CHENTE IN...
LAMANTIA OUT, ADAM HINOJOSA WINS
JANIE LOPEZ WINS
AND COUNTYWIDE...
THE BISD RESULTS...ERASMO'S BACK, AND SO IS NOT-SO-MINNIE PENA
SAN BENE CHARTER AMENDMENTS VOIDED.
Wednesday, November 6, 2024
Tuesday, November 5, 2024
TODAY IS THE DAY! VOTE AND HAVE YOUR VOICE HEARD!
VOTING SITES
(Ed.'s Note: Cameron County is introducing countywide voting, which means that you can vote in any of the voting sites aside from your own. The system will provide a ballot which will be tailored to the voter based on their past voting history.) Monday, November 4, 2024
TRUMP'S COVID-19 RESPONSE: "ONE DAY, LIKE A MIRACLE, IT WILL DISAPPEAR."
May 2018: The Trump Administration disbands the White House pandemic response team.
July 2019: The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) epidemiologist embedded in China’s disease control agency left the post, and the Trump Administration eliminated the role.
Oct. 2019: “Currently, there are insufficient funding sources designated for the federal government to use in response to a severe influenza pandemic.”
Jan. 22, 2020: “We have it totally under control. It’s one person coming in from China. It’s going to be just fine.”
Jan. 24, 2020: Trump praises China’s handling of the coronavirus: “China has been working very hard to contain the Coronavirus. The United States greatly appreciates their efforts and transparency. It will all work out well. In particular, on behalf of the American People, I want to thank President Xi!”
Jan. 28, 2020: “This will be the biggest national security threat you face in your presidency...This is going to be the roughest thing you face." Trump’s National Security Advisor says to Trump.
Jan. 30, 2020: "The lack of immune protection or an existing cure or vaccine would leave Americans defenseless in the case of a full-blown coronavirus outbreak on US soil,...This lack of protection elevates the risk of the coronavirus evolving into a full-blown pandemic, imperiling the lives of millions of Americans.” [Memo from Trump Trade Advisor Peter Navarro]
Feb. 2, 2020: “We pretty much shut it down coming in from China.”
Feb. 7, 2020: “It’s also more deadly than even your strenuous flu... This is deadly stuff.” [Trump in a private interview with Bob Woodward from The Washington Post made public on Sept. 9, 2020]
Feb. 10, 2020: “I think the virus is going to be—it’s going to be fine.”
Feb. 10, 2020: “Looks like by April, you know in theory when it gets a little warmer, it miraculously goes away.”
Feb. 24, 2020: “The Coronavirus is very much under control in the USA… the Stock Market starting to look very good to me!”
Feb. 25, 2020: “CDC and my Administration are doing a GREAT job of handling Coronavirus.”
Feb. 25, 2020: “I think that's a problem that’s going to go away… They have studied it. They know very much. In fact, we’re very close to a vaccine.”
Feb. 26, 2020: “The 15 (cases in the US) within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero.”
Feb. 26, 2020: “We're going very substantially down, not up.”
Feb. 26, 2020: “Well, we're testing everybody that we need to test. And we're finding very little problem. Very little problem.”
Feb. 26, 2020: "This is a flu. This is like a flu."
Feb. 27, 2020: “It’s going to disappear. One day, it’s like a miracle, it will disappear.”
To read the entire timeline of Trump's horrendous performance which saw Americans dying while he denied there was a problem, click on the link below:
REMEMBER POTHOLE-FILLED W. PRICE? KUDOS TO CITY CREW
Employees with the City of Brownsville Engineering and Public Works Department continue to work on street construction across the city. E. Price Road, Harrison Street and other thoroughfares throughout the city have been serviced and a priority list has been established. The latest was the stretch of W. Price from the US 77-88 (E-69) Frontage Road to Central Boulevard pictured above.
The ongoing work encompasses several aspects, including the replacement of curbs and gutters, as well as the process of milling and overlaying the street surface. The city crew under Asst. Manager Teodoro Garcia again did outstanding work following their repaving of Old Port Isabel Road between E. Price and Jaime Zapata, among others like Portway and Harrison.
The ongoing work encompasses several aspects, including the replacement of curbs and gutters, as well as the process of milling and overlaying the street surface. The city crew under Asst. Manager Teodoro Garcia again did outstanding work following their repaving of Old Port Isabel Road between E. Price and Jaime Zapata, among others like Portway and Harrison.
The need to repair city streets is staggering, according to city staff. They estimate that it could easily surpass the $500 million mark and instead they have targeted the most-traveled thoroughfares and made them their priority. So they are doing it de poco a poco.
If you're interested in attending meetings between the Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority and the City of Brownsville, call the city to find out their next meeting on streets that may affect your area.
THE LONG NIGHTMARE OF DONALD TRUMP'S LONG KNIVES
The Guardian-US
Donald Trump’s threat to execute Liz Cheney, “with a rifle standing there with nine barrels shooting at her,” is the apogee so far of his Hitlerian rhetoric.
