Williamson County ‘Lobbygate’ scores one for citizen journalists, online activists (TX)

July 16, 2011
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Estate of Denial™ readers know that we are strong advocates for grassroots activism and aggressive use of today’s online tools.  In late 2010, a news story broke about the filing of a federal lawsuit against Williamson County (Texas) due to sexual harassment and other allegations of misconduct on the part of former Court at Law No. 3 Judge Don Higginbotham.  Our attention was peaked as Williamson County is a neighboring county in which we own property (and are therefore pay taxes) and also because Higginbotham’s areas of responsibility included probate cases.  Williamson County lawsuit suggests county not so “safe” for all was our first piece commenting on appearances of serious impropriety that we have come to view as an ongoing pattern which helps define the county government’s culture.

A new scandal – or at least another highly questionable pattern of activity – has surfaced.  We bring this up to once again illustrate how localized community activists’ use of online platforms can be effectively used to highlight an issue or a problem.  Here’s how we characterized this effort on the Americans for Prosperity national and state blogs.

Wilco taxpayer-funded lobbying controversy broken by blogs, online journalism

Last week The Williamson County Employees Association Blogspot (http://blog.wilcoea.org/) brought to light an eye-opening situation in Commissioner Valerie Covey and the breaking “Lobbygate” scandal
(http://blog.wilcoea.org/2011/07/05/commissioner-val-coveys-secret-spendi…).

The original four-part series told of Williamson County Commissioners’ hiring of an Austin law firm to “perform ‘legislative initiatives,’ another name for lobbying.” A next release outlined “Lobbygate” What we know and what’s to come. (http://blog.wilcoea.org/2011/07/10/summary-of-lobbygate-and-whats-to-com…) with subsequent postings providing updates on new information, responses and additional media coverage.

Wilco taxpayers were unaware of their six-figure expenditure and would likely have remained so were it not for this initial reportage that is now being picked up by other blogs and online journalists. In How much can Williamson County taxpayers afford? (http://www.examiner.com/legal-news-in-austin/how-much-can-williamson-cou…), AFP Foundation Policy Advisor Lou Ann Anderson detailed the story along with commentary based upon the Williamson County Commissioners Court ongoing pattern of conduct.

Metareasonable.com (http://gismedia.com/metareasonable/) has since posted a series of Smith, Robertson, Elliott, Glen, Klein & Douglas L.L.P. invoices highlighting legitimate questions regarding the work performed, billing irregularities and the lack of transparency associated with this activity. Ramparts360 also picked up Anderson’s story adding an appropriate The tangled – and expensive – web they weave (http://ramparts360.com/2011/07/the-tangled-and-expensive-web-they-weave/) headline.

The traditional media is now taking interest in this story. Additional press engagement is not only welcomed, but encouraged. But meanwhile, let’s not forget that citizen activists broke and developed this story illustrating that power in today’s journalistic environment is as much about fact gathering, credible presentation and accessible forums as it is about official credentials from an establishment media agency.

In fact, the story is already moving into the mainstream media dialogues as evidenced by comments posted to an Austin American-Statesman article entitled Fish and Wildlife could list salamander by 2013, leading to development consequences (http://www.statesman.com/news/local/fish-and-wildlife-could-list-salaman…). Environmental issues potentially slowing road projects appear the crux of Wilco officials pursuing their lobbying efforts. Comments on this AAS story tie the Wilco Commissioners’ lobbying to the impending Environmental Species Act (ESA) changes referenced. (We at AFP believe the ESA and FWS are too heavy-handed on the regulation and light on the science.)

As interest in this issue has grown, the Williamson County Employees Association posted this statement on its blog:

“If the legislation was so flawed and cost the county taxpayers millions as Commissioner Lisa Birkman and Valerie Covey say, then why pay hired guns hundreds of thousands of dollars to lobby legislators? If it was so flawed, then why couldn’t a government group such as a respectable commissioner’s court, with the backing of the Texas Association of Counties and the Texas Conference of Urban Counties visit with lawmakers themselves, point out the flaws, and “fix” the problem? Austin is a 30 minute drive from Georgetown. Any self respecting lawmaker would jump at the idea to save tax dollars and improve flawed legislation. We elect and pay our officials to represent us on a local, state and federal level. We should not be saddled with the added expense of tax payer funded lobbyists. That is the job of those we elect.”

