The controversy swirling around the anonymous release of heavily-edited recordings of remarks attributed to City of Brownsville Commissioner Cesar De Leon baring his feelings about local issues, elected officials and administrators and his fellow commissioners has led to speculation on what could possibly follow.
We know this much.
Commissioner De Leon was in a ranch that belongs to 357th District Judge Juan Magallanes (although the judge was not there) with Armando Magallanes, his brother, a local bail bondsman who De Leon appointed to the Brownsville Public Utilities Board, and with former Brownsville Fire Dept. Chief Carlo Elizondo, also a trustee on the board of the Brownsville Independent School District.
The selectively released snippets which depict De Leon using the "N" word to describe a couple of new black Assistant District Attorneys are but the tip of the iceberg on the range of public issues and personalities discussed in the session. Other releases – also highly selective – have been doled out an a timetable known only to those in possession of the original recordings.
De Leon has publicly apologized for using the word in what he thought was a private conversation. And DA Luis V. Saenz perfunctorily came out decrying De Leon's use of the term chiding the commissioner for using the word as an attorney and a representative of the City of Brownsville.
All fingers point to Eiizondo as a source of the recordings distributed on Facebook and other social media. The motive was said to have been his pending demotion as chief, a position he held a little over a year when City Manager Charlie Cabler picked him from among 39 applicants. At the time, critics said Elizondo lacked the firefighting experience and management skills needed to head the department.
Nonetheless, Cabler stuck with him, despite the fact that Elizondo had been accused in a lawsuit of cheating on his civil service examination for captain. After a lawsuit was filed, Elizondo's grades were lowered to the 69 he scored originally instead of the 71 which resulted after the numbers were fudged. Up until today, no one has been held accountable for the change. Former civil Service director Carlos Ayala Jr. said he suffered from stress and resigned when the furor erupted.
Elizondo's problems were further compounded when the Brownsville Firefighters Association Local #970 filed a criminal complaint with the Brownsville Police Department saying that he had withdrawn more than $8,000 from their Political Action Committe bank account through various ATM machines even though the Texas Ethics Commission had removed him as treasurer to the account five years earlier.
The Cameron County District Attorney's Office is investigating that complaint – among many others – involving the former fire chief, now a lieutenant.
But what else was discussed on the four-hour recording? We have learned that a whole gamut of public-interest issues – having to do with the city, BISD, and the PUB administrations – were aired that night. And it is not just De Leon's views that are reflected on the four-our session. The recording is replete with the roles specific administrators of BISD and City of Brownsville have played – or are playing – in the running of our public entities.
What is revealed is not so much De Leon's views, but the sorry state of affairs in which out public entities are mired.
And Elizondo, who was the poster child of the city, the school board and firefighters is suddenly missing in action as is his former assistant fire chief Ernie Estrada. Why?
Stay tuned.
26 comments:
Many years ago, a local "Hispanic" lawyer, now dead told me, "There is nothing more dangerous than a Mexican with a Poll Tax Receipt.". Well the Poll Tax is long gone, but the danger from Mexicans who vote is still with us. Why is it,that Mexicans pick the trash among them to put in public office? There are some very fine people down here, but they won't run, as they don't want to jump in the septic tank with the turds who consume each other. I can't really blame them!
Why is he apologizing now? Why didn't he apologize the next minute, hour, day, week?
He only apologized because he was caught - and he only apologized to the Citizens of Brownsville, what about the people he offended? If Karma exists, someday down the road - it'll be one of the people who he offended taking him down for the count.
So he is not sorry he said it, he is sorry he was caught. His apology should read more like "Im sorry i was caught for saying the "n" word, but i really DID meant to say the "n" word."
He needs to publicly apologize to the commissioners, the District Attorneys and then the Citizens -
He also got his apology WRONG!! Don't apologize to us because we heard profane language. Apologize for being a scum, racist commissioner with a blind eye to justice and equality.
Why hasn't anyone called Sean Hannity at Fox or Anderson Cooper at CNN to get this story out?
Racism is 90% of their air time - Why wouldn't a story about a City Commissioner discrediting two District Attorneys based on their color, for one, and also blasting the Mayor and the rest of the commission just because he is "frustrated"??
What kind of childish excuse is that? Really - So if I'm frustrated I can call racial- oh but I'm not racist. REALLY!?
Just as ignorance is no justification for a crime - frustration is no justification for racism.
11:43 I agree 100%. But here is the basic problem. The machines decide the elections with their machines and money. So the next step is to start targeting the machines and the money. We need to begin with Caesar and give each donor a chance to denounce him or we shame them
De Leon, I'll tell you what my father (a wise man) would have said to me. "Son, how did you manage to associate yourself with the SCUM of the earth and allowed yourself to be put in this horrendous predicament to the point that you defamed other individuals that have done no HARM to you. What were you thinking when you said all those ugly things about people to people you never should have trusted in the first place. This is not how you were raised. You're my son and i love you but know, I am very disappointed. Now, go out and face the music because you deserve everything that's coming your way. I don't blame the public for shunning you. Even though this scumbag recorded you without you knowing. You don't talk about people like that, period. You should be above something like this. Where is your INTEGRITY"?
