Texas lawmaker who admits taking taxpayer money for campaign-funded travel vows to fix errors

Texas lawmaker vows to correct billing mistakes

AUSTIN, Texas — An anti-tax Texas lawmaker says he never should have pocketed thousands of dollars in taxpayer money for travel expenses that his campaign had already funded.

State House member Joe Driver made his comments after an Associated Press investigation.

He acknowledged in an interview that for years he has been submitting the same receipts to both his campaign and to the Texas House of Representatives.

In a written statement late Monday night, Driver said he had consulted House “ethics specialists” and determined that he had made errors in his campaign reports. But he denied ever misusing state tax dollars.

He says the mistakes are being corrected.

The Texas Democratic Party has called for a criminal investigation.