Dallas Morning News

AUSTIN (AP) - A California veteran has gone to the Texas Ethics Commission with complaints against 10 state lawmakers and 15 judges.Dave Palmer, who lives in Folsom, Calif., said he began investigating judicial misconduct in 1995 based on personal experience in Ohio. He said he invests much of his time looking at campaign finance records to expose officials who he believes are violating the rules.State Sen. John Whitmire, from Houston, is among those Palmer has filed an ethics complaint against.

Palmer said the senator personally gained from using funds from his campaign chest for $165,061 worth of Houston Astros, Texans and Rockets tickets.The Houston Chronicle and the San Antonio Express-News report Whitmire said yesterday that it's a total non-issue by some character out in California, so I don't care what he thinks -- end quote.Palmer's complaint against Whitmire also accuses the senator of not fully identifying major campaign contributors by not including the donor's occupation and employer.Whitmire said he was unaware of the requirement, which became law in 2003, and will instruct the person who prepares his reports to amend them.