COOKING THE BOOKS AGAIN: AFTER IRAN MISSLES KILLED FOUR U.S. SOLDIERS TRUMP DENIES THEY DIED IN HIS WAR

By Oliver Willis

The Trump administration is manipulating sensitive information about the number of service members killed in the war against Iran, as part of efforts to manipulate reality to justify Trump’s rhetoric.

The New York Times reported on Friday that the official Pentagon website now alleges that 14 troops have been killed in the war, removing the previous number of 18.

(That included not counting U.S. Army Private Isabella Gonzales, a 19-year-old soldier from Carrollton, Texas, who was killed in action on July 17, 2026, during an Iranian drone and missile attack on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan and three other Americans who Trump had previously called "patriots.")

Multiple officials anonymously told the Times that the administration is contending that troops who were killed in attacks in U.S. facilities in Iraq and Jordan are not being counted, because they occurred after Trump announced that a ceasefire agreement had been reached with Iran earlier in the year.

This is what we've come to in Trump USA. A five-time draft dodger is now Commander-in-Chief of our men and women serving in the Armed Forces. He started an unnecessary war and now has the unmitigated gall to sit in judgement of their service and minimize their ultimate sacrifice to a nation he cowardly chose not to serve. So they didn't die for your war, Donny. You only like winners, not these "losers."

This is not how reporting on wartime casualties works. And the ceasefire was never a true cessation of combat between the U.S. and Iran.

 Both militaries regularly fired upon each other and traffic through the vital Strait of Hormuz has still been restricted, causing a global strain on oil supplies. Trump has repeatedly announced that he was close to or had secured a “deal” in the region, only to see hostilities renewed again and again.

Retired Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges , who commanded military forces in Europe during Trump’s first term, told the Times, “The administration seems to have a real hard time being honest about what is going on—not just about casualties, but about the whole war in general.”

Meddling with troop death counts falls in line with the deception recently on display by the Trump administration.

The administration has ben hiding details of attacks on American assets, has ceased giving public briefings after crowing about purportedly devastating attacks early in the conflict, and has in general been dishonest about the reasoning for the attack on Iran from the start.

The situation has continued to worsen as Trump and his team offer up a stream of lies. Earlier in the week, the Houthi militant group claimed responsibility for attacks on Saudi vessels in the Red Sea. The attack happened despite Trump’s proclamation a year ago that the Houthis no longer wanted to fight.

THERE'S THAT ORANGE GUY AGAIN! GET HIM OUT OF THE PICTURE!

The Fool On The Hilll

Songwriters: Paul McCartney / John Lennon

Day after day, alone on The Hill

The man with the foolish grin is keeping perfectly still

But nobody wants to know him, they can see that he's just a fool

And he never gives an answer

But the fool on the hill sees the sun going down

And the eyes in his head see the world spinning around

Well on the way, head in a cloud

The man of a thousand voices talking perfectly loud

But nobody ever hears him or the sound he appears to make

And he never seems to notice

But the fool on the hill sees the sun going down

And the eyes in his head see the world spinning 'round

And nobody seems to like him, they can tell what he wants to do

And he never shows his feelings

But the fool on the hill sees the sun going down

And the eyes in his head see the world spinning 'round (oh oh oh)

'Round and 'round and 'round and 'round and 'round...

WHY WON'T ABBOTT DEBATE GINA? WHY IS HE KEEPING KIDS HUNGRY AND HIDING BEHIND THE BIBLE?

Team Gina

Texans deserve a governor who's willing to answer for their record.

I've made it clear that I'm ready to debate Greg Abbott — but he’s stayed silent. There’s a very simple reason why:

He’s failed Texans, and he doesn’t want to actually face them. The control over him by the gun lobby is literally killing Texans.

Texans have faced years of rising costs, some of the highest uninsured rates in the country, families struggling to keep the lights on because electricity has become so expensive, and billions of our taxpayer dollars flowing to politically connected donors and special interests instead of working people. 

And why did he keep food from the mouths of hungry Texas children?

Greg Abbott should be openly willing to defend his record before the people he serves.

Instead, he's refusing to face voters — but I wouldn’t do that.

I'm running for governor because I believe leadership means showing up, answering tough questions, and being accountable to the people of Texas. Not hiding from them.

I'll proudly defend my vision to strengthen our public schools, lower costs for working families, expand access to healthcare, and build an economy that works for everyone — not just the wealthy and well-connected.