By his own words, Trump has proved her point that he is a “danger” to the constitution and defied his apologists who insist he can be contained or that he doesn’t really mean what he says. “And let’s see how she feels about it, you know, when the guns are trained on her face,” he said. “Shoot Liz Cheney” has replaced “Hang Mike Pence.”
Hours after Trump declared his wish to kill Cheney, the Wall Street Journal editorial board, his reliable excuse maker for the executive collaborator class, published an editorial stating, “We don’t buy the fascism fears, and we doubt Democrats really do either.”
Trump is hellbent to break through any “sane-washing” of the media smoothing over his viciousness and vulgarity. His call for an elaborate execution of a pre-eminent political opponent, a conservative Republican of the most partisan pedigree, is his definitive and final answer to those who quibble about his intentions and his unmooring from all traditional politics.
His fascist-themed freakshow in Madison Square Garden followed by his firing squad fantasy are an
augury of a second administration. His closing act has overwhelmed any media reflex for euphemism and both-siderism. He contemptuously stomps on every effort at normalization.
Time and again, day after day, event after event, Trump insists on posing as the salient question of the election, certainly about the candidate himself: are you crazier today than you were four years ago?
Many of Trump’s former White House staffers, cabinet secretaries and commanding generals are frantically attempting to warn against his madness, that he is “a fascist to the core”, as former chairman of the joint chiefs Gen Mark Milley has unequivocally stated. In private conversation, former staffers and others with intimate knowledge of Trump, all reliable people, talk about the real man as far viler than those who haven’t seen him behind closed doors could possibly know.
Knowledge of Trump’s vileness is widespread among top-level Republicans. “They all hate him,” a former senior Trump adviser told me categorically. And they all have stories, some exhibiting his narcissism, others his malice: how, for example, the time two senators from one state were summoned to the Oval Office to listen to Trump say he would travel there to have a mountain named after him. As a rule, they agree with Senator Mitch McConnell that he is “despicable”. Unlike those former Trump staffers waving their arms, they are silent and complicit.
Now, former staffers speculate about the hazy fine line between Trump’s infantilism and his dementia. There is no responsible person left around Trump. He has learned the lesson, sealed by January 6, not to trust the “normies”.
Trump’s night in the Garden on 27 October was early Hitler in style, not middle Hitler. The bellowing obscenities, racist sneers and violent threats were more reminiscent of the Munich beer hall phase of Hitler rousing the street gangs of Brownshirts than the Nuremberg rallies of disciplined ranks of storm troopers massed before his reviewing stand.
“An immense wave of eccentric barbarism … A primitive fairground brutality,” wrote the great German novelist Thomas Mann in 1930 about the Nazi rallies he observed. “This fantastic state of mind, of a humanity that has outrun its ideas, is matched by a political scene in the grotesque style … hallelujahs and bell-ringing and dervish-like repetition of monotonous catchwords, until everybody foams at the mouth.
Hours after Trump declared his wish to kill Cheney, the Wall Street Journal editorial board, his reliable excuse maker for the executive collaborator class, published an editorial stating, “We don’t buy the fascism fears, and we doubt Democrats really do either.”
Trump is hellbent to break through any “sane-washing” of the media smoothing over his viciousness and vulgarity. His call for an elaborate execution of a pre-eminent political opponent, a conservative Republican of the most partisan pedigree, is his definitive and final answer to those who quibble about his intentions and his unmooring from all traditional politics.
His fascist-themed freakshow in Madison Square Garden followed by his firing squad fantasy are an
Time and again, day after day, event after event, Trump insists on posing as the salient question of the election, certainly about the candidate himself: are you crazier today than you were four years ago?
Many of Trump’s former White House staffers, cabinet secretaries and commanding generals are frantically attempting to warn against his madness, that he is “a fascist to the core”, as former chairman of the joint chiefs Gen Mark Milley has unequivocally stated. In private conversation, former staffers and others with intimate knowledge of Trump, all reliable people, talk about the real man as far viler than those who haven’t seen him behind closed doors could possibly know.
Knowledge of Trump’s vileness is widespread among top-level Republicans. “They all hate him,” a former senior Trump adviser told me categorically. And they all have stories, some exhibiting his narcissism, others his malice: how, for example, the time two senators from one state were summoned to the Oval Office to listen to Trump say he would travel there to have a mountain named after him. As a rule, they agree with Senator Mitch McConnell that he is “despicable”. Unlike those former Trump staffers waving their arms, they are silent and complicit.
Now, former staffers speculate about the hazy fine line between Trump’s infantilism and his dementia. There is no responsible person left around Trump. He has learned the lesson, sealed by January 6, not to trust the “normies”.
Trump’s night in the Garden on 27 October was early Hitler in style, not middle Hitler. The bellowing obscenities, racist sneers and violent threats were more reminiscent of the Munich beer hall phase of Hitler rousing the street gangs of Brownshirts than the Nuremberg rallies of disciplined ranks of storm troopers massed before his reviewing stand.
“An immense wave of eccentric barbarism … A primitive fairground brutality,” wrote the great German novelist Thomas Mann in 1930 about the Nazi rallies he observed. “This fantastic state of mind, of a humanity that has outrun its ideas, is matched by a political scene in the grotesque style … hallelujahs and bell-ringing and dervish-like repetition of monotonous catchwords, until everybody foams at the mouth.
