>>1200913I did some deep digging on TAHSR.
They're a 501(c)(4) org, so they're not required to publicly report their donors (and they don't). They are, however, required to report lobbying.
According to the docs from 2015-2016, they spend $20,000 on lobbying in the Texas legislature per quarter. That's $80,000 annually. Their donors clearly have deep pockets.
Funnily enough, TAHSR got dropped by their last lobbying firm when DART (Dallas transit agency) realized they were using the same firm as them. DART made it very clear to them that they were IN FAVOR of the HSR project, and would be taking their business elsewhere if the firm continued to have TAHSR as a client.
The last bit of shadiness is pretty buried. Kyle Workman, one of the head honchos of the group, is the son of Paul Workman, a Texas legislator. Kyle intentionally tries to hide this fact so he can appear to be "one of the people." Apparrently people tend to be more suspicious of your motivations if they know your dad's a politician.
