In the quaint town of Fate, Texas, nestled away from the bustling cities of the Lone Star State, residents believed that their hard-earned tax dollars were being used to improve their lives and support their community. However, a shocking revelation has come to light, exposing a disturbing misuse of public funds.
Fate’s city council, in a quite motion that flew in under the radar as just ‘proceedure’, approved Resolution R-2022-066 in 2022. This resolution authorized the city to enter into a contract with Focused Advocacy, LLC., a consulting firm headed by CEO Curt Seidlits and his partners, Brandon Aghamalian and Snapper Carr.
Under the guise of an “independent consultant,” Focused Advocacy was granted a lucrative monthly fee of $4,166.67, along with an additional $350 for expenses, and the possibility of seeking further compensation at a staggering $8,333.33 per month… for extended services … if needed.
Records show that the taxpayers in Fate have paid Focused Advocacy $149,000.00 in the last year and the contract has been renewed for another $149,000.00. This figure is enough to fund the cost of at least one, if not two additional police officers for our community.
This substantial financial commitment by the city to an entity with questionable ties raises significant concerns among Fate’s residents. The situation becomes even murkier when examining the involvement of Snapper Carr, who is not only a partner in Focused Advocacy but also a registered lobbyist.
Snapper Carr’s involvement takes on an ominous hue as it is revealed that he operates the “Focused Advocacy Political Action Committee (PAC),” a organization that channels funds to various political figures. While political contributions are not uncommon, what sets this situation apart is the absolute lack of transparency in how funds are distributed, leaving the citizens of Fate in the dark about the true intentions of these financial transactions.
Our investigation has uncovered that the Focused Advocacy PAC has made substantial contributions to several key political figures, including:
- $500 to Justin Holland,
- $5,500 to Dade Phelan (the second-largest contribution),
- $3,000 to Tan Parker,
- $2,000 to Dustin Burrows,
- $1,000 to the House Democratic Caucus, and
- $750 to John W. Bryant.
- A short list of dozens of political donations
Perhaps you don’t support these candidates, or any of dozens of other candidates. Whether you did or not, your tax money found its way into their campaign pockets because the sole benefactor of the PAC contributions appears to be Focused Advocacy itself … thus, Snapper Carr. Whom the town has contracted in order to provide legislative assistance.
Basically, our city gives our money to Mr. Carr and he gives the money to the candidates. Leaving the citizens of Fate left to wonder how these contributions were decided upon, and whether they serve the best interests of the community. In case you were wondering … to the best of our understanding, this is all 100% legal according to Texas law.
Despite our efforts to seek answers, Snapper Carr has chosen not to respond to our inquiries, further deepening the shadows of secrecy surrounding the activities of Focused Advocacy and its PAC. This lack of transparency raises questions about the motivations behind these political contributions and their alignment with the interests of Fate’s citizens.
In 2019, the online newspaper, “Stateline” reported the five lobbyists at Focused Advocacy represent more than 20 Texas cities before the legislature. In that year, the firm tracked 3,300 municipal-related bills during that year’s 140-day session.
Enter the Texas Municipal League
Adding to the web of intrigue is the revelation that Snapper Carr has previously served as legislative counsel for the Texas Municipal League (TML), an organization that the City of Fate also contracts with for various services, including lobbying efforts aimed at state legislators.
Fate City Manager Michael Kovacs served on the Legislative Policy Summit Committee for the Texas Municipal League in the last quarter of 2022. He and Mayor David Billings spoke to the committee to advocate for changes in local Zoning Reform.
According to a letter obtained by the Fate Tribune under an Open Records Request, Mr. Kovacs sent a letter to the Texas Municipal League and advocated that they support the following with regard to Zoning Reform:
“This moves the required ownership percentage of protests within 200 feet of a zoning change that would trigger a super-super majority of a 75% vote needed by a City Council, from 20% to 50%.
This change would enhance liberty and property rights while allowing the majority will of citizens in cities to advance quality projects for the public good to ensure housing affordability by raising supplies. The concept, that we think is logical, is that if a majority of nearby property ownership interests will protest a zoning change, then they can make it difficult for a majority of the cities’ citizens’ local representatives to pass a project, but a small minority should not be able to stop a project’s property owners and developers. This will have the biggest impacts in large cities and first ring suburbs.”
Translation: Make it harder for citizens to successfully oppose zone changes proposed by developers.
The TML has been a significant player in Texas politics and has been known to wield considerable influence in the state legislature. The City of Fate’s association with both Focused Advocacy and the TML raises concerns about the potential for conflicts of interest and the influence of outside entities on local decision-making.
It’s important to understand that the Texas Municipal League represents and advocates for its member Cities … NOT citizens. Their goal is the empowerment of city governments. They lobby to take power from the State to give to the City. They lobby for laws that take decisions away from the People to give to the City Governments. In short, they are not your friends… unless you are part of a City Government.
The citizens of Fate, who entrust their elected officials with their hard-earned tax dollars, deserve better. They deserve a transparent and accountable government that prioritizes their welfare above all else. The revelations surrounding Resolution R-2022-066 and the city’s association with Focused Advocacy and the TML cast a dark shadow over the integrity of Fate’s local governance.
The lack of transparency and accountability in the decision-making process surrounding these contracts and political contributions raises troubling questions about who truly benefits from Fate’s finances.
Citizens should not have to go through endless open record request documents to learn about the objectives and actions being taken by their City Manager, or Mayor, with regard to lobbying activity. It ought not to take sleuthing skills to unravel a hidden agenda that is spoken only when the council is not in session. It is exactly this kind of backroom shenanigans that erodes trust in our institutions.
Fate’s residents deserve nothing less than a thorough investigation and a commitment to transparency from their city’s leadership. It is only through vigilance and unwavering commitment to accountability that the citizens of Fate can hope to regain their trust in their local government and ensure that their tax dollars are used to benefit, rather than betray, their best interests.
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