TODAVIA MIRAN LA TEMPESTAD...Y NO SE HINCAN

By Juan Montoya

Either the handlers of incumbent Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño can't read the groundswell of unpopularity and public umbrage directed at I.E.S. founder Dr. Ruben Gallegos and his son Ruben Jr., or they have a loyalty that's too deeply entrenched and choose to ignore it.

There is no way, of course, that the Treviño campaign could have predicted that the disclosures of the gouging of federal dollars by the Gallegos gained from the provision of shelter and a modicum of educational instruction to unaccompanied migrant minors would come a week before the planned Meet-and-Greet for Treviño hosted by Cameron County Pct. 1 Commissioner Sofie Benavides and her former campaign treasurer Gallegos Sr.


But it did.

And now, with public opinion swinging wildly against the Gallegos and the fate of their well-paid executives on the I.E.S. payroll and their "contractors" pending a final resolution that will probably result in massive restitution of up to $22 million and potential federal prosecution, it seems like it would be the unlikeliest time to have the elder Gallegos co-host this event.

People are outraged as glimpses of the inner workings of the I.E.S. – making millions off the misery of unaccompanied migrant minors – have become known. And no, it wasn't GOP rival Carlos Cascos who snitched on the I.E.S. scandal, it was local watchdogs who merely asked that Cascos use the power of his office to punt their grievances up the federal ladder, which he did.

Neither Cascos – nor Treviño for that matter – had a hand in Gallegos Sr. and Jr. paying themselves $677,242 and $663,240 a year respectively. Or to have State Rep. Eddie Lucio III getting a total of $139,312 in total compensation to make sure that taking was done legally. What else did the III do for his lucrative compensation? Will he have to answer to the feds for his role as consigliere in this ongoing enterprise as well?

In other words, this has been a long time in the offing.

Now, with the feds closing in – if they haven't already probed into the Gallegos' massive real-estate investments – it will just be a matter of time before the other shoes fall. We will learn whether Gallegos Sr. and Jr. took advantage of being appointed to the Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority to speculate on real estate investments that would be enhanced by his inside knowledge of the CCRMA's upcoming projects.

That is but one thread that would seem a logical sequence for any investigation into the Gallegos' dealings.

And we haven't even touched on the potential Hatch Act violations which  prohibits individuals being paid with federal funds from running for office in a partisan race. We would think that would include serving as campaign treasurers or actively campaigning for candidates of either party. Does that apply to a campaign for county judge?

Either way, with the election just a little over a month away, the last thing a candidate needs right now is an association with any or part of the developing I.E.S. scandal.

"Todavia miran la tempestad..."