Texas Reps Send Letter Demanding Transparency Concerning $32k of Taxpayer Funds Going to Left-Leaning PR Firm to Handle Paxton Impeachment Comms

Brian Harrison has issued a letter to chairman Murr demanding transparency concerning the firm New West Communications being paid $32 thousand in order to shape public opinion concerning the Paxton impeachment which cost taxpayers a million more than the $3.3 million whistleblower settlement the Texas politicians launched the sham impeachment over.

“It appears that a firm, New West Communications, which, according to their website, specializes in "media relations, crisis communications, strategy & audience identification, and message development and deployment" was paid $32,000 for "communications support" for June 2023 through October 2023. This firm, also according to their website, is led by former Speaker Joe Straus's Communications Director and a former top communications staffer of the Texas Senate Democrat Caucus.”

Jason Embry has been a professional communicator for more than 20 years. He recently served as Communications Director for Texas Speaker of the House Joe Straus. In that role, he was Speaker Straus' lead spokesman, speechwriter, and strategic communications adviser, and he managed Speaker Straus’ digital presence. He also led communications and rapid-response efforts for Speaker Straus’ re-election campaigns in his legislative district, and he wrote and edited numerous pieces of direct mail and other campaign collateral.

Scheibal served as Director of Media Relations and Community Engagement for the Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin, where he directed media and community relations for the first new medical school in decades to be built on a Tier 1 research university campus. There, he served as a primary conduit between the medical school and the public, working with journalists, industry experts, and community leaders to raise awareness of the school, increase understanding of its mission, and execute communications and public relations strategies designed to help make Austin a model healthy city.

Before joining inaugural Dean Clay Johnston’s staff, Steve was Policy and Communications Director for Texas state Senator Kirk Watson. He managed external communications for the Senate Democratic Caucus leader, oversaw crisis communications, and coordinated strategy and messaging with other groups and partners.