It's Cesar, not CAESAR, Blimp! Are you an idiot?!
You have to give Cesar credit for one thing...he was being blackmailed and the fact that these tapes were released means that he did NOT comply with whatever sort of underhanded thing he was being pressured to do.
What my sources are sharing with me and others is that De Leon is not the only one that has been recorded. There's lot's more to come out, sadly. I never thought in my lifetime i'd witness such a political spectacle in Brownsville involving a sitting City Commissioner and his so call political back stabbing friends. BISD strap yourself, you're about to become part of this REALITY SHOW that you should have seen coming, you guy's have also been recorded. Backroom deals will finally be given the light of day. What a real mess this Elizondo guy is creating for you guy's. If Law Enforcement is forced to come in, Elizondo is prepared to sing like a canary. He won't go down alone.
Yip they all need to go back to that magot infested mud hole they came out of.
Racism, Racism, Racism from a City Commissioner, in Brownsville Texas. Some of my good friends from college are black and they are wonderful human beings. This really bothers us to the core. Black eye for Brownsville!!!!!
Since the information about de Leon's racist comments made the New York Times, it is quite possible that the major networks might pick it up....especially to demonstrate that racism and bigotry are found in the Hispanic community; not just whites. As we know, all races and ethnic groups have people like de Leon who use slurs, because they aren't smart enough to cool their rhetoric. Perhaps he used this language because the person recording this is also a bigot and racist....so de Leon was speaking using their normal slurs. If it was Elizondo, then he should be reprimanded or fired. Why would de Leon think that an African-American ADA would seek to challenge is "macho" image as a wife beater. This will not soon go away.......and we will have to wait and see how Tony Martinez deals with this....a) like a lawyer and kick the can down the road until citizens forget, or b) try to demonstrate to the public that this type of racism should be moved out....just like Confederate statues.
You al are making a big deal out of a stupid fucking word Nigger has been around for a long time, even between them selves niggers call themselves nigger, Mexicans, call themselves Negro, Prieto,Moreno,
so leave Cesar alone.
"Leave Cesar alone" does someone have a man crush on the racist?
Stupid Brownsville residents must lay where they shit. Dont they learn that sometimes drastic measures are needed. Take to the streets and demand their removal. Or remain at their feet like beggars. There is no place for a pious elected official to make and get away with a racial slur. Drain your swamp, dumbasses. And how do you let an unscrupulous bum like Elizondo get away with his unethical and at times illegal behavior. Deport HIS ass.
How are you ? His mother. ?
I don't know and care to know Mr. De Leon, BUT isn't Elizondo also violating city policy by being an employee of the city and being on the school board? Why has he not been fired? Everyone wants the national media to destroy De Leon and talk about racism among hispanics. Did Mr. De Leon violate any rules, regulations or bi-laws of the city of Brownsville? If he did then he must resign, if ANY commissioner or mayor has violated any rules, regulations or city bi-laws then they must resign, but if Mr. Elizondo continues holding BOTH positions and has not been fired or resigned then what's good for the goose is good for the gander. A PRIVATE conversation, taped without the consent of the individual involved can be a public embarrassment but it does not constitute something that stands in a court of law because of the fact that it was done WITHOUT THE CONSENT of the individual taped.
Carlos, I now am ashamed that I voted for you and even had a sign at my house supporting you. I really thought I was doing right by selecting a fine young man to work for the children of Brownsville. Now I sit and listen to all the ugly comments made about you, which unfortunately also includes your family and some of your colleagues who had nothing to do with your stupidity. Again, I say, the social media is the source of all the troubles in the world,especially here in Brownsville where money talks. Carlos, do the right thing and resign and don't even show up for the next board meeting. If you do, no tienes verguenza! I am so ashamed of you and I once thought you were a really nice young man. How wrong I was!!!
Did he reported this to the authorities ?
For more accuracy, replace "Carlos" with "Cesar" in your comment. RESIGN NOW!
Deflection! Nice try, Cesar.
Cesar is not a slave or a black man. He should not be using that racial term do refer to another race. You're an idiot for trying to justify it. On second thought, he might be a slave. A slave to his damn ego.
Taweno Jessica, although this statement might be too advanced for your bird brain.
Except his father is just as stupid as he is.
Well said.
You are wrong. The issue is not about being legal or ilegal is about being racist, and that is unacceptable in our community
Haha pendejos you all fell for his act and voted him in office.
@ September 21, 2017 at 5:12 PM
stop fucking defending yourself on here Cesar DeLeon. You are finished and soon so will your Magallanes clan that has been using you as a puppet all this time. Oh and in case voters don't know, Armando Magallanes and the clan are huge pushers of Gerry Linan who is running for the 197th District Court so if you want more of this shit just make sure you elect him come election time.
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