Announcing the RESTORE Act!

Restoring Ethical Standards, Transparency, and Open, Responsible Elections to Texas school boards

My story is not unique. The Westlake Smear Cartel's unethical and immoral acts over many years are specific to Eanes, but the same thing is happening all across Texas to good people and their families who simply want to serve the school district they love. 

I'm not a man that sits idly by and lets this happen to my family or others. My wife Ivana and I are problem-solvers, hard-chargers and we've decided to take this issue to the Texas legislature to fix once and for all.  

Today we are proudly announcing a new proposed Texas State law called the RESTORE Act.

Restoring Ethical Standards, Transparency, and Open, Responsible Elections 

My wife Ivana and I are currently working with members in the Texas House and Senate to develop the RESTORE Act, which will modernize and strengthen the out-dated Code of Fair Campaign Practices in Texas (enacted way back in 1997), ensuring that no community members - or their beautiful families - who step up to serve their school board will have to face the same diabolical tactics of those threatened by losing power over our children and new ideas exposing their incompetence. 

With the legislature in session and all the complications of bill passage (only 13% of bills filed in the last 10 years have passed), Senator Bettencourt has expressed interest by submitting our proposed RESTORE Act to be written into a bill by senate lawyers.  We have hired an A-team of experts (yes, lobbyists) to help shepherd this bill through the legislative process. When the bill passes, it will protect good candidates across Texas from vicious anonymous attack campaigns run by each community's various smear cartels. 

In order to fund the legislative campaign, we need to raise some money - $50,000 is the goal. Ivana and I will personally match every contribution made by you.

DONATE TO THE RESTORE ACT CAMPAIGN!

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT TO ALL TEXANS?

The story goes like this: a qualified individual raises their hand and says, “I want to help.” They have unique experience, professional acumen, and are good people trying to help their community. But once they start their campaign, bad actors come out of the woodwork to smear their name, reputation, and ideas. This not only negatively affects the candidate, but their family, as well as the hard earned money donors put up to support their initiatives and ideas.

This has a negative effect on the individual, of course, but our community, as well. When the local Smear Cartel ties a good idea to the lies about the person who put them forward, they make those ideas nearly impossible to implement.

Why would any good person with a reputation of success want to succumb themselves to the onslaught of online lies and vitriol that comes with running for a local school board? If Ivana and I would not have lived this experience first hand, I would not have believed that the question would need to be asked.

Enter the RESTORE Act.

We have been working diligently at the capitol speaking with lawmakers about this very issue, with great success. They are listening and are getting excited about supporting the idea that we must update the antiquated Code of Fair Campaign Practices [LINK to PDF]. The last time it was updated? 1997. It's been far too long.

Take a look for yourself at what we are trying to accomplish for Eanes and school districts everywhere.

The RESTORE Act Will Protect Good, Ethical and Intelligent Candidates

Texas school boards oversee billions of taxpayer dollars and make decisions that directly impact our communities. That’s why we need ethical, experienced, and fiscally responsible leaders willing to step up. But the reality is, our current system is driving them away.

The personal and professional risks of running for a school board position have become too high. Reputations and livelihoods should not be on the line for business owners, professionals, and community members who want to serve their schools.  Political intimidation, smear campaigns, and social media attacks have transformed school board races into battlegrounds, discouraging many qualified candidates from running.

This isn’t just about individual candidates - it’s about public trust. When bad actors manipulate elections through misinformation and digital smear campaigns, it weakens confidence in the entire system. The last thing we need is for school board races to be decided by who can lie the loudest.  

The Code of Fair Campaign Practices was enacted way back in 1997 - before social media, AI-generated misinformation, and the anonymous attacks that define modern elections. It’s outdated, ineffective, and desperately needs to be modernized.

That’s exactly what the RESTORE Act will do. It ensures school board elections are ethical, transparent, and focused on the issues. This isn’t about limiting free speech - it’s about protecting it. Candidates, their supporters, and the public deserve a process that encourages debate, not destruction.

If we want to recruit strong, ethical leaders and RESTORE trust in our elections, it’s time to act. The RESTORE Act is the solution.

Please help by contributing today. 

Our goal is $50,000 and we will match every dollar donated. The team we have hired is exceptionally talented, and with your help we can help great people win elections on school boards in Eanes, and across Texas.

DONATE TO THE RESTORE ACT CAMPAIGN!