Pro-voucher billionaire and top Abbott donor called to testify before Texas House committee

Republican megadonor and school-voucher champion Jeff Yass has been called before the Texas House Public Education Committee to explain his millions in recent campaign donations to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.

The Pennsylvania-based billionaire made headlines last December when he dropped a $6 million donation into Abbott’s coffers as the Republican governor prepared to push Texas lawmakers to adopt a controversial voucher plan. At the time, Abbott’s campaign bragged Yass’ contribution amounted to the “largest single donation in Texas history.”

However, that history-making contribution could end up biting both the governor and the billionaire in the ass.

On Monday, the committee’s Democrats — Alma Allen (District 131), John Bryant (District 114), Gina Hinojosa (District 49) and James Talarico (District 52) — sent a letter asking Yass to testify and explain a total of $12 million in campaign donations he flowed to Abbott over the past year.

Talarico and his comrades maintain Yass had a significant impact on Abbott’s unwavering crusade to bring school vouchers to Texas.

“Texans deserve to know who’s behind this scam,” Talarico said in a Monday tweet.

Yass, sometimes called the “richest man in Pennsylvania,” made his fortune as acting co-founder and managing director of Philadelphia-based investment firm Susquehanna International Group.

It’s unclear what Susquehanna or Yass stand to gain if school vouchers pass in Texas. However, Yass has been a vocal advocate for programs that flow state taxpayer money to families that want to send their children to private schools.

“Given your significant role in funding efforts to reshape Texas’ public education system, we believe it is only appropriate that you explain your position directly to the people whose schools and communities your money seeks to impact with school closures, program cuts and teacher layoffs,” the members of the House Public Education Committee said in their letter to Yass.

The House Public Education Committee on Tuesday will begin hearing public testimony on House Bill 3, which would use taxpayer money to subsidize private school tuition for some Texas students.

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This article appears in Mar 5-18, 2025.