By Max Grossman
Renard Johnson, whose former business partner was federally indicted in a $3 million Ponzi scheme and whose firm faced a $277,000 judgment in a discrimination suit against a Hispanic, has raised a whopping $881,000 for his mayoral campaign, breaking Dee Margo’s record by more than $200,000.
According to his 8-Day Finance Report, $396,000 of that figure were contributed in the 30 days between September 27 and October 26.
Renard’S Dirty Campaign
In the last several days, a PAC called “Protect and Serve,” which falsely claims to represent law enforcement, sent two mendacious mailers to voters attacking Brian Kennedy’s integrity and record.
We read that Kennedy “had four ethics complaints filed against him in his first year on council” but don’t read that these were summarily dismissed.
We read that Kennedy “promised lower taxes but voted for the highest property tax rate of ALL major Texas cities” but don’t read that he voted for the no-new-revenue tax rate for two fiscal years in a row and that the tax rate is, in fact, inversely related to taxable value.
We read about a hot mic moment in which Kennedy supposedly attacked police and firefighters with foul language but don’t read that he won the endorsements of both Fire and the Sheriffs.
El Paso Billionaires Contribute To “Project Red TX PAC”
By examining campaign finance reports available online, we learned that Renard’s smear campaign received significant funding from billionaires Woody Hunt and Paul Foster and their friends Rick Francis and Ed Escudero.
Between October 4 and 23, the four men contributed a total of $120,000 to a Republican PAC called “Project Red TX,” which is run by Governor Abbott’s former campaign manager, Wayne Hamilton. Another $25,000 was donated by a PAC representing Granite Construction Inc., which won a $61 million contract to build our insolvent trolleys.
The stated aim of the PAC is to recruit and support Republican candidates in Texas. Yet, Hunt, Foster, Francis and Escudero have all voted in both Republican and Democratic primaries, with Escudero voting only in Democratic primaries since 2010, and Hunt and Francis both voting in the Democratic primary this past March.
Could it be that the four El Pasoans had a motive for contributing to the PAC other than supporting Republican candidates in Texas?
“Project Red TX PAC” Transfers Funds To “Protect And Serve PAC”
Here is the clincher: The Project Red TX PAC contributed $152,000 to the Protect and Serve PAC between October 8 and 24.
The Protect and Serve PAC also received funds from Ted Houghton ($10,000), Steve Ortega ($5,000), and Miguel Fernandez ($25,000), plus $86,000 from Texas House Republicans Angie Chen Button and Ben Baumgarner.
Total contributions to the Protect and Serve PAC were $278,000 in the last reporting period, including a $62,000 contribution from the Project Red TX PAC that was omitted from their 8-Day Campaign Finance Report, in violation of state law.
Interestingly, the PAC paid Murphy Nasica & Associates of Austin, the same political consulting firm that Dee Margo paid to attack Oscar Leeser back in 2020, a total of $95,542.
Renard Is A Tool For The Elites
Thus Hunt, Foster, Francis and Escudero were able to conceal their contributions of $120,000 to Renard’s smear campaign by hiding behind a PAC that contributed to another PAC that paid for hit mailers.
They were also able to conceal the record amount of their political contributions so as not to be seen exerting inappropriate influence over the mayoral election. (Hunt and Foster each gave $50,000, in addition to Hunt’s above-board contribution of $10,000).
Let us be clear about one thing.
Renard Johnson stands for nothing except the financial agenda of the big developers and their bankers and attorneys. If elected, he will promote expensive capital improvement projects, more deficit spending, higher taxation, and corporate welfare.
In the meantime, he claims he will lower taxes, even while supporting the construction of a deck plaza over Interstate 10 and a downtown arena that together could cost taxpayers more than $1 billion.
By raising $881,000 from his friends, including at fundraisers on the other side of Texas, and carpet-bombing El Paso with thousands of orange signs and dishonest mailers, he and his handlers hope they can persuade voters that he is a forward-thinking progressive rather than a tool for the elites.
Renard Johnson promotes himself as a solid Democrat. Indeed, he is supported by Escobar, Beto, and Samaniego and has voted only in Democratic primaries. Escobar even “lent” him her campaign manager, Lauren Zimmerman, who is busy finessing the media and even stood in for Renard at a recent mayoral campaign forum.
Yet, Renard has no problem accepting money funneled through a deep red PAC if it can be directed against his leading opponent, Brian Kennedy, who is running an honest and factual campaign.
About the Author:
Dr. Max Grossman is an architectural historian. He earned his B.A. in Art History and English at the University of California-Berkeley, and his M.A., M.Phil. and Ph.D. in Art History at Columbia University. Grossman has been active in the preservation of El Paso’s historical buildings and led the effort to protect the Duranguito neighborhood from gentrification for a sports arena. He operates the El Paso Taxpayer Revolt website and Facebook group.
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