Just as those infamous (and anonymous) "hojas sueltas" make their appearance a few days prior to most elections emitted by some candidates or their supporters smearing their opponents, the newest wrinkle in this year's Democratic Party primary elections is the de facto slate being plastered all over town.
In fact, we don't know if the people who prepared this slate flier had the acquiescence of the candidates named in it. There is no political disclaimer as is required by state law.
And at the very top of this list is none other than indicted Cameron County Pct. 2 commissioner Ernie Hernandez and his daughter – herself also under scrutiny by law enforcement – and the surprising appearance of District 357 Court candidate Juan Magallanes and Brownsville Independent School District trustee Minerva Peña who is running for the new JP 2-3 position.
We don't know who sold Texas Senator hopeful David Almeel the goods to include his name with our infamous candidates, but being an outsider, we really can't blame him for not knowing who he's hanging out with.
There's a saying that if you lie with dogs you'll catch fleas. While Almeel may not be well versed in who the local players are, Magallanes and Peña know full well what the score is and chose to lie with the cur.
Why on earth would they?
Last month a grand jury issued an indictment charging him with eight criminal counts.
The charges stem from the illegal hiring of his brother-in-law Roberto Cadriel, and inconsistencies between the testimony of the prosecution's witnesses and the three-hour testimony Hernandez gave to a grand jury investigating it. They also deal with alleged Hernandez's involvement in tampering with the testimony of witnesses and government records.
One unrelated charge deals with Hernandez allegedly attempting to have Emergency Management administrator Humberto Barrera reopen an eight-liner business that had been closed by the county.
The indictment includes two counts of official oppression, one count of misuse of official information, two counts of witness tampering, one count of tampering with a government record, one count of obstruction or retaliation, and one count of coercion by a public official.
(To read a copy of the indictment, click on: http://www.valleycentral.com/JP 2-2 Erin Hernandez Garcia, the commissioner's daughter, is also under scrutiny for a number of issues related to matters in her office.
We received confirmation that District Attorney's Office investigators are probing the possible cash payment fora ruling in at least one case, the sale of fraudulent waivers to bypass the state-mandated 72-hour waiting period before marriage, and an alleged scheme to take cash payments that allow a defendant to forgo community service hours. There has been one person indicted in the last case. And the DA's office is awaiting a response from the Texas Attorney General on the legality of the waivers before acting.
Sylvia Garza Perez, who is a past chairperson of the Cameron County Democratic Party is an ally of the Herandezes and has long associated with both Ernie and Erin and her mother Norma. A product of the War on Poverty programs where she built a client (and voter?) base, she left her [position to run for county judge.
However, not long after she declared, County Clerk Joe Rivera and other party functionaries (notably former county judge Gilbert Hinojosa, now state chair of the Democratic Party) talked her into leting Joe run for judge instead and that she run for county clerk, Rivera's position.
She is facing four other candidates in that race. They are Jorge Kowalski, Don De Leon, Sylvia Garza-Perez, Letty Perez Garzoria, and Arnold Flores, Jr.
How teaming up with the two Hernandezes and BISD trustee Minerva Peña will help her is difficult to see. Peña is currently a defendant in a First Amendment lawsuit filed by her colleagues on the BISD board Catalina Presas-Garcia and Lucy Longoria.
She is facing Mary Esther Garcia, Pete Avila and Albert Garcia in the election.
Magallanes faces attorney Gloria Rincones in this primary.
14 comments:
Didn't Limas's testify that he was working with Magallanes and that he lent him money and bought property from him or his son? He's got some cajones to run...Cameron County is a fuckin joke....
Latest polls show Gracia for the first time pulled ahead of Erin Garcia during the first week of early voting.
Garcia trailing 3 points behind him, in 3rd place.
Too close to call between those two, with Begum carrying a strong lead, she will face off with Gracia or Garcia in the runoff. Gracia is on a strong upward climb, and Erin Garcia dropping in the numbers as her dad's troubles mount. It would help her to distance her campaign from her dad's. Gracia is positioning himself as a clean candidate with a law degree and no skeletons in the closet or baggage, unlike Erin and her relationship to corruption. If his climbing support holds steady, he will edge Garcia out into the runoff.
Wow! No disclaimer as required by law yet you post this as gospel?
Come on dude, you're better than this...
Hey Juanio you forgot Pete Avila in the JP Race for Pct. 2 PL. 3. What's up with you. You so focused on hiding under Catalina Presas-Garcia that you forget to use you brain amigo!
Sylvia, Ernie, Erin and Norma are, and always be together. They are one in the same. Scum.
Mr. Alameel and Mr. Magallanes
are both good people and it is very much doubted either one was asked for permission to be
a part of this slate.
yikes, Magallanes just lost my vote. Hijole.
Joey ”Box Cutter” Garza was seen handing these out, I wonder if he printed them out. Probably under orders from Ernie.
If the electorate votes either one of the Hernandez Klan in, then we deserve what we get!!
juan i can understand Mr. Alameel but juan magallens not knowing bull shit, he is part of the gilberto hinojosa joe rivera corruption plague that cameron cuonty is well know for many years. J magallanes no te agas pepe brother you are one of these members of that little gang of scum elected officials. joto
I am disappointed about Magallanes, Me and my family will not vote for him
Neither will I or my family....
As far as I know everyone of the candidates are corrupt, I'm very discourage of Cameron County and their corrupted ways of handling business, reclassifying positions to try to making it look they're doing the right thing but it's a cover up to take positions away from employees that been working there for a long time and have been loyal and honest employees. all they want is control of the hiring so they can bring in their compadres and friends. Right Arnold?????
Adela looks like she just left the Club after a nite of fun and frolic.n
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