Infomaniacs: April 30, 2012 (7:15am)

Brazos County Candidate and Former State Investigative Auditor Files Complaint on Day One of Huffines’ Newly Launched “Whistleblower” Portal Media Release 10/22/2026: (BRYAN, TX) — Janet Dudding, CPA, Texas Democratic Nominee for Texas House District 14 and former investigative auditor with the Mississippi Office of the State Auditor, today filed a public corruption complaint against Texas Comptroller Don Huffines — using the very whistleblower portal his campaign promoted in a paid political text message she received this morning. The complaint, filed at 12:51 PM on October 22, 2026, cites potential violations of Texas Election Code §255.003, which prohibits a public officer from spending or authorizing the spending of public funds for political advertising. “The irony could not be more complete,” said Dudding. “Don Huffines launched an anti-corruption portal today and sent a paid political ad featuring his official government seal and directing Texans to a state government website — comptroller.texas.gov — to drum up campaign support. I used his own portal to report him. That’s not a stunt. That’s exactly what the law is for.” THE AD AND THE APPARENT VIOLATION: The paid political text message, labeled “PD POL AD – DON HUFFINES CAMPAIGN,” prominently features the official Texas Comptroller State Police Law Enforcement Operations seal — a government-branded image — and directs recipients to comptroller.texas.gov/tips, an official state government website. The text reads: “Comptroller Huffines’ NEW corruption whistleblower portal sends your tips directly to Law Enforcement Operations investigators.” Texas Election Code §255.003(a) explicitly prohibits a public officer from knowingly spending or authorizing the spending of public funds for political advertising. Using official government seals, government branding, and a government-operated web portal to solicit campaign support raises serious questions about whether state resources were improperly leveraged for Huffines’ political benefit. Dudding filed her complaint — categorized as “Public Corruption,” subject: Donald Huffines — within hours of receiving the ad. Got a news tip? e-mail us at news@wtaw.com, text us at (979) 695-1620, or reach out on Facebook or Twitter/X.

A Bryan man was arrested after police say he used an old receipt to obtain a refund for unpaid merchandise. Bryan Police responded to the Walmart on Briarcrest Drive around 4:30pm on October 20th for reports a suspected fraudulent return. Surveillance video showed 62-year-old David James Gaudeillo taking a bag of dog food from store shelves then heading to customer service. He was issued a refund for $17.30 using a receipt dated October 11, 2026. Gaudeillo was arrested for Theft Under $100 With a Prior Conviction. He is free on $3,000 bond. Got a news tip? e-mail us at news@wtaw.com, text us at (979) 695-1620, or reach out on Facebook or Twitter/X.

AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott today announced that the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) plans to award $8 million in Rural Texas Strong grants to 28 rural healthcare providers throughout the state. “Your address should not determine the quality of care you receive,” said Governor Abbott. “Rural Texas will not be left behind. This more than $8 million investment will expand access to care, strengthen facilities across Texas communities, and help to recruit and retain the next generation of healthcare professionals.” “The Trump Administration’s Rural Health Transformation Program has a simple formula for success: state innovation backed by federal funds equals lasting improvements for rural communities,” said CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. “Investing in locally driven solutions is an important step toward achieving that vision for rural Texas and CMS is excited to partner with states to build stronger, more resilient rural health systems.” “Every Texan should be able to receive quality healthcare in the community they call home,” said HHS Executive Commissioner Stephanie Muth. “This funding will help rural providers modernize their facilities, improve care for people with chronic conditions, and attract and retain the health care professionals their communities need.” Funding announced today will advance the following Rural Texas Strong initiatives: The “Make Rural Texans Healthy Again” initiative helps rural hospital districts improve health outcomes and chronic disease conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease, or obesity. The “Next Generation of the Small Town Doctor and Team” initiative supports rural communities in recruiting, training and retaining physicians, emergency medical professionals, and other health care workers. The “Infrastructure and Capital Investments for Rural Texas” initiative supports rural healthcare providers by replacing aging medical equipment and improving existing facilities. The awards are part of a historic investment of an estimated $1.4 billion in federal funding over five years to improve rural healthcare throughout the state. Funding will be available after contracts are finalized. A list of all recipients is available here. The $8,145,444.89 is a portion of the $281,319,360.67 first‑year award HHSC received from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Rural Health Transformation Program. Rural Texas Strong, the CMS-approved state plan, is 100% federally funded through the Rural Health Transformation Program and features six initiatives to provide funding for rural communities to improve access to healthcare. Federal funding is contingent upon meeting all applicable program requirements. Got a news tip? e-mail us at news@wtaw.com, text us at (979) 695-1620, or reach out on Facebook or Twitter/X.