Fanaticism turns into a means of salvation, enthusiasm into epileptic ecstasy, politics becomes an opiate for the masses, a proletarian eschatology; and reason veils her face.”
“A quarter-of-an-hour before the opening time I walked through the chief hall of the Hofbräuhaus on the Platz in Munich and my heart was nearly bursting with joy,” wrote Hitler in Mein Kampf.
“The love in that room,” said Trump after his rally at Madison Square Garden. “It was breathtaking. It was like a love fest, an absolute love fest.”
Trump’s festival at the Garden was a fascist foreshadowing masquerading as a farce. As a screwball flying circus, it was a version of the Marx Brothers’ Night at the Opera. Everything was turned upside down in a pandemonium. Trump’s comedians, however, were no Groucho. It would have been better for Trump if his speakers had been equipped like the mute Harpo with a honking horn.
Trump’s master race of misfits found an authentic voice in the comic relief of Tony Hinchcliffe, who amid his slurs about Black people (“We carved watermelons together”), Latinos, Jews and Palestinians, said, “There’s literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now. Yeah, I think it’s called Puerto Rico.”
Hinchcliffe is the host of a podcast aptly called Kill Tony. With a dubious laugh line, as if on cue, the stage swiveled. Triumph of the Will turned into West Side Story. His performance fatally died like the character Tony in West Side Story, only this Tony died by suicide.
Life is all right in America
If you’re all white in America
“A quarter-of-an-hour before the opening time I walked through the chief hall of the Hofbräuhaus on the Platz in Munich and my heart was nearly bursting with joy,” wrote Hitler in Mein Kampf.
Trump’s festival at the Garden was a fascist foreshadowing masquerading as a farce. As a screwball flying circus, it was a version of the Marx Brothers’ Night at the Opera. Everything was turned upside down in a pandemonium. Trump’s comedians, however, were no Groucho. It would have been better for Trump if his speakers had been equipped like the mute Harpo with a honking horn.
Trump’s master race of misfits found an authentic voice in the comic relief of Tony Hinchcliffe, who amid his slurs about Black people (“We carved watermelons together”), Latinos, Jews and Palestinians, said, “There’s literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now. Yeah, I think it’s called Puerto Rico.”
Hinchcliffe is the host of a podcast aptly called Kill Tony. With a dubious laugh line, as if on cue, the stage swiveled. Triumph of the Will turned into West Side Story. His performance fatally died like the character Tony in West Side Story, only this Tony died by suicide.
Life is all right in America
If you’re all white in America
(To read rest of the commentary, click on link below:)
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/nov/02/trumps-behavior-election
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/nov/02/trumps-behavior-election
Sunday, November 3, 2024
"GOTTE PAPERS?" NOW AT A HOSPITAL NEAR YOU. JUST SAY "NO SABE."
Associated Press
Texas hospitals must ask patients starting Friday whether they are in the U.S. legally and track the cost of treating people without legal status following an order by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott that expands the state’s clash with the Biden administration over immigration.Critics fear the change could scare people away from hospitals in Texas, even though patients are not required to answer the questions to receive medical care.
The mandate is similar to a policy that debuted last year in Florida, where Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis is also a frequent critic of the federal government’s handling of illegal crossings along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Texas hospitals have spent months preparing for the change and have sought to reassure patients that it won’t affect their level of care.
Here’s what to know:
Under the executive order announced by Abbott in August, hospitals must ask patients if they are citizens in the U.S. and whether they are lawfully present in the country.
Patients have the right to withhold the information and hospital workers must tell them their responses will not affect their care, as required by federal law.
Hospitals are not required to begin submitting reports to the state until March. An early draft of a spreadsheet made by state health officials to track data does not include fields to submit patient names or personal information.
Providers will fill out a breakdown of visits by inpatient and emergency care patients and document whether they are lawfully present in the country, citizens or not lawfully present in the U.S.
The reports will also add up costs for those covered by Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program, known as CHIP; and the cost for patients without it.
“Texans should not have to shoulder the burden of financially supporting medical care for illegal immigrants,” Abbott said when he announced the policy.
Florida enacted a similar law last year. Health care advocates contend the law has made immigrants who need of emergency medical care fearful and led to fewer people seeking help, even from facilities not subject to the law.
Florida’s early data is – by the state’s own admission – limited. The data is self-reported. Anyone can decline to answer, an option chosen by nearly 8 percent of people admitted to the hospital and about 7 percent of people who went to the emergency room from June to December 2023, according to Florida’s state report. Fewer than 1 percent of people who went to the emergency room or were admitted to the hospital reported being in the U.S. “illegally.”
Immigrant and health care advocates have sought to educate the Texas public about their rights. In Florida, groups used text messages, posters and emails to get the word out. But advocates there have said they didn’t see fears subside for about a year.
Health care providers received directives from the state and guidance from the Texas Hospital Association.
