By Juan Montoya
The convoy of rented vans appeared unannounced at the Santa Fe Adult Day Care facility on Tuesday and a politiquera announced that they were there to take the clients to vote.
No one in management – who had expressly banned the Hernandezes from campaigning or hauling their elderly to vote – was conveniently there at the time. The elderly were herded into the vans by the politiqueros working for Erin Hernandez Garcia and her mother Norma, wife of Cameron County Pct. 2 commissioner Ernie Hernandez, notorious for "harvesting" the votes of the elderly and the infirm.
They drove the group to the main courthouse and gave them marked sample ballots indicating the three candidates they were to vote for: Erin Hernandez Garcia for J.P. 2-2, Carlos Masso for District Attorney, and Abel Gomez for Constable, Pct. 2
"I told them I wanted to vote for Yolanda Begum," the woman said. "They insisted that I vote according to the yellow paper (sample ballot) they gave us.
Although the woman does not suffer from an incapacity and is not disabled, the driver would not allow her to alight the vehicle and insisted she vote under his gaze. Instead, the elections judge gave the driver the required number of ballots for the elderly in the van and waited outside in the sidewalk in front of the elections office until they were filled out.
The woman said she filled in her vote and the driver took her ballot. Whether he included hers along with the rest is unknown.
For three days Norma Hernandez and her band of politiqueros and politiqueras have been driving vans full of elderly and the disabled from day care centers in town and herded them to early voting polling places where they assisted them to cast their votes – often under the disbelieving eyes of passersby, attorneys and other candidates – and in front of the nose of Cameron County Elections Administrator Roger Ortiz and polling-place election judges.
In some places, such as the Centro Comunitario in Cameron Park, an Hernandez campaign worker will drive the rented van up to the entrance of the building, keep his charges in the van and call out loud that he has brought them all in to vote for Erin, Masso and Gomez.
At the main courthouse and at the Cristo Rey Catholic Church, visitors to the courthouse watched on in amazement as some obviously disabled people stayed in the vans as the driver went in to have the poll workers bring out ballots and then he assisted them in darkening the ovals next to the candidates marked out in the sample ballots.
In many cases, the elderly, like the woman described above, were not allowed to get off the van even though they could walk unassisted.
"This is incredible," said a visitor to the main courthouse. "I have heard stories about this happening, but I would have never in my life believed that this could actually happen out in the open. These poor people couldn't even hold a pencil. They just did as they were told by the driver."
It's not like Ortiz didn't know. We know that he has received at least a half-dozen reports of these irregularities and outright voter abuse from these three sites, but they have continued nonetheless.
"The Hernandez people act like they own the county polling sites," said a resident living next to the Cristo Rey voting site. "I actually saw them standing next to the door at the polling site handing out marked sample ballots.
Now he has told the local newspaper whose logo is only half a sun, that he had requested state inspectors to keep an eye on the "acrimonious" campaigner from both sides. This amounts to the same thing as locking the gate after the horses have left. For three days out of five, he has allowed the Hernandez to basically coerce, cajole and threaten their way to steal the election as he has stood watching idly by. And where are these inspectors? This morning (Thursday) they were nowhere to be seen. Was Roger merely buying time para taparle el ojo al macho?
At the main courthouse, on Tuesday, Norma Hernandez carried a case of water bottles to the elections office for the polling place workers. There, standing at the curb, she could be heard telling the elderly arriving in the vans to vote for her daughter Erin.
"We could hear her across the street," said a paralegal who works in one of the legal offices. "But she was too far away for anyone to take a photograph to prove it."
This type of brazen interference in the electoral process and blatant disregard for the law has happened right in front of the eyes of Ortiz and the election judges at the early voting polling places. Instead of calling attention to the perpetrators, they seem content to watch all this happen right before their eyes. Who can the other candidates call to report this besides Roger?"
The apparent disregard for observing the law and thumbing their noses at their opponents might be because Erin is the daughter of Commissioner Ernie Hernandez and Norma Hernandez is his wife. Ortiz, a county employee, must deal with him and has to count on him for support in his budget and even his employment. Those that have crossed him know that Ernie never forgets and will find a way to make them pay if he doesn't get his way. Wonder why Javier Hernandez and Ismael Tapia, both county employees, have not endorsed anyone in this race even though they have made it clear they support Begum? Ernie Hernandez's reach is that long.
Additionally, the election administrator's wife Elvira works under Cameron County District Clerk Aurora De La Garza and also comes under the commissioners court. District Attorney Armando Villalobos, who is supposed to be investigating the employment of Ernie Hernandez's brother-in-law Roberto Cadriel for being hired in violation of the county Civil Service policies, has so far shown little interest in prosecuting this brazen violation of election law.
Villalobos, of course, has problems of his own. He is under indictment for bribing and taking kickbacks in relation to the Abel Limas racketeering case.
"Who do you go to complain in this case?" asked a campaign worker for one of the opponents' campaign workers. "It's happening in plain sight and no one is moving a finger to put a stop to it. This election is being stolen right in front of everyone's eyes."
