Complaint Filed in HD 52 Race

Political friction is growing over the role played by a Williamson County's chamber of commerce in the House District 52 race between Republican Bryan Daniel and Democrat Diana Maldonado, and it's all to do with Daniel's address. For his campaign headquarters, Daniel has rented space at 206 E. Main – the offices of the Greater Round Rock Community Foundation. A 501(c)(3) charity founded by members of the chamber's board and staffed by the chamber, the foundation is now Daniel's landlord. When Daniel had his grand ribbon-cutting ceremony on Aug. 6, chamber officials were also present to welcome him as a new member of the chamber. On Aug. 12, Daniel's campaign manager, Laura Jackson, released a press statement in response to questions over the group's role in Daniel's campaign. "The foundation neither supports nor endorses the campaign," the release stated.

Taylor resident Jose Orta has filed a complaint with the IRS against the foundation, charging that the shared event and the shared building make a de facto and illegal endorsement of Daniel's campaign by a supposedly nonpartisan foundation. He also contends that, by not offering the space to other potential renters, the foundation violated federal tax regulations. "The IRS had a huge press release about nonprofits not participating in partisan campaigns," said Orta. "Bryan Daniel could have found space anywhere, but there's a cozy relationship between the [foundation] board and his campaign." Orta said that he has since been contacted by former Round Rock Mayor Nyle Maxwell (a member of the foundation board), asking him to withdraw the complaint. While Orta praised the foundation's charitable donations, he said the deal with Daniel "puts their [charitable] status in jeopardy."

When asked for a comment, Maldonado's campaign simply confirmed that their candidate also intends to join the Round Rock Chamber. Meanwhile, on Aug. 22, Hutto Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Kurt Johnson quit his post to become an eastern Williamson Co. organizer – for the Maldonado campaign.