“The bottom line for patients is that this doesn’t change hospital care. Texas hospitals continue to be a safe place for needed care,” said Carrie Williams, spokesperson for the hospital association.
Texas hospitals have spent months preparing for the change and have sought to reassure patients that it won’t affect their level of care.
Here’s what to know:
Required to ask, not required to answer
Under the executive order announced by Abbott in August, hospitals must ask patients if they are citizens in the U.S. and whether they are lawfully present in the country.
Patients have the right to withhold the information and hospital workers must tell them their responses will not affect their care, as required by federal law.
Tracking hospital costs and patient data
Providers will fill out a breakdown of visits by inpatient and emergency care patients and document whether they are lawfully present in the country, citizens or not lawfully present in the U.S.
The reports will also add up costs for those covered by Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program, known as CHIP; and the cost for patients without it.
“Texans should not have to shoulder the burden of financially supporting medical care for illegal immigrants,” Abbott said when he announced the policy.
Texas is following Florida’s lead
Florida enacted a similar law last year. Health care advocates contend the law has made immigrants who need of emergency medical care fearful and led to fewer people seeking help, even from facilities not subject to the law.
Florida’s early data is – by the state’s own admission – limited. The data is self-reported. Anyone can decline to answer, an option chosen by nearly 8 percent of people admitted to the hospital and about 7 percent of people who went to the emergency room from June to December 2023, according to Florida’s state report. Fewer than 1 percent of people who went to the emergency room or were admitted to the hospital reported being in the U.S. “illegally.”
Texas hospitals have been preparing
Immigrant and health care advocates have sought to educate the Texas public about their rights. In Florida, groups used text messages, posters and emails to get the word out. But advocates there have said they didn’t see fears subside for about a year.
Health care providers received directives from the state and guidance from the Texas Hospital Association.
“The bottom line for patients is that this doesn’t change hospital care. Texas hospitals continue to be a safe place for needed care,” said Carrie Williams, spokesperson for the hospital association.
Saturday, November 2, 2024
C.C. 2024 EARLY VOTING TURNOUT 2,538 VOTES LESS THAN 2020
CAMERON COUNTY RESULTS OF 2020 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS:
The rule of thumb is that Election Day usually beings out a third of the total. With close races, anyone's vote may decide the outcome. The general election is Tuesday, November 5.)
Friday, November 1, 2024
FROM AN ITINERANT CORONA MAKER FOR DIA DE LOS MUERTOS
(Ed.'s Note: We were sitting watching the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the New York Yankees at a local watering hole this week when the bartender said that a woman and her daughter had walked in and offered her these handmade wreaths (Coronas del Dia De Los Muertos).
The wreaths were very well made and if we hadn't been busy with the game, someone would have probably bought one. But before they left, they sent her these photos of others they had for sale. If you are interested in helping these working people and getting one, she left the phone with the bar owner.
It is (956) 336-1492. Text them or call them. However, they speak only Spanish. Español solamanete, por favor.
THE BIG LIES: "I AM THE BEST PRESIDENT THIS COUNTRY HAS EVER HAD...THEY STOLE THE ELECTION FROM US"
The Atlantic
In a 2020 book about the first president, the historian Peter Henriques wrote that Washington "proved that truest allegiance to the republic by voluntarily surrendering power. It was the first of any peaceful transfers of power in the unprecedented American experiment."
Less than a year after after the book's publication, however, Donald Trump would subvert this centuries-long tradition by summoning a mob against the elected representatives of the United States, after refusing to accept the results of the vote.
Trump stood by as insurrectionists swarmed the House offices and even the Senate chamber itself on January 6, in an attempt to stop the certification of the election by Congress. Hours after one of the worst single-days of casualties for law-enforcement casualties officers since 9/11, Trump finally asked his supporters top go home.
"I know your pain," he said, his words only emphasizing the delusional belief of the rioters. "I know you're hurt. We had an election that was stolen from us." He has since referred to the people convicted in American courts for their actions on January 6 as "patriots" and to those held in prison as "hostages." He has promised to pardon them.
Washington's character and record ensured that almost any of his successors would seem smaller by comparison. But the difference between Washington and Trump is so immense as to be unmeasurable. No president in history, not even the most moral weaklings among them, is further from Washington than Trump.
Washington personally took up arms to stop a rebellion against the United States; Trump encouraged one.
Some Americans seem unable to accept how much peril they face should Trump return, perhaps because many of them have never lived in an autocracy. They may yet get their chance: The former president is campaigning on an authoritarian platform. He has claimed that "massive" electoral fraud – defined as any election he loses – "allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles even those found in the Constitution."
of the people." He has described freedom of the press and "frankly disgusting." He routinely attacks the American legal system, especially when it tries to hold him accountable for his actions. He said that he will govern as a dictator – but only for one day.
Trump is the man the Founders feared might arise from a mire of populism and ignorance, a selfish demagogue who would stop at nothing to gain and keep power. Washington foresaw the threat to American democracy from someone like Trump: In his farewell address, he worried that "sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction" would manipulate the public's emotions and their partisan loyalties "to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of public liberty."
