Image Credit: Lee Reeves for State House / Facebook & Canva
Submitted by Norman Bobo –
In a conversation with Brandon Lewis, Lee Reeves stated: “Am I supposed to pass laws that are against my own interests?”. Read that again. Then hold that thought.
In a recent bombshell video and related article, The Tennessee Conservative revealed that Lee Reeves rents to hundreds of illegal aliens in an apartment he owns in Houston.
If you have not listened to the video, I strongly urge you to do so. It is shocking.
Over this last week, Reeves and his surrogates have been desperately trying to spin the narrative that Reeves is somehow the victim of an imperial federal government who is forcing him to rent to illegal aliens and that we should blame the federal government, or his other investors, not him.
That is just pure garbage.
I’m a former commercial real estate investor. I don’t buy Reeves’ spin for one second.
Here are the key facts:
1. Lee Reeves is a real estate lawyer who teaches commercial real estate investing, particularly how to purchase and operate apartment buildings. He knows what he is doing. Lee Reeves did not just stumble into this situation. He is not a victim.
2. Lee Reeves admits that he owns the building and the building houses illegal aliens.
3. Here are some facts which Lee Reeves and his surrogates never mention in their obfuscations:
a. 80% of the people renting in the immediate area are illegal aliens. The leasing agent stated, they are “coming fresh from their country [and] all they have is identification from their, their own home”. (see video at 2:54).
b. The leasing agent states that the majority of people who rent in Lee Reeves’ building do not have SSN or ITIN numbers. (see video at 4:26). This means the majority of his renters are illegal aliens.
c. Lee Reeves COULD run credit checks or background checks, which require SSN or ITIN numbers, the effect of which would be to weed out most illegal aliens, but Lee Reeves KNOWINGLY offers an option for renters who do not have SSN or ITIN numbers, thus allowing — even encouraging — illegals to rent from him. This critical information is discussed further in detail below.
Reeves provided a response for the article in which he attempts to spin the issue. Voters in Tennessee House District 65 should reject Reeves’ spin. Let’s dive into it.
Other investors are to blame –
Lee Reeves’ spin: “I’m one of 22 investors in a business…”. Why would Lee Reeves start his response with how many investors are involved? This is a subtle way of implying “it’s not just me,” and/or “others are in charge”. Lee Reeves’ name is all over the paperwork. It’s his business that files the Franchise Tax Returns. There is simply no way that Lee Reeves, a lawyer who teaches real estate investing, does not know what’s happening at a property he owns. This subtle attempt to shift the blame is what makes voters hate politicians.
The feds made me do it –
Lee Reeves spin: “…that strictly follows all federal and state laws and regulations. Unfortunately, federal fair housing laws create legal liability for property owners who attempt to verify immigration status.”
This spin is the biggest lie of all and is repeated over and over by his surrogates.
Reeves want you to think this is a legal issue. It is not. It is a moral issue.
Yes, the Federal Fair Housing Authority restricts landlords from asking a prospective renter their immigration status (something we MUST change).
But this fact does NOT excuse Lee Reeves. Here are many reasons voters should reject this spin.
The Feds are not ordering Reeves to own this building. Reeves chose to buy a building where he profits from a mostly illegal alien population.
As a former commercial real estate investor who loves my country and has been alarmed at our illegal immigration crisis for decades, I would NEVER even look at, much less buy or own, a building in this type of area.
Lee Reeves’ rhetoric and his actions do not line up. He has been profiting from the illegal alien crisis for years.
Lee Reeves could use credit checks and background checks to screen out illegals. As mentioned earlier, Lee Reeves could use credit checks and background checks to screen out most, if not all, illegals.
The Texas Property Code does not specifically discuss immigration issues, which is in line with the Fair Housing Act restriction on not asking the immigration status of prospective renters.
However, Section 92.3515 allows a landlord to reject a tenant based on their criminal and credit history. The ONLY practical way to run a criminal or background check is for the prospective renter to provide an SSN or ITIN number, along with a host of other personal information such as prior addresses. In other words, the way to NOT rent to illegal aliens is to run a credit check or background check.
In the video at 4:35, Reeves’ office person tells the caller that “the IT number and the social security [number] for us is just due to do the credit check to lower deposits”.
Read that again. Lee Reeves does not require credit checks nor background checks. Lee Reeves’ leasing agent made it clear: If you want to pay a lower deposit, you have to agree to a credit check, but it is not required. This one simple step of running a credit check, which virtually all landlords in the country perform on a daily basis, blocks most illegal aliens from renting apartments.
I can hear Lee Reeves’ apologists screaming “well what about other low-income renters who can’t pass a credit check? Are you saying landlords should not rent to low-income people?”
In a low-income area, a landlord may lower their credit score requirements, but they can still run a credit check. But does Lee Reeves choose to require credit checks? No, he does not.
