AAS 5/06/08
House Democrats blast Craddick, saying he knew about 'ghost workers'
Some lawmakers named in American-Statesman story are changing their payroll practices amid investigation.

As some Texas House members began changing their payroll practices amid an investigation into allegations of ghost employees, others on Monday criticized House Speaker Tom Craddick and other top officials for "trying to start a bonfire" on a practice they approved.

Craddick aides denied that assertion, in the latest signal that the issue is boiling into a political fight in a House deeply split since a year ago, when Craddick opponents challenged his leadership in a public revolt that has triggered an ongoing campaign to unseat him when the Legislature next meets in 2009.

Another indication: A Democratic-leaning political Web site reported that Craddick pushed legislation in 1997 to provide state health insurance for his lobbyist daughter, even though he has criticized House members for giving benefits to full-time employees who worked less than 40 hours a week. Craddick has previously denied pushing that bill.

Echoing private sentiments of her colleagues, state Rep. Jessica Farrar, D-Houston, blasted Craddick and House Administration Committee Chairman Tony Goolsby for expressing surprise at the allegations.

"This startling revelation by Reps. Goolsby and Craddick is odd," Farrar, the vice chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, said in a letter to all House members. She noted that the offices of both men get copies of internal paperwork on all House members' hires.

Lone Star Project's - Failed Leader Series
Craddick Supports State Health Care Plan - For Daughter

Speaker approved special health care bill to cover well-paid daughter
Embattled Republican House Speaker Tom Craddick is cynically encouraging critical news reports and investigations about Members of the Legislature who compensate some employees by making health care coverage available to them. Last week, Craddick said "If some legislators are paying employees with taxpayer dollars who are performing little or no work, that is an egregious misuse of state money." (Austin American-Statesman, May 02, 2008)


Tom Craddick did not acknowledge, however, that he personally supported and helped pass special legislation providing health care coverage to his adult daughter Christi Craddick, even though Christi makes hundreds of thousands of dollars working for her father’s political operations and provides no service to the State of Texas.

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