Greg Abbott can keep avoiding the conversation.

But I'll keep traveling across Texas, listening to voters, and earning their trust.

If you believe Texas deserves a governor who will show up and fight for you, will you chip in $5 to help us keep this campaign moving forward?

"I DON'T NEED NO STINKING ENGINEERING DEGREE TO BE ENGINEERING & PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR. A WINNING P.R. SMILE AND HANDING OUT FAVORS USING TAXPAYERS' MONEY WORK WONDERS."

WHAT COB ENGINEERING & PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR SAID:

AND WHAT SHE REALLY MEANT:

"At the end of the day, our legacy is not defined by the protection of our city taxpayers, but by the brownie points with the elected officials and the influential private citizens that we help with the public's money to help us climb up the bureaucratic career ladder, the amount of taxpayer-subsidized asphalt millings we spread on private property, and the pat in the back we get from pampered and corrupt city officials.

Transparency? Accountability? That's for sound bites. 

"Why should I have an engineering degree when I can flash a friendly smile to pander the favoritism of our great city commissioners and city manager and his deputies? At a salary of more than $150,000, es muy buen cheque! Positive difference? For us, maybe, but a negative difference to the public treasury. Criticism? Sticks and stones, but words..., well, you know. Why should I worry about dirty little Brownsville when I was the mayor of exclusive Rancho Viejo? The peasants are revolting. 

Yuck! Let's go Gus! What if we "dump" those road materials on private property, Sir?"

EXCUSE ME SOLDIERS. DO YOU MIND IF I PLAY THROUGH?

Mother Jones

President Donald Trump’s open disdain for Americans who have died in war, “losers” and “suckers,” in his estimation, is well documented. But that hasn’t stopped him from exploiting fallen soldiers to prop up support for himself. This time, it’s the four service members who were killed over the last week as the US returns to full-scale war with Iran.

“All of them said very strongly, ‘We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon,'” Trump told reporters as he departed to attend a dignified transfer, the process by which the remains of fallen military members are moved from aircraft to vehicle, in Dover, Delaware, on Wednesday.

There is no evidence that the service members killed, as Trump so confidently claimed, ever said or believed this. It conveniently happens to be one of the exceedingly few talking points Trump has had for continuing an increasingly unpopular war on all his own. And what better device for repeating his excuse than dead Americans who can’t speak for themselves?

And, incidentally, a Trump campaign flier with a photo of him at a dignified transfer of soldiers killed in battle is being used to promote "private national security briefings" for a limited number of donors under his Never Surrender Inc. is the latest wrinkle of this shameless grifter  

The assertion of the dead soldiers and Iran nuclear weapons was made without evidence or apparent shame, shortly after the president appeared to boast on social media about the total number of service members killed since the US first launched strikes against Iran in February. In doing so, Trump referred to the casualties of previous wars, seemingly arguing that 18 wasn’t so bad.

Afghanistan War: 20 years, 2,000 DEAD.

Iraq War: 9 years, 4,600 DEAD.

Vietnam War: 19 years and 5 months, 58,220 DEAD.

Korean War: 3 years and 1 month, 36,574 DEAD.

Venezuela War: 1 day, 0 DEAD.

Iran Military Conflict: 4 months, 18 DEAD.”

The comments are the latest evidence of Trump’s long-held, blatant disregard for those killed in war. Meanwhile, his administration’s celebration of war, both in absurd pageantry and ethos continues apace.

SO IF A CITY OFFICIAL IS CAUGHT USING PUBLIC PROPERTY, WE SHOULD JUST LET IT GO AND "MOVE ON"?

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

In Texas

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) considers clean asphalt pavement millings to be non-hazardous. If they are reused for beneficial purposes (such as road construction or base material), they often are not managed the same way as waste requiring disposal.

Why this matters

If the millings came from a city street and were placed on private property: The legal issue would generally not be that the material is hazardous waste.

The issue would instead be ownership and authorized use of public property. Even though the millings are non-hazardous, if they belonged to the city and were diverted to private property without authorization, investigators could examine whether public resources were misused.

So, in the situation you’ve been discussing, the classification of the millings as non-hazardous does not determine whether there was misuse of public resources. The key questions would instead be who owned the material, whether officials had legal authority to dispose of or transfer it, and whether all applicable city policies and laws were followed.

