$1.7M for George Strait, six-figure bonuses: Months later, a lawsuit forced Texas to release details on inaugural spending Source: Texas Tribune and last updated 2020-12-21 11:46:27-05 By Shannon Najmabadi, The Texas Tribune, and Jay Root, Houston Chronicle Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. To celebrate Gov. Greg Abbottâs reelection last year, his inaugural committee paid a whopping $1.7 million to hire country crooner George Strait and his band. A coterie of top political aides and staff got more than $1 million, some of it paid out in six-figure bonuses. And a handful of lucky charities received $800,000 in unspent money.