Watchdog groups criticize Texas Speaker (lavish tax-paid apartment)

AUSTIN, Texas - Texas House Speaker Tom Craddick has a taxpayer-provided apartment right inside the state's domed Capitol, the nation's only residence in any statehouse. And he's not exactly scouring bargain basements to fix it up.

Lobbyists, business owners and a corporate foundation are among about 40 donors who have contributed more than $1 million to renovate the 2,000-square-foot apartment behind the House chamber.

In a letter to potential donors, Craddick and his wife, Nadine, say the renovation is a "gift to all Texans" that will let the speaker's residence "reflect the same attention to detail that is seen throughout the Capitol."

But watchdog groups say people and businesses that could benefit from future legislation should not pay to spruce up the taxpayer-provided home of the man who controls the destiny of proposed state laws.
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The residence is not included in the public Capitol tour and only invited guests may enter, said DeLee, who declined to say how much time the Craddicks spend at the apartment. The Legislature meets every other year for 140 days, although there have been a number of 30-day special sessions in recent years.

Holding a Texas legislative post is a part-time job that pays a stipend of $7,200 a year, and most legislators hold other jobs. Craddick, a Republican who was first elected to the Texas House in 1968 at age 25, sells the special kind of mud that companies need to drill for oil and also owns two companies that invest in oil and gas properties and real estate.
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"I really don't care what his apartment looks like," Easley said. "I would hope that it's modestly furnished. It's not meant to be his residence."
More: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060714/ap_on_re_us/statehouse_apartment

...geez, do the GOP ever stop with the corruption?

Many a person has to eek out an actual living on such a stipend and they don't have buddies,lobbyists etc to help them refurbish the place! Why are we always supposed to feel sorry for them when they seem to think they have so little to live on while the rest of us seem to have so much???