What investigators would want

To determine whether criminal charges are appropriate, investigators would likely seek:

*Work orders
*Daily activity logs
*GPS records for city trucks and equipment
*Fuel records
*Time sheets
*Payroll records
*Load tickets for the millings
*Equipment-hour logs
*Photographs before and after the work
*Property ownership
*Witness statements from city employees

If the evidence showed that taxpayer-funded materials and labor worth approximately $55,000 (based on estimate) were intentionally diverted to improve a private commissioner’s property without lawful authorization, Abuse of Official Capacity would likely be among the first statutes investigators would examine. 

Whether that results in criminal charges would depend on proving the required facts and intent beyond a reasonable doubt. There is obviously a lot of evidence by Gus's own admission to the press.

"TAKE ALL I'VE GIVEN HIM, BUT ON HIS SOUL, DON'T LAY A FINGER..."

I am Job

Who once was blessed

Pushing this shopping cart

Through the streets

Scavenging through your refuse

In the night 

To eat

I am Job

Once master of lands

 As far as the eye could see

Thick with flocks - like oceans - of sheep

Pushing it down these streets

Loaded with discarded ore

And tins

Selling them 

To exist 

I am Job

Who never suffered want

And reveled in soft plush cushions

And splendor, 

And favored

By my Lord

And

Who now –

Tortured by the ashes 

In a spent crack pipe –

Am tempted Him to blame

By the Great Deceiver 

And to curse

His name

OBJECTION, YOUR HONOR! THEY'RE BADGERING THE SEA TURTLES!

A badger is caught investigating a sea turtle nest on South Padre Island. The elusive mammal has reportedly targeted multiples nests this season. Jacob Burks Surf Academy

After a number of confirmed sightings of striped badgers digging up sea turtle nesting sites on South Padre Island,  Sea Turtle Inc. encourages anyone who sees one disturbing a sea turtle nest to safely scare the animal away from the area and call or text the organization's emergency line at 956-243-4361.

AH, ALL THAT WINNING...BUT BY TRONALD DUMP AND BROOD, NOT BY YOU

 

SORRY, GUS. NO ACTION (NADA, NOTHING, ZILCH) ON $$$$ "SETTLEMENT" FROM COB TAXPAYERS! WILL BUREAUCRATS WHO USED PUBLIC ASSETS ILLEGALLY GO UNPUNISHED?

(Ed.'s Note: We won't know how the voting broke down in the City of Brownsville Commission on Tuesday's executive session on Gus de Leon's $ 1 million claim that city Public Works crews had "damaged" his family's property by performing road improvements on the private property, but the commissioners apparently didn't think his claim held water and didn't offer him a money settlement, thereby calling his bluff on his filing a lawsuit against the city taxpayers he represents.

At about 9:30 p.m., they emerged from executive session and "took no action" on the agenda item calling for the city to make him a possible settlement offer.

Lonely Gus awaits decision from fellow city commission members on settlement offer

The land, 10.5 acres located south of the Sam Perl and Mexico Blvds. intersection, is valued by the Cameron County Appraisal District at $250,000. However, it has been offered in local real estate listings offered at $825,000 with no takers since 2018.

DeLeon said he "discovered" the alleged "dumping" taking place last May 4, filed a police complaint two days later, and then said the city unexplainably kept the crews on the property spreading asphalt millings on the entrance and road for another three days.

News coverage of the controversy included statements by De Leon such as: (Valley Central) "A land survey commissioned by the family estimates more than 17,500 square feet of asphalt millings were placed on the property...(KRGV) 'This is probably .94 acres, almost one acre of millings that were thrown on here and about five inches deep,'" De Leon said.

A local contractor commented on this blog that the materials, machinery and labor spent on the site would equal more than $50,000 on the local market, well above the $2,500 amount considered a felony theft under Texas law. 

Just last week, the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security took possession of the property under a lease with the De Leon family starting on Thursday, July16 and heavy equipment and cement trucks were seen entering and exiting through the improved entrance and the road leading to the construction of the Border Wall. 

 
The executive session was the first order of business on the commission agenda today and drew a large crowd, the majority of whom were voicing their displeasure of the commissioner's demand for public money. This was in apparent contradiction to his vote against the inclusion of a an amendment to the city charter earlier this month that will let voters in November decide whether to give him and his colleagues raises.

Earlier this month, the city commission approved sending the proposed charter change to voters in November. If approved their pay could nearly double.

The mayor's compensation is currently set at $40,000 a year, while city commissioners receive $25,000. The mayor's pay would increase to $62,500, and commissioners would see their pay double to $50,000.

