Hot on the heels of allegations of impropriety, a leaked Alamo audit showing “potential shortcomings and discrepancies,” and even a request for an AG inquiry into his activities from Texas Nationalist Movement President Daniel Miller, it is being reported that Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush will resign from the Alamo Trust.
Believed to be an attempt to throw-off negative press attention that could jeopardize his chances for reelection as General Land Office Commissioner, and in Bush’s words, “’so that there is no appearance of favoritism,’” Bush will step down from one of the three Alamo nonprofits that he is on. This will take place at the next board meeting for the Alamo Trust.
Currently, Bush faces stiff opposition in the March primary for his office, with challenges from former GLO Commissioner Jerry Patterson, Land Surveyor Davey Edwards, and former fire fighter and head of the Save the Alamo effort (not to mention TNM endorsed candidate) Rick Range. All of these candidates have been critical of Bush’s handling of the Alamo management and Reimagining effort, and some have been equally critical of his handling of the GLO (click here).
Primary opponent Davey Edwards summed up best why there has been so many problems with George P. Bush in his current position: it is a means to an end for Bush, and not the end in itself.
One of the things that really pushed me to try to get the position of the commissioner is simply the fact that what was going on with the land office when you have a politician in the office, that they try to use it to build a political portfolio.
I think Bush realizes the fix he’s in. If he’s fired from the GLO by the voters for incompetency or (even worse) being viewed as anti-Texan for his mismanagement of the Alamo project, he can forget about using Texas to spring into higher or federal office. In such a case, it is likely that even the dynastic name of Bush will save him. Bush’s career aspirations aside and whatever the result on March 6, here’s hoping that soon all potential malfeasance is exposed and dealt with, that the focus is brought back to preserving the Alamo as the Texas shrine it is and not as somebody’s vanity project, and that competent leadership is brought back to the GLO.
