texas Corridor? Hey folks, Doc lives in Waco, not Austin. Doc isn't a politician, he's representing all of us in this district and his duty in Austin is of public service to all of us. Doc isn't bought, he's a conservative. I haven't forgotten what that means. Please separate contributions from special interest groups. And my question is this........are those opposing Doc really conservatives? I want to hear what those that oppose Doc really mean when they want a conservative in Austin. CHANGE? May I suggest another candidate and you'll see what happens. I think that's really hard to vision. This Primary will pick our local candidates and it's up to each of you reading this to decide. I've made my choice, I know I can rest well.
By TO THE EDITOR OF WL HILL IS SILLY
Feb 27, 2008 5:29 PM | Link to this
Easy comments to make when you hide behind an anonymous name. your last comment is correct that most of his funds come from Lobbyist but how about Crocks, I mean Doc's campaign contributions. You think he does not take money from lobbyist to fund his campaign?
There's a great idea, give poor parents money to spend on their kids education I'll hold my breath to see the private schools cash that check. That solution just increases the ignorance level as I see you have displayed quite well!
By C.T.
Feb 27, 2008 4:14 PM | Link to this
Gary, I do believe you have hit the nail on the head..Voting is a little like going into combat, you hope to God you make the right decision...
By WL. HILL IS SILLY
Feb 27, 2008 2:04 PM | Link to this
Doc is Ruining our public schools Take a look at them, record high drop outs. More police officers than counselors.
TEXAS needs to give poor parents the options to get their children out of consistently unacceptable school districts
Yes it does take money out of the local school districts, however their is a great deal of waste and do nothing jobs in most school districts in TEXAS. You have Superintendents making 150k+, for mediocre job performance, that is the problem!!
THROWING MONEY AT SCHOOL DISTRICTS IS NOT THE ANSWER!
Especially when it goes to overpay the administrators and leaves the TEACHERS (Who ACTULLY DO THE EDUCATING) a few crumbs.
Mr. Sibley had my vote until he made this his key issue.
Most of his money $152k has come from one Family Member LOBBYIST!
By Mark
Feb 27, 2008 9:54 AM | Link to this
Billy - I hope you're kidding. If you think Doc is truthful and forthright, you're either naive or just not paying attention. What I got from this article is that Sibley was a junior attorney at a law firm that has lobby contracts. This is clearly Doc retaliating for Sibely questioning his voting record by calling in his buddies from Austin. You think the state reps from League City and Houston read the Waco Tribune Herald every morning? Get serious. Here's how it went down - Sibley questions Doc's record - Doc doesn't want to respond - Doc calls friends to trump up something to criticize Sibley in the media - Sibley has to deal with it - Doc runs and hides until the election. Doc's honest and he's only doing what's best for McLennan County. Yeah, right.
By Doug
Feb 27, 2008 9:37 AM | Link to this
Same ol', same ol' - bully politics in the state of Texas. Nice response Doc. I'm sure you had no idea this was coming. Keep "getting the message out and staying positive". What exactly is that? Because the message I get from this article is that you're willing to use your 'friends' to back door your opponent. You'd like to hear Sibley's explanation? Well, I'm a voter and I'd like to hear your explanation of your record on issues important to McLennan County.
By W.L. Hillis
Feb 27, 2008 9:36 AM | Link to this
It is a shame that Doc Anderson has to swing below the belt and have other lawmakers lie for him. Lets get back on track and discuss voting record. The fact is Doc is in support of vouchers and wants to ruin our public school system. He thinks he did a big favor for Central Texas and prevented coal plants, instead all he did was ensure higher energy prices for all his constituents.
By Waco Billy
Feb 27, 2008 9:32 AM | Link to this
Jonathon Sibley can ***** and moan all he wants about where Doc Anderson's money comes from, but at least Doc tells the truth. It appears from reading this stroy that Jonathon Sibley lied to the reporter who was working on this story and now he has gotten himself caught. Shame on him for misleading voters. He had my vote, but not anymore. We don't need any more liers in Austin.
By Gary
Feb 27, 2008 8:44 AM | Link to this
It came to a point long ago where politicians are POLITICIANS. They all say 'what the people want to hear' in order to get votes, then forget all of their promises as soon as they're elected. For one politician to 'condemn' another is the same as hearing a murderer from Houston claim that a murderer from Dallas is worse. All we can do is pick the lesser of evil, because there is rarely any HONESTY in the entire political scene today, and that people, is VERY SAD!
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