Mr. Velasquez is best known in Washington, D.C. for his years of service to Senator Phil Gramm (R-TX) as General Counsel and political operative. After practicing real estate development law and lobbying the local government in Austin, Texas for several years, Phil Gramm gave Mr. Velasquez his start in national politics. Over the years, Mr. Velasquez would serve Phil Gramm in several capacities including political operative, state regional campaign director, senate staffer and General Counsel. Mr. Velasquez has also served as General Counsel to the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC). Thereafter, in his last tour of duty for Phil Gramm, Mr. Velasquez would join Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison’s (R-TX) office to serve as General Counsel and Legislative Director. In addition to providing Senator Hutchison with legal counsel, Mr. Velasquez was charged with establishing Kay’s legislative operation and managing her legislative staff. Mr. Velasquez has an undergraduate degree in Accounting from The University of Texas at Austin and is a 1985 graduate of The University of Texas School of Law. He is a member of the Texas and Washington, D.C. bars and has been published in the Texas Bar Journal (Federal Election Law: An Election Year Primer, Texas Bar Journal, Volume 55, No. 10, page 1034 (1992).