More importantly, they knew that Moreno had managed the campaigns of several candidates to city, county, and state elective office and of other office holders including some in the Brownsville Independent School District.
They offered him protection from deportation through a S Visa to serve as an undercover FBI informant, through which he obtained legal resident status and hopes eventually to obtain legal residency and one day U.S. citizenship. (Local defense attorneys refer to this the S Visa as the "Snitch" visa).
In return, he was to record the conversations of some BISD candidates, including those with Dr. Sylvia P. Atkinson.
As a result of those recordings, a federal grand jury indicted Atkinson in December 2019 on eight counts of bribery, conspiracy to commit bribery and violation of the state travel act bribery statute. If convicted, she faces up to 45 years in prison and a fine that could total $2 million, in addition to any funds subject to forfeiture.
The film – not a movie, mind you – was said to have cost $750,000 to produce. Where did the money come from? Atkinson's 30 percent would come to some $225,000. Who were the other investors? Mendez, now the mayor of Brownsville? Local doctors?
She is accused of placing an item to further the scheme related to the movie on the BISD agenda – and advocating for her fellow school board trustees to approve it and voted for it – in exchange for $10,000. She was arrested in December 2019 after the FBI conducted a sting operation.
Atkinson pleaded not guilty and took the case against her to trial.
Moreno testified for about six hours Monday to a jury composed of eight women and four men.
Moreno recorded meetings with Atkinson. Prosecutors said he recorded Atkinson discussing the purchase of tablets by the Rio Hondo school district, finding ways to market an independent movie she co-financed with Brownsville Mayor Trey Mendez and accepting the $10,000 bribe. His film, “The Whole,” which was shot in Brownsville, won indie film awards, and Atkinson was an investor with a 30 percent stake, he testified.
The case is being heard by a jury of seven women and five men, which has been semi-sequestered due the COVID-19 pandemic. The case is set for 10 days before U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr.
Pink Ape Media became involved in campaign advertising for political candidates including former BISD Board President Cesar Lopez, and Atkinson during her 2016 run for the BISD.
The case also involves the Rio Hondo Independent School District, where Atkinson worked as an assistant superintendent, that district’s purchase of tablet computers in 2015, Pink Ape’s preparation of a Power Point presentation for Jaime Escobedo of American Security Systems, a vendor, and Atkinson’s alleged role in proof reading the presentation and guiding American Security through the bidding process.
This morning the audience in the courtroom was a veritable Who's Who of the top tier of BISD administrators, some of them placed in those cushy positions when Atkinson was the director of Human Resources. Besides helping Mendez get elected, she also pushed for the candidacies of sitting board members Minerva Peña, Drue Brown, Dr. Prisci-Roca Tipton, and others.
Do they hear footsteps?
Testimony continues today.
31 comments:
Vote NO:
Frankie Olivo
Erasmo Castro
Viro Cardenas
Carlos Elizondo
NO, NO, NO and NO!!!!
I think it's a turnout election. But my assessment of turnout is the left is showing up no matter what. That those who hate Trump will crawl over broken glass to vote against him...
Great coverage. Sad the fake media left out the Mendez connection
She’s DONE! Justice will be served very soon! She’s an evil woman and has destroyed many people.
El Paya Jerry should be ignored! Lying sack of shit is older than all bloggers! Vato presumido. Cuantos conocen a su vieja? Answer Paya!
See Booby is kissing up to you again, Juan. He is an insecure man, inferior brain and lousy writer. What other blogger kisses up? Oh, wait, El Paya McHale!!!!!
ja ja ja jaja jaja aja ja ja
Did la bandeja (JUAN) DENIED or CONFIRMED? If he denird he'd be in jail.
LETS RE-ELECT HIM AGAIN AND AGAIN JUST LIKE THE REST OF THEM!!!! (BISD)
not good for Rodrigo. Se vendio el guey!
The Mayor needs to explain himself.
Wow, what a circus! And she still asserts that she is not guilty. But that is the way she worked at BISD. She would want things to be done so she she got her cronies to do it for her and she would hide behind her mask - even before masks were require. Did you ever notice how Minerva would actually turn to her for approval to say anything at the meeting? When was Jaime Escobedo involved? When Enrique, his brother, was the board president? What was that kick-back, and what about the kick-backs for the Rio Hondo laptops?
Hey, Smily people warned you when you took her to Rio Hondo with you? Now let us see how you were involved. This is worse than Court TV scenes. And what I do not understand that why a person with so much education was stupid enough to fall for this kind of action against her own districts? Can someone explain that? She was Miss High and Mighty once and now look at her on TV coming out escaping the press to get into a car. Who was the lady that she waited for to come to the car and for whom she opened the back door for her to climb it. I do hope it wasn't her Mother, cause if it was, she sure has aged. Same time, same station today at 6 to hear more stupidities.
Erasmo once again lied!!!! He claimed he went to the FBI. Fucken imbecile!!! They had been working the case long before you Erasmo was a short lived board member. WAKE UP BROWNSVILLE!! he lies and continues to lie and contradicts everything that the opposing candidates do. I guess it’s ok when it’s him and his crew, but not others!!! Pinche pendejo!! Someone who actually goes to any law enforcement agency will bit brag about it!!!
VOTE NO ( All Erasmo Puppets) so he thinks he is a puppet master.
