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Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller has been subpoenaed to testify in the criminal trial of a former political consultant later this month.
Todd Smith, a close aide to Miller, was indicted in 2022 on felony theft and commercial bribery charges related to accepting money in exchange for state cannabis licenses issued by Miller’s office.
Smith was arrested in mid-2021 and accused by law enforcement of accepting $55,000 as part of the scheme, according to an arrest warrant. Smith and others were accused of demanding up to $150,000 to secure an “exclusive” cannabis license from the Texas Department of Agriculture. Smith allegedly said $25,000 of the money would be used for the investigation required to obtain a license in Texas. According to the arrest warrant, it costs $100 to obtain a marijuana license from the state.
Miller could not be reached for comment. Mr Miller suggested at the time of the indictment that it was politically motivated and said he did not believe Mr Smith had done anything wrong.
Mr. Miller was ordered to testify in Travis County District Court on October 21.
He is entering his third term as Agriculture Commissioner in 2022, defeating Democratic challenger Susan Hayes with strong support across rural Texas. The secretary is a vocal ally of former President Donald Trump and is rumored to be on the shortlist for USDA secretary if Trump wins in November.
Mr. Smith has a history of controversy over his actions and relationship with the Department of Agriculture.
In 2018, the Austin American-Statesman reported that Smith promised a San Antonio businessman an appointment to the Department of Agriculture in exchange for a $29,000 loan. And in 2016, Mr. Miller gave Mr. Smith’s wife the newly created position of assistant secretary, one of the highest-paying positions in the department.
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At the time, Smith said Miller directly hired his wife because of her experience as a medical consultant to former Reps. Greg Laughlin and Joe Barton.
