Harriet Miers: Difference between revisions

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In 1995, George W. Bush, then Texas governor, appointed Miers to chair the [[Texas Lottery]] Commission. Some have credited Miers with reforming the commission after a previous corruption scandal.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2005/oct/04/usa.topstories3|title=Bush offers crucial supreme court seat to his former lawyer|author=Julian Borger|date=October 4, 2005|access-date=2007-01-04|work=The Guardian|location=London|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081007214549/http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2005/oct/04/usa.topstories3|archivedate=October 7, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>
 
Her tenure has also been criticized. In 1997, the commission under Miers hired Lawrence Littwin as executive director but fired him five months later. At the time, the contract to operate the lottery was held by the politically connected [[GTECH Corporation|GTech Corporation]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/1999/nov/28/observerbusiness.theobserver13 |title=It's rollover time for the Lottery|work=The Observer|place=London |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010418014428/http://www.guardianunlimited.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,3935858,00.html |archive-date=November 28, 1999|accessdate=February 26, 2022}}</ref> which had obtained the contract with the help of a former [[Lieutenant Governor of Texas]] ([[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] [[Ben Barnes (Texas politician)|Ben Barnes]]).<ref>{{cite news|title=Texas Speaker Reportedly Helped Bush Get Into Guard|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/campaigns/wh2000/stories/barnes092199.htm|newspaper=The Washington Post|first=George Jr.|last= Lardner|date=September 21, 1999|access-date=February 26, 2022|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120312132643/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/campaigns/wh2000/stories/barnes092199.htm|archivedate=March 12, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> Littwin, as director, began an investigation into whether GTech had made illegal campaign contributions and whether GTech owed the commission millions of dollars for breaches of its contract. He stated that Miers ordered him to stop the investigation. He brought a lawsuit alleging that he was fired in retaliation for the investigation and to ensure that GTech would keep its contract.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/tlo/76R/billtext/HC00153I.HTM |title=76(R) HCR 153 Introduced version - Bill Text |access-date=2006-08-27 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060827001214/http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/tlo/76R/billtext/HC00153I.HTM |archive-date=2006-08-27 }}</ref>
 
According to [[Texans for Public Justice]], GTech paid Littwin $300,000 to settle the suit.<ref>{{cite web|author=Texans for Public Justice |url=http://www.tpj.org/docs/2000/10/reports/appointments/boards.html|title=Governor Bush's Well-Appointed Texas Officials: Well-Appointed State Boards|publisher=Texans for Public Justice|date=October 2000|access-date=February 26, 2022|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040130052901/http://www.tpj.org/docs/2000/10/reports/appointments/boards.html|archivedate=January 30, 2004|url-status=dead}}</ref>