Many Americans in 2016 ignored that warning, and Trump engaged in the greatest betrayal of Washington's legacy in American history. If given the opportunity, he would betray that legacy again – and the damage to the republic may this time be irreparable.
Thursday, October 31, 2024
A TALE OF SUSTO, LECHUZAS, AND MYSTERY FOR HALLOWEEN
By Juan Montoya
It was a Sunday afternoon when Andres met his friend Esteban watching the Dallas Cowboys at the Palm Lounge in downtown Brownsville.
Usually jovial and ready with a back slapping abrazo as a saludo, Esteban was abnormally subdued that day. Even the tight football game and the surprisingly good performance by the Pokes didn't seem to hold his attention, and he seemed distracted and only looked up when he heard a group of women laughing from a corner table near the entrance.
"What's the matter, Steve?," Andres probed. "You're kind of quiet. Did you get in a fight with your girlfriend again?"
Esteban leaned over to Andres. He looked around to see if anyone was listening and began his tale.
"Well, you know how she is. She is kind of jealous and she began accusing me of having wandering eyes and Roman hands. I protested, but things got worse when a new waitress came over and was making small talk with us. I said I didn't know her, but it didn't help when she called me by my name from across the bar asking if we were ready for another. She got mad and stormed out of the bar and I was left on foot to hoof it home.
"Since it wasn't closing time and I had a good long way to walk, I decided to stick around until closing time and I sat with some friends until then. I could have called taxi, but I'm kind of a tightwad and I decided to walk instead. It would take me between half an hour to 45 minutes with shortcuts and I started off. I was angry that she had left me on foot and thought nothing of it.
"I cut across the county courthouse on Harrison and then over to Seventh Street and hit the hike trail in the Linear Park front of the federal courthouse. From there it was a straight shoot across the expressway, and then on to Paredes along Buena Vista Cemetery.
"Since it wasn't closing time and I had a good long way to walk, I decided to stick around until closing time and I sat with some friends until then. I could have called taxi, but I'm kind of a tightwad and I decided to walk instead. It would take me between half an hour to 45 minutes with shortcuts and I started off. I was angry that she had left me on foot and thought nothing of it.
"I cut across the county courthouse on Harrison and then over to Seventh Street and hit the hike trail in the Linear Park front of the federal courthouse. From there it was a straight shoot across the expressway, and then on to Paredes along Buena Vista Cemetery.
"Anyway, I crossed over the frontage and started up the sidewalk toward the HEB at the corner of Paredes and Boca Chica.
"I hadn't gone but a few steps on the sidewalk along the cemetery when I thought I heard the sounds of a group of women laughing from inside the fence," Esteban told me at a lower voice. "I thought maybe some kids from the Villa Verde housing project were drinking because they sounded 20 or 30 feet way in the darkness. But it was getting close to 3 a.m. already and as closely as I could squint, I could not see or hear anyone, except for the laughing. The laughter of the flock or whatever they were was mixed with the sound of wings and the flutter of feathers, but it was too dark to see. It almost seemed like I could reach out and touch them, but it was too dark.
"It wasn't the usual laugh of people drinking," he continued. "It was high cackling laughing as if there were a group of women floating along together parallel to me on the other side of the fence in the darkness. As I walked along the outside of the fence, the laughing – a kind of taunting, mocking laughter – seemed to follow me along the inside of the fence, sometimes erupting into raucous shouts of laughter. At one time I thought one of the voices of the mocking laughter sounded a bit like my old lady, but I thought I was imagining things and kept on walking.
"The half-dozen or so voices seemed to hover above the ground and followed me as I walked toward Boca Chica. But I was so mad at my girlfriend for having made me walk I put it out of my mind. I think I called out once or twice asking who it was, but there was only another peal of laughter in response. It was strange."
Esteban then said that as he neared the end of the cemetery, the voices subdued and when he crossed into the HEB parking lot they ceased altogether.
"I never believed in ghosts or stuff like that," he said. "But I can't explain the laughing of the women who seemed to be floating parallel to me inside Buena Vista. Hasta el pedo se me quito. If I have to walk from now on, I'm staying on the trial and forget about walking anywhere near the cemetery."
Esteban then said that as he neared the end of the cemetery, the voices subdued and when he crossed into the HEB parking lot they ceased altogether.
"I never believed in ghosts or stuff like that," he said. "But I can't explain the laughing of the women who seemed to be floating parallel to me inside Buena Vista. Hasta el pedo se me quito. If I have to walk from now on, I'm staying on the trial and forget about walking anywhere near the cemetery."
MEANWHILE, BACK IN SAN BENE, THE TORT IS OUT OF THE BAG....
Morning Mr Montoya. Could this be why Chuy Aguilera is pushing the recall petition for the removal of all the commission including the mayor? But didn't she move to Harlingen to run for state rep? Things that make you Hummmm...
Wednesday, October 30, 2024
IES GALLEGOS SR., JR., GONZALEZ OFF THE HOOK; JUDGE GRANTS FEDS' MOTION TO DISMISS THEFT INDICTMENT
Various Sources
U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez on Tuesday granted the U.S. Attorney's Office motion and dismissed the indictment against former executives with International Educational Services, or IES, the nonprofit that provided services to unaccompanied minor children here without lawful immigration status.
