Why hasn’t state Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer answered questions about HillCo Partners? The head of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus promised weeks ago to answer questions about its relationship with powerful lobbying outfit.
by Lynn Walsh on Apr.29, 2010, under Video, What's New
A story produced for Texas Watchdog:
Why hasn’t state Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer answered questions about HillCo Partners? The head of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus promised weeks ago to answer questions about its relationship with powerful lobbying outfit.
Mon Apr 26 19:23:00 2010 CST
By Steve MillerIt’s been almost a month since state Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio, promised to answer questions regarding the Texas Watchdog story on the relationship between lobbying giant HillCo Partners, the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, which Martinez Fischer chairs, and the caucus’ foundation.
We followed up his March 31 vow the next day with an e-mail to his chief of staff, Martin Golando, copied to his communications person, Christina Gomez.
“Hi Martin
We’re pleased to have an agreement to discuss the HillCo/MALC relationship.
Let me know what your convenience is and let’s get our schedules together.
Best
Steve”Included was a link to the story.
We left a voicemail message on Martinez Fischer’s Austin office phone the next day, letting the representative know of the e-mail, then waited.
Finally, we would get to the bottom of this possible breach of state ethics rules, the one that prohibits donations in a period which begins 30 days prior to a regular legislative session and ends 20 days afterward.
Our story found that HillCo had given thousands of dollars for rent to MALC during that period in 2009, although HillCo contends the exchange was lawful. Last week, the Houston group Texans for Ethics and Accountability filed a complaint against HillCo and MALC with the Texas Ethics Commission.
But we got no response from Martinez Fischer, Golando or Gomez, even after speaking with Golando at his Austin office.
Golando, who as chief of staff would be in charge of Martinez Fischer’s team, deflects questions by saying the request has been sent to underlings.
“I read your story,” Golando says in the clip below. “I sent (the interview request) to scheduling, and I sent it to the communications director.”
We left a message for Gomez at MALC a few minutes after ending our chat with Golando.
We are still waiting to hear back.
