Former representative Gene Seaman took that even further and claimed homestead exemptions on both properties he and his wife owned.
Texas WeeklyVolume 23, Issue 12, 11 September 2006
House of RepresentativesThe Ethics Commission doesn't comment on complaints, and it appears unlikely that they'll weigh in on this before the election. But in 1996, they were asked about lawmakers renting separately owned properties from the spouses, and they were pretty clear about it. That 1996 opinion from the Ethics Commission didn't address mortgages on properties, but it settled the property question: "A legislator’s use of political contributions to make a rental payment to his spouse for the use of her separate property does not constitute a payment to purchase real property and does not violate section 253.038 of the Election Code. Nor is such a payment a conversion to personal use as long as the payment does not exceed the fair market value of the use of the property."
Other lawmakers who turned up after the Goodman-inspired search include Sen. Kim Brimer, R-Fort Worth, and Reps. Rob Eissler, R-The Woodlands. Gene Seaman, R-Corpus Christi, and Vicki Truitt, R-Keller. Each has a different story.
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