It's at the end of HC link in the OP:
Shortly after the Chronicle posted a story about Vasquez on its Web site, a reader sent an e-mail showing Vasquez filed for bankruptcy in 2001 and was listed as the registered agent for several companies that lost their corporate charters for failing to pay their state franchise taxes.
Vasquez said the dealings were "ancient history" and added that he was only tangentially involved in most of them.
Most were formed in 1994, when he was part of a group of entrepreneurs trying to incubate new businesses, he said. Some of the group's ventures flourished while others failed, he said, adding that he was surprised he was listed as the registered agent since he had so little to do with the start-up firms.
He said the Chapter 7 bankruptcy stemmed from the failure of a civil construction company in which he was a minority partner from 1995 to 1997. Although he left the company before it failed, he was unable to remove his name from personal guarantees he signed for construction equipment loans, he said. He filed for personal bankruptcy to clear that debt.
Radack said he was not familiar with Vasquez's finances but stood by his choice.
"I guess you can say, Leo, welcome to the world of politics," Radack said. "That's what you're seeing right now."
And this from
Charlie Kuffner, on the matter of Vasquez' immense qualifications ...
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Since the subject of qualifications came up, I'm glad to hear that Vasquez is well-qualified for the office. Let's
turn the clock back ten years to see how that matter was handled the last time this office came open.
The local Republican Party nominated its own vice chairman for Harris County tax assessor-collector Monday, rejecting the current officeholder - an African-American who promised to widen the party's appeal - and other contenders.
A vote by the party's precinct chairmen gave the nomination to business consultant Paul Bettencourt, who has been the local party vice chairman since May. He promised to modernize the county tax assessor's office and push for tax cuts.
...
A few precinct chairmen said Monday night their vote was not against Alexander and his campaign outreach idea, but against his installation by the county commissioners before the party awarded the nomination.
"This was a vote against (Commissioner) Steve Radack and his Bill Clinton arrogance toward the Republican Party," precinct chairman and Bettencourt supporter Mike Dugas said.
I point this out because a few people have been pushing the patently silly claim that Democratic candidate Diane Trautman was not qualified to be Tax Assessor. The only factors that mattered in Bettencourt's selection as the Republican nominee in 1998 were his broad popularity among Republican precinct chairs plus a disagreement over Commissioners Court's decision to act before the Republican Party did. Whatever qualifications Bettencourt may have had for the job had nothing to do with it, and since 1998 was a GOP sweep year in Harris County, it wasn't a factor in the general election either. Funny how these things work, isn't it?
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