(Republican) Lawmakers profit from company with (Texas) state contracts

[UpInArms]

Source: Associated Press

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- A company that became a national leader in providing patrol cameras to police was built on the strength of a Texas contract obtained while two state lawmakers were shareholders in the firm - a possible violation of state ethics laws.

WatchGuard Video points with pride to the legislators who became early investors in the company as it grew from a tiny startup into a government contracting powerhouse.

The two men said they never pulled strings on behalf of WatchGuard. But they voted for the spending bills that gave state business to the company, and both turned a profit after selling some of their shares.

Their actions might violate the state constitution and disclosure rules established by the Texas Ethics Commission.

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Vanman named the lawmakers: Republican Reps. Ken Paxton, Byron Cook and former Rep. Bob Griggs. WatchGuard's vice president of operations, Dennis Pirkle, is a part-time city judge and jail magistrate, according to company literature.

Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/L/LAWMAKER_CONFLICT?SITE=MOCOD&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2008-10-16-19-13-15