Perry's UT Appointee Dem Donor? Dang!

New UT regent – horrors! – documented Dem donor.

The UT system’s newest regent was appointed Friday and – now hear this – she has a nasty habit of giving to Democrats. Janiece M. Longoria, a lawyer by trade and former municipal judge in Houston, also serves as a commissioner of the Port of Houston Authority. She grew up in the valley and got her bachelor’s and law degree from UT.

A modest donor by comparison to the rest of the tycoon-laden group, Longoria donated to Chris Bell in 2002 and to Bill Bradley back in 1999. Maybe she’s just a Knicks fan.

According to the most recent data available on www.opensecrets.org, Longoria is the only current regent to give any money to the blue. Is this the end of Gov. Goodhair’s cronyism as we know it? Is diversity of mind suddenly important to running the biggest university system in Texas? Not quite: Centerpoint Energy Inc., of which Longoria has been a board member since 2005 annually donates $10,000 to Texans for Perry.

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KEYWORDS FOR THIS POST

University of Texas, Governor's Office, Janiece Longoria, Regents, Rick Perry

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