Defense attorney for the Gallegos Benigno "Trey" Martinez claimed the government had failed to turn over exculpatory evidence under the Brady Rule and Rule 16 Discovery of a report by a Office of the Inspector General's Office of Audit Services auditor Nancy Bibb. The defense asked the court to dismiss the indictment because she might have been "withholding any document or email whatsoever concerning IES, the defendants, or any of the issues that have been brought forth."
Gonzalez previously had pleaded guilty to the charges and also his attorney Reynaldo Garza III had sought the motion to dismiss the indictment. Rodriguez granted that motion, dismissing the indictment as moot.
As previously reported by The Brownsville Herald, IES was a nonprofit in the Rio Grande Valley that contracted with the federal government under the Unaccompanied Alien Child care and placement program to provide housing, food, placement and other services to children with no lawful immigration status and who did not have parents or legal guardians here to care for them.
The charges concerned activities at the nonprofit between 2014 and 2018 when it received millions of dollars in federal grant funds. IES operated for years before abruptly shutting down and firing all of its employees on March 31, 2018
Rodriguez said from the bench Tuesday morning that there was no evidence of bad faith on the part of the government. In the motion to dismiss, prosecutors only said that they were asking for the charges to be dropped in the interest of justice.
U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez on Tuesday granted the U.S. Attorney's Office motion and dismissed the indictment against former executives with International Educational Services, or IES, the nonprofit that provided services to unaccompanied minor children here without lawful immigration status.
Because the indictment was dismissed without prejudice, the government could re-indict Gallegos, Gallegos Jr. and Gonzalez. However, Rodriguez said from the bench that prosecutors had indicated they do not not intend to do so. Court records show that evidence existed that had not been turned over to defense attorneys.
The charges concerned activities at the nonprofit between 2014 and 2018 when it received millions of dollars in federal grant funds.
A 2016 audit of IES’s 2015 fiscal year found that the Gallegoses and Gonzalez violated executive compensation limits and committed less-than-arm’s-length transactions in violation of federal limits.
Rodriguez said from the bench Tuesday morning that there was no evidence of bad faith on the part of the government. In the motion to dismiss, prosecutors only said that they were asking for the charges to be dropped in the interest of justice.
A 2016 audit of IES’s 2015 fiscal year found that the Gallegoses and Gonzalez violated executive compensation limits and committed less-than-arm’s-length transactions in violation of federal limits.
Rodriguez said from the bench Tuesday morning that there was no evidence of bad faith on the part of the government. In the motion to dismiss, prosecutors only said that they were asking for the charges to be dropped in the interest of justice.
Gonzalez previously had pleaded guilty to the charges and also his attorney Reynaldo Garza III had sought the motion to dismiss the indictment. Rodriguez granted that motion, dismissing the indictment as moot.
As previously reported by The Brownsville Herald, IES was a nonprofit in the Rio Grande Valley that contracted with the federal government under the Unaccompanied Alien Child care and placement program to provide housing, food, placement and other services to children with no lawful immigration status and who did not have parents or legal guardians here to care for them.
The charges concerned activities at the nonprofit between 2014 and 2018 when it received millions of dollars in federal grant funds. IES operated for years before abruptly shutting down and firing all of its employees on March 31, 2018
Rodriguez said from the bench Tuesday morning that there was no evidence of bad faith on the part of the government. In the motion to dismiss, prosecutors only said that they were asking for the charges to be dropped in the interest of justice.
YZAGUIRRE ISSUES AN "APPEAL TO REASON" FOR COUNTY VOTERS IN TAX OFFFICE ELECTION
(Ed.'s Note: Back in 1988, then-local attorney Tony Garza garnered the support of four Cameron County commissioners - all Democrats - to defeat Ray Ramon. He became the first Republican since Reconstruction to become county judge in traditionally-Democratic Cameron County.
When the commissioners endorsed Garza, they published "An Appeal To Reason" in several county newspapers where they said that despite being good Democrats, they could not support Ramon and quoted John F. Kennedy when he said that "Sometimes party loyalty demands too much." The voters then agreed and Garza was elected. Outgoing Cameron County Tax Assessor-Collector Tony Yzaguirre is now appealing to the voters to consider voting for Jesus Rami Martinez over his fellow Democrat Eddie Garcia. He states his reason below.)
By Antonio “Tony” Yzaguirre Jr.
"When you vote on November 5th, choose a candidate, whether democrat, republican or independent, who has the experience, qualifications, and vision to lead the Tax Assessor-Collector’s Office effectively..."
On November 5, 2024, the voters of Cameron County will make critical decisions about their leadership, from national to local offices, including the important role of County Tax Assessor-
Collector. As someone who has served in this role for nine terms, I can confidently say that experience, qualifications, and the ability to manage a complex, multimillion-dollar operation are crucial for this position.
In 1988, when I was first elected to this office, voters chose someone with extensive experience, formal education in tax administration, and state certification.
