On November 21, 2011, a jury convicted Harlingen City Commissioner Kori Marra on evidence presented to them by Cameron County District Attorney Special Prosecutor Luis Saenz that she failed to file a conflict of interest affidavit before voting on an item on a project from where she would have benefited and should have excluded herself from voting.
Marra was sentenced to 30 days in jail and given a $500 fine for failing to file a conflict of interest affidavit.
Nonetheless, after Saenz was elected to as Cameron County District Attorney, he sought to refile the charges against her.
You will notice that last Friday Saenz filed for the Temporary Restraining Order against the City of Brownsville against the conveyance of Lincoln Park to the University of Texas System as a private citizen, and not in his official capacity as a district attorney.So why,if he filed the charges against Marra as a district attorney, is he filing for the TRO against he city which included city commissioner Rose Gowen as a private citizen?
Gowen voted on November 4 on the sale of Lincoln Park to the UT System without disclosing she worked for UT and could potentially benefit personally from the sale.
Gowen is listed as the Medical Director of the University of Texas Clinical Research Unit, at 800 W. Jefferson St., in Brownsville. It's easy to see that her employers stand to make a killing on their "bargain priced" purchase of 48 acres of prime real estate on land they have admitted is worth millions more.
Her vote undoubtedly enhanced her standing with her employer and could result in benefits such as additional funding for her organization. What more could Saenz want to put on his DA hat as he did with Marra?
The Regents met on Nov. 5 – one day after the 4-3 commission vote to sell the park – to consider this on their agenda:
On May 9, 2013, the Board authorized the institution "to continue discussions with the City to acquire the subject tract as well as an adjacent tract. The property is critical for the growth of the institution due to its size and proximity to the academic core of the campus; there is no alternative site of equal benefit available. The City of Brownsville has indicated that it plans to use the bargain sale proceeds to replace the park facilities at locations more convenient to the public.
Seller: City of Brownsville
Bargain Purchase Price: $6.5 million
Appraisal: Appraised by Aquire and Patterson, Inc., dated July 23, 2014; market value range from $8,860,000 to $9,360,000. Lease back at no cost to the City of Brownsville of Lincoln Park for a period not to exceed five years, so that the City of Brownsville will have time to construct alternate park facilities elsewhere. No further improvements may be located on the property during the lease term. Uses will be limited to park and recreational uses.Appraised by Aquire and Patterson, Inc., dated July 23, 2014; market value range from $8,860,000 to $9,360,000."
This premise that the park is "critical for the growth of the institution" is based on the assumption that the UTRGV Brownsville component will grow to 20,000, an assertion not even Juliet Garcia believes. In fact, it is the enrollments at Texas Southmost College which have increased while the UTB enrollemnt decreased.
And just in case that Saenz doesn't get his TRO made permanent and the sale voided, and the court finds that Gowen voted illegally, the vote will revert to a 3-3 tie. In that case, it will be a no sale. Estela Chavez-Vasquez, who voted with Mayor Tony Martinez, Deborah Portillo and Rose Gowen, could well see the light and change her vote to "nay."
Thyen Saenz can put on his DA hat and prosecute
Remember Estela, you come up for reelection next May. They never let you or Longoria sit at the Big Table with the silk-stocking crowd anyway, have they? You've got the world to gain and nothing to lose.
27 comments:
OK Mr. Luis Saenz el County Da what are you going to do on this one amigo? Are you going to file charges o no or just play possum? Folks want to know and are waiting for an answer. Time to do your duty and what you are paid for buddy.
Charges against Marra stemed from an ethic complaint filed in December 2010.
So feel free to file your ethic complaint against GOWEN.
That way it can go through all the proper channels and finally get to Sanez who will appoint a special prosecutor.
Why must the DA do this? Where is the pressure on local law enforcement to do the right thing, conduct its own investigation, file its own charges and submit the case to the DA's office?
Estella is not going to seek re-election.
EL NORTE / Staff
Brownsville, Estados Unidos (10 noviembre 2014).- El Gobierno de Estados Unidos acusó al ex Alcalde priista de Matamoros, Érick Agustín Silva Santos, de lavado de dinero, fraude bancario y fraude electrónico.
El fiscal federal Kenneth Magidson, junto con Janice Ayala, agente especial a cargo de Investigaciones de Seguridad Nacional (HSI, por sus siglas en inglés), en San Antonio, y Lucy Cruz, agente especial a cargo de Servicio de Impuestos Internos de Investigación Criminal (IRS-CI), dieron a conocer la acusación contra el ex Alcalde.
La acusación formal fue emitida bajo sello en julio de 2014 en la Corte de Distrito Sur en Brownsville después de una investigación de un año.
Ésta fue revelada hoy después de una moción que fue presentada en la corte federal en McAllen.
Silva se desempeñó como Alcalde de Matamoros del 2008 al 2010.
De acuerdo con la acusación, a partir de 2007, Silva empleó varios esquemas para malversar contribuciones de campaña, aceptar sobornos y defraudar al municipio fronterizo usando fondos públicos.
La acusación alega que Silva transfirió esos fondos a cuentas bancarias de Estados Unidos, a través de transferencias o depósitos electrónicos.
En el proceso, Silva supuestamente hizo declaraciones falsas a funcionarios del banco y, en algunos casos, presentó los justificantes ficticios.
Según la acusación, el ex Alcalde utilizó estos fondos para invertir en certificados de depósitos en Estados Unidos y en Bermudas.
Silva no está bajo la custodia de Estados Unidos y una orden sigue pendiente para su arresto.Hora de publicación: 19:01 hrs.
That 20,000 student enrollment fantasy that the UT system has for the Brownsville branch of UT-RGV will turn into a nightmare in 2015-2016. Why?