De Leon was the only commissioner to vote against the inclusion of the salary amendment on the city charter election in November. Guess he had his eyes set on the brighter brass ring of a $1 million settlement (later lowered to between $700,000-$900,000, and lower, etc.,) over what he called "dumping" of asphalt millings on a road on his private property which he had leased to the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security.

Up to now, no one is saying who approved the use of city materials, machinery and personnel to work on the road improvements, or if de Leon played a personal role in it. There is no indication whether the city attorney Will Treviño or City Manager Alan Gard will conduct an investigation and question Public Works Director Maribel Guerrero to see whether she ordered the crews to the commissioner's property and at whose direction.

The department would seem to fall under the purview of Deputy City Manager Doroteo Garcia, but there is no indication whether he was involved in the decision-making process in the city administration that resulted in sending materials, machinery and the crews there. 

For now, however, he will not pass, and will not collect $1 million, or any other sum. 

Will we see him file a lawsuit against the city, as he threatened? And will the city administration under CM Gard take steps to clear up the matter of who is responsible for the theft of public property and not sweep the matter under the carpet of asphalt millings and refer it to the proper law enforcement authorities?)

GMB (Frankie Olivo) Podcast

TODAY'S THE DAY: SETTLE WITH DE LEON FOR $100,000S, OR DEFEND CITY TAXPAYERS AND CALL HIS LAWSUIT BLUFF

 "Regardless of anyone's opinion of Commissioner (Gus) De Leon, the central issue should be accountability and transparency. If taxpayer money is being used to settle this matter, the public deserves a complete explanation of the facts, the legal basis for any payment, and the evidence supporting the amount.

An independent appraisal, a clear timeline of events, and documentation showing who authorized the work and why would go a long way toward restoring public confidence. Personal attacks and name-calling don't answer those questions. The focus should remain on ensuring that any decision is based on verified facts, sound legal advice, and responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars..." Anonymous Commenter

By Juan Montoya 

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

After we published our posts on the ongoing controversy regarding the demand by District 3 city commissioner Gus de Leon to get a money settlement (which started at $1 million, then $700,000 to $900,000, etc...) for city Engineering and Public Works crews spreading (he called it illegal dumping) of asphalt millings on a road on his family's 10.5-acre property next to the old bridge, we received the comment above.

He is threatening to sue the city taxpayers he represents if he is not paid Big Bucks for the "damage" done on the property by city Public Works crews using city equipment and road materials to make improvements on a road inside his property.

News coverage of the controversy included statements by De Leon such as: (Valley Central) "A land survey commissioned by the family estimates more than 17,500 square feet of asphalt millings were placed on the property...(KRGV) 'This is probably .94 acres, almost one acre of millings that were thrown on here and about five inches deep,'" De Leon said.

(Interestingly, the Cameron County Appraisal District places the taxable value of the property at $250,000 and  the family has been offering it for $825,000 in local real estate listing since 2018 without any takers.)

De Leon's assertions to news media, in turn, elicited a comment from another reader who said he calculated a ballpark guesstimate based on De Leon's comments. They point out that the road in question was not built by the city, but rather that the entrance and parts of it were improved by the spread of the millings with city equipment and trucks and crews from the entrance on Mexico Blvd,. to the extreme southern end of the property where the Department of Homeland Security has started to build sections of the Border Wall starting last Thursday.

According to security now controlling access to the property, the DHS took control of the property based on a lease agreement with the de Leon family which started this past Thursday. Interestingly, the asphalt millings were spread (dumped, according to de Leon), at the entrance, and along the road and ended near the section where the Border Wall is being constructed. 

A commenter stated that the costs are estimates of what contractors could expect to pay on the local market. 

 

Estimated Fair-Market Cost of Asphalt Millings Road Project
Purpose: The following is a general contractor-style estimate of the fair-market value to furnish, haul, spread, and compact asphalt millings for approximately one acre at an average depth of five inches. 

*This is an estimate of what a private contractor could reasonably charge, not necessarily what the City actually paid.

Assumptions

 Approximately one acre of roadway covered with asphalt millings.

 Average thickness of approximately 5 inches.

 Approximately 38 truckloads of 20 cubic yards each.

 Estimate represents fair-market contractor pricing, including equipment, labor, and

mobilization.

The city commission considered a settlement offer during their July 7 meeting, but were unable to reach consensus and delayed the decision until their meeting today, July 21.