This was not by accident—voters understood that the role of Tax Assessor-Collector requires more than just good intentions; it demands a deep understanding of tax law, property appraisal, and fiscal management. Over the years, this office has grown from 3 offices with 32 employees to 11 offices with 107 employees, collecting over $534 million annually in property taxes, not to mention millions in motor vehicle transactions. The complexities involved in running this office effectively are significant, and it takes someone with experience in the field to manage this responsibility.
This year, the voters face a decision between two candidates: Jesus "Rami" Martinez and Eddie Garcia.
Let’s examine their qualifications closely.
I care because this office matters. It affects every taxpayer in Cameron County, including myself. And you should care too—because the consequences of poor leadership in this office could impact us all.
In conclusion, when you vote on November 5th, choose a candidate, whether democrat, republican or independent, who has the experience, qualifications, and vision to lead the Tax Assessor-Collector’s office effectively. Rami Martinez is that candidate.
Cameron County Tax Assessor-Collector, CTA, RTA, CSTA
On November 5, 2024, the voters of Cameron County will make critical decisions about their leadership, from national to local offices, including the important role of County Tax Assessor-
Collector. As someone who has served in this role for nine terms, I can confidently say that experience, qualifications, and the ability to manage a complex, multimillion-dollar operation are crucial for this position.
In 1988, when I was first elected to this office, voters chose someone with extensive experience, formal education in tax administration, and state certification.
This was not by accident—voters understood that the role of Tax Assessor-Collector requires more than just good intentions; it demands a deep understanding of tax law, property appraisal, and fiscal management. Over the years, this office has grown from 3 offices with 32 employees to 11 offices with 107 employees, collecting over $534 million annually in property taxes, not to mention millions in motor vehicle transactions. The complexities involved in running this office effectively are significant, and it takes someone with experience in the field to manage this responsibility.
This year, the voters face a decision between two candidates: Jesus "Rami" Martinez and Eddie Garcia.
Let’s examine their qualifications closely.
Why Rami Martinez Is the Better Choice:
Extensive Educational Background: Rami holds a bachelor's degree in Applied Arts & Science and a master’s degree in Public Affairs, and he is a Certified Public Manager. His education is directly relevant to the responsibilities of the office, providing him with the tools to understand complex fiscal, legal, and administrative issues. Relevant Experience in Taxation and Property Appraisal: Rami has 18 years of management experience, including 6 years with the Cameron County Appraisal District. During this time, he oversaw divisions like mapping, deeds, and personal property. His experience working with the very systems and processes that directly impact the Tax Assessor-Collector’s office gives him a critical understanding of how to manage these responsibilities effectively. He has firsthand experience working on tax assessment and property appraisals, areas directly linked to this office.
Proven Leadership and Management Skills: Rami’s background in managing various divisions means he has the leadership skills necessary to oversee a team of over 100 employees, spread across 11 offices, and ensure smooth operation and customer service for all of Cameron County's taxpayers. His management experience ensures that services will not only continue efficiently but may even improve under his leadership.
Proven Leadership and Management Skills: Rami’s background in managing various divisions means he has the leadership skills necessary to oversee a team of over 100 employees, spread across 11 offices, and ensure smooth operation and customer service for all of Cameron County's taxpayers. His management experience ensures that services will not only continue efficiently but may even improve under his leadership.
Concerns with Eddie Garcia's Qualifications:
Lack of Relevant Experience: Eddie Garcia, while a respected retired police officer with 32 years of service, does not have any experience related to the management of taxes, property appraisals, or fiscal administration. The position of Tax Assessor-Collector is not about law enforcement; it requires knowledge of the financial and legal processes that govern tax collection and property appraisal. No Background in Taxation or Property Management: Unlike Rami, Eddie Garcia has not worked in any capacity within the tax or property assessment fields. His lack of experience raises concerns about whether he could effectively manage the complexities of this office.
Voters should carefully consider who is better prepared to handle these responsibilities. Rami Martinez not only brings relevant experience and a strong educational background but has proven leadership in managing the complexities of tax assessment and property appraisal. Eddie Garcia, while accomplished in his own field, lacks the necessary qualifications for this specialized role.
I’ve dedicated my life to making the Cameron County Tax Office what it is today—a self-sustaining, efficient operation that serves all taxpayers across our county. One of the accomplishments I am most proud of is the consolidation of all taxing entities into a single tax bill. Believe me, this was not an easy task—it took over 30 years of relentless work to unify the entire county under one system. For those of you who remember, taxpayers in Harlingen, Port Isabel, and Los Fresnos once had to visit two or three different offices just to pay their taxes. I brought it all together, and it took sweat, blood, and tears.
To think that all this hard work could be undone by someone with no experience in this field deeply concerns me. We are already seeing early warning signs—taxpayers now find themselves in situations where they have to make payment arrangements with two separate law firms, leaving them caught in the middle. This is not just inefficient; it’s dangerous for taxpayers.
As a fellow taxpayer myself, I know how important it is to have a reliable, experienced leader managing our tax collections. The wrong leadership could turn this well-oiled machine into a disaster, and that’s something I cannot stand by and watch happen.
