Ahead of Governor Greg Abbott’s campaign fundraising event in Lubbock on Wednesday, several previously announced hosts will no longer be on the list.
The governor’s office said George McMahan, owner of George McMahan Development Company, was asked to not attend the fundraiser because of comments he publicly made regarding the influence of donations to the governor.
Last week, McMahan said people “make a large donation to the governor and in turn you are eligible for appointment” to the board of regents of Texas Tech.
In the bigger context, McMahan was saying the idea of a fundraiser in Lubbock was to maintain good relations between West Texas and the governor. Abbott’s office took the comment at face value and objected.
John Wittman, press secretary for the Office of the Governor, provided the following statement:
“What Mr. McMahan suggested is not only false, but also illegal. To insinuate that Governor Abbott makes appointments on the basis of campaign donations is an offense the to the hundreds of people the Governor appoints to boards across the state. Because of his unfortunate comments, Mr. McMahan has been removed as a host from the Governor’s event, and our campaign has returned his donation. This is not how the Governor does business.”
In response, two couples – Marc and Pam McDougal, and Delbert and Carolyn McDougal – also took their names off the host list.
It would cost the couples a combined $30,000 to host the fundraiser. Marc McDougal said they hadn’t paid the money yet.
The governor’s office said 125 people gave RSVP’s for the event as of 4:42 p.m. Tuesday.
Marc McDougal, CEO and broker for McDougal Companies, said he is backing McMahan because he said he doesn’t feel that decision was right.
“Hopefully we send a message to Austin that people in West Texas stick together,” Marc McDougal said.
“George and Linda support everyone, and they don’t deserve to be treated that way, period. I think they are owed an apology: a public apology,” Marc McDougal said.
