The conservative Republican stranglehold on the Capitol got a little tighter last week, as the State Preservation Board — the panel of top officials that oversees the Capitol itself — fired longtime Director Rick Crawford, apparently for the fault of having once worked for former House Speaker Pete Laney. In a related action, the board also dismissed Nelda Laney, the former speaker’s spouse, from her volunteer position supervising the Texas Christmas ornament sales program that has raised $2 million for Capitol preservation — a program she created. The SPB’s six members include Gov. Rick Perry; Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst; House Speaker Tom Craddick; Sen. Chris Harris, R-Arlington; Rep. Peggy Hamric, R-Houston; and citizen member Jocelyn Levi Straus of San Antonio. Crawford, a former GOP rep from Amarillo, took over the SPB in 1995 and oversaw both the successful $2 million restoration of the Capitol grounds and the construction and opening of the SPB’s Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum. When he was first asked by Perry aide Mike Toomey to resign, Crawford refused, requesting that the board explain publicly its concerns about his performance. The board instead acted privately, and afterward Gov. Perry said no reason is required because Crawford is an “at-will” employee. (Crawford’s lawyer told the reporters his client is exploring his legal options while seeking another job.)
The initial suggestion to dismiss Nelda Laney was raised by Hamric, who reportedly told Crawford, “This is an extremely important project. We want to make sure it continues and we have some quality control.” Although Levi Straus suggested that the board might allow Laney — who was not consulted — to continue out of “courtesy,” Chris Harris argued that Anita Perry or Nadine Craddick might want to assume the job. In the end, the board decided that Crawford’s successor will draft someone to be chief ornament volunteer. Perhaps the first new ornament can feature a Texan version of Ebenezer Scrooge.
This article appears in February 21 • 2003.
