If there’s one thing we can count on from Democrats, it’s that they operate by a different set of rules than they have for everybody else. The latest example of this phenomenon comes from the Lone Star State, where one of the most vocal Democrats in the redistricting fight is demonstrating remarkable hypocrisy when it comes to campaign finance.
Texas State Rep. James Talarico (D-50th District) has been outspoken about wanting to rein in campaign finance. He’s one of those mouthy young Dems who spout lines about billionaires ruling the world — he recently told Joe Rogan that billionaires “increasingly run this whole government.”
Talarico wants to change the rules so that Texas politicians can’t accept donations of more than $10,000. He even introduced a bill in the state legislature to enshrine that into law.
It’s pretty rich that Talarico wants to cap spending, seeing as how he raked in a whopping $59,000 in donations from a billionaire’s PAC last year. The Texas Sands PAC, which is pushing for the Lone Star State to legalize casino gambling, gave Talarico the donations to encourage him to lead that initiative.
The Texas Sands PAC is the brainchild of Miriam Adelson, the widow of billionaire Sheldon Adelson, owner of the Las Vegas Sands, and majority owner of the Dallas Mavericks. Sheldon Adelson was a longtime donor to Republicans, but his widow is spreading her wealth across the aisle to push for casino gambling in Texas.
Politico uncovered the donation and reports that the hefty sum of cash “makes the group both his biggest donor last year and one of his largest since he first ran for the state legislature in 2018.”
Related: Texas House Votes to Issue Arrest Warrants for Rogue Democrats
According to Texas Scorecard, Talarico has been one of the loudest voices calling for casinos to come to Texas:
In 2023, Talarico voted for a constitutional amendment that would have allowed Texans to vote on government-monopoly casino legalization.
The $59,000 contribution was the largest he received last year.
Talarico’s office defended the donation, claiming he’s long supported casino legalization “because it will bring good jobs and additional tax revenue” to the state.
Yet Talarico is singing a different tune when it comes to people not named James Talarico making bank from billionaires. It’s of a piece with the Democrats’ rhetoric lately.
“Democrats have walked a political tightrope for years as they have campaigned against the power and influence of the super rich while also soliciting funds from moneyed donors such as Michael Bloomberg and LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman,” Politico notes. “As they look to take back power in the Trump era, they are increasingly leaning into populism and bashing billionaires, opening themselves up to attacks of hypocrisy.”
PJ Media reached out to Talarico’s office for a statement but didn’t hear from his office by the time of publication. If we hear something, we’ll add it to this article. However, a spokesman for Talarico’s office spoke to Politico:
Asked about the funding, Talarico spokesperson Antonio Esparza said that the state representative pushed for campaign finance reform, but “he will not unilaterally disarm and let Texas Republicans play by different rules” until the law changes.
“Rep. Talarico believes our campaign finance system is deeply broken,” he said. “That’s why he filed legislation to cap campaign contribution limits in the state of Texas.”
By the way, Talarico is one of those Democrats who tries to turn Jesus into a radical progressive:
2,000 years ago, when the powerful few abused the many, a barefoot rabbi flipped over the tables of injustice.
— James Talarico (@jamestalarico) August 18, 2025
To those who love democracy, to those who love our neighbors:
It’s time to start flipping tables. pic.twitter.com/W5cpJGRUQB
Once again, a Democrat has proven that when it comes to getting big donations from billionaires, the adage “do as I say, not as I do” applies. Remember, if it’s a leftist receiving massive PAC donations, it’s (D)ifferent.
Democrats say one thing and do another — and Texas State Rep. James Talarico just gave us the latest proof. He rails against billionaires, then pockets $59,000 from a billionaire’s PAC. That kind of double standard is why we do what we do at PJ Media: expose the hypocrisy the mainstream press covers up.
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