(December 3, 2008)—A Democratic activist has filed an ethics complaint against Texas House Speaker Tom Craddick over campaign payments and state health insurance benefits Craddick provided for his daughter, a former lobbyist employed by her father as a political consultant.
The complaint, filed this week by Houston-area Democratic activist John Cobarruviasm, alleges Craddick has run afoul of laws designed to prevent politicians and their families from living off campaign accounts.
Craddick’s lawyer Ed Shack denies the speaker violated any ethics provisions.
Records show Craddick has paid his daughter Christi Craddick about $12,000 a month for her consultant work for a total of more than $600,000 since 2003.
The Associated Press reports the legislator also helped craft a law in 1997 that made his adult daughter eligible for lifetime state health insurance as long as she doesn't marry.
Cobarruvias says that’s the problem.
Christi Craddick can receive a campaign salary only if she's not the speaker's dependent child, but she can only get the state health insurance by being declared his adult dependent.
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