By Guillermo Contreras
San Antonio Express-News
From President Barack Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, the candidate contribution list of San Antonio trial lawyer and Democratic stalwart Mikal C. Watts reads like a who's who of important politicians.
Watts has poured $7.4 million into Democratic campaigns, and hasn't been shy about boasting about it.
Once, in a nine-page settlement demand letter, Watts famously claimed that he would win an appeal in the 13th Court f Appeals in Corpus Christi, because “this court is comprised of six justices, all of whom are good Democrats.
“The Chief Justice, Hon. Rogelio Valdez, was recently elected with our firm's heavy support,” Watts wrote.
Now, it's the legitimacy of his client list, for the moment, that interests federal prosecutors running an investigation into a mass tort case Watts' firm is involved with related to the 2010 BP oil spill.
The probe, reported Tuesday by the San Antonio Express-News, also has put a spotlight on his tactics and could compromise an important funding source for Democrats.
Secret Service agents from Texas to Mississippi have been interviewing people along the Gulf Coast who say they never hired Watts' firm, but found that claims were filed on their behalf, the Express-News confirmed Wednesday.
Others have alleged they were duped by case-runners into hiring Watts' firm, with promises of something else.
In a statement, Watts defended the three years of work his firm put into the BP case and said the firm is cooperating.
“The firm has diligently worked to advance the interests of each person referred to it, spending millions of dollars and thousands of hours to ensure that each of its referred clients are properly represented,” the statement said.
“Its attorneys have contacted the government, and have offered its cooperation in the investigation,” the statement continued. “Bottom line, the firm wants to help BP's victims receive compensation for their losses. If there were any mistakes made by others, the firm reaffirms its commitment to fully cooperate with all authorities to determine exactly what occurred.”
Some people have complained to the Justice Department that their identities were stolen because they found claims had been filed on their behalf.
Besides protecting the president, the Secret Service investigates fraud, counterfeiting and identity theft.
Along the coast, runners often found potential clients in a variety of ways, agents are finding. And some targeted out of the blue by Watts' firm and other lawyers now are learning how runners found them.
"I heard they were getting names and addresses off of raffles,” said Felix Cao, who received mass mailings from Watts' firm, despite not having any loss claims.
The allegations add to a history of accusations of extreme legal tactics against Watts, who has emerged from those situations largely unscathed.
Previous news reports have linked Watts to South Texas case runner Mauricio Celis, who is fighting criminal charges of impersonating a lawyer and peace officer, and Willie Garcia, another controversial runner.
As federal agents background Watts, their investigation also is likely to bring to the forefront Watts' involvement in a trial in Crystal City in 2005 against Ford Motor Co. in which the girlfriend of Jesse Gamez, Watts' local attorney there, ended up on the jury panel.
The Express-News also has learned the feds have been reading up on the now-infamous settlement demand letter in which Watts all but told an opposing lawyer that he had the local appellate court in Corpus Christi in his pocket, specifically noting his firm's support of Chief Justice Valdez.
News reports also showed Watts and his law firm in 1999 donated $5,000 to Valdez, and later donated more than $77,000 to other justices on the court.
Texas Trial Lawyer Watch consider Watts a formidable foe in its quest for lawsuit reform because of his infusions to lawmakers and judges.
“The bulk of Watts' Texas political campaign contributions have gone to major political action committees that are funded almost exclusively by him and other personal injury trial lawyers,” the group said in a statement.
Since 2006, Watts has contributed more than $2.5 million to Texas political candidates and organizations, according to Texas Ethic Commission reports.
The bulk of that money — including nearly $1.2 million in the fall of 2012 alone – went to the Vote Texas PAC, to help the Democratic Party with its get-out-the-vote effort. He's also hosted fundraisers in recent years for President Obama, Mayor Julian Castro, U.S. Rep. Lloys Dogget and Harry Reid, among others. Watts has also poured thousands into their campaigns, records show.
Watts' attorney, Mike McCrum, said Wednesday that there's no evidence the investigation has taken a turn into politics.
“I'm not going to comment on his political stuff because this is not a political issue,” McCrum said.
Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/Democrat-stalwart-bragged-of-donations-4315068.php#ixzz2MCVxHc2A
From President Barack Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, the candidate contribution list of San Antonio trial lawyer and Democratic stalwart Mikal C. Watts reads like a who's who of important politicians.
Watts has poured $7.4 million into Democratic campaigns, and hasn't been shy about boasting about it.
Once, in a nine-page settlement demand letter, Watts famously claimed that he would win an appeal in the 13th Court f Appeals in Corpus Christi, because “this court is comprised of six justices, all of whom are good Democrats.“The Chief Justice, Hon. Rogelio Valdez, was recently elected with our firm's heavy support,” Watts wrote.
Now, it's the legitimacy of his client list, for the moment, that interests federal prosecutors running an investigation into a mass tort case Watts' firm is involved with related to the 2010 BP oil spill.
The probe, reported Tuesday by the San Antonio Express-News, also has put a spotlight on his tactics and could compromise an important funding source for Democrats.
Secret Service agents from Texas to Mississippi have been interviewing people along the Gulf Coast who say they never hired Watts' firm, but found that claims were filed on their behalf, the Express-News confirmed Wednesday.
Others have alleged they were duped by case-runners into hiring Watts' firm, with promises of something else.
