By Johnny Kampis
Texas Monitor
The state lawmaker who was charged with driving while intoxicated is among the biggest spenders of campaign funds at liquor stores, an examination by The Texas Monitor found.
In its 2017 report, Living Large, The Texas Monitor's research found that District 34 State Rep. Rene Oliveira spent at least $16,105 in campaign funds at liquor stores between 2007 and 2016, with descriptions that included “beverages for capitol office” and “beverages for district office for constituents.”
Oliveira ranked fifth in the Texas House of Representatives in the Living Large index, which included such expenses as exotic travel, swanky Austin accommodations and luxury car leases.
(Ironically, Oliveira's campaign shills make a big deal of the fact that he ranks fifth in seniority in the Legislature. Are they counting the fifths of liquor he consumes regularly?)
Further examination of the numbers by The Texas Monitor found that Oliveira has spent a total of $37,208.80 at liquor stories since 2003 using campaign funds. Some of the expenditures state that he bought soft drinks, gifts and other items that are non-alcoholic. Brownsville liquor store Feldman’s is the most frequent stop, with Oliveira having spent $15,352.10 there in the past 15 years.
In addition, Oliveira has spent $60,185.74 at Cobbleheads Bar & Grill in Brownsville since 2003. Most of those expenses are probably for meals and not alcohol, but the totals are unclear since the receipts are not itemized. (Cobbleheads Bar and Grill, buy the way, was the place where Oliveria was seen drinking before he slammed into a woman at an intersection on his way home.)
Although The Texas Monitor cannot definitively say that Oliveira spent more campaign funds on alcohol than any other lawmaker, he does top the list for expenditures to businesses with “liquor” in the title, according to the research.
Many expenditures for lawmakers may not include that term if “liquor” is not part of the name of the business, such as Feldman’s.
Using the keyword “liquor” in examining the Texas Election Commission expenditures database shows that since 2000, Oliveira has spent almost double that of the closest lawmaker in that category — $18,299.19 compared to number two Eddie Lucio III with $10,218.98. Lucio placed fourth on the The Texas Monitor’s Living Large index among members of the House.
The state lawmaker who was charged with driving while intoxicated is among the biggest spenders of campaign funds at liquor stores, an examination by The Texas Monitor found.
In its 2017 report, Living Large, The Texas Monitor's research found that District 34 State Rep. Rene Oliveira spent at least $16,105 in campaign funds at liquor stores between 2007 and 2016, with descriptions that included “beverages for capitol office” and “beverages for district office for constituents.”
Oliveira ranked fifth in the Texas House of Representatives in the Living Large index, which included such expenses as exotic travel, swanky Austin accommodations and luxury car leases.
(Ironically, Oliveira's campaign shills make a big deal of the fact that he ranks fifth in seniority in the Legislature. Are they counting the fifths of liquor he consumes regularly?)
Further examination of the numbers by The Texas Monitor found that Oliveira has spent a total of $37,208.80 at liquor stories since 2003 using campaign funds. Some of the expenditures state that he bought soft drinks, gifts and other items that are non-alcoholic. Brownsville liquor store Feldman’s is the most frequent stop, with Oliveira having spent $15,352.10 there in the past 15 years.
In addition, Oliveira has spent $60,185.74 at Cobbleheads Bar & Grill in Brownsville since 2003. Most of those expenses are probably for meals and not alcohol, but the totals are unclear since the receipts are not itemized. (Cobbleheads Bar and Grill, buy the way, was the place where Oliveria was seen drinking before he slammed into a woman at an intersection on his way home.)
Although The Texas Monitor cannot definitively say that Oliveira spent more campaign funds on alcohol than any other lawmaker, he does top the list for expenditures to businesses with “liquor” in the title, according to the research.
Many expenditures for lawmakers may not include that term if “liquor” is not part of the name of the business, such as Feldman’s.
Using the keyword “liquor” in examining the Texas Election Commission expenditures database shows that since 2000, Oliveira has spent almost double that of the closest lawmaker in that category — $18,299.19 compared to number two Eddie Lucio III with $10,218.98. Lucio placed fourth on the The Texas Monitor’s Living Large index among members of the House.
7 comments:
The following night after he got arrested for DWI he was back at the same joint getting drunk and celebrating. What a JERK". If he gets re-elected what a message this sent to the rest of the state. NOTHING BUT PENDEJOS IN DISTRICT 37...
I am not paying for the drinks out of my pocket cried The Black Mamba Rene Oliveira, you morons elected me, now you must pay for my lifestyle. Don't worry about me getting home, I have proven that I am Untouchable, and I have new cards printed and a new way home, cops free.
Lock him up! Lock him up! And have the DA in the same jail cell with him.
Firstly Oliveira should be made to prove what money was spent on campaign events, and what was personal expenses. Even a blind man can tell that he has padded his expenses. How can he be trusted to be able to represent the people of Brownsville, when he openly commits fraud and breaks the law on a daily basis. Where are the law enforcement officers who are paid to protect us, it is true that justice is blind, when an elected official can blatantly break the law daily, and he can sit and laugh at the general public. What a legacy to teach our children when corruption is a requirement in our society. Stop Rene Oliveira now before he kills somebody. He stated to the police officer that he could not remember getting home, he should be sent to jail not be sent to Austin.
I'm waiting for Capt. Slop to make his grand comment? What gives?
Rene Oliveira wins again, he has just been awarded a lifetime deal with Amazon. They have bought the rights to the photo of him and are marketing it as Child protection they state that if you put it over the fire place, or on the yard gate, the children will never go near it.
Don't forget to take one of these new cards I got printed sard "Rear-ender Rene Oliveira" as he was leaving the bar, they are free.
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