EXCLUSIVE: Greg Abbott hosted the Colony Ridge developer for a private lunch at the Governor’s Mansion and took $1.5 million in donations as he secured federal tax breaks for its investors.
Here’s how Abbott supercharged the rise of America’s largest illegal alien enclave. 🧵
Abbott took $100K from the wife of the Colony Ridge developer in March 2018.
Just two days later — the day of the nomination deadline — he recommended Colony Ridge for opportunity zone status, unlocking major investment incentives, records obtained by @realDailyWire reveal.
Two weeks later, Harris met Abbott and a powerful State Senator at the Governor’s Mansion.
Abbott sent another letter nominating it as an opportunity zone two days later. He sent a final letter four days after that. The plan worked. Now investors receive special tax breaks.
Harris attended the Mansion again for a “summer kickoff fiesta” and then gave $100k to Abbott, the first of what would become $1.4 million in donations.
The IRS made it official on July 9th: Colony Ridge was named an opportunity zone. Now they use it to lure new investors:
Colony Ridge knew the designation would fuel its rapid growth. It tells commercial buyers that the land is “located in an OPPORTUNITY zone!”
Colony Ridge says it will hit 250k residents in less than a decade, outgrowing cities like Knoxville or Boise as it attracts illegals.
The Senator at the Governor’s Mansion meeting was Brandon Creighton. He told me that they discussed the “history of the grounds.”
But Creighton is the VP of a company that announced it was building homes in Colony Ridge after it received its opportunity zone status.
Harris went on to visit Abbott’s mansion four times, including for a tight-knit dinner in 2020.
The relationship soured after my investigations into Colony Ridge. Harris said of Abbott to the NYT “don’t expect a million dollars next year. It ain’t happening again, brother.”
Abbott maintains that others in the area advocated for the census tract to become an opportunity zone and that the designation isn't to blame for the problems at the development.
He pointed to his enforcement actions against Colony Ridge, which came after our investigations.
Trey Harris’ cousin Monte Harris Lane told me that Colony Ridge is selling out our nation.
“They’re selling out Texas, America, and the Constitution and our freedom and liberties for money,” he told The Daily Wire. “I think my grandpa would turn over in his grave.”
Read my complete investigation into the relationship between Colony Ridge, Governor Abbott, and Sen. Creighton for @realDailyWire:
Colony Ridge Gave Greg Abbott $1.5 Million. Here’s What Greg Abbott Gave Colony Ridge.
dailywire.com/news/colony-ri…
Share this Scrolly Tale with your friends.
A Scrolly Tale is a new way to read Twitter threads with a more visually immersive experience.
Discover more beautiful Scrolly Tales like this.