Rancher's anti-Perry campaign leads to fine

Billy Mitchell likes to air his grievances publicly.

The Aledo rancher has paid for billboards and newspaper ads to highlight his concerns about Gov. Rick Perry and the use of eminent domain in Texas.

Mitchell's most recent campaign -- a series of newspaper ads mocking Perry -- caught the attention of the Texas Ethics Commission, according to the Fort Worth Weekly.

The Commission told Mitchell his efforts qualified as political ads and required him to file with the Ethics Commission, the Weekly reported. When Mitchell missed the deadline, he received a letter telling him he owes $1,300.

“I wasn’t aware you had to fill out a form to exercise your freedom of speech,” Mitchell told Weekly reporter Jeff Prince.

-Aman Batheja

Comments

[John]

Billy Mitchell is no rancher. He's just another rich guy with a huge ego who invaded the cattle business so he could wear a hat and brag to his friends. People like him do more damage to real ranchers than anyone else.