Meanwhile, the finger pointing has started as residents ask who ordered the crews, machinery, and materials to the site. They stayed for almost a week delivering and spreading the asphalt millings on the private road inside the property. De Leon said he had filed a complaint to the police May 6, two days after he "discovered" the crews working n the road and let them continue there for another two or three days.

"Someone in authority had to issue the city crews orders. Who was it? Was it the Office of the City Manager, through Deputy City Manager Doroteo Garcia, formerly Director of Engineering and Public Works,  or the current Director of EPW Maribel Guerrero (right). Or will they throw Asst. EPW director Carlos Lastra under the bus? 

Guerrero, by the way, has no engineering degree, but specialized in public relations before she was appointed as assistant EPW director under Garcia and when he was promoted to Deputy CM, director of the department. As director with authority to order work crews, has she been interviewed? Did she clear it with her ex-boss? What role did she play? The buck stops there."

And was the "dumping," or city-paid road improvements, part of the plan to get it in shape for DHS to move heavy equipment and low-boys that carried them requiring a good entrance and roadway that could accommodate that traffic? (See graphic above of photo taken yesterday, Monday, July 20.)

If there was an "unwritten" verbal agreement to send the crews in the property and make the road improvements, the city commissioners paying De Leon one red cent in taxpayers' money before ascertaining who was involved would be tantamount to engaging in a conspiracy to defraud the public. At what point does this become a felony (value over $2,500) and someone like the Cameron County District Attorney's Office has to step in? 

Texas Criminal Code

Abuse of Official Capacity (Texas Penal Code § 39.02): A public servant intentionally misuses government property, services, personnel, or funds. If the value involved is high enough, this offense can be a felony.
Official Oppression (Texas Penal Code § 39.03): A public servant intentionally subjects another to unlawful treatment or denies a legal right while acting under color of office. This is generally a misdemeanor, not a felony.

Tampering with a Governmental Record (Texas Penal Code § 37.10): If someone knowingly created false work orders, invoices, inspection reports, or other government records to conceal what occurred, this can be a felony.
Theft (Texas Penal Code § 31.03): If government materials, labor, or equipment were intentionally diverted for private benefit, prosecutors could examine whether the facts support a theft charge. Whether it is a felony depends on the value involved and the circumstances.

Conspiracy (Texas Penal Code § 15.02): If two or more people agreed to commit a felony and took an overt act toward it, conspiracy charges could be considered.

Today, at 5 p.m., this hot-potato issue comes before the city commission in an agenda item in executive session. It is the first item at the start of the meeting to be discussed and action taken in executive session. Will they cave in to his litigation threats and "settle" with de Leon for the "damage" to his property? Or will they perform their due diligence and represent the taxpayers who elected them to look out for their interests? 

STOP ME IF YOU'VE HEARD THIS ONE....MOON LANDING FROM A MIGRANT CAMP

 

(Ed,'s Note: Those longtime readers of this blog probably read this story here a few years ago. But before you start ragging on me, please consider that some of our more recent seven readers may not have had the pleasure. Humor me on this. I was only 15.)  

By Juan Montoya

To the migrant workers picking cherries at the Lester Southwell farm between Omena and Peshawbestown, Michigan, July 20, 1969 – now 57 years ago yesterday – it was just another muggy day made bearable only by the cool breezes blowing over the chilly, clear, blue  waters of Omena Bay across Michigan Highway 22 from their labor camp.

They were picking black cherries after they had gotten done with the napoleons (light red) sweets, and toward the end of the season in August, would move on to the tarts, or sour cherries favored by pie makers all over the world.

Today was special.

Not only were they picking their favorite cherries, large lumpy syrupy blacks, but the kids and teenagers in the camp had rigged a black and white television they had bought at one of those garage sales that seemed to sprout each Friday and Saturday along the Suttons Bay to Traverse City route where local residents knew migrants passed on their weekend runs for food and other household necessities.

The kids had pitched in and paid $10 for the black-and-white set and rigged it with aluminum foil and wire clothes hangers to acquire a somewhat discernible image from nearby television broadcasters, most notably the Traverse City CBS affiliate Channel 9-10.

The kids would watch cartoons and sitcoms during the day when the teens and adults were out in the orchards with their ladders and pails, and in the evenings the young adults watched the prime-time sit-com shows. By maneuvering the wire hangers and the aluminum wrapped around them, they could get a fairly good image.

