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Tuesday, October 09, 2007

Lawsuit to stop TxDOT lobbying hearing Oct. 18th


Next hearing for lawsuit to STOP TxDOT’s illegal lobbying!

In Travis County District Court Thursday, October 18th, Texans Uniting for Reform and Freedom (TURF) will argue against the Texas Department of Transportation’s plea to the jurisdiction before Judge Orlinda Naranjo in a lawsuit seeking an injunction against TxDOT officials to halt their illegal lobbying and taxpayer funded toll road campaign.

Who: Texas taxpayers through TURF
What: Lawsuit seeking injunction to halt TxDOT’s taxpayer-funded illegal lobbying activities
When: Thursday, October 18th @ 9 a.m.
Where: Travis County District Court before Judge Orlinda Naranjo, 1000 Guadalupe, Austin, Texas
How: The press needs to register request for cameras in the courtroom in advance through the court clerk. Contact Warren Vavra at (512) 854-9093 for more information. This lawsuit is brought pursuant to § 37, Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code. TxDOT’s expenditure of public funds for the Keep Texas Moving campaign is illegal, and an injunction prohibiting any further illegal expenditures in this regard.

TxDOT has violated § 556.004 of the Texas Government Code by directing the expenditure of public funds for political advocacy in support of toll roads and the Trans Texas Corridor, and have directly lobbied the United States Congress in favor of additional toll road programs as evidenced in its report, Forward Momentum.

“TxDOT is waging a one-sided political ad campaign designed to sway public opinion in favor of the policy that puts money in TxDOT’s own coffers. School Boards cannot lobby in favor of their own bond elections, and yet TxDOT cites its own special law to line their own pockets at taxpayers’ expense,” says an incredulous Terri Hall, Founder/Director of TURF.

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