AUSTIN – Today, the Texas Senate voted to approve Jay Kimbrough as Conservator of the Texas Youth Commission, with Senator Eliot Shapleigh casting the one "no" vote. Senator Shapleigh issued the following statement on his vote:
"In 2005, as Deputy Chief of Staff to Gov. Rick Perry, then as Deputy First Assistant AG with Attorney General Abbott, Kimbrough knew or should have known about the Ranger report on TYC. Yet, for nearly 2 years, he and others did nothing. Now, he is asked to investigate his own conduct, and that of his co-workers, on both staffs. We need an independent, objective investigator who will follow every lead no matter where it goes."
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TYC Investigation— Jay Kimbrough Timeline
| TYC INVESTIGATION - February 2005: Ranger Brian Burzynski begins his investigation. His superior is headquartered in Midland, Texas.
- March 2005: Governor's aide Alfonso Royal gets Ranger's notes.
- June 13, 2005: In that e-mail, Perry staff member Alfonso Royal asked TYC Chief of Staff Joy Anderson, "What is going on in the West Texas investigation?"
- July 28, 2005: US Department of Justice declines to prosecute regarding the West Texas School.
- November 2-3, 2005: Alfonso Royal calls Burzynski's Fort Stockton office.
- February 21, 2006: Texas Attorney General's Office Attorney William Tatum – a subordinate of Jay Kimbrough – receives the actual Ranger's report.. [Note: On March 26, 2007, Kimbrough told the House Corrections Committee "I think I went back with the AGs office to June 2006", omitting that Kimbrough was actually with the OAG and over Tatum's Division at the time Tatum received the report and reported it to his superior.]
- October 30-31, 2006: Royal receives another copy of Ranger's report, with graphic accounts and photographs of abuse.
- March 2, 2007: Legislative Audit Committee votes that Perry should appoint a TYC Conservator.
- March 6, 2007: Kimbrough orders law enforcement agents to TYC and begins directing investigations.
- March 19, 2007: Texas Attorney General's Office and Legislative Council testify to the that House Corrections Committee that there is no such thing as a Special Master.
- March 26, 2007: To the House Corrections Committee, Kimbrough admits he has no authority and is questioned about his employment history.
| KIMBROUGH - December 2004: Kimbrough is employed as Governor Rick Perry's Deputy Chief of Staff.
- May 2005: Kimbrough remains employed as Governor Rick Perry's Deputy Chief of Staff.
- June 2005: Kimbrough is employed as Deputy First Assistant Attorney General & Director of the Office of Special Investigations for the Attorney General's Office.
- February 2006: Jay Kimbrough remains employed with the Attorney General's Office.
- July 2006: Kimbrough joins the Texas A&M System as deputy general counsel.
- March 2, 2007: Kimbrough is appointed Special Master by Rick Perry.
- March 28, 2007: Kimbrough is named by Perry as Conservator.
- March 29, 2007: Kimbrough is confirmed by the Senate as TYC Conservator.
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