But today, July 20, they knew that man was set to land on the moon. That night, the moon waxed near three-quarters and reflected off the clear waters of Omena Bay as it merged with Grand Traverse Bay to the south. The night was clear and cool, hovering in the 60s. Down south in the Rio Grande Valley and Northern Mexico where they were from, it was 80 degrees at night. As the kids gathered closer to the set Walter Cronkite was narrating the play-by-play as the astronauts made ready their descent toward the lunar surface. 

They were all enthralled at the prospect of a man landing on the moon. It would have been even more relevant to them then if they had known the Neil Armstrong, the first man who landed on the moon, knew something about field work having grown up in a farm in Wapokaneta, Ohio, south of the Michigan-Ohio state line below Lima, where they would travel next to pick tomatoes.

When the first frosts singed the edges of the tomato leaf and sleet arrived in early to mid-October, they'd return to Brownsville, in the Valley.

Outside, in the grassy parking area of the labor camp, the adult males stood in a small circle around their cars parked in front of their respective cabins and talked adult talk about how much their families picked today, what was coming tomorrow, and where they would travel at the end of the cherry season when the sour cherry trees in the orchard had been plucked clean. These were the days before the tree-shaking automatic machines replaced agricultural labor. It had been a profitable year.

Then Cronkite and CBS switched to the NASA transmission from the lunar surface as Neil Armstrong (just a white blurry, bouncing image on the set against the darkness of space), pronounced his famous words, "One small  step for man,..." Cronkite had to cut in and translate the staticky slurs pronounced some 250,000 miles away and finish the sentence..."one giant leap for mankind."

The kids burst out in shouts and screams and ran out of the small room in celebration to the amazement of the adults gathered in front of the camp.

"Que tienen?" asked one of the adults.

"La luna!" they shouted jumping and pointed at it. "El hombre is on the moon!"

The men looked up at the three-quarter moon, bright and distant in the sky.

To some of them, who had never finished elementary school and some who had spent their entire lives without getting a chance to get near one, their claims must have seemed ludicrous.

"Tan locos," they said turning back to subjects that really mattered.

MOMENT TO MAKE A BRAID OF REEDS AND CORDS AND LEATHER...

By Joseph Fasano

For Our Children Who Will Learn How Inhumanity Happened in Our Time

Because we stopped demanding our humanity.

Because many

felt your fresh hearts in the darkness

and forgot you were the same as others' children,

your little sleeves all made of wool and cotton.

Because Power called the Truth

what it was not.

Loves, we teach you love

and wonder.

But remember this, remember this

forever:

There are moments

when you kneel in deep

allegiance,

and moments when the splendor

is surrender,

and the moment,

on this earth of furious burning,

when even Love

must rise up in its silence

and make a braid

of reeds and cords and leather

and find the lords of money

in the temples

and sweet sweet Jesus like a flood among the rubble

whip them out with the beautiful rage of God.

WHAT RIGHTS DO WE HAVE? TIME TO START STANDING UP FOR EACH OTHER

ICE break down a door during an immigration raid in Cameron Park last week. One man (below) was arrested.

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

We got rights? 

What fucking rights?

The right to hide? 

The right to stay quiet? 

The right to live in fear hoping ICE don't kick your door in? 

The right to pray that if you get pulled over they don't smash your window, drag you out, separate you from your family or even worst kill you?

That's what y'all call "rights"?

How the fuck do you sleep at night knowing kids are dying at the border? 

Knowing children are being ripped away from their parents every single day?

This is the reality our immigrant community lives every damn day.

And we're still sitting around waiting for another César Chávez to come save us. News flash nobody is coming.

How many more generations are we gonna let suffer before we wake the fuck up? Another 10 years? 

Another 50?

At some point we gotta stop waiting for a hero and start standing up for each other.

PUSH COMES TO SHOVE TUESDAY ON "ILLEGAL DUMPING" DEMAND BY GUS DE LEON

"Regardless of anyone's opinion of Commissioner (Gus) De Leon, the central issue should be accountability and transparency. If taxpayer money is being used to settle this matter, the public deserves a complete explanation of the facts, the legal basis for any payment, and the evidence supporting the amount.
An independent appraisal, a clear timeline of events, and documentation showing who authorized the work and why would go a long way toward restoring public confidence. Personal attacks and name-calling don't answer those questions. The focus should remain on ensuring that any decision is based on verified facts, sound legal advice, and responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars..." Anonymous Commenter

By Juan Montoya 

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

After we published our posts on the ongoing controversy regarding the demand by District 3 city commissioner Gus de Leon to get a money settlement (which started at $1 million, then $700,000 to $900,000, etc...) for city Engineering and Public Works crews spreading (he called it illegal dumping) of asphalt millings on a road on his family's 10.5-acre property next to the old bridge, we received the comment above.

