Robert Francis “Beto” O'Rourke points the camera toward Juarez, Mexico, as he streams a Facebook Live video about migrant children being released from the tent city in Tornillo, Tex., on Jan. 11, 2018.
“We shared a common goal,” said Ted Houghton, a local financial adviser and longtime O’Rourke donor who raised money for former Texas governor Rick Perry, a Republican, and helped steer millions in state transportation funding to the city. “The common goal was we needed to move El Paso in a different direction.”
Republicans are also piling on. A recent ad by the Club for Growth, a conservative group with a focus on cutting taxes, described O’Rourke’s pushing a redevelopment scheme “to bulldoze a poor Hispanic neighborhood.” The plan initially called for seizing land in one of the city’s poorest neighborhoods through eminent domain — the same tactic that O’Rourke has opposed as part of the Trump administration’s plan to build a wall on the U.S. border with Mexico. Faced with accusations of a potential conflict of interest, O’Rourke eventually agreed to recuse himself from city council votes on the plan, which was later shelved as real estate struggled during the 2008 recession.
The state’s political power structure at the time was dominated by Republicans, so the Democrats began to recruit local business leaders to the cause. “We don’t think there is a pay-to-play issue,” said Houghton, who now describes himself as a political independent. “But you have got to be a part of the team, show you are part of the team.”
“None of us are Republicans. None of us vote Republican. None of us had ever given money to Republicans before. But we like what these guys are doing,” Ortega said of the city’s GOP business leaders back in 2005. “We all got contributions from those guys. I’m proud of that.” The slide presentation portrayed El Paso with a picture of an older Hispanic man in a cowboy hat, next to a caption that described the city’s image as “gritty,” “dirty,” “lazy” and with people who “speak Spanish.” The city’s future appeared on another slide, with photos of the Texas-born actor Matthew McConaughey and the Spanish actress Penélope Cruz, who were described as “educated,” “entrepreneurial” and “bi-lingual.
The group, the Campaign for Primary Accountability, received $37,500 in donations from a firm controlled by Sanders and $46,500 from other El Paso business executives. A spokesman for O’Rourke said Reyes was the candidate whom voters identified with entrenched power. “Beto defeated a 16-year incumbent and received more than 50 percent of the vote in a five-person race because the people of El Paso wanted a representative who would put the interests of the community above special interests,” Evans said.A view of Chihuahuita, a neighborhood south of El Paso’s downtown that abuts an expressway, on Jan.
Until then, troops who lived in the privatized units on bases would receive a monthly stipend equal to their projected rent. But when the cuts became law in 2014, the stipend was to be gradually reduced. As a result, providers of base housing were faced with either reducing their rents and losing revenue or risking the loss of tenants by asking soldiers to pay out of pocket.
No one knew about this when he ran for senate, seems like he isn’t the candidate left wing liberal media wants
daveweigel ...and Trump was a Democrat. What’s your point?
“Bottom line, he wants to get things done. That’s his history,” Shapleigh said. “He can walk across the aisle and get people to support him.” This sounds GOOD to me!
Beta Beto Making America Weaker Day by Day !!
Because normal republicans hate Cruz and trump et al.... radical republicans like the terrorist organization freedomcaucus love his white supremacy views.
But club4growth doesn't care about poor Hispanic neighborhoods in El Paso
It's gonna be hilarious watching liberals roast him... And lose a significant amount of the Latino vote.
The guy is a Republican wolf in sheep's clothing.
Why would any GOP support this man-child, know-nothing?
Curious if there were real articles written about O'Rourke talking about his funding & real voting record, say, 15 months ago? Same goes for all candidates: the media seems to give them passes & take them away inexplicably.
No thanks Beto
daveweigel Oh the the horror
daveweigel However, BernieSanders is not even a Democrat. Write an article on that.
And?
True Dem
Damn, this guy can't catch a break.
daveweigel schrödinger's democrat. works with republican business leaders while also being a radical socialist.
💥 republicans donating to our future president!!! Yes!! Burn motherf*rs!!!
Is this what you want ? or at least make a sensible recommendation instead of criticizing...'who you are will show in what you do'
You do realize Texas is a red state, right, ?
Oh the HORRORS! BetoORourke from Red Texas actually got bipartisan support! And did business with Republicans! And as a Congressman from Texas he actually voted on things that would help Texans in his district!
This is not accurate but not false. No pac money. These are were people work. Extremely misleading headline
Group pharmatizing Americans to induce gender confusion , violence , anxiety may be traced to group of scientists involved in Altimonte Raceway concert , Hyde Park London Concert .
LeChatNoire4 Seems like proof BetoORourke has the ability to work across the aisle. That's a virtue not a fault.
What are his policy proposals? Stop with this garbage.
Key word, donate. No one twister their arms.
I guess 'Beto' is going to be the next Barack Obama. It makes sense, they are both unqualified, incompetent, corrupt and the only difference is their skin color. Lol Such a circus.
Politicians have no loyalties when it comes to money. They'll take it from wherever they can get it. He's not exceptional
His name is Robert and he has a criminal record. Trump2020
Here’s a “green new deal” nut job who’s 2 on the list of receiving money from the oil and gas lobby...you can’t make this stuff up.
who gives a fuck? only question that matters is...can he beat trump? since you are publishing proof moderate pubs will support him, that answer is most likely a resounding “YES”
C'mon that has been debunked as the trash it is. Stop this BS and do your normal solid reportinng. Just stop it
Wow, an actual centrist. Sounds great.
daveweigel Was the business establishment named “Republicans who hate Rafael Cruz”?
Yawn.
Don’t care.
I wasn't impressed by his speech yesterday, but I'll wait and see what happens.
There’s a lot of common ground - Big business wants a constant influx of cheap labor, while Beto and his political handlers want votes.
daveweigel Shorter version : he comes from TEXAS.
Good. He can win some red states.
daveweigel RuggedJefff
this man killed Muslims during pray , he is a terrorist
Nobody is flawless. Next
daveweigel Kind of hard to be in TEXAS and not work with republicans or reach out to republican-owned businesses.
And?
HE WAS RUNNING AGAINST TED CRUZ.... EVEN REPUBLICANS WANT TED CRUZ GONE
A cross-over candidate with wide appeal! Excellent!!
Maybe there are republicans who can't stand Ted Cruz.
It's good to have bi-partisan support. We need that in DC.
Broad appeal is...bad?
Bamboozled!
He’s in a Red state...so there’s that.
Go beto!!!
That’s even funnier given everything that’s happened since.