By Juan Montoya
The revelations contained in a motion by Austin lawyer Marc Rosenthal to remove 197th state District Judge Migdalia Lopez from presiding over a wrongful death lawsuit that he filed against Union Pacific Railroad and a train engineer have sent tremors through the South Texas local judiciary.
Rosenthal's motion for Lopez's recusal has courthouse regulars wondering which other judges may have similar skeletons in their closets. Rosenthal at one time or another contributed to scores of local judges and to other elected officials in Cameron, Willacy and Hidalgo counties, to name a few. He is listed as not only contributing to Lopez, but also in more recent races, including a contribution to Democratic candidate for Cameron County Judge Jo
hn Wood, among others.
But the Lopez case, if true, would blow the lid of the questionable behavior of local judges that may have at one time solicited contributions from the high-power legal firm.
"I once saw him arrive in his Lamborghini at a function held at the ranch of Carlos Cascos," said a former elected official. "I doubt that anyone who's anyone in elective politics here hasn't at one time or another heard of Marc. He's been very generous."
The case concerning Migdalia Lopez case revolves around the civil lawsuit Rosenthal filed in 2009 on behalf of Viviana Sosa and others. Lopez was the sitting judge on the case and Rosenthal charges that he can produce witnesses who will corroborate that the judge asked him for a $2,500 campaign contribution on Feb. 16, 2010, while sitting on the case.
He told the court Feb. 21 that she made him feel that he would not be treated fairly in her court if he did not give her the money. On Feb. 22 she refused to step aside, and his motion was referred to Senior Appellate Judge Linda Yañez.
According to Rosenthal, she told him that she had received a $1,000 contribution from Mitchell Chaney, of Colvin, Chaney, Saenz & Rodriguez LLP., the firm defending the railroad and the train engineer.
She is also said to have told him that she might find a home at the firm in her future endeavors.
That has opened a can of worms given the close relationship between that established firm and the local office of the U.S. Attorney's office. And now that allegations have surfaced that some judges may have been soliciting contributions from attorneys with cases before them, will this now lead to federal prosecutors looking beyond hapless Abel Limas and into others like Lopez and the rest of the judiciary?
Are we in for a doubling of the alphabet once they run out of letters? Does Migdalia have a letter assigned to her, too? And if not, why not? In Limas' case, there were tapes. In this case, apparently, Rosenthal is saying there was a witness present. What's the difference?
"This has to be a nightmare for a lot of judges and local attorneys, not to mention the federal prosecutors," said the courthouse source. "It's like Pandora's box, once it's open, there's no closing it. Sounds like there was a bidding war going on."
21 comments:
Is it not surprising to anyone about this interaction with Rosenthal and Lopez, can't call her judge because I have no respect for her! How do you think politicians get their campaign money? This is bribery to us common folk because if we did something like this, we'd be in jail? Just because its cover in the campaign laws, its okay? No matter how the conversation went, if she asked for campaign money with a case in her court, she knew exactly what she was doing! Whether she makes favorable rulings or not, she is just as corrupt as Limas! Everyone in CC knows that Lopez can be bought with a campaign contribution, period! Whether it was done illegally or not that's for the justice system or law to find out? I hope that Lopez will start a whole new alphabet in the future!!!
With Ernesto Gamez as his local attorney, we can expect Ernesto to target any judge or attorney who fails to bow to him and kiss his ring....reflective of his position in the Dumbokratic Injustice System in Cameron County. Interesting that they hit a female judge first....she must have told Ernesto how short he is. Like the Sheriff and District Attorney, Ernesto will protect his friends and point fingers at his enemies. And we must remember, judges are political animals and must depend on campaign contributions...which makes them vulnerable to injustice.
going after the wrong lopez......
They should be called "Champagne" comtributions not campaign contributions. Why would any competent, decent, and respectable lawyer want to be an elected judge considering the meager pay. It's the fringe benefits (aka calabacitas) they are after, or they are just plain lazy people. It's just human nature also known as greed.
The Cameron County legal and justice system is full of "worms" and is ready to be opened. I like "can of worms" more than "Pandora's Box"....because they are "worms". Judge "Disable" Limas was the first domino to fall and there are many more to fall. The Cameron County legal community is full of participants who contribute to all candidates for judge....expecting favors from each if elected. The election of judges guarantees us of corruption via campaign contributions. Time to open the "can of worms" by state and federal officials. We citizens know there is corruption but the corrupters seem to control the system.
