George P. Bush, Texas land commissioner and Jeb's son, hired most of staff in legally suspect way


A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Thank you for signing up to TheWeek. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
Last week, Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush responded to criticism from his predecessor that he had replaced nonpartisan bureaucrats at the General Land Office with loyalists by explaining that many of the employees that he inherited in January were making too much money. "We're going to try our best to make it more objective, more fair, based about not your relationships, but based upon what you bring to the table," he said of his office, which oversees 13 million acres of Texas public lands, including leasing mineral rights to oil and gas companies. On Monday, the Houston Chronicle reported that a full 76.4 percent of Bush's new employees were hired without advertising the jobs, in probable violation of state law.
Bush, a son of Republican presidential hopeful Jeb Bush, isn't alone. Seven top Texas officials elected in 2014 — including Bush, Gov. Greg Abbott (R), and Attorney General Ken Paxton — have hired 146 people with personal or political connections, along with 33 other people also given jobs without any competition, according to the Chronicle's Brian M. Rosenthal. Those 179 unadvertised jobs, prohibited under a 1991 law, represent 15.4 percent of the hires of these seven officials over the past 11 months, but Bush is bending the curve, handing out 55 of 72 jobs without competition, including creating a "special counsel" position for law school friend Hector Valle, 37. Another new hire, his chief of staff, was an aide to his uncle, George W. Bush.
On Monday, Bush defended his decision to hand-pick his staff without advertising the jobs, explaining that he "needed to move quickly because I got sworn in Jan. 2 and the legislative session began virtually the week after.... I needed to bring in people that I trust." After Rosenthal noted that Bush filled 14 of those unadvertised jobs in July, Bush said "there's been a thought process behind each selection." The hires are "not just bringing in friends and acquaintances," he added. "I want to bring in the best people." Going forward, though, "every single position that will be open will be offered to the public," Bush told the Chronicle. "There will be an open selection process."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.
Sign up to our 10 Things You Need to Know Today newsletter
A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Peter Weber is a senior editor at TheWeek.com, and has handled the editorial night shift since the website launched in 2008. A graduate of Northwestern University, Peter has worked at Facts on File and The New York Times Magazine. He speaks Spanish and Italian and plays bass and rhythm cello in an Austin rock band. Follow him on Twitter.
-
Seasonal attire
Cartoons
By The Week Staff Published
-
The daily gossip: Sophie Turner sues Joe Jonas for 'immediate return' of their kids, 'Euphoria' star Angus Cloud's cause of death revealed, and more
The daily gossip: September 21, 2023
By Brendan Morrow Published
-
Romney's seat
Cartoons
By The Week Staff Published
-
Former Philadelphia police officer charged with murder for Eddie Irizarry shooting
Speed Read
By Rafi Schwartz Published
-
How Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio's 22-year sentence compares to other Jan. 6 punishments
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Kansas police raid small-town local newspaper, setting off a press freedoms clash
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Ohio voters defeat GOP measure to raise referendum threshold
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Ohio is voting on whether to raise the bar on referendums — and a popular abortion amendment
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Oregon lifts ban on drivers pumping their own gas
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Former Manson follower Leslie Van Houten out of prison after 50 years
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Florida construction and agricultural workforces diminished after new immigration law takes effect
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published