The Dallas Morning News said in a November 1 editor's note that an October 31 opinion column endorsing Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa did not disclose that its author had a paid consulting relationship with Hinojosa's campaign. The author, Suzanne Bellsnyder, confirmed to the newspaper after publication that she worked as a paid consultant for the campaign.
Campaign finance records compiled by Transparency USA list $57,000 in consulting payments to Bellsynder Group LLC in 2026. The itemized records show four payments from the Hinojosa campaign: $6,000 on June 3, $6,000 on September 1, $22,500 on September 8 and $22,500 on October 1.
The newspaper said that had its editors known of the relationship, they would have declined to publish the column. The column was still available online on November 2. The Texas Democratic Party also promoted the endorsement, and its post did not mention the consulting relationship. Hinojosa faces Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in the November 3 election.