Mis-Spending Incumbent Ousted

Mike Greenlee, a Palmer, Texas city councilman and the Dallas suburb's mayor in the early 90s, lost a re-election battle on May 10 amid a barrage of front-page articles in the conservative Ellis County Press - a newspaper that carried copies of receipts to strip clubs, bars and hotels on its front page, followed by a story two days before the election that exposed Greenlee's signature granting $186,000 in an infrastructure project in 2003.

According to budget documents, that expenditure was transferred from the city's economic development corporation and was not bid, though Greenlee told the public he "had nothing to do with it."


Greenlee's seven-vote margin of defeat also resulted in the election loss of two members of his "slate," Linda Harper and Shannon Conger, both of whom had their names printed on large 4x8 yard signs with Greenlee's name at the top.

Days after the election, Greenlee told The Ellis County Press that it succeeded in "altering" the election with the news coverage.