News coverage of the controversy included statements by De Leon such as: (Valley Central) "A land survey commissioned by the family estimates more than 17,500 square feet of asphalt millings were placed on the property...(KRGV) 'This is probably .94 acres, almost one acre of millings that were thrown on here and about five inches deep,'" De Leon said.

(Interestingly, the Cameron County Appraisal District places the taxable value of the property at $250,000 and  the family has been offering it for $825,000 in local real estate listing since 2018 without any takers.)

De Leon's assertions to news media, in turn, elicited a comment from another reader who said he calculated a ballpark guesstimate based on De Leon's comments. They point out that the road in question was not built by the city, but rather that the entrance and parts of it were improved by the spread of the millings with city equipment and trucks and crews from the entrance on Mexico Blvd,. to the extreme southern end of the property where the Department of Homeland Security has started to build sections of the Border Wall starting last Thursday.

According to security now controlling access to the property, the DHS took control of the property based on a lease agreement with the de Leon family which started this past Thursday. Interestingly, the asphalt millings were spread (dumped, according to de Leon), at the entrance, and along the road and ended near the section where the Border Wall is being constructed. 

A commenter stated that the costs are estimates of what contractors could expect to pay on the local market. 

 

Estimated Fair-Market Cost of Asphalt Millings Road Project
Purpose: The following is a general contractor-style estimate of the fair-market value to furnish, haul, spread, and compact asphalt millings for approximately one acre at an average depth of five inches. 

*This is an estimate of what a private contractor could reasonably charge, not necessarily what the City actually paid.

Assumptions

 Approximately one acre of roadway covered with asphalt millings.

 Average thickness of approximately 5 inches.

 Approximately 38 truckloads of 20 cubic yards each.

 Estimate represents fair-market contractor pricing, including equipment, labor, and

mobilization.

The city commission considered a settlement offer during their July 7 meeting, but were unable to reach consensus and delayed the decision until their meeting tomorrow, July 21.

Meanwhile, the finger pointing has started as residents ask who ordered the crews, machinery, and materials to the site. At what point does this become a felony (value over $2,500) and someone like the Cameron County District Attorney's Office has to step in? 

"Someone in authority had to issue the city crews orders. Who was it? Was it the Office of the City Manager, through Deputy City Manager Doroteo Garcia, formerly Director of Engineering and Public Works,  or the current Director of EPW Maribel Guerrero (right). Or will they throw Asst. EPW director Carlos Lastra under the bus? 

Guerrero, by the way, has no engineering degree, but specialized in public relations before she was appointed as assistant EPW director under Garcia and when he was promoted to Deputy CM, director of the department. As director with authority to order work crews, has she been interviewed? Did she clear it with her ex-boss? What role did she play? The buck stops there."

And was the "dumping," or city-paid road improvements, part of the plan to get it in shape for DHS to move heavy equipment and low-boys that carried them requiring a good entrance and roadway that could accommodate that traffic? 

If there was an "unwritten" verbal agreement to send the crews in the property and make the road improvements, the city commissioners paying De Leon one red cent in taxpayers' money before ascertaining who was involved would be tantamount to engaging in a conspiracy to defraud the public. Again, at what point does this become a felony and the DA's Office  has to step in?

Texas Criminal Code

Abuse of Official Capacity (Texas Penal Code § 39.02): A public servant intentionally misuses government property, services, personnel, or funds. If the value involved is high enough, this offense can be a felony.
Official Oppression (Texas Penal Code § 39.03): A public servant intentionally subjects another to unlawful treatment or denies a legal right while acting under color of office. This is generally a misdemeanor, not a felony.

Tampering with a Governmental Record (Texas Penal Code § 37.10): If someone knowingly created false work orders, invoices, inspection reports, or other government records to conceal what occurred, this can be a felony.
Theft (Texas Penal Code § 31.03): If government materials, labor, or equipment were intentionally diverted for private benefit, prosecutors could examine whether the facts support a theft charge. Whether it is a felony depends on the value involved and the circumstances.

Conspiracy (Texas Penal Code § 15.02): If two or more people agreed to commit a felony and took an overt act toward it, conspiracy charges could be considered.