In a statement, Watts defended the three years of work his firm put into the BP case and said the firm is cooperating.
“The firm has diligently worked to advance the interests of each person referred to it, spending millions of dollars and thousands of hours to ensure that each of its referred clients are properly represented,” the statement said.“Its attorneys have contacted the government, and have offered its cooperation in the investigation,” the statement continued. “Bottom line, the firm wants to help BP's victims receive compensation for their losses. If there were any mistakes made by others, the firm reaffirms its commitment to fully cooperate with all authorities to determine exactly what occurred.”
Some people have complained to the Justice Department that their identities were stolen because they found claims had been filed on their behalf.
Besides protecting the president, the Secret Service investigates fraud, counterfeiting and identity theft.
Along the coast, runners often found potential clients in a variety of ways, agents are finding. And some targeted out of the blue by Watts' firm and other lawyers now are learning how runners found them.
"I heard they were getting names and addresses off of raffles,” said Felix Cao, who received mass mailings from Watts' firm, despite not having any loss claims.
The allegations add to a history of accusations of extreme legal tactics against Watts, who has emerged from those situations largely unscathed.
Previous news reports have linked Watts to South Texas case runner Mauricio Celis, who is fighting criminal charges of impersonating a lawyer and peace officer, and Willie Garcia, another controversial runner.
As federal agents background Watts, their investigation also is likely to bring to the forefront Watts' involvement in a trial in Crystal City in 2005 against Ford Motor Co. in which the girlfriend of Jesse Gamez, Watts' local attorney there, ended up on the jury panel.
The Express-News also has learned the feds have been reading up on the now-infamous settlement demand letter in which Watts all but told an opposing lawyer that he had the local appellate court in Corpus Christi in his pocket, specifically noting his firm's support of Chief Justice Valdez.
News reports also showed Watts and his law firm in 1999 donated $5,000 to Valdez, and later donated more than $77,000 to other justices on the court.
Texas Trial Lawyer Watch consider Watts a formidable foe in its quest for lawsuit reform because of his infusions to lawmakers and judges.
“The bulk of Watts' Texas political campaign contributions have gone to major political action committees that are funded almost exclusively by him and other personal injury trial lawyers,” the group said in a statement.
Since 2006, Watts has contributed more than $2.5 million to Texas political candidates and organizations, according to Texas Ethic Commission reports.
The bulk of that money — including nearly $1.2 million in the fall of 2012 alone – went to the Vote Texas PAC, to help the Democratic Party with its get-out-the-vote effort. He's also hosted fundraisers in recent years for President Obama, Mayor Julian Castro, U.S. Rep. Lloys Dogget and Harry Reid, among others. Watts has also poured thousands into their campaigns, records show.
Watts' attorney, Mike McCrum, said Wednesday that there's no evidence the investigation has taken a turn into politics.
“I'm not going to comment on his political stuff because this is not a political issue,” McCrum said.
Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/Democrat-stalwart-bragged-of-donations-4315068.php#ixzz2MCVxHc2A
7 comments:
Just shows that the Dumbokratic Party is just as corrupt at the state and national levels as in Cameron County. Bribery seems to be the tool of choice by the Dumbokratic Party....no wonder they selected Gilberto Hinojosa to be State Party Chair...a man of great experience in these tactics. Amazing that this comes out the day after the Cameron County Sheriff told a TV reporter that he would not enforce state laws regarding 8 Liner businesses "because he didn't know what might happen in the future" and the Cameron County District Attorney would not answer the TV commentators question. Obviously these two Dumbokrats need to confer; with each other, or the "Parteeeee" to find out what they will do. Obviously, they don't plan to enforce the law. Nothing new for this sheriff.
Ray Marchan just committed suicide this morning by jumping off the SPI causeway.
other crooked judge? el roy valdez, no way he is as straight as a mesquite tree, right? duh?
Lawlessness begets lawyers
Lawyers beget lawlessness
Lawyers make laws to protect lawyers
Stop voting for lawyers to make laws to protect themselves
We do this every election cycle
Lawyers bank on this weakness of the weakminded.
ANOTHER CROOKED JUDGE FROM CAMERON COUNTY WHO ONCE SAT IN THE 357TH DISTRICT COURT....THE SAME COURT THAT ALEJANDRO RESIGNED FROM TWO YEARS BEFORE HIS TERM IS UP!!!! INTERESTING!!!!
THIS CORRUPTION IS NOW BEING EXPOSED EVEN FURTHER NORTH INTO OTHER COUNTIES WITH OTHER JUDGES AND ATTORNEYS!!!!
NOT SUBPRICING TO HEAR THAT THIS JUSTICE IS ON THE TAKE TOOOOOOO!!!! LET SEE IF HE GETS TIED IN WITH THE CAMERON COUNTY SCANDAL....WE'LL SOON FIND OUT!!!
Why is enrique escobedo like Ernie Hernandez getting their security company, Printing company, Landscaping contracts, Vending Machine CONTRACTS AWARDED from their friends at the Port, County, BISD, City?
Is this a conflict of interest?
Why is enrique escobedo like Ernie Hernandez getting their security company, Printing company, Landscaping contracts, Vending Machine CONTRACTS AWARDED from their friends at the Port, County, BISD, City?
Is this a conflict of interest?
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