Dan Patrick: 'no reason' to return PAC money after group's leader meets white supremacist

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has doubled down on his decision to keep $3 million he received in political contributions in June from the controversial Defend Texas Liberty PAC after the group's leader met for several hours on Friday with an avowed Nazi sympathizer.

In a statement Wednesday, Patrick said he had spoken with the PAC's main benefactor, West Texas billionaire Tim Dunn, who acknowledged the meeting as a "serious blunder."

"He has told me unequivocally that it was a serious blunder for PAC President Jonathan Stickland to meet with white supremacist Nick Fuentes," Patrick said. "He has further assured me that he is certain that Mr. Stickland and all PAC personnel will not have any future contact with Mr. Fuentes."

"I accept Mr. Dunn at his word. I know him to be a man of integrity and an avid and staunch supporter of Israel," Patrick said. " ... Like all contributions we receive, they are accepted on good faith. I see no reason to return the PAC’s contribution."

After learning of the meeting between Stickland and Fuentes, as first reported by the Texas Tribune, House Speaker Dade Phelan on Monday called on all Republican lawmakers to distance themselves from the organization and to donate any contributions they received from the PAC to a charity. Phelan directly called on Patrick "to lead the way in redirecting these funds."

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Patrick responded Monday by accusing Phelan of using "these incentives" for his own political gain, and instead called on the House speaker to resign from his leadership post hours before the third special session was scheduled to begin.

The rift between the Senate and House chiefs has been on full display since the regular legislative session when the chambers couldn't agree on several of Gov. Greg Abbott's priorities and it further deteriorated with embattled Attorney General Ken Paxton's impeachment proceedings.

The House overwhelmingly voted in late May to impeach Paxton on several charges, including bribery and abuse of office. The Senate last month acquitted the attorney general of any wrongdoing after a two-week impeachment trial. Patrick presided over the trial and the PAC was one of Paxton's most ardent supporters.

'Antisemitism has no place here'

Several House Republicans have begun complying with Phelan's request to donate to a charity any political contributions they received from the PAC.

In a statement Wednesday, Rep. Jared Patterson, R-Frisco, said he donated a total of $2,500 he received in 2017 and 2018 from Stickland, the PAC's leader. Patterson donated the money to the Friends of Israel Defense Forces in response to Phelan's suggestion to send the funds to pro-Israel charities in light of Hamas' deadly attacks on Israel and the outbreak of war in the country over the past weekend.

"I was appalled to learn Defend Texas Liberty PAC hosted a Nazi sympathizer and Holocaust denier for six hours in their west Fort Worth office," Patterson said in the statement. "This news is repulsive and disqualifying for any group espousing Christian, conservative ideals."

Patterson, one of the House's most conservative members, went on to demand that others in his chamber — namely Reps. Tony Tinderholt of Arlington, Steve Toth of The Woodlands, Brian Harrison of Midlothian, and Nate Schatzline of Ft. Worth — follow his lead and make similar donations.

"Despite these in-kind donations to my campaign being made years before Defend Texas Liberty PAC's existence, I could not rest until I washed my campaign from the stain of this organization and it's leader," Patterson said.

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Joining Patterson were Reps. Stan Kitzman, R-Pattison, and Matt Shaheen, R-Plano, who announced on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter, that they had also donated political funds they previously accepted from the PAC.

In a statement, Kitzman said he had received $5,000 from the Defend Texas Liberty during the last election cycle, but increasing concerns over the PAC's legitimacy prompted him to give the money to charity.

"They have been involved in disseminating misinformation and propaganda, and their recent exposure for paying social media influencers to disseminate their message, without the required 'paid for by' political disclaimer, is troubling," Kitzman said.

Kitzman pledged a $1,000 donation each to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Christians Engaged, Rohr Chabad Jewish Student Center of Texas A&M, and the Texas DPS Officers Association, he said in the statement.

"While I have no intention of labeling the members of Defend Texas Liberty as antisemites or racists, their decision to engage with someone like Nick Fuentes is a step too far," Kitzman said. "I respectfully urge the leadership of this PAC to reflect upon their choice to associate with such individuals and consider aligning themselves with more principled allies."

Shaheen, who participated on Tuesday night in a vigil for the victims of the attack in Israel, was unabashed in splitting ties with the PAC, saying its actions violate both the Texas Republican Party's stance on Israel and teachings in the bible.

"I want to be crystal clear that antisemitism is evil and has no place in the Republican Party, andDefend Texas Liberty PAC is to be condemned," Shaheen said. "No one should associate with Defend Texas Liberty PAC or accept support of any kind from them."

Phelan, a Beaumont Republican who is in his second term as House speaker, posted appreciation responses on X to each lawmaker for donating political funds from the PAC.

"Antisemitism has no place here, and neither does an organization that entertains those with such hateful viewpoints," Phelan posted on X in response to Shaheen's statement.

A blunder?

While Patrick said there were no apparent links between Defend Texas Liberty and antisemitic or hate groups at the time he accepted the group's contribution over the summer, he painted Phelan's request to redirect those political funds as an "orchestrated smear campaign." He said there was no reason to return the $2 million loan and $1 million contribution he received from the PAC in June.

Phelan's chief of staff chastised the lieutenant governor for downplaying the PAC's leader's meeting with Fuentes.

"Mismatching socks is a 'blunder,'" Enrique Marquez, the chief of staff, posted on X. "Meeting with a pro-rape, pro-Taliban, pro-Hitler, anti-Semitic, Holocaust denier like Nick Fuentes for 6.5 (hours) is NOT a blunder."

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If Patrick were to return or donate the $3 million he received from the PAC, he would remain with around $20 million in his campaign account. Patrick is not up for reelection until 2026.

"As I have said, there is simply no place in Texas politics where the views of Nick Fuentes and his kind are acceptable or will be tolerated," Patrick said Wednesday.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Dan Patrick to keep money from PAC with ties to white supremacist