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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsLinebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson -- scam TX debt collector.
This is the second time in a few months that a family member has received a threatening letter from a law firm demanding they pay up on a toll fee or other traffic violation -- in states they have not driven in nor even visited. When I went online to find more about the law firm that sent the latest letter (Linebarger, Goggan, Blair & Sampson) I discovered this article on CNN about how the firm pays HUGE amounts of money to politicians. They own Texas.
Anyone else have experience with this law firm, or this type of scam?
Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson has countless politicians -- from school board members to state lawmakers -- on its side. It takes them to fancy dinners and spends millions on their campaigns. It even puts current elected officials on its payroll.
These connections have paid off big time. For decades, the firm has beat out the competition, gotten some state and federal laws changed in its favor and landed lucrative contracts nationwide -- making it one of the favorite debt collectors for state and local governments across the country.
And nowhere is its political pull greater than in its home state of Texas. It all started here, when 1980s legislation paved the way for local governments to hire private attorneys like Linebarger to collect unpaid taxes and hit debtors with big fees. This sparked such a boom in the industry that it even led a group of former partners to name a hunting ranch after that part of the state tax code -- dubbing it 3348 Ranch.
http://money.cnn.com/interactive/pf/debt-collector/texas-politics/
Them make a formal complaint to their local Attorney General's office. I know for a fact that the Consumer Affairs division can put a stop to it. Also, the more complaints there are, the more likely that the state will take action. I see a lot of this in my job.
misterhighwasted
(9,148 posts)Its how corrupt the whole Tx govt is.
Since the Bush Fam took over the Statehouse yrs ago,the place has been a revolving door of crony corruption.
Here's Tx Att Gen Paxton:
https://www.texastribune.org/2016/04/11/sec-charges-paxton-securities-fraud/
SEC Charges Ken Paxton With Securities Fraud
by Patrick Svitek and Morgan Smith April 11, 2016
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has been charged in federal court with allegedly misleading investors in a technology company.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed the charges Monday in a Sherman-based court. They are similar to the allegations Paxton faces in a pending indictment handed up by a Collin County grand jury last year.
People recruiting investors have a legal obligation to disclose any compensation they are receiving to promote a stock, and we allege that Paxton and White concealed the compensation they were receiving for touting Servergys product," Shamoil T. Shipchandler, director of the SECs Fort Worth regional office, said in a news release on the complaint.
Paxton has pleaded not guilty to the three felony counts he faces in the criminal case.
More..
I haven't followed up on the outcome but I'm betting he was or will be absolved of his charges.
Just because of his friends bought & paid for by the money changers he was asked to serve.
Tx govt is one big criminal enterprise.
They suck.