I urge you to think about who will be handling our tax collections moving forward. Experience matters, and the wrong choice could have long-lasting consequences for all of us.
The election for this position should be a non-partisan vote and should not be a popularity contest. It’s about selecting someone who is capable and qualified to manage one of the most important departments in our county—our finances. I’ve seen what happens when inexperienced individuals take over critical positions in other departments, and the results are devastating. Departments are run into the ground when the wrong people are in charge, leading to chaos, inefficiency, and financial mismanagement.
This office handles millions of taxpayer dollars every year—money that funds essential services throughout the state and our community. But it’s not just county taxes at stake here. The Tax Assessor-Collector’s office is responsible for collecting taxes for county, city, and school districts. Any disruption or mismanagement in this office could have serious repercussions across all these entities, affecting funding for schools, public safety, infrastructure, and more.u
Would you entrust an unqualified individual to handle and balance your personal finances? Of course not. Then why would we allow a retired law enforcement officer, with no experience in taxation or property assessment, to manage Cameron County’s tax collections? It simply doesn’t make sense.
The risk of putting someone unqualified in charge of this office is enormous. We’re talking about the potential for disrupted services, mistakes in tax billing, and mismanagement of funds that could cost taxpayers dearly. If collections are mismanaged, it’s not just one department that suffers—it’s the entire county, every city, and all our schools.
Why Experience Matters for Taxpayers:
The role of Tax Assessor-Collector is critical to the financial health of Cameron County. It involves handling millions of dollars in taxpayer money, ensuring proper assessments, and managing a large staff across multiple locations. The wrong leadership could result in inefficiencies, poor service, and even financial mismanagement. Voters should carefully consider who is better prepared to handle these responsibilities. Rami Martinez not only brings relevant experience and a strong educational background but has proven leadership in managing the complexities of tax assessment and property appraisal. Eddie Garcia, while accomplished in his own field, lacks the necessary qualifications for this specialized role.
Why I Care, and Why You Should Too:
I’ve dedicated my life to making the Cameron County Tax Office what it is today—a self-sustaining, efficient operation that serves all taxpayers across our county. One of the accomplishments I am most proud of is the consolidation of all taxing entities into a single tax bill. Believe me, this was not an easy task—it took over 30 years of relentless work to unify the entire county under one system. For those of you who remember, taxpayers in Harlingen, Port Isabel, and Los Fresnos once had to visit two or three different offices just to pay their taxes. I brought it all together, and it took sweat, blood, and tears.
To think that all this hard work could be undone by someone with no experience in this field deeply concerns me. We are already seeing early warning signs—taxpayers now find themselves in situations where they have to make payment arrangements with two separate law firms, leaving them caught in the middle. This is not just inefficient; it’s dangerous for taxpayers.
As a fellow taxpayer myself, I know how important it is to have a reliable, experienced leader managing our tax collections. The wrong leadership could turn this well-oiled machine into a disaster, and that’s something I cannot stand by and watch happen.
I urge you to think about who will be handling our tax collections moving forward. Experience matters, and the wrong choice could have long-lasting consequences for all of us.
The Risks of Electing Unqualified Candidates
The election for this position should be a non-partisan vote and should not be a popularity contest. It’s about selecting someone who is capable and qualified to manage one of the most important departments in our county—our finances. I’ve seen what happens when inexperienced individuals take over critical positions in other departments, and the results are devastating. Departments are run into the ground when the wrong people are in charge, leading to chaos, inefficiency, and financial mismanagement.
This office handles millions of taxpayer dollars every year—money that funds essential services throughout the state and our community. But it’s not just county taxes at stake here. The Tax Assessor-Collector’s office is responsible for collecting taxes for county, city, and school districts. Any disruption or mismanagement in this office could have serious repercussions across all these entities, affecting funding for schools, public safety, infrastructure, and more.u
Would you entrust an unqualified individual to handle and balance your personal finances? Of course not. Then why would we allow a retired law enforcement officer, with no experience in taxation or property assessment, to manage Cameron County’s tax collections? It simply doesn’t make sense.
The risk of putting someone unqualified in charge of this office is enormous. We’re talking about the potential for disrupted services, mistakes in tax billing, and mismanagement of funds that could cost taxpayers dearly. If collections are mismanaged, it’s not just one department that suffers—it’s the entire county, every city, and all our schools.
This could lead to budget shortfalls that might force cuts in vital services, delays in infrastructure projects, and inadequate school funding. This is why I am deeply concerned. As someone who has worked hard to build this office into an efficient, well-functioning operation, it pains me to think that all of that could be undone by electing someone without the proper background.
I care because this office matters. It affects every taxpayer in Cameron County, including myself. And you should care too—because the consequences of poor leadership in this office could impact us all.
In conclusion, when you vote on November 5th, choose a candidate, whether democrat, republican or independent, who has the experience, qualifications, and vision to lead the Tax Assessor-Collector’s office effectively. Rami Martinez is that candidate.
Tuesday, October 29, 2024
SUCIO AND MENTIROSA BIRDS OF A FEATHER: GETTING IT WHILE THE GETTING IS GOOD
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