April 13, 2016 ‘Texas Ranger Public Integrity Unit PO Box 4087 Austin, Texas 78773-0600 BYEMAIL: _rangers@dps.texas.gov Re: Complaint: Request for Investigation into abuse of official capacity by Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller | am writing to follow up on a complaint Progress Texas submitted to your office on March 21, 2016. In that complaint we requested that the Texas Ranger Public Integrity Unit investigate whether Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sidney “Sid” Carroll Miller violated Title 8 of the Texas Penal Code by misusing government funds for his own personal benefit in connection with a February 2015 trip to Oklahoma. Since filing that complaint, a new report has emerged outlining ‘Commissioner Miller's use of government funds to pay for a trip to Mississippi for personal benefit as opposed to public business. We respectfully request that your office investigate this latest allegation of abuse of official capacity, in addition to our prior complaint ‘According to a press report published in the Houston Chronicle on April 8, 2016," Commissioner Miller used government funds to pay for the cost of airfare for a trip to Mississippi in February 2015. The express purpose of this trip was for Miller to compete in a rodeo. According to research conducted by Brian Rosenthal, Miller spent the whole trip competing in rodeo events and won $880 doing so. Moreover, his spokesperson confirmed in an on-the-record statement that the trip was exclusively personal in nature. Miller’s calendar also confirmed this exclusively personal purpose, as it did not contain any other scheduled activities. According to the report, Miller himsetf said he did not schedule or have any official meetings or events outside the rodeo. Rosenthal found Miller paid $1,021 in airfare costs using state funds. Miller later reimbursed the state for these misused funds with campaign funds. However, this reimbursement does not ‘exculpate Miller of wrongdoing Brian Rosenthal, Miller Used State, Campaign Funds on Trip 1o Compete in Rodeo, Houston Chronicle, Apri 8, 2016 (attached). Progress Texas * 800 San Marcos St, Suite 110 + Austin, TX 78702 =The conduct outlined in this media account violates Texas Penal Code § 39.02 ABUSE OF OFFICIAL CAPACITY, Commissioner Miller has yet again demonstrated a pattern of abusing his official capacity by misusing taxpayer funds. | believe the Texas Rangers should include this latest allegation into its ongoing investigation into Agriculture Commissioner Sidney “Sid” Carroll Miller’s conduct and refer all these matters to the appropriate District Attorney for prosecutorial action. Singorely. — Luby Stein Advocacy Director Progress Texas Encls