February 8, 2014 8:24 AM

CRITICS OF NEW PAC SAY IT IS A COORDINATED EFFORT WITH MQS TO TOPPLE STRAUS

Accountability First PAC has taken aim at public schools; now pushes right-leaning House candidates

The Houston Chronicle and the Dallas Morning News today have similar stories about Accountability First, which some say is a “shadow PAC” of Empower Texans. From the Dallas Morning News’ version:

"...critics say it’s working, implicitly if not directly, with other staunchly conservative groups that regularly clash with school boards and teachers’ organizations. For many, they complain, the goal is to oust House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio.

And they fear that if the group is able to elect more staunch conservatives to the House, the push to limit spending will make it harder to address pressing needs in infrastructure and education.

About 80 percent of the 27 GOP House candidates that have received $166,000 in direct help from the PAC, and probably the bulk of an additional $200,000 it has spent on ancillary services, also have been backed by the political arm of Empower Texans, the conservative grassroots group led by activist Michael Quinn Sullivan.

One is Straus’ opponent in the March 4 GOP primary, tea party activist Matt Beebe."

Here’s the full DMN story.