BY RITA COOK / Freelance Writer
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ELLIS COUNTY – There has been much discussion regarding The Link Letter over the last few weeks as early voting has gotten underway.
The Link Letter highlights a voting guide, but it is no more than a pay-to-play according to Ellis County residents who are paying attention.
Texas Scorecard brought attention to The Link Letter several years ago when reporting, “What many did not know is that the multi-page mailer produced by Houston-based conservative radio host Terry Lowry has a reputation as a pay-to-play slate. Candidates can buy ads in the mailer in exchange for Lowry’s recommendation and/or placing an article in the guide.”
It looks like a legitimate, third-party voting guide for conservatives and it touts giving advice on the most conservative candidates on the ballot.
One look at the faux ballot inserted into the guide with county voting recommendations (an insert has been created for each county with specific races highlighted) and you can see the candidates in many cases being touted for a vote are vastly different from the most conservative option.
This was particularly apparent to some Ellis County voters as relating to the US District 6 Congressional seat now held by Jake Ellzey, but overall, there are more candidates that likely could be identified as not being the most conservative option.
Several years ago, one judge in Collin County recommended by The Link Letter said it was “intentionally false and misleading on multiple fronts.”
It is important to note not all the candidates on the fake ballot reads, “It is legal to carry into the voting booth” paid for the “pay-to-play” endorsement.
Both District Judge 504th Judicial District County incumbent Greg Wilhelm and District Clerk candidate Jennifer Zarate have both publicly commented they did NOT pay any money to The Link Letter, and were not sure why they were included.
Some Ellis County candidates and poll workers have also mentioned sample ballots from The Link Letter being handed out at the polls to voters this past week without full disclosure.
One Ellis County voter warned, “If a Republican candidate hands The Link Letter to you in a parking lot polling location, ask them why they suggest voting “no” to all the propositions?”
The best idea is to understand who you are voting for and why.
Taking advice from a publication that has made at least $945,520, not counting local candidates who paid for advertising in the publication, means letting a fake ballot with the intention of pay-to-pay manipulate you because apparently candidates do not think voters have enough intelligence to do their research and vote from their heart.
Yes, politicians can pay to win an election – we have seen that for years now.
This is an example, and it is exactly why we have incumbents who continually win not just because there are no term limits, but because they have the money to out-advertise their opponents who in many cases should be voted in because they are the best candidate for the job.
The problem is incumbents have lobbyists money to afford over-priced “The Link Letter” type advertising.
In the copy of The Link Letter I received last week there were one-page ads bought by David Cooks and Jon Garrett, and two-page ads bought by John Cornyn who must really be worried about his election, along with Don Huffines, Bo French, and Mayes Middleton.
The two-page ads are apparently at least $300,000 for a candidate’s inclusion and who, but the incumbent, can afford that during election season?
If you plan to vote and you do not know who you should vote for, ask someone who can answer your questions without getting paid hundreds of thousands of dollars as part of a money-driven reason for how they are directing you to vote.
