Making Money off of Redistricting

Houston Chronicle (registration req.) "If a Democrat was doing this, there'd be a moaning and gnashing of teeth. It's corrupt," said Rep. Jim Dunnam, D-Waco, chairman of the House Democratic Caucus.

Houston lawyer Andy Taylor is advising Republican lawmakers behind the scenes as they draft congressional redistricting maps designed to defeat incumbent Democrats.

And if one of those maps passes in the legislative special session, Taylor will defend any legal challenges to the map for the state -- at a cost to Texas taxpayers of $400 an hour.

Taylor also is an attorney of record for Texans for a Republican Majority -- a political organization founded by U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, who is a force behind the $1.7 million special session on congressional redistricting.

Taylor in 2001 had been then-Attorney General John Cornyn's first assistant, representing the state in redistricting with the help of outside counsel. Taylor then quit, went to work for Locke, Liddell & Sapp and the next day signed a contract to represent the state in redistricting cases.

Payments to Locke, Liddell & Sapp totaled $804,478 for Taylor's services in the 2001 redistricting battles, with the state paying another $801,805 to the other outside counsel.

"This is a revolving door, and it sticks it to the taxpayers," Dunnam said.