Swift Boat Backer Funds Racist Direct Mail Campaign Attacking Obama and Others

AUSTIN, Texas (Business Wire EON) October 22, 2008 -- A group called "Empower Texans," chaired by Tim Dunn of Midland, an associate of Republican Texas House Speaker Tom Craddick, attacked Democratic statehouse candidate Joel Redmond of Pasadena, Texas, with a direct mail piece featuring fuzzy images of Senator Barack Obama and other black and Hispanic lawmakers. The mail piece also includes an image of several crows perched in a tree, along with the tagline "Birds of a feather flock together."

The mail piece appears to have been distributed throughout the Houston region, and perhaps beyond.

"Anyone with any racial sensitivity gets the meaning of the mailer," said Glenn Smith, consulting manager of Texas Progress Council. "Bob Perry and his political allies are saying that Redmond, who is white, has betrayed other whites by befriending people of color. This isn't Swift Boating—it's Race Boating. Bob Perry and Tom Craddick should be held accountable."

About Texas Progress Council

Texas Progress Council, Inc. is a Texas non-profit corporation that will conduct and coordinate public policy research, encourage and support cooperation among various individuals and organizations on public policy issues, and promote citizen involvement on public policy issues, including promotion of free, open and responsive government at all levels. See txprogress.org for more information.