That railroad defense firm of Rodriguez, Colvin, Chaney & Saenz as it was then known (curently: Colvin, Chaney, Saenz & Rodriguez LLP) is the spark for all the shit hitting the fan. That firm has close contacts with both FBI and local fed judicierry. The Rosenthal case is nothing more than a personal revenge against Rosenthal by Piwi Rodriguez and Cheney and others in that firm. They lost numerous cases to Rosenthal, a hard-hitting PI lawyer. A supporting aspect of that is that Mayor Martinez's son got great rulings from Limas but escaped indictment because of political pulll. That railroad defense firm offices with Mayor Martinez. Duh!?
How much money did zayas give limas, lopez, and the big lady lopez? No lawyer in CC is as corrupt as zayas, sossi, navarro, limas, r herrea, art mcdonald ect...
I am a local attorney who spends time at the Cameron County Courthouse.i once observed a hearing before the court in which Rosenthal represented the mother of a child who died when Valley Baptist Hospital gave the little girl the wrong medication. i saw Rosenthal make Tony Rodriguez and his uncle look so bad that they practically cried in frustration. Rosenthal is one of the best lawyers in the country. Of course Rodriguez and Chaney have teamed up with the FEDS to try to bring down the best.
Signed Jimbo Solis (from the pokey)
Rosenthal is a bully who believes he can manipulate the legal system and the indictment that he is facing by throwing a smoke screen in an attempt to discredit an honest judge. This guy will get his due in Federal court. 10 years and disbarment ought to do it. No vale verga este vato.
Migdalia Lopez, an honest judge? Don't think so! Lopez back stabs those who have helped her into office. If she is asking for campaign contributions when she is overseeing a case in her court from the attorneys, then she is guilty of bribery or some sort of official oppression. Based on this allegation from that short shit Gamez, a complaint to the judicial board is needed and let them look into this? Who cares if she broke the law but I am willing to bet that she broke the judicial code? Good luck Migdalia, those fake boobs are going to cost you in the long run, huh?
The man's criminal case will be tried in Federal Court here in Cameron County. He will try to paint the local state judges as corrupt and he is being used as a scape goat for the corrupt Cameron County court system.
His defense is filing these motions to help shape and condition the minds of the potential jurors. It seems to be working, as blogs such as this seem to be falling right into that web.
I am not trying to say there is not corruption at the Cameron County Courthouse for we all know there is. However, this particular aspect, is just pure criminal defense trial tactics. I hate to see folks swallow it whole, without understanding what it is.
El Pinche Gringo.
What he said... it's all part of trying the case in the press.
Pinche Gringo, blame the matter on the Press. It is the Judiciary in Brownsville, that's corrupt, not the press.
I agree with El Pinche Gringo, Marc is trying to convince the people of Cameron County that he is NOT the scumbag that the evidence will show him to be!! We will see the REAL Marc unveiled for all the public to see IF he shows up for his trial. I predict that he will join his wife in South America so that he can avoid extradiction!! Ironic, right?
Hello !!!even in the Roman times people talked bad about Jesus.I am not comparing Merc to Jesus . People always defame people because they are jealous .Mr.Rosenthal has gotten his money clean and with sweat of his front.People just want clean their hands with his name .Shame on them .All I know is Mr.Rosenthal has helped alot low income people from city of Brownsville they see him like a hero.The wealthy people of Brownsville see Marc as crook but just because he is better than them.
Judgelopez is bed with I.B.C. Bank they fly her and her friends to football games 3 times year to see the D.Cowboys at there $350,000 private BOX . She has bank cases in her court
we know she is 4 sale....... She is a puerto rican ....not a Mexican......she not a good judge
They ought to fly you to school puto because you can't spell.
If anyone believes this crap...well all I can say is too bad..I see the judge was NOT recused from the case.
I need someone who knows the truth to contact me as a relative of mine is being hammered in her court and she appears to be prosecutorially biased.
A relative of mine recently appeared in her court for a civil suit in which he/she was the plaintiff. I could not believe that Judge Lopez did not look at the entirety of the case and sought to berate him/her based on emotion rather than fact. Is she a tough judge? Yes, and understandably so. She has taken an oath to uphold the law. It's not the harsh manner or firm approach she uses in administering court proceedings. Rather, it's the fact that she did not bother to ask relevant questions about backpay. Oh well, as someone who knows her well says, "Some people feel the backlash of her lack of love."
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