Glenn Rogers Accuses Abbott Of Receiving “Dark Money”

State Rep. Glenn Rogers, R-Grafford, blasted the current Texas governor, saying Gov. Greg Abbott doesn’t want voters to know how much “dark money” support he’s received.

In a column in The Community News, Rogers wrote that Abbott failed to pass important transparency legislation that could have helped people know how much a PAC or a candidate spent targeting incumbents. He authored a bill that would have required individuals or political organizations “to report the candidate they support if there is a cost spent opposing another candidate in the same race.”

Both Paxton and Abbott targeted different incumbents in the primary. Rogers himself was defeated by his primary challenger, Mike Olcott, who was endorsed by Abbott, Paxton and former President Donald Trump

“While those ads never mentioned the names of challengers, those incumbents’ challengers certainly benefited from those attack campaigns,” Rogers wrote. “Unfortunately, under current Texas law, the public is not privy to the financial details of these types of PACs or ‘dark money’ support to political candidates. While it is clear who they are against, it is hidden who they support, and that huge level of support never shows up on a candidate’s public financial report.”

Both Paxton and Abbott targeted different incumbents in the primaries. Rogers himself was defeated by his primary challenger Mike Olcott, endorsed by Abbott, Paxton, and former President Donald Trump.

HB 2629, the bill Rogers authored, passed both the House and Senate with only one vote against it: expelled former state representative Bryan Slaton.

When the bill got to Abbott’s desk, he vetoed the bill.

“Why would the Governor oppose PAC transparency and accountability? Has Abbott joined the ranks of many other Dunn/Wilks-compliant state officials?” Rogers continued, “How much ‘dark money’ support has Abbott received? Did Abbott not want voters to know how much money was spent against those who stood up to the voucher lobby, supported public schools, and defied the Dunn/Wilks attempt to privatize our public schools?”

Rogers has claimed that billionaires Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks are manipulating state leaders and forcing them to align with their agenda. In a previous column published in the Weatherford newspaper, he said that the current Texas government is the “most corrupt ever,” and that Abbott and Paxton are part of that corruption.

“Buying candidates and buying elections is too easy for billionaires,” he concluded.

Rogers will leave office in January 2025.