Two of the three newly appointed UT System regents donated more than $200,000 to Gov. Rick Perry's campaign group prior to their appointment, according to Texas Ethics Commission campaign finance reports.
Perry announced replacements for three of four expired positions on the UT System Board of Regents late Friday afternoon.
New Regent Paul Foster, president and CEO of Western Refining Co., has donated $281,239 to Texans for Rick Perry since 2001. He contributed $144,015 to the group in 2006 alone, including two $25,000 donations in one day, according to finance reports.
New Regent James Dannenbaum, chair of the Dannenbaum Engineering Corp., has donated $247,500 to Texans for Rick Perry since 2000.
Printice Gary, founder and managing partner of Carleton Residential Properties and the third regental appointee, has made no donations to Perry's campaign.
Perry did not announce a replacement for Robert Estrada, whose position expired Feb. 1, 2005. Estrada donated $500 to Texans for Rick Perry in 2004.
Allison Castle, spokeswoman for the governor's office, said there is "absolutely" no connection between campaign donations and the governor's choice for appointments.
"The governor's campaign is completely separate from the governor's office, and the appointment process is independent of any contributions that may or may not have been made," Castle said.
Financial support of Perry from regents is not a new trend. The Daily Texan reported in March 2006 that seven of 10 regents at that time had donated to Perry's campaign.
Regent Robert Rowling donated more than $100,000 to Texans for Rick Perry before he was appointed in July 2004 and has donated more than $127,000 since his appointment.
Rowling told The Daily Texan in March 2006 that he doesn't see any connection between his support and his appointment.
"It's not like I'm giving him money, and then I'm getting appointed. I've already been appointed," he said. "I'm supporting him because I liked his politics. I supported him before because I like his politics."
Regent John Barnhill, who donated thousands to both Perry and former Texas Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn, told The Daily Texan that he wanted to be loyal to the man who appointed him.
"You don't get appointed to the Board of Regents without supporting the guy who put you there, and I have a lot of respect for him," he said.
Tim Sorrells, deputy general council with Texas Ethics Commission, said that state law does not prohibit the governor appointing someone who contributes to his campaign.
UT System spokesman Anthony de Bruyn declined to comment on any conflict of interest between campaign donations and regental appointment.
In a statement released just after Perry's recent announcement, UT System Chairman James Huffines said the appointments were "wonderful news for all of us in the UT System family and for all Texans."
"Each of [the new regents] possesses a wide array of professional experience and shares a deep commitment to fostering excellence in higher education and health care across the state, which makes them superb choices," Huffines said in the statement.
The new regents succeed Rita C. Clements, Judith L. Craven and Cyndi Taylor Krier, whose terms expired Feb. 1 of this year.
The new terms expire in 2013 and will be approved by the Senate it is back in session in January 2009. All regent positions are unpaid.
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