Group may have funneled Perry aid

Jan. 18, 2007, 12:12AM
Group may have funneled Perry aid
Builder denies he back-doored $1 million to the governor's bid for re-election

By R.G. RATCLIFFE
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle Austin Bureau

AUSTIN — As much as $1 million from controversial Houston homebuilder Bob Perry appears to have flowed into Gov. Rick Perry's re-election campaign last year indirectly through the Republican Governors Association Political Action Committee.

Bob Perry could have legally donated an unlimited amount of money to the governor's campaign. But campaign reform activists say he may have preferred to pass it through a committee to hide the source of the funds for political reasons.

Gov. Perry was not the only GOP candidate financially supported by the RGA last year, but the timing of two of Bob Perry's donations to the RGA leaves the impression that it was a back-door donation to the governor.

In one instance, a $500,000 RGA donation was made to Gov. Perry's campaign one day after the RGA received a like amount of money from Bob Perry.
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http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/politics/4478851.html