Central Texas Weather and News Authority
Home  ·   News  ·   Weather  ·   Sports  ·   Politics  ·   Job Board TV  ·   CarSoup  ·   Food  ·   Calendar  ·   TV  ·   Contact Us  ·   10 Cares  ·   Our Town Texas
Dot Com Daily · KWTX To Go · Desktop Alert · Fun & Games · Green Page
Poll Question
This is the second year that Texas schools have been required to wait until the fourth Monday of August to start classes, but some districts would like to see the Legislature repeal the law when it meets next year. What do you think?

Keep the uniform start date
Repeal the uniform start date


Texas High School Football Polls
Preseason
Show and Tell

Youc@st
Upload your favorite videos and pictures!

Blogs
Random thoughts by the News 10 team. Leave us your comments!

iWitness
You see it, you report it. News by you. Submit your news stories and photos.
News 10 My Way
KWTX.com
Make KWTX.com your browser's homepage.

.com Daily
Your News and weather and sports delivered to your inbox weekday mornings. Sign Up Now!

KWTX To Go
Anytime. Anywhere. Now you can get News 10 on your wireless device.

Desktop Alert
Get instant weather and news on your desktop. Download News 10 Alert FREE!
Texas Gas Prices
Bell Benefactor A Texas-Sized Lawyer With Texas-Sized Wallet Save Email Print
Posted: 11:50 AM Oct 22, 2006
Last Updated: 11:42 AM Oct 22, 2006

A | A | A

(October 22, 2006)—Houston trial lawyer John O’Quinn has won billions of dollars from Big Oil, Big Tobacco and Big Implants.

He made headlines recently for contributing $1 million to Democratic gubernatorial candidate Chris Bell's campaign followed by a loan offer $1.5 million.

Governor, Candidate Information

Gov. Rick Perry's campaign referred indirectly to O'Quinn as a shark and called him a "scandal plagued trial lawyer" and a "trial lawyer sugar daddy."

O'Quinn did not return several calls from The Associated Press for comment, but he told the Houston Chronicle earlier this month that the Perry campaign's criticisms of him refer to problems he had during his years of alcoholism.

O'Quinn made his money taking on wealthy corporations including those in big energy and the tobacco industry.

And though Bell's opponents have also accepted large donations, O'Quinn's donations drew hostility both because of their size and because of his personal history.

The Louisiana native was raised in Houston and graduated magna cum laude from the University of Houston's law school in 1967.

O'Quinn's first big win came in 1986, when a jury found that Monsanto had negligently exposed an employee to benzene at its Chocolate Bayou Plant and ordered the company to pay $100 million.

The award was later vacated and the case settled out of court, but O'Quinn's fame was cemented.

By 1992, he began a long and profitable run of silicone breast implant lawsuits, but he's also faced legal problems, threats of disbarment and lawsuits.

Stories of his drinking were common throughout the 1990s, and O'Quinn has acknowledged at least one 90-day stay at the Menninger Clinic in Kansas in 1998 to treat a drinking problem.

O'Quinn said he has now been sober for seven years.

More News >>Sports >> Weather >>

More Stories
Police Arrest Three After Shooting, Standoff

$30 Million Lottery Ticket Sold In Central Texas

New Orleans Prepares For Evacuation

Warning Issued After Infants Strangled In Bassinets

Gas Explosion Rocks South Central Texas

Arrest Made In Convenience Store Robbery

Man Robbed At Gunpoint, Another In Custody

Crane Topples At Texas Water Pumping Station

Latest Video
AP Video
KWTX.com Features
Double Dollar Deals
Half Price Deals at Central Texas restaurants and businesses. A new deal every Thursday at 7:00am.
Golden Apple
Your chance to nominate an outstanding teacher. Find out how they are making a difference in classrooms.
What's Going Around
The latest illnesses Central Texas doctors are reporting. Find out how to protect your family.
Soldier Stories
Stories about what the men and women deployed overseas are doing to make a difference.
Chef Walter
Need a fresh idea for dinner? Check out thousands of FREE recipes
Station Information
Job Board TV
See the latest video job postings.

Program Guide
Check out when your favorite TV programs are on.
Contact News 10
Information about KWTX.
Meet the News 10 Team
Read about your favorite News 10 personalities.
Job of the Week
Click now to see hundreds of other jobs on Job Board TV!

Business Analyst - EMSI in Waco seeks a process modeling, business modeling, programming and testing professional.
 
Click here to see this great opportunity at EMSI!
 
Also, take a look at the most recent jobs posted to Job Board TV at KWTX.com:
View More Jobs.