John O'Quinn believes that "campaign finance is a problem." But the fault, as he sees it, lies with large corporations and wealthy executives, who supply the overwhelming majority of campaign cash. "There has to be some political money to back those who believe in government of the people," he told the Texas Monthly, "because there is going to be lots of political money to back the people who believe in government of corporate power, by corporate power, and for corporate power."
That, to O'Quinn's mind, is where trial lawyers like him come in. During the past election cycle, attorneys made nearly $100 million in campaign contributions, most of it to Democrats. O'Quinn himself has won more than 250 verdicts for amounts greater than $1 million -- most famously on behalf of smokers and women with silicon breast implants -- and he made sure that some of it went to oppose the GOP. "I am pro-consumer," he told Mother Jones. "The Republican party is anti-consumer."
As a Texas attorney who represented the state in its lawsuit against Big Tobacco, O'Quinn also has a financial stake in opposing George W. Bush. Instead of voicing his appreciation for the lawyers who won a $17.3 billion settlement for the state, the then-governor criticized O'Quinn and others for pocketing large fees. Under Bush, Texas also passed legislation limiting personal injury awards to twice the actual damages incurred. Legislators claimed they were protecting small businesses, but O'Quinn blasts the law for robbing consumers of their chance to bring "legitimate punishment to the company." If Bush succeeds in extending such "tort reform" nationwide, consumers will have a harder time collecting damages -- and O'Quinn and other attorneys will collect smaller fees.
O'Quinn also criticizes Bush for his environmental record as governor. When chemical plants were polluting the air and water in Texas, he says, Bush implemented an "honor system" allowing the chemical companies to monitor their own pollution. "Also part of the plan," O'Quinn says, "was that the same companies were going to give millions to his presidential campaign. I've got a problem with that."
O'Quinn did his part to offset those contributions, making several sizeable donations in the waning days of the campaign. He gave $175,000 to support Democratic candidates in September, contributed another $400,000 on October 26, and tossed in $23,000 more over the following week.
With Bush out of the state, some have urged O'Quinn to run for governor of Texas. When reporters asked the attorney what he thought of the suggestion, he downplayed the possibility. But if it ever happened, he said, he'd use his personal wealth to finance his campaign. "Since I have my own money," he said, "they can't corrupt me."
-- Pam Smith
