ROSENTHAL FIRM ANNUAL DONOR TO POSADA DE LOS NINOS, OTHER LOCAL AND MEXICAN CHARITIES

By Juan Montoya
By all accounts, the Second Annual Posada de los Niños at Brownsville's Washngton Park turned out to be a huge success.
The park, located at the corner of W. Seventh 7th Street and Adams and on the north side by Madison streets was teeming with needy families and children who came in the hope of receiving a free gift.
At least 2,000 did not leave disappointed and walked off with their gift under their shoulder.
Brownsville born and raised singer-musician Jimmy Gonzalez, of Grupo Mazz fame, teamed up with the Brownsville Independent School District and the City of Brownsville to give these children lots of joy. Donations from private businesses and city residents were collected to purchase the gifts and host the entertainment.

It's when you look at the list of contributors that one of those names jumps out at you. That's right, the law firm of Rosenthal & Watson was one of the most generous contributors to the event and has contributed from the first time the giveaway was initiated last year.

If you pay attention to local headlines or read local blogs, Marc Rosenthal, a principal in the firm has been charged by the federal government in connection withe the ongoing scandal involving disgraced (and convicted) 404th District Judge Abel Limas, who has pleaded guilty to racketeering and bribery. He is awaiting sentencing as are other defendants in the case.

Rosenthal and Brownsville attorney Ray Marchan have pleaded not guilty in cases related to the Limas probe.

As the case has progressed, the Rosenthal defense has filed affidavits in federal court contending that federal agents have tried to intimidate and coerce potential witnesses trying to force them to implicate their client in the wrongdoing.

We asked around locally of other groups who have sought donations from local businesses and law firms and found out that Rosenthal and Watson figure prominently among the list of the more generous donors. Understandably, those who spoke with us insisted on anonymity given the notoriety of the Limas case.

"His law firm, and Marc, personally, have donated generously every time we asked them," said a local volunteer who has helped with Posada de  los Niños. 'This was even before the Limas case hit the papers."

And, lest some may think that this is a sudden spate of philanthropy because of the case against Rosenthal, we found that a few of the other of the law firm's contributions to community events in the past include annual sponsorships of the Brownsville Police Department's annual fishing tournament and sponsorship of the City of Brownsville's Duramed Golf Tournament.

Additionally, Rosenthal name is also listed among the contributors to national charities such as Any Baby Can as well as the annual dirves of the American Juvenile Diabetes Foundation.

A volunteer with the Friendship of Women, which operates battered women shelters, confirmed the law firm has also been a contributor toward their activities. 

We called the local office and the Austin headquarters to get a comment of confirmation without success.

 However, a source close to the firm said that besides helping local families, the firm was active in donating to governmental offices in Mexico such as the Desarrollo Integral de la Familia (el DIF) in Tamaulipas.

One of our colleagues in El Bravo provided us with a newspaper clipping from El Diario the Cuidad Victoria, Tamaulipas, newspaper from Christmas 2009 where the firm is reported to have donated $100,000 toward a celebration at a professional soccer stadium and toy giveaway that benefited 10,000 needy children.
"Think whatever you may want of him," said the Posada de los Niños volunteer. "But until the legal issues are resolved  in court, we can only thank him and his firm for helping us help others."