Texas judge orders Republican Governors Assoc. to pay $2 million to 2006’s Democratic nominee

GOP governors group ordered to pay $2M in Texas

AUSTIN, Texas — A judge has ordered the Republican Governors Association to pay $2 million to Texas’ 2006 Democratic gubernatorial nominee because of campaign finance violations.

A Travis County judge ruled Tuesday that the RGA should have disclosed a $1 million donation it gave to a group called Texans for Rick Perry.

The RGA received $500,000 from Houston developer Bob Perry, the nation’s largest individual donor during the 2006 election cycle. A lawsuit filed by former Democratic candidate Chris Bell claims the money was illegally funneled through the RGA to support Gov. Rick Perry’s re-election bid.

Defense attorneys and witnesses denied that.

RGA spokesman Mike Schrimpf says the group will appeal. He says the RGA used the same filing status in 2006 used this year by the Democratic Governors Association.