Tomorrow, this hot-potato issue comes before the city commission in an agenda item in executive session. Will they cave in to his litigation threats and "settle" with de Leon? Or will they perform their due diligence and represent the taxpayers who elected them to look out for their interests? 

NUT-CUTTING TIME: DECISION ON DE LEON "SETTLEMENT" COMING TUESDAY

City commissioner Gus de Leon calls this illegal dumping; others call it illegal free road improvements

The collage above and the one below of the entrance and of the wall were posted by the commissioner on his social page

By Juan Montoya
Special to El Rrun-Rrun

If, come next Tuesday, the City of Brownsville Commission members approve a "settlement" with their fellow District 3 commissioner Gus de Leon over his charges that city Engineering and Public Works crews "dumped" tons of expensive asphalt millings on his family's property without his consent, it will mean political suicide for them and a brazen example of his self-dealing as a public official bordering on the criminal.

De Leon – personally and without the benefit of an attorney – has negotiated with City Attorney Will Treviño and City Manager Alan Gard, both of who see him as their boss with the power to hire and fire them, since May 4, when he claims he "discovered" city Public Works Crews overlaying a pothole-pocked dirt road on his property adjacent to the old railroad easement the family had leased to Union Pacific Railroad at the old bridge.

When he started "negotiating,"  he had demanded $1 million, which he later lowered to between $700,000 to $900,000, an offer later presented for consideration by his fellow city commissioners during the July 7 commission meeting. It's been going down since. At that time, no decision was reached by the commission and moved to this Tuesday's July 21 meeting.

Interestingly, the Cameron County Appraisal District places the taxable value of the property at $250,000 and  the family has been offering it for $825,000 in local real estate listing since 2018 without any takers.

Unbeknownst to the and city management and the commissioners, De Leon had also entered into a lease
agreement with the Department of Homeland Security for the property and to access for the construction of a section of the Border Wall and to patrol the riverside. It is unknown whether the lease with the DHS includes a guarantee that the entrance and the road that leads to the Wall be in a condition which will allow them to move vehicles and heavy equipment. It clearly wasn't in such a condition  before the "dumping."

In fact, a construction warning sign has been erected and security guard the entrance.

Access to the property located south of the intersection of Sam Perl and Mexico Blvds., is now restricted by a security firm under subcontract with DHS. The contract for security by the federal government started just this past Thursday, when DHS started construction.

If the city commission had accepted the settlement offer to de Leon July 7, it would have been a "done deal" then and it would not have come to the public's notice. And it would have dovetailed nicely with the DHS taking lease possession of the property.

Many questions on this issue by the public remain unanswered. Some are:

1. Who ordered the city crews to enter the property and spread the valuable road material? 

2. Was De Leon involved in a verbal, unwritten "agreement" – and with who? – to have the crews "dump" the asphalt millings and fill the potholes and make the road improvement in return for allowing the crews to supposedly use the property as a "staging area" for their work on downtown alleys?

3. Someone in authority had to issue the city crews orders. Who was it? Was it the Office of the City Manager, through Deputy City Manager Doroteo Garcia, formerly Director of Engineering and Public Works,  or the current Director of EPW Maribel Guerrero. Or will they throw Asst. EPW director Carlos Lastra under the bus? 

Guerrero, by the way, has no engineering degree, but specialized in public relations before she was appointed as assistant EPW director under Garcia and then director of the department. As director with authority to order work crews, has she been interviewed? Did she clear it with her ex-boss? What role did she play? The buck stops there.

If there was an "unwritten" verbal agreement to send the crews in the property and make the road improvements, the city commissioners paying De Leon one red cent in taxpayers' money before ascertaining who was involved would be tantamount to engaging in a conspiracy to defraud the public.

Local contractors say that it costs $700 for a 20-yard load of asphalt millings. De Leon says that the city spread nearly one acre (1,700 square feet) five inches deep of the material on the road leading to the Wall. All that milled asphalt did not come from the downtown alleys. Did the city buy it or tap its road materials? What did it cost taxpayers?

And does no one see the huge conflict of interest in De Leon negotiating with the city administration (which he hires and fires), and with his colleagues on the city commission to benefit himself and his family?

It will be up to these six city commission members Tuesday to do their due diligence. We will see if they cave in to De Leon's litigation threats and demand ruse without demanding the facts, or if they will defend the interest of the public which elected them to protect their interests.