San Antonio’s H-E-B among the top donors to Gov. Greg Abbott’s $4.7 million 2023 inauguration

With a $150,000 contribution, San Antonio-based grocery chain H-E-B was among the top donors to the $4.7 million inauguration party that kicked off the third terms for Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, the Texas Tribune reports.

In total, 136 businesses and donors ponied up for the event, which raised slightly less than record-setting $5.3 million raked in during 2019, according to the Tribune. The state’s inaugural committee didn’t release its financial report until five months after the latest fete.

The top two contributors to the 2023 inauguration — each of which gave $250,000 — were Houston billionaire Tilman Fertitta’s Fertitta Entertainment Inc., which runs restaurants on the River Walk and elsewhere, and Dallas pipeline company Energy Transfer LP, according to the Tribune. That means H-E-B was in second place for the size of its overall contribution.

AT&T, Cintra, Devon Energy and the Williams Brothers Construction Co. were among 13 inaugural donors that each gave $100,000, according to the report.

The Tribune described Texas’ inaugural fundraising as “unique in Texas politics” since inaugural committees, unlike campaigns, can accept direct corporate contributions. Inaugural committees also aren’t required to follow the same reporting rules.

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This article appears in Jun 14-27, 2023.