Joe Driver

Joe Driver (born September 29, 1946 in Rockwall, Texas) is a Republican politician from the U.S. state of Texas. From 1993 to 2013, he represented the 113th district in the Texas House of Representatives, a seat that he initially won in the 1992 elections.

Joe Driver
Texas State Representative for District 113
In office
1993–2013
Succeeded byCindy Burkett
Personal details
Born (1946-09-29) September 29, 1946
Rockwall, Texas, USA
Political partyRepublican
ResidenceGarland, Texas
Alma materGarland High School
University of North Texas

He served on the House committees on (1) Appropriations and (2) Public Safety. He was a leading conservative in the legislature who sponsored bills to allow concealed carry on college campuses[1] and generally favored lowering taxes over government expenditures.[2]

On August 16, 2010, Driver admitted to billing the Texas House for certain expenses for which he had already been reimbursed by his own campaign fund.[3][4] On December 19, 2011 Driver pleaded guilty to a third-degree felony of abuse in his official capacity as a state lawmaker as a consequence of the double-billing. He was fined $5,000 and given five years' probation. The maximum penalty for the crime is ten years in prison plus a $10,000 fine. Driver's plea bargain allowed him to keep his voting rights in the legislature, avoid being a convicted felon, and to collect his state retirement of $57,000 a year when he retired as a legislator in 2013.[5][6]

He did not seek re-nomination in 2012, and the seat was handily won by the outgoing District 101 representative, Republican Cindy Burkett of Mesquite.

References
  1. Dave Montgomery (March 17, 2011). "House committee OKs bill to allow handguns at colleges". Austin Star-Telegram. Retrieved December 19, 2011.
  2. "State Representative Joe Driver Reports to District 113" (PDF). Retrieved December 19, 2011.
  3. State Rep. Joe Driver of Garland double-billed for travel (Associated Press)
  4. Garland State Rep. Joe Driver pocketed $17,000 by billing campaign, taxpayers for the same expenses (Dallas Morning News)
  5. Judge approves probation, fine for state Rep. Joe Driver (Austin American-Statesman) Archived 2012-02-14 at the Wayback Machine
  6. Texas Rep. Joe Driver to Get Five Years Probation
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