Because the UT system is insisting that the applicants to UT-RGV take either the SAT or ACT. The BISD graduates will never pass the standard score needed for admission---except for a few and they will go to UT-Austin or Texas A&M.
UTB didn't require an SAT or ACT test score for admission.
I totally agree! You cannot pick and chose who you want to Indict and prosecute? Just because the Feds did it doesn't mean that they cannot be brought up on charges by the State? You have that thief in Oscar De La Fuente walking around like his shit don't stink and yet the State hasn't gone after him for testifying in Federal court that he stole over $100K from clients and shared it with Armando Villalobos, his Texas buddy. Luis saenz, he got he free pass from the Feds not the State. Then you have the Auto Theft Investigator who took money for falsifying motor vehicle titles and the Feds did nothing? Its in the reports by the Feds. That's the problem when you pick and chose? The corruption will continue because of who you know or politics. When does it stop?
Juan, I don't know about Luis Saenz, he came after the Harlingen commissioner with guns blazing. Yet, it takes him forever, to prosecute brownsville law breakers, Erin Garcia is a good example, now this commish from Brownsville.
If it was some poor soul with no pull what so ever, he be behind bars. But if it's someone, who works for city hall, cameron county, utb, pub, his guns go silent.
I think the reason he goes after gaming parlors is because their is money to be made. And we thought, Villalobos was in custody, que triste.
Mr. Luis Saenz Cameron county DA, are you going to pull them pistols or whistle Dixie?
First off, Gowen-Zavalet(t)a has a horse face and Kori is kind of cute. After that it is all downhill.
I'm making a totally unqualified guess that a big difference is that Marra apparently stood to personally benefit from her vote. Gowen's benefit is going to be harder to prove. Her act benefits her employer who will then have to pass it on to her in some form or the other for her to gain from her deed. This means, I think, that you would need to prove up a conspiracy between Gowen and the UT system. However, this certainly looks like a conflict and definitely has the appearance of impropriety. It does not pass the smell test. I'd say she has proved up her qualification to be mayor of Brownsville.
It is the DA 's nature to pick cases for prosecution as it is evident on his record. Why didn't he proceed with the full judicial force of his office.? He meekly protested as an "individual". You can't trust our elected officials. They are all interlaced directly or other wise with each other.
Come to think of it ! The DA does play possum all day. He will be known as the Possum DA. It is his nature.
The people did not elect Luis Saenz as the Cameron County District Attorney to turn around and act as a private citizen. This only proves that he is scared to ruin his political career by acting as a DA proving he is an incapable Prosecutor out for justice for the victims. The Victims are the Children (Children being Brownsville)quoted from his own words.
Think about it he now has Bobby Wightman and Erasmo Castro Brownsville Cheezmeh calling him a hero to the tune of guranteering his re-election because he gave the time of day.What people don't realize is OUR DA CAN'T ACT TO PROSECUTE THEM... He would have to appoint a Special Prosecutor in which the Special Prosecutor would drop any charges or get a No Bill from the Grand Jury giving Mr. Saenz the excuse to say Well I tried but the Law was not in our favor.
He is playing us ALL. Just wait NOTHING WILL HAPPEN TO GOWEN, PORTILLO AND THE MAYOR TONY MARTINEZ. Lincoln Park will be sold for a different dollar amount maybe 9 million with the Citizens of Southmost area getting screwed for the 3rd time.
Galonsky will make another killing increasing his bank account. This is all a smoke screen. Puro Politics as usual.
Both of these gals are Nacas and don't it.
Estela will not run. She cannot stand the heat; she is getting out of the Kitchen. Da Mayor will be disguised as the Head Cocinero. ( Chef)
It is obvious Gowen has a conflict of interest and needs to be removed from her post. The ethics in this town has gone downhill when people like this are not reprimanded and are doing whatever they feel like. The implications concerning the amount of money involved in her voting is like the spanish gent above posting about money laundering in Matamoros. She is a literal idiot implicating herself by voting. She needs to apologize to the community at large and remove herself from anything associated with the Lincoln Park situation before people file lawsuits on her and ask for her resignation as program director as well. This is a travesty and will bring the worst p.r. to the Brownsville side of UTRGV as well. She might of just signed her own fate the way UTRGV looks at her for the future. She needs remove herself from any associations concerning Lincoln Park. This is the fuel the Edinburg sector of UTRGV needs to strip the Brownsville part of UTRGV from the incompetent personnel and move the program all together to the main branch. She thought she would score with this one, but little does she know she is signing her job away from all those wanting it
Luis Saenz doesn't have the balls to take on Rose Gowen! Luis Saenz talks big and has a big moustache, but he doesn't have balls to match. Luis is a WIMP!
Good !!!!!
Agree!!!
LET SEE WHAT HE'S GONNA DO!!
Well???
Guess who is the money changer in Browntown? judas Iscariot .
Isn't Gowen a Zavaleta? Isn't she the cousin of the wife of District Court Judge Rolando Olivera? Do you really think Saenz will prosecute a relative of a judge? Do you really think Saenz would risk tarnishing his buddy after Obama nominated him to be a federal judge? Nothing will happen to Rose Gowen like nothing happened to Erin Hernandez or her papi. Saenz is a leader in Cameron corruption.
I agree with 10.18 pm luis saenz is and has always been part of the corrupted cameron county gang with gilbero, juan magazine, joe rivera and the rest of our gang, no se para que se da banos de puresa. A crook is always a crook mostache o no mostache.
You are right. These two gals Are Nacas and don't know it.
Possum, possum,possum da thats all folks
Quick, DA Saenz! Ask the AG for an opinion! Ha ha ha! Fucken loser! Been a DA for years and still needs big brother to interpret the law for him!
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