Who The F*ck Elected Tim Dunn, Anyway?
Faith, Funds, and Fascism: The dangerous ideology funding Texas politics.
Earlier this week, several House Republicans, along with many Republican candidates, re-wrote the Southern Manifesto to give it a modern spin. Since then, ten more far-right candidates signed on to this anti-Democratic manifesto.
When you pull back the curtains of these far-right candidates, there’s one thing that they almost all have in common. That’s the big bucks that they’re raking in from Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks.
Here are the current signees:
After the Defend Texas Liberty PAC was embroiled in the neo-Nazi scandal last year, they cleverly changed their name to Texans United for a Conservative Majority PAC, hoping people would forget their Nazi affiliations. From these two PACs, $4,081,000 came from Tim Dunn and $2,790,000 from Farris Wilks. On top of that, Dunn and Wilks also gave more money to these candidates personally, not under their PACs.
These billionaires have given the signees of the anti-democratic manifesto: (Those in office have been marked with *; the rest have yet to win their elections.)
Andy Hopper - $230,000
David Covey - $225,000
Brent Money - $210,000
Katrina Pierson - $150,000
Mitch Little - $145,000
Shelley Luther - $135,000
David Lowe - $125,000
*Tony Tinderholt - $100,000
Mike Olcott - $100,000
Matt Morgan - $75,000
Wes Virdell - $50,000
*Steve Toth - $45,000
AJ Louderback - $25,000
*Brian Harrison - $8,500
Helen Kerwin - $15,000
Cheryl Bean - $10,000
Alan Schoolcraft - $5,000
Janis Holt - $5,000
Don McLaughlin - $5,000
*Nate Schatzline - $1,000
Of the 23 Republicans who signed the anti-democratic manifesto, only three haven’t taken money from Dunn and Wilks, at least not yet. We should assume that they are open to becoming a billionaire puppet by signing this manifesto.
As it turns out, banning Democratic chairs from the Texas House was Tim Dunn’s idea all along.
Back in 2018, Tim Dunn had a conversation with then-House speaker Joe Straus when he used anti-Semitic language, told Straus to remove Democratic chairs, and said only Christians should be in leadership positions.
Previously, we thought that the idea of removing Democratic chairs came from expelled Representative Bryan Slaton in 2021. But now the pieces are coming together. The only thing that Slaton cared about in the House was what children had in their pants, and he wasn’t clever enough for this fascistic scheme. In Slaton’s ear, Tim Dunn told him to push for the ban on Democratic chairs. We know that because Tim Dunn was his biggest donor.
Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks are the most prominent billionaire oligarchs in Texas, and they are also Christian Nationalist pastors.
Billionaire oligarch pastors, it sounds like an oxymoron, but plenty on the right are eating out of their hands. Every Sunday, these billionaires are preaching at far-right churches. Tim Dunn preaches at Midland Bible Church, and Farris Wilks started his own church, the Assembly of Yahweh.
Neither of these oligarchs preaches a theology of love; they preach a theology of power and control and about the “Seven Mountains Mandate.”
Listen to far-right dominionist Lance Wallnau explain the origin of the Seven Mountains Mandate. Christians seek to gain influence over the “mountains” of government, church, education, family, media, arts, and business.
To be clear, this is what Christian Nationalism is; this is what Dunn and Wilks want for their version of religion to take over our government, schools, education, family, media, and businesses.
These billionaires, and by extention the puppets that they control, believe:
Climate change is God’s will.
They compare homosexuality to bestiality and pedophilia.
Only Christians have a right to serve in public office.
Tim Dunn and all of his flunkies have proven time and time again that there is nothing Christian about Christian Nationalism. It’s all about power and control.
The five Republican Representatives and 18 Republican candidates who signed the anti-democratic manifesto are all Christian Nationalists. Each one is willing to do the billionaire oligarch’s bidding while in office.
Tim Dunn has gone far beyond buying and controlling the Republicans in the Texas Legislature.
Tim Dunn is spending his fortune to create an entire ecosystem in Texas. It’s a web of think tanks, media, and legal organizations. Here are the far-right groups in Texas that are funded by Tim Dunn, controlled by Tim Dunn, or Tim Dunn sits on their Board of Directors:
The Texas Scorecard.
The Texas Public Policy Foundation.
Citizens for Self-Governance.
Center for Effective Criminal Justice.
First Liberty Institute.
