Today voters are casting their ballots in the primary runoff election for the District 27 seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, formerly held by Blake Farenthold. He resigned after some of his staffers accused him of inappropriate behavior.
Now Farenthold has a new job, but controversy still follows him.
Farenthold has landed a new job and a $160,000 dollar salary as a lobbyist for the Calhoun Port Authority in Port Lavaca, but there’s a lawsuit. claiming Port officials hired Farenthold illegally.
That lawsuit was filed on Monday by a newspaper, the "Victoria Advocate." It seeks to void the Port’s hiring of the former Congressman.
The lawsuit claims Port officials violated the Texas Open Meetings Act, stating that act required the Port to post a public notice that they would discuss hiring Farenthold.
Although there was a notice listed on the May 9th meeting agenda, the lawsuit claims that notice was too vague.
The newspaper’s attorney tells KRIS 6 News the public deserved advance warning before the Port hired Farenthold.
"The first goal is to achieve open government, that is so the public has knowledge of their government, and what they’re doing and why they’re doing it," attorney John Griffin said. "We do better when our public is engaged with our governmental agencies, and how they spend taxpayer’s money. If they know the public’s view on things they’ll be more responsible stewards. And so the first goal of the suit is for open government and to ensure that all governmental agencies are transparent with those taxpayers who are paying their bill."
KRIS 6 News has reached out to Calhoun Port Authority officials and Farenthold for comment. We have not yet heard back from them.
