Back to Basics?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 24, 2010


Democrat PAC Advertising in Violation of Ethics Rules

AUSTIN, TX - An attack ad which premieres today on KVUE TV is being
run in violation of the Texas Ethics Code. Back to Basics PAC is a
newly established PAC primarily funded by a single large donor to
oppose Governor Rick Perry's reelection campaign. Apparently the
basics they want to get back to do not include a basic adherence to
Texas ethics rules.

Under the elections code of the Texas Ethics Commission a PAC must
wait for 60 days from the time of its establishment and have at least
10 contributors before running any advertisements. Back to Basics was
created with a single $250,000 contribution from wealthy trial lawyer
Steve Mostyn on May 19th and is now running its first ads only 37 days
later. It plans to expand this campaign from Austin into the Houston
and Dallas areas, though whether that will be done in violation of the
ethics rules is not clear.

Under TEC regulations the PAC may be fined and its treasurer, Dallon
James, is guilty of a Class A misdemenor and could be jailed as a
result.

The Travis County Republican Party has filed a complaint with the
Texas Ethics Commission and hopes that the Back to Basics PAC will
decide to play by the rules before the TEC has to take action against
them. TCRP Chair Rosemary Edwards observed that "The smears and cheap
shots featured in their advertisement are Democrat politics-as-usual,
but actual violations of the ethics code are unacceptable and
illegal."

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