We at AFP agree totally and have a long record of opposing taxpayer-funded lobbying. It’s an issue the legislature needs to get serious about!

Here’s the link to the Wilco EA blog talking about AFP’s following the Lobbygate story. http://blog.wilcoea.org/2011/07/14/lobbygate-national-group-americans-fo… We appreciate the “shout out” and are grateful for the citizen journalists out there!

Blogs and online activists were first-in with this story, no doubt they’ll also be last-out.

We recognize the frustration felt by many probate reform activists when traditional media sources seem less than interested regarding this issue for which many of us have a passion.  This story is posted to hopefully help encourage additional thought in how to define and craft your own specific area of interest such that it can be developed into a marketable and promotable issue.

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  • Taxpayer Watchdog

    Don’t get too cozy with the Williamson County Employees Association Union. They are constantly lobbying to increase taxes on the residents of the county so that they can have annual raises and some really cushy benefits. They are no friend to the taxpayer and have their own political agenda.

  • admin

    Thanks for the input. I’m well aware of your perspective and have no problem presenting alternative views to the EoD audience. As many of the site’s readers have extensive exposure to county governments – especially via their probate experiences – I have every confidence in these folks’ ability to assess information and form their own opinions.

    Sorry for the delay in approving this comment. I’ve been out of town and am now working through the backlog.

  • http://blog.wilcoea.org Williamson County Employees Association

    I’ll repeat this here for the Tax Watchdog to chew on. For the record, the WCEA has not asked for a raise this year. We have not asked for anything that would cost the taxpayers anything additional. Not a dime. We understand our nation is in a financial crisis. We have not asked for anything other than our county leaders to act in a transparent manner and not spend taxpayer dollars like drunken sailors. I am a fiscal conservative, not a blind follower of those who portray to be one thing in party name and conduct business as just the opposite. Unlike you ma’am, I don’t believe in the 11th commandment. I put principal above party. I don’t believe in going along to get along. THAT is what is wrong with our nation’s leaders on a local, state and national level. I just call em like I see em and let the facts speak for themselves.

    Now, we sit back and watch if Commissioners Covey and Birkman will lobby their good friend Holly Hansen to come back to court again this year, as they did last year, to speak out against county employees. We will see if their good friend launches another assault against county employees, from calling them everything from liberal progressives to union thugs and saying employees we’re undeserving of a 2.0% cola. We will see if their good friend launches the same attacks of name calling against the County Judge who is the one recommending the employer insurance contribution rate be increased from $586.10 to $700.00 and also in favor of a cola.

    Since it is the County Judge recommending these items, not the employees requesting them, we will see if their good friend Holly will continue to fight for her “beliefs” or show her actions last year were nothing more than a political stunt to provide cover for her good friends Commissioners Covey and Birkman. So is I ask, does Judge Dan Gattis have his own political agenda? Is he too not a friend of the taxpayer? After all, he is the one advocating for the employees this year. Is he now a “liberal progressive” and “union boss”?

    Now, let me explain a few things about the folks I advocate for. They are the men and women who proudly serve their community. They are the men and women who put their lives on the line to protect you when you call 911. They are the men and women who dispatch emergency personal when you call 911. They are the men and women who provide you with customer service second to none when you apply for a marriage license, renew your automobile registration, assure the elections process is properly maintained and serve your civil process. They are the men and women who respond and save your life when you have a medical emergency. They are the men and women who assure once criminals are arrested they are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. They are the men and women who assure crime victims are treated fairly and assure they are treated with compassion and dignity. They are the men and women that assure any records you request from civil to criminal are provided to you in an accurate and timely manner. They are the men and women who see that your roadways and other infrastructure are fully maintained. They are the men and women who maintain your parks. They are the men and women who repair and service county equipment and vehicles to assure they are functioning properly. They are the men and women who you call to pick up stray and dangerous animals. They are the men and women who assure criminals are supervised when placed on probation. They are the men and women who sees the county budget is properly prepared for the Commissioners. They are the men and women who assist the judges in our court system. They are the men and women who work evenings and nights, weekends and holidays to assure you are safe. They are the men and women who oversee the county finances and recommend and manage proper accounting. They are the men and women who develop new roadways that you travel. They are the men and women who maintain, repair keep our county departments computer systems operational. They are the men and women who deal with juvenile delinquents. They are the men and women who assist our veterans with the assistance they need. They are the men and women who serve as the custodian of the county finances.

