Beth Van Duyne (TX-24) Research Report The following report contains research on Beth Van Duyne, a Republican candidate in Texas’ 24th district. Research for this research book was conducted by the DCCC’s Research Department between December 2019 and May 2020. By accepting this report, you are accepting responsibility for all information and analysis included. Therefore, it is your responsibility to verify all claims against the original documentation before you make use of it. Make sure you understand the facts behind our conclusions before making any specific charges against anyone. Beth Van Duyne Republican Candidate in Texas’ 24th Congressional District Research Book – 2020 Last Updated May 2020 Prepared by the DCCC Research Department Beth Van Duyne (TX-24) Research Book | 1 Table of Contents Table of Contents ....................................................................................... 1 Key Findings .............................................................................................. 3 Thematics .................................................................................................. 7 Van Duyne Put The Wealthy And Corporations Ahead Of Texans In Need ................................................................................................................... 8 Van Duyne Routinely Attacked Community Members And The Press ... 24 Van Duyne Went From A Reluctant Trump Supporter To A Wannabe Fox News Star ................................................................................................. 30 Van Duyne Gained Notoriety For Her Anti-Muslim Rhetoric ................. 44 Van Duyne Hindered Local Development While Mayor ......................... 65 Key Visuals.............................................................................................. 80 Personal & Professional History .............................................................. 84 Biography ................................................................................................ 85 Personal Finance ...................................................................................... 91 Political Career ........................................................................................ 92 Housing And Urban Development ......................................................... 116 Ethics ..................................................................................................... 129 Relationships ......................................................................................... 135 Donald Trump ........................................................................................ 143 Issues ..................................................................................................... 151 Abortion & Women’s Health Issues ...................................................... 152 Crime & Public Safety Issues ................................................................ 155 Education Issues .................................................................................... 158 Election Law & Campaign Finance Issues............................................. 160 Energy Issues ......................................................................................... 163 Environmental Issues ............................................................................. 167 Equal Rights & Workplace Fairness ...................................................... 170 FEMA & Disaster Relief Issues ............................................................. 176 Foreign Policy Issues ............................................................................. 178 Gun Issues ............................................................................................. 185 Health Care Issues ................................................................................. 192 Housing Issues ....................................................................................... 202 Beth Van Duyne (TX-24) Research Book | 2 Infrastructure & Transportation Issues ................................................... 206 Immigration & Border Issues ................................................................. 210 Labor & Working Families .................................................................... 222 Local Issues ........................................................................................... 224 Tax Issues .............................................................................................. 228 Trade & Outsourcing Issues ................................................................... 232 Veterans & Military Family Issues ........................................................ 233 Appendix I – Personal Financial Disclosures ......................................... 234 Appendix II – Campaign Finance .......................................................... 236 Appendix III – Vote Statistics ................................................................ 238 Beth Van Duyne (TX-24) Research Book | 3 Key Findings Van Duyne Put The Wealthy And Corporations Ahead Of Texans In Need Van Duyne celebrated the GOP tax cuts that helped the wealthy and corporations… Van Duyne celebrated Trump’s tax bill, claiming it was “putting dollars back into the pockets of the middle class.” In actuality, the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act included a “significant tax break for the very wealthy” and “a massive tax cuts for corporation” – all while raising taxes for the middle class. Separately, Van Duyne also supported a slate of tax policies that would primarily help the wealthiest Texans, like ending personal income tax and the estate tax, slashing corporate tax rates, and opposing any and all efforts to increase “the marginal income tax rates for individuals and/or businesses.” …While fighting against health care reforms. The tax cut was a loser for health care, as Republicans recommended paying for an increase in federal debt caused by the bill with cuts to Medicare and Social Security. Additionally, the tax bill would lead to more expensive health insurance and 13 million more uninsured Americans. Van Duyne expressed opposition toward the Affordable Care Act – saying it was “based on lies,” funded dishonestly, and has done profound damage to American health care – and celebrated Trump’s executive orders to scale back the ACA. Van Duyne supported Association Health Plans – plans which have a “long, well-documented history of fraud and abuse” leaving “hundreds of millions of dollars in unpaid medical bills” – and have allowed discrimination against individuals with pre-existing conditions. As mayor, Van Duyne saved the City of Irving $1.5 million annually by cutting health care for city workers. …While supporting anti-immigration programs despite findings of racial profiling and proven harm to public safety. In 2006, the Irving Police Department Partnered with ICE on the agency’s “criminal alien program” (CAP). In 2007, as mayor, Van Duyne bragged about the program, noting that – under the program – if someone is arrested and cannot provide “documentation that they are a U.S. citizen,” the police contact ICE. In 2009, a Berkeley School of Law report found “that police in Irving, Texas, arrested Hispanics in far greater number for petty offenses as part of a federal criminal alien program” and showed data indicating arrests of Hispanics for traffic violations substantially increased “relative to whites.” In 2016, Van Duyne bragged that Irving police were “the first ones in the country” to participate in CAP and lamented that President Obama cut resources for the program. In 2019 and 2020, Van Duyne credited bringing ICE into her town with lowering crime rates and claimed that deporting “criminal illegal aliens” led to lower crime rates in Irving. Van Duyne supported Irving joining an ICE program that trained police officers to question people about their immigration status, which studies found harmed public safety by discouraging immigrants from reporting crimes or interacting with police. After disagreements with her colleagues and the Irving Chief of Police on the program, Van Duyne said it was their responsibility “to do what we can to protect our own,” while later claiming the program was not about race or nationality. …And while fighting against resources for those in need. In 2014, Van Duyne criticized the decision to use HUD funds to build a homeless shelter for teenage boys in Irving, saying the boys “should be at the prime of their health and able to work.” Van Duyne added, “The city and the federal government should not be paying to provide apartments for these kids, for these men. Nobody did that for me when I was that age.” Van Duyne also criticized cities for taking federal grants. Van Duyne Routinely Attacked Other Community Members And The Press A community activist sued Van Duyne for defamation after she called him a “whore.” Irving community activist Anthony Bond sued Van Duyne for defamation after she called him a ‘whore’ to the Dallas Morning News. Van Duyne’s comments stemmed from an affidavit from an unrelated lawsuit in which bond claimed city manager Tommy Gonzalez would often get him tickets to event. Bond did not sue for monetary damages but wanted Van Duyne to stop making defamatory comments. Van Duyne said she would have her personal attorney defend her.” Beth Van Duyne (TX-24) Research Book | 4 Van Duyne argued the media attention focused on a lawsuit filed against her by a neighbor for unpaid work was politically motivated. Van Duyne was sued