Kay Bailey Hutchison
From Corruptapedia
| Kay Bailey Hutchison | |
 | |
| State | Texas |
| Party | Republican |
| Preceded By | Bob Krueger |
| Succeeded By | Incumbent (2013) |
| Born | July 22, 1943 Galveston, Texas |
Kay Bailey Hutchison is the senior Senator from the state of Texas, first elected to office in 1993 in a special election to fill the Senate seat vacated by Lloyd Bentsen when he became President Bill Clinton's Treasury Secretary. She was subsequently reelected in the 1994, 2000, and 2006 general elections.
A member of the Republican party, she is the first woman to serve as a United States Senator for the state of Texas, and the longest serving woman currently in the Senate.
Committee Assignments
- Senate Committee on Appropriations
- Subcommittee on Defense
- Subcommittee on Energy and Water
- Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education
- Subcommittee on Military Contruction and Veterans Affairs
- Subcommittee on Transportation, Treasury, Judiciary, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
- Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
- Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security
- Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security
- Subcommittee on Space, Aeronautics, and Related Sciences
- Subcommittee on Science, Technology, and Innovation
- Senate Committee on Rules and Administration
- Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs
Contents |
[edit] Litigation
[edit] 1993-1994 Prosecution
Shortly after winning the 1993 special election, the offices of Kay Bailey Hutchison were raided by authorities under the supervision of the Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle, seeking evidence to corroborate allegations that she had used state equipment and employees on state time for campaign purposes. Based on the findings of this raid, a grand jury indicted Hutchison in September of 1993 for official misconduct and records tampering.
The case was heard by State District Judge John Onion in February, 1994. During pre-trial proceedings he announced that he would make no ruling on the admissibility of evidence prior to the trial, a move that D.A. Earle felt was a technique to stop the case as Judge Onion could rule mid-trial that any piece of evidence was inadmissible under the Texas Rules of Evidence.
Following Judge Onion's announcement, the D.A. withdrew the case with the intent of refiling at a later date. Judge Onion declined him this opportunity, swore in a jury, and immediately instructed them to acquit the Senator when Earle failed to present them with any evidence. This acquittal barred any future prosecution of Senator Hutchison for these crimes under the double jeopardy clause of the United States Constitution's fifth amendment. [1]
[edit] Votes for Sale
[edit] Oil & Gas Industry
In 2006 Kay Bailey Hutchison received $258,361 from the oil and gas industry, more than any other member of the United States Senate. Hutchison voted against prohibiting oil leasing in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in 2005, after supporting legislation promoting drilling in these areas in 2002 and 2003. [2] [3]
She also voted in 2005 against enforcing EPA mercury regulations on the smokestacks of oil and gas companies. In 1999 she voted to remove funding for renewable and solar energy, though she has recently stated support for the development of alternative energy sources. [4] [5]
[edit] Ethics Violation
[edit] Lying to Constituents
During the 1993 special election, both the Houston Chronicle and the Dallas Morning News reported that Hutchison supported Congressional term limits, and as such had pledged to serve only two terms in the Senate. After winning the special election she went on to win the Senate seat again in 1994 and 2000. Despite her pledge, she ran for and was elected to a third term in 2006. [6]