    They are the men and women who serve you. They are the men and women who pay taxes to the community they serve. They are the men and women who vote in the community they serve. They are the men and women who choose to serve you not as a paycheck but out of a desire to serve their community. They are the backbone of your community in which you live. They are the men and women who make Williamson County the safe community in which boast. They are the men and women who each contribute in providing the excellent environment in which you live by providing service that is second to none.

    They are the 1,680 people that make this community safe, strong, efficient and productive. So the next time you call them “whiners” or say they are “undeserving”, “have a hidden political agenda”, “If they don’t like it they can leave” or perhaps “they should be thankful to just have a job”, remember one thing; they are thankful. They are thankful to serve the community in which they live.

    Royger Harris
    President WCEA

  • Gregory Windham

    The lack of transparency and horrendous management of this court is beyond repair with it’s current make-up. The Precinct three commissioner, in particular, has fallen prey to the highway lobby. Her actions clearly indicate she wishes Georgetown and rural, rustic Williamson County to transform into a Pflugerville/Orange County suburbia.
    New leadership will provide a more practical, employee friendly atmosphere where County employees, taxpayers, and residents will all have a voice and an ear to chew. Smart growth policies that provide more infrastructure in Precints One, Two, and four will allow Georgetown, Jarrell, and Florence to remain part of rural Texas and not just another sprawling suburbia.
    The men and women that serve this county deserve a raise now. With businesses shackled by government grid-lock and the fringes of both parties blindly falling over cliffs, our leaders have a responsibility to maintain balance and not run around screaming, “Off with their heads!” like the Queen of Hearts.
    Posting on this blog without the courage to name thyself is the typical trait of a coward that has no business in public office.
    While our county languishes with the third highest serviceable debt in the state (behind only Bexar and Harris Counties) at over 1.3 BILLION dollars, our leaders spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on private attorneys to mute the voice of voters and hire their own personal team of attorneys. Why?
    Because they really don’t no any better. They are not qualified for the job. The destruction that they have created will not be easily remedied. Should they be allowed to continue their reign of debt, we will have mortgaged several generations.
    The commissioners continued reliance on growth is not supported by historical data. Austin’s housing market is predicted to be one of the worst in the nation over the next decade and the peripheries will be the first to go.
    Keep spreading the word…..
    GS Windham
    Rural Williamson County
    Precinct 3

  • Gregory Windham

    “know” any better.. gulp

  • sosad

    The metareasonable site is run by an old, twisted bitter retired pastor that has nothing better to do than attack local government. He focuses on issues that will never be resolved instead of spending his energy on doing something good. He runs with a group of losers in Hutto that cry constantly instead of doing something constructive.

  • admin

    We welcome “sosad” and anyone else to post comments on EoD. It must, however, be said that while these remarks overstep the line of civil, intelligent discourse we would hope to encourage, their posting can be used to make points regarding responsible public policy debate.

    First and obviously, name-calling rather than substantive refutation of points creates a sense that the author has no defensible position and is instead attempting to utilize distraction as a tactic for shifting the conversation. And second, our piece referenced the metareasonable site as having posted invoices from Smith, Robertson, Elliott, Glen, Klein & Douglas L.L.P., invoices which the county appears to have paid with taxpayer funds yet without taxpayer knowledge were it not for citizen journalism activities. The documents speak for themselves regardless the source and any real or perceived motivations.

    “Sosad” perhaps believes the public has no right to see how their tax dollars are being spent – especially when occurring through a series of questionable, non-transparent actions. We strongly disagree, but defend her/his right to an opinion. We also won’t be distracted from the real issues by name calling, however appreciate this type input in helping to provide additional analysis of challenges faced in today’s public policy debates.

    Lou Ann Anderson
    Creator/Online Producer, http://www.EstateofDenial.com
    Policy Advisor, Americans for Prosperity Foundation Texas