Murphy Turner Burns Ken Sapp

The bad news keeps coming for Ken Sapp. Sunday the Fort Worth Star-Telegram published a letter to the editor criticizing mail sent out to benefit Sapp’s campaign. The mail was sent by a PAC intimately tied to Sapp’s consultants Murphy Turner Associates.

In his letter to the Telegram would-be Sapp supporter Russell Zwerg wrote that he shifted to support Stephanie Klick after he got a piece of mail chock full of lies. This is the same mail we wrote about last week sent by Texans for Limited Government, a shadow PAC set up to manipulate Texans.

The shell game attempt to aid Sapp is one Murphy Turner has run before. A PAC is set up by someone tied to Murphy Turner. Then right before a close primary election mail is sent out slamming the conservative candidate in the race. Murphy Turner’s clientele is increasingly comprised of liberal Republicans.

This retread tactic is a misleading campaign activity that has burned Murphy Turner in the past. In 2010 the group was sued when they were caught involving judicial candidates in a similar scheme. Currently Murphy Turner proxy Holly Turner and the PAC Texans for Fiscal Accountability are under a restraining order.

Murphy Turner’s brazen tactics also include the use of a client’s name without prior knowledge in polling and mail. This type of behavior verifies what we wrote in late 2011 that bad consultants often have far too much leverage over candidates and office holders. With these recent revelations it’s not surprising clients like J.M. Lozano, are freeing themselves from the shoddy and costly consulting outfit.

Besides using the same worn out exposed tactics this primary, Murphy Turner and other consultants are lying to Texans about efforts to end property taxes. Recently, general consultants including Bryan Eppstein have been working an attack on Empower Texans into their client’s materials. The messaging is a fabrication identical across races and consultants hinting at coordination among liberals in the GOP struggling to remain in power.

Since the Tea Party began it rise to prominence in 2009 the establishment GOP in Texas has been haplessly trying to maintain the status quo. To do this they have retained the services of consultants and shelled out fortunes. As the sloppy work of Murphy Turner indicates this may be proving to be money poorly spent.

Next week we will be expanding on the costs and clientele of Texas’ political consulting class.