the Controversial Committee Report
“We don’t raise sacred cows...we just butcher them.”
The weather in ‘beautiful downtown Irving’ has been rather frightful the past couple weeks. And major storm conditions are again brewing in anticipation of the District 4 run off election.
Pete Delkus, with WFAA, is predicting a dark gloom to hover over ‘beautiful downtown Irving’ due to all the "dark money"1 the "Irving Opportunity Council" will be seeding the clouds with to roust councilman Joe Putnam off the Irving City council.
For those still not paying attention, QueenB VD and her Sugar Daddy cronies have set up a "domestic non-profit corporation" as a means to, among other things, influence the outcome of elections. The group hopes to achieve this feat in District 4 (south Irving) via purchasing large campaign signs, slickly printed fluffy-brochures, robot-calls, letters from members of the group, and the possible personal endorsement of QueenB VD to discredit, demean and disenfranchise councilman Joe Putnam.
"Irving Opportunity Council" will have all the money necessary to accomplish those activities. And if there is one true lesson in politics: Money talks and politicos on the receiving end listen. (Think of Putnam’s opponent as being all ears.)
The only new twist to this adage is "Irving Opportunity Council" will be speaking with "dark money" so voters will not hear how they are attempting to buy an election. Sleazy? You bet!
Staff of the CCR would detail who the contributors to this new political slush fund are, but we can’t. We would also tell you how much each Sugar Daddy, of the queen, has contributed, but we can’t. Why?
See, this is the dark secret behind the dark money of this political sham being foisted on south Irving. All the donors and amounts are hidden from public scrutiny! There is no required accountability to the voting public utilizing this type of group.
And while this political sham is being perpetrated, Putnam’s opponent, who is a retired city employee, "will plead the 5th" and timidly attempt to distance himself from "Irving Opportunity Council."
Putnam's opponent can plead innocent all he wants...even until the dark clouds of dark money rains down on ‘beautiful downtown Irving.’ The fact remains this group is more concerned about achieving political power and ousting Putnam than the individual they are sponsoring. Once the election is over, "Irving Opportunity Council" will, for all practical purposes, own Putnam’s opponent.
Unlike a PAC, which has to list donors and expenses, the "Irving Opportunity Council" owes and has no accountability to the general public or voting public.
From all indications, this is the second phase of this pseudo-political-money-laundering-non-profit-opportunity-council. The first phase was all the money the clandestine group spent in an attempt to re-elect one of the mayor’s co-dependent council members — Tom Spink. Remember all the brochures sent out by "Irving Opportunity Council" during the general election? (Your mail box should just now be recovering from all the stuffing.)
While a majority of the CCR readers may not live in south Irving, this does not mean you cannot play a key role and assist in keeping north Irving money from buying a south Irving City council seat.
Contact any friend, relative, associate or family member who lives in south Irving and alert them to what is transpiring. (Send them a copy of this report.) Call them during early voting or on election day to ensure they go to the polls and vote for Putnam.
Again, voter turnout will be extremely low, so…yes, ever vote will count more than one can imagine.
It is certainly not hyperbola to state south Irving hangs in the balance with this run off election. If the mayor and her "Irving Opportunity Council" buys the District 4 seat, assigned to this portion of the city, the political devastation of the city will linger for three years.
Readers of the CCR reports have already recognized how the mayor and her co-dependent council cronies have divided the city with their divisive resolution for a State matter which had no bearing or impact on Irving…HB 562.
The only way to prevent this dark cloud of political malfeasance from overshadowing ‘beautify downtown Irving’ is to work, vote, and elect Joe Putnam.
Putnam’s re-election will tell political money launders that south Irving is not for sale to the northern monied interest dedicated and contributing to the mayor and her "Irving Opportunity Council" group.
………………………………Mark Holbrook
1 It appears the Texas legislature will not enact legislation this session which would require non-profit corporations, like Irving Opportunity Council, to disclose donors and amounts. The money these non-profits collect is known as "dark money." However, the more politicos can keep the voting public in the dark, the better they can cede to special interest groups, major donors and lobbyist.
Surprised? You shouldn’t be. Politicians created this mess to serve their specific purpose of catering to special interest and will do little or nothing to change or make the activity accountable, in some form or fashion, to the voting public. Of course, the politicos will sing the off-key tune of "donating to campaigns," by whatever sleazy means possible, represents free speech.
Sorry, staff of the CCR doesn’t believe free speech infers buying elections…especially in south Irving.
