No Place for Sloppy ‘got-cha’ Journalism
HOUSTON – Dan Patrick, Texas State Senator and authentic conservative candidate for Lieutenant Governor today demanded that the Associated Press correct their story from last week and apologize for their sloppy work and inexcusable example of ‘got-cha’ journalism. He also called on every news outlet that ran the AP story to publish a correction.
In an AP wire story from Friday, October 18, 2013, the AP erroneously claimed that CLOUT (Citizens to Lower Our Unfair Taxes) a political action committee formed by Dan Patrick in 2003 – years before he first ran for public office – had paid $46,000 over 5 years to a radio station and related business. The story claims to be based upon an “Associated Press analysis of filings with the Texas Ethic Commission”.
Edd Hendee, CLOUT Treasurer, issued a statement stating, “CLOUT paid KSEV and KVCE a total of $13,300 during that (5 year) period for on air mentions, radio ads, and links to CLOUT on station websites. The average per month was $200 unless we ran specific ads for issues time sensitive to those periods.
“Separately from KSEV and KVCE, and any other entity under same ownership, CLOUT ran ad campaigns and other advertising with radio stations in Dallas KSMR and Midland Odessa KWEL. Additionally CLOUT ran radio ad campaigns on other Houston and Dallas stations through C&M Marketing. This additional advertising totaled $54,600 over this period of time.”
Dan Patrick has no ownership interest nor profits in any way from C&M Marketing.
“The news story that ran recently misinterpreted properly and accurately filed TEC reports to assume that CLOUT paid over $45,000 to entities controlled by Dan Patrick. Those reports are false and inaccurate. Further the reporter and other mentioned persons in that story never contacted me at work, at home, via cell phone, or email for any clarification of those issues. One such person was represented as associated with a ‘watch dog’ group for PACs. No member of any group has ever questioned any details of what CLOUT funds were spent or how. Ever. I am and always have been available for any questions regarding CLOUT and it’s expenditures,” Hendee concluded.
CLOUT also funded a lawsuit brought by myself against the Legislative Budget Board (LBB) of the State of Texas claiming that the State of Texas violated the State Constitution by exceeding limits on spending in the biennial budget. That lawsuit went to the Texas Court of Appeals and the Court ruled that individuals in Texas DO have standing to sue the State over financial issues and is case law today.
“I answered a call from an AP reporter late Thursday afternoon,” Dan Patrick said. “He asked detailed questions about the finances for a PAC that was started 10 years ago. I explained to the reporter that his facts just didn’t seem correct. I explained that I would visit with the PAC Treasurer and get back with him. The reporter didn’t wait for the facts; he instead filed his story right after lunch.
“It was an ambush. He was in a hurry and got the facts wrong. If he really did do the ‘analysis’ he said he did, he was sloppy at best, and downright malicious at worst. I suspect he simply took a story spun by one of my opponents and ran with it. That’s not journalism. For that, he owes my campaign and me an apology and a correction.”
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