We still can't quite figure out exactly who is calling all the shots in the $140,000 renovation of the Texas House Member's Lounge*. The official answer is "it is a joint project of the State Preservation Board and the House". That's according to Speaker Tom Craddick's press secretary, Alexis Delee. But that just led to more confusion.

1.) When I called the State Preservation Board, they first said no comment. When I asked who was overseeing the project, spokeswoman Julie Fields said, "We're not making any of the decisions".... even though according to the Speaker's office, the SPB is a partner in the project.

Who IS making the decisions, then?

2.) The House is the other party in the "joint project", so when I asked Delee who in the House was calling the shots, she said, "I don't know" and that she would get back to me.

3.) The only individual who is approving anything, according to documents obtained by the AP's TPIA request, is Craddick's wife, Nadine. She is not on the state preservation board or a state employee, but one email from Nadine has an attachment with a photo of her "favorite" couch for the renovation, and another shows she "appproved" various venders in other parts of the state.

*But I am hoping that the renovation comes with Members Only jackets for everyone.

Leave a comment

Name:

Email:

URL:  

Remember personal info?

Captcha:

Type the characters you see in the picture above.