NO CARLOS
NO FRANKIE
NO ERASMO
NO PHILLIP COWEN
NO JOE RODRIGUEZ
NO MARISA LEAL
NO VIRO
NO MILLER
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall...Humpty Dumpty had a great fall...I hear the noise is so bad in the penitentiary that it is impossible to sleep. Make sure you get yourself some earplugs at the prison commissary.
Well there you have it this guy Moreno has been the FBI informant and on the FBI payroll since 2014.
So only proves that STUPID Erasmo Castro wasn't he one that ran to the FBI with information. Investigation was already in process when he took office. What a fucking idiot!
Don't believe this idiots... everything that comes out of his mouth is all shit!
Look at his 2018 Campaign finance report when he ran office. He took money from VENDORS!!!
Linebarger $1,500
Baltazar Salazar - $500.00
He even took a donation from his opponents father Joey Lopez
Another FACT!! that he fails to let the community know.
He doesn't know how to run a clean campaign since he only knows how to make transas!! As his CRIMINAL SLATE! all the shady dealings.
WAKE UP!!!
VOTE for the NON - CRIMINAL SLATE!
VOTE, VOTE, VOTE
Daniella Lopez Valdez
Denise Garza
Eddie Garcia
What a bunch of twisted information.
Everyone knows Sylvia was pushing for Whittamore and not Pena, why do you think Whittamore was hired to help the insurance director at BISD. Then all of a sudden Whittamore left BISD again. Very interesting!
Damn the Chief of Police Felix " El Chapo" Sauceda should be on trial right next to her!!#worstchiefever!!!
October 27, 2020 at 10:42 AM
How can you elect someone that's in prison (the mayor)?
All that education and she is dumber than dirt. Greedy lady. I don’t wish any bad mojo but payback is a bitch.
brownsville mayor trey mendez needs to come out and say what his involvement wa if any or deny the whole story, trey dont be another joe Biden copy cat and hide in the basement..
How many kick-back schemes are out there right now and how long has this been going on. Remember all these corrupt elected officials are ALL family and close friends of each other.
THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE INVESTIGATIONS HERE ALL OF THEM ARE DEEPLY ROOTED IN PUBLIC SERVICE WITH INTENT TO GET RICH AT TAXPAYERS EXPENSE. AN OUT SIDE LAW AGENCY NEEDS TO COME HERE AND START AN INVESTIGATON ONCE AND FOR ALL!!!!!!
And y’all think there was no corruption setting up a COVID testing center with a humongous payout, HA! Now you have the old board members crawling back. One who was drunk with his pants halfway down with his car in compromising position. The other pendejo sending nude photos. Y el mas corrupt former board member “El Pelon” brings chingos of drama back to our area. Save our kids from this corruption!
What a shame they are not selling tickets to the trial procedures. It would be a complete sell out since so many of us who were stabbed in the back by
Sylvia would like to sit there and watch her scrum and wiggle her way in more lies. How can she be just like Trump - 'I didn't do it! - childish behavior?
COVID or no COVID, we should have all been allowed to go see our justice system really do it's job.
and bringing the Criminal Slate will not make anything better. It will be worse then ever.
The Criminal Slate has a vendetta and placing "X" on people and threating them. The are complete Narcissist human beings.
Yes, Sylvia is guilty and we need to hope and trust the judicial system.
But the Criminal Slate is full of lies, they all having pending court matters.
Erasmo is still on Probation
Frankie on Pre-Trial and victims are still out there
Carlos - Have 2 pending Felony cases on him
Viro - Has a Child support case pending
Place them in office and they will be heading to Jail. FBI still has a watchful eye on the District and Current and Future Board members.
They are promising you things that are impossible. Regardless the school district has to follow TEA the school district are funded by the STATE!!!!
Whittemore was hired to drive the decision towards awarded the huge health insurance contract to Salazar. Sylvia, Drue, Philip, Prisci, and Laura were all in favor due to the large donations they received from Salazar. As proof, one year later, at renewal of the contract, they could have removed Salazar because Blue Cross would have provided the same services for free. However? They not only chose to renewed with him, but also agreed to include $500,000+ in commissions to him, which could have been savings redirected to employees or taxpayers. Go look at the video where Drue, Philip, and Laura argue to keep him on even after the new insurance administrator states they really don’t need Salazar.
And, after the initial award was made to Salazar, Whittemore was let go because he served his purpose in driving the multi-million contract to Salazar. By the way, go back and look at Whittemore’s campaign donors when he was running for the board. Salazar was his biggest supporter.
Las tranzas nunca acaban!
Will the fbi give that pink money the rights to make a movie.
THE WHOLE BUNCH OF YOU ARE GOING TO JAIL SO WHO WILL BE THE NEXT MAIN ACTORS? REMEMBER ITS ALL IN THE FAMILY.
I see pictures of the port they must be involved.
October 27, 2020 at 2:00 PM
WAKE UP!!!
VOTE for the NON - CRIMINAL SLATE!
Hahahahaha
THERE AIN'T NONE!!!!!!!
That republican that ran for county judge needs to be investigated. He got money from a kick-back scam for what? NEED TO KNOW
Influence peddling is the illegal practice of using one's influence in government or connections with persons in authority to obtain favours or preferential treatment for another, usually in return for payment. Also called traffic of influence or trading in influence. In fact, influence peddling is not necessarily illegal as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has often used the term "