Israel Allies Foundation.
In 2022, Steven Monacelli uncovered a web of at least 77 websites in Texas, funded by Tim Dunn, that launder advocacy for conservative groups and talking points such as property tax relief, attacks on alternative energy sources, and fearmongering about the border.
Through his wealth, Tim Dunn is planting Christian Nationalist ideas in the minds of Texans with his “Pink Slime” journalism. Then, he uses his think tanks to produce reports seeped into fascist ideology. And he pays off the Republicans in the Legislature to enact these ideas.
Tim Dunn is using his wealth to destroy democracy in Texas.
Tim Dunn spent $3 million buying off Dan Patrick and the Republican Senators in Ken Paxton’s impeachment trial to ensure that the most corrupt politician in Texas remained the top cop.
Tim Dunn is pushing vouchers, aka school segregation. All of the manifesto signees have promised to destroy public schools in Texas if elected (or re-elected). If vouchers are passed in Texas, they will be the most significant wealth transfer from the bottom to the top in Texas history.
Billionaire oligarchs like Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks are what is dividing our country.
They are the ones funding hate and racist media, like the Texas Scorecard. They are the ones pushing hate and fascism through their think tanks, like the Texas Public Policy Foundation. They are the ones taking away our rights through funding the lawmakers who are doing their bidding.
Tim Dunn is behind the book bans, he’s behind the CRT and DEI fear tactics, he’s behind the loss of women’s bodily autonomy, and he’s behind keeping millions of Texans uninsured.
To understand more about these billionaire’s grip on Texas politics, watch the CNN documentary “Deep in the Pockets of Texas.”
Tim Dunn wants to control every aspect of Texan’s lives because he believes his religion told him to.
What I want to know is:
Who the fuck elected Tim Dunn, anyway?
A concerning picture emerges as we peel back the layers of influence, power, and control exerted by Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks over the political landscape in Texas. It’s not just about the financial contributions to candidates who align with their far-right, Christian Nationalist views. It’s about the broader impact on democracy, inclusivity, and the very fabric of society in Texas.
The agenda pushed by Dunn, Wilks, and their affiliates threatens to erode the foundational values that underpin a democratic and inclusive society. It challenges the very notion of separation between church and state, undermines the rights and freedoms of those who do not conform to their narrow worldview, and positions wealth and religious ideology as the gatekeepers of political power.
The fight against the influence of billionaire oligarchs like Tim Dunn is not just a political battle; it’s a stand for the soul of Texas and a test of our collective resolve to forge a future that reflects the best of our values, not the narrow interests of the few.
It’s imperative to vote against every Republican in the Tim Dunn camp, not as an act of partisanship but as a defense of democracy itself. In doing so, we reaffirm the power of the people over the power of the purse and ensure that Texas remains a beacon of freedom, diversity, and democratic integrity.
Important 2024 primary RUNOFF election days:
April 29, 2024: Last day to register to vote.
May 17, 2024: Last day to apply by mail
May 20, 2024: First day of early voting.
May 24, 2024: Last day of early voting.
May 28, 2024: Last day to receive a ballot by mail.
May 28, 2024: Election day.
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I live in Minnesota. I read the Texas Tribune. I've been following the Texas self appointed apostles for a while. I'm always blown away by their direct communication with god. Fascinating that it speaks to them but won't answer the prayers of a parent of a dying child. Is there room at the top for all these wannabe God dudes? Leonard Leo is claiming that throne as well. Malignant narcissists come in all shapes and sizes.
I can't stop thinking about your piece. All these alt-right American Oligarchs are ripping this country apart because they can afford their own consequences. But we can't. Texas seems like a microcosm of what's to come. This is a fucking nightmare. Politics is a grifters paradise. Throw the pulpit on that and we have the perfect shit storm.
An R is most likely to win CD 12...Kay Granger's and before that Jim Wright's seat. One is Jewish and one is catholic. O'Shea, will he pledge allegiance to the West Texas Elmer Gantry twins
or Trump and only glancingly the constitution?
Goldman, easiest guy in the world to trip up: Dear Mr. Goldman, do you support the anti-semitic MAGA party or the constitution.? Either answer will be wrong for the general voters.
O'Shea has put up sings larger than Goldman's calling out Goldman as a RINO or worse......its fun to watch...
If ur from FTW i will buy you a beer if you can tell me who OUR CD 12 candidate is, without googling of course.