Bill Bandy's contribution to Representative Four Price's (R-Amarillo) campaign for re-election was in poor taste.
Bandy, who serves as the chairman of the Potter County Republican Party, was reported to the Texas Ethics Commission as giving money to Price's campaign in December. The contribution was dated December 12th, which was after the date that Bandy filed to be the only candidate running for the office of county chairman.
The contribution by Bandy to Price's campaign was in poor taste, as Bandy currently serves as the local party's chairperson. If Price was running unopposed, that would be one thing. However, Bandy knew at the time of the contribution that Price was being challenged by Fritch city manager Drew Brassfield and should have known better than to give Price money.
As the county chairperson, Bandy is supposed to serve as an unbiased figure within the party that protects and organizes the local party's elections. Bandy is overseeing the local party's primary election that will pit Four Price against Drew Brassfield on March 6th.
With Bandy's contribution to Price, can Amarilloans expect Bandy to be fair to Brassfield?
While this contribution may not mean anything, it is worth noting that party chairs should not donate to candidates in contested primary races when they are tasked with overseeing the primary. By doing so, a chairperson could throw the entire integrity of the election into limbo.
-Thomas Warren III, Editor-In-Chief