In addition to credit checks, Lee Reeves has another option to filter out illegals: he could require background checks, which also require SSN or ITIN numbers. As a former apartment investor, I find it unbelievable that, apparently, Lee Reeves does not run background checks (the leasing agent says ITIN and SSN numbers are not required). Reeves is, effectively, allowing all kinds of criminals to rent from him!
Remember now that Lee Reeves is a real estate lawyer and teaches others how to buy and operate apartment buildings.
He knows how to run credit checks and background checks.
In fact, he could use one of these two companies (or a myriad of others) to run these checks: American Apartment Owners Association and RentSafe.
If Lee Reeves has any questions about how to do that, both of these companies explain on their pages how Texas apartment owners can legally run credit checks and background checks. But if Lee Reeves needs to be educated on these things he should turn over his law license and stop teaching people how to buy and operate apartments. This is “Landlord 101”.
It’s a Crime to House Illegal Aliens. Guzman Law Firm, PLLC in Laredo, TX (on the border) represents defendants accused of aiding, abetting, harboring or housing illegal aliens. The linked page is a great summary of the law on this issue. Particularly read the section “Punishment for hiring and/or housing illegal immigrants in Texas”. Reeves is a lawyer. He should (and probably does) know that it is a crime to house illegal aliens in Texas.
Reeves could have sold his stake before he ran for office. Reeves knew he was running for office. All candidates, particularly those running for the General Assembly, know that opposition research will be performed on them. No matter his true beliefs on the illegal alien crisis, or how he got himself into this mess, as a candidate, he should have sold his stake in the business before he ran. The optics alone will likely kill his campaign. Reeves has wasted his own time, the time of his volunteers, the money of his donors and the reputations of his endorsers. In effect, Reeves wants it all. He wants the profits from renting to illegal aliens while simultaneously having the power and prestige that comes from being a State Representative. The way to get both was to hide his background – to lie to his community.
When you look at the big picture, Lee Reeves is, effectively, a slumlord. He will rent to anyone who can simply show an income for two weeks, regardless of their credit history and their criminal history, including the crime of entering our country illegally. It’s all about the profit to Lee Reeves.
Now, let me remind you of Lee Reeves’ statement, as quoted by Brandon Lewis: “Am I supposed to pass laws that are against my own interests?”. Read that again. Let it sink in. In his heart of hearts, Lee Reeves is more concerned about his own interests (his profits) than he is the interests of the constituents in Tennessee’s 65th House District and the citizens of Tennessee who want solutions to the illegal alien crisis.
Here’s the net:
1. Lee Reeves says one thing and does another. He claims he will fight illegal immigration while he profits from it.
2. Lee Reeves had choices and still has choices. A) He was not forced to buy this building. B) He could sell his stake in the building. C) He is NOT forced to rent to large numbers of illegals. But Lee Reeves continues to choose to rent to illegals and has done so for years.
3. Lee Reeves effectively lied to the voters, his volunteers, his donors and his endorsers by hiding this information.
4. Rather than owning up to the truth, Lee Reeves and his surrogates are doing what politicians do: spin. They are hoping their spin will influence voters who don’t have the time to go beyond the spin.
5. And, most damning, Lee Reeves states that he will be more concerned about his own interests than the interests of his constituents and all Tennessee citizens.
The voters in Tennessee House District 65, and across the state, need representatives who are better than this in the General Assembly.
Like Lee Reeves, the voters have choices. They could vote for Michelle Foreman (my choice) or Brian Beathard (that’s another commentary). If you are in District 65 or you know of others in District 65, I encourage you to share this commentary with them.
Two more things:
1. Claire Reeves, the wife of Lee Reeves, is very likely to win her general election seat to the Williamson County School Board. It is a bad idea to have a husband and wife holding a seat on a School Board and a seat in the General Assembly. That’s just too much power concentrated into one family. For this reason alone, TN District 65 voters should reject Lee Reeves and vote for someone else to represent them in the General Assembly.
2. Lee Reeves is untested. He has never held an elected office. Whereas both of his opponents have held elected office. They have voting records which can be examined (which is why I am voting for and supporting Michelle Foreman).
3 Responses
Of course, in deciding who to vote for voters in Dist. 65 can base their decision on their opinion of the way Lee Reeves conducts his real estate investment business. On the other hand, they could base their decision on whether or not they want to help finally break the Government School Trust’s monopoly on education in this state.
Lee is the only candidate in the race who is promising to join with those who are determined to end the government school monopoly. That has been, and promises to be, the major issue confronting this state. VOTE REEVES!
In addition, this poscast is notable because Lee talks about his weekly calls with the Houston management team. He is actively involved! WEEKLY MEETINGS! That is after the 15 min mark
https://lifestylesunlimited.com/tell-del-tuesday-new-york-scientist-turns-real-estate-investor/
He’s absolutely involved and his name is the only name on the LLC. He teaches others to buy properties just like this. He knew exactly what he was buying. He knew he’d be turning a profit renting to illegals.