Read on Twitter
THREAD: Yesterday, Trump doled out a big Christmas basket of pardons and commutations. Among the recipients was ex-Congressman Steve Stockman, who got COVID in federal lockup. He was serving 10 yrs for 23 counts tied to illegal use of charity funds. https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Trump-pardons-Steve-Stockman-former-Texas-15823273.php?utm_campaign=CMS%20Sharing%20Tools%20(Premium)&utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=referral
Stockman, a Tea Party member and avid birther conspiracy supporter, once threatened to impeach Obama over gun regulations he proposed following the Newtown elementary school massacre. He was flashy and drew a good bit of attention during two non-consecutive terms in office.
The jury trial in Houston federal court exposed an array wacky schemes by the Congressman, including a spy campaign in which he planted a fake intern in the office of a Republican rival hoping to find evidence of perversion. https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/texas/article/We-will-hit-the-pervert-line-so-hard-he-ll-12774181.php
Stockman got Republican mega donors to fund his pet projects. Richard Uihlein gave him $350k to renovate a house where young conservatives could live while working on Capitol Hill. The project never came to fruition. Instead the money showed up elsewhere. https://tinyurl.com/y972rxwb
Another megadonor Stanford Z. Rothschild Jr. gave Stockman funds for tabloid-style mailings promoting a conservative policy agenda to likeminded voters. Within days of depositing the checks, Stockman began paying off old credit card bills, an aide said. https://tinyurl.com/y9r4ohqd
Some of Uihlein's money went toward printing 500 copies of a high end pop-up Advent book by Stockman's brother. It also paid for a 30-day rehab for a friend. Meanwhile the congressman's campaign staff were living in a run down motorcycle shop. https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Interns-for-ex-congressman-Steve-Stockman-saw-12782335.php?utm_campaign=CMS%20Sharing%20Tools%20(Premium)&utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=referral
Stockman solicited funders on his many trips to Africa. He sought help from the Egyptian defense ministry in getting a $30 million donation from an overseas cement company to educate Americans about the Middle East. https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Ex-congressman-Steve-Stockman-met-with-Egyptian-12786279.php?utm_campaign=CMS%20Sharing%20Tools%20(Premium)&utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=referral
At the time of his conviction political scientist
@bjrottinghaus
said, "Stockman was on track to be among the next generation of conservative leaders in Texas, formerly a rising star on the right undone by the hubris of ambition and selfish behavior.” https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Jury-deliberating-in-ex-Congressman-Steve-12830632.php?utm_campaign=CMS%20Sharing%20Tools%20(Premium)&utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=referral
@bjrottinghaus
said, "Stockman was on track to be among the next generation of conservative leaders in Texas, formerly a rising star on the right undone by the hubris of ambition and selfish behavior.” https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Jury-deliberating-in-ex-Congressman-Steve-12830632.php?utm_campaign=CMS%20Sharing%20Tools%20(Premium)&utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=referral
