Texas Law Maker Spends $51,000 on Psychic?

Texas Law Maker Accused of Wasting Tax Payer Money.

Rep. Dawnna Dukes, an eleven-term member of the Texas House of Representatives, is facing Misdemeanor Corruption charges with trial set for October 16th. Her main offense wasting taxpayer money, and failure to turn over a phone that was specified in a search warrant. Rep. Dukes Compensated herself for days she did not work, she used staff for personal errands, a live-in nanny for her daughter, travel vouchers (that she allegedly falsified) and had her legislative staff work on an African-American Heritage Festival.

To top it off she has the worst attendance among her peers. In her defense, there are excused absences as well as unexcused absences in her record however an excused absence simply means that her staff notified the house that she would not be present.

 

As Reported By ABC News, The Associated Press

Authorities contend she was noticeably impaired on one occasion while performing legislative duties at the Capitol. She showed up late to a House appropriations committee hearing on March 29 and at one point said, “I know I’m talking a lot. I’m full of morphine and will be headed out of here soon.”

She’s also accused of giving investigators a different cellphone from the one they were seeking when they served her with a search warrant. In addition, the filing says Dukes was absent for roll call 65 percent of the time during the 2017 legislative regular session and 36 percent of the time in the special session.

Prosecutors still want to salvage a felony case against the lawmaker, the Austin American-Statesman reports. The Travis County district attorney’s office last week placed 13 felony charges against Dukes on hold after a legislative official gave conflicting information about reimbursement vouchers that Dukes is alleged to have falsified in 2013 and 2014 for days she did not travel to the Capitol.

Dukes previously had announced plans to resign, citing yearslong medical concerns. But she reneged in January and was sworn in for her 12th term.