Thursday, July 26, 2012
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16 comments:
And the "Beat (of corruption) Goes On" in Cameron County. Some abuse the law and elected officials seem to turn a blind eye to this corruption. Judge Roy Bean was a "saint" compared to the modern day corrupt politicians....like Ernie Hernandez and his family; and Aurora de la Garza and her family and many more. What a shame that corruption continues here unbridled.
Too bad ErinH didn't use the "horsey" picture on her campaign advertisements. It is a much better picture of her (with her tack) than those on the posters. She sure looks like her dad.
This is what happens when there is a lack of moral leadership. All elected officials seem to lack "huevos" when it comes to taking on the corrupt system in Cameron County. They don't fight corruption because they are all part of the corruption. Here in Cameron County we don't just accept corruption, we demand it.
of course a big blind eye and kiss their ass too. i want to keep my job-right roger if i dont big daddy ernie and aurora will get me fired and unemployed its ok voters dotn mind, they are used to these bad politic tactics for the last
20 plus years as part of the gilberto hinojosa tricks
me van a correre if i dont go along with the gang
i want to keep my job so i will do whatever king ernie says to do and i will jump as high as he says too
I hope the Feds get involved and charge everyone involved, including the drivers, Norma, Erin, Masso and Gomez. This is an infringement on our civil liberties!
What's even more surprising is that this blog has raked Erin and the Hernandez family over the coals for this, which is fine but hold Masso and Gomez responsible too. They are the ones financing this whole ordeal. Masso running half page ads with misinformation in them daily in the Herald.
Pinches bastardos, esa vieja cara de nalgas, no vale sebo juanta con el pinche viejo padred de ella. So jente de criminales.
Ortiz needs to be dismissed immidiately, pinche viejo cara de buey, is fucking worthless.
HOW MANY TIMES DO WE HAVE TO CATCH ORTIZ CHEATING THE POLLS? HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN GONE A LONG TIME AGO. HES THE REASON WHY WE GET THE WRONG OFFICIALS IN OFFICE......
CORRUPT JUST AS ARMANDO VILLALOBOS AND HIS ASSOCIATES.
Not that's class.
Is it not surprising that Roger Ortiz is turning a blind eye? He feels he owes County Commissioner Ernie Hernandez for saving his job on the County Judge election last year? Why our elected officials decided to keep that shiftless four eyed idiot, is beyond me? He even looks like a little devious when you see him in public. This is probably the best person for Masso, Hernandez and Gomez in this election. I am hearing that Joe "Rata" Cisneros has also been walking people to the polls by their hand and making them vote for the above three questionable's? It appears that Cisneros has been promised a Chief position if Masso wins? This is the third person that I have heard that Masso has promised a Chief position? Voters of Cameron County, go out and vote for the right choice!
As long as the Dumbokratic Party hires or fires the Elections Administrator.....there will be no change. Roger Ortiz works for them and will haul their water and dance to their tune of corruption. As long as corruptors like Sofia Benavides, Ernie Hernandez and David Sanchez control the majority vote on the County Commission, we can expect corruption, nepotism, special favors to politiqueras and unethical practices to continue to dominate local politics and government.
i want to keep my job so i will do whatever king ernie says July 26, 2012 1:25 PM (Chango)
No mames chango, a que chingados le tienes miedo? aqui no hay mas rey ni reyna que yo changuito, y te ordeno que te salga lo chango y pelees por tu derechos de ciudadano, pues donde te quedo lo chango entonces? No le tengas miedo a nada ni a nadie, por que entre mas miedo expreses, los abusivos toman mas ventaja de los debiles. Y mucho cuidado con servirle a tu Rata-Rey por que puedes salir perjudicado.
In Brownsville those with no morals or scruples is always the winner. We have no shame and don't know the difference. Fat and ignorant just the way our polititians want us. Que siga la llunta andando.
Indicte, arrest, investigate.
By the way Erin, YA ERES O TE APELLIDAS HERNANDEZ. No te pintes con bandera ajena. Quita esa letra de tu nombre. If you fall into poverty line, let us know, I may have a job of sirvienta for you.
Pa tu mama, I have a driver job for transport, between Carrisales and County Court house. Seguro que le va a gustar.
LETS ADD UP THE INDICTEMENT COUNTS.
1.2.3.4.56.103.184.... VILLALOBOS PINNED, HIS CRONIES PINNED, HAGAN LINEA FOR THE NEXT!
August 1, 2012 2:14 PM
You Know what, you are such a sorry MF, why do you have to mess with his mother? I think you really have gone out of hand with all this, the mother and other family members DO NOT HAVE TO PAY for Erins acts, I believe this is a lack of respect to elderly people who are inocent in this matter, would you like for someone to tell you that they want to fuck your mother in the park? or that comunity has a job for your mother to suck on dicks like she loves too? if you want people to respect your parents, please do so for others, specially if they are elderly people, and all your anger and frustration take it out on Erin and only him!!! you have gone to far with your stupid comments and I dont even believe you have the money to hire a maid or a driver!!! so shut the FUCK UP, because we know who you are and you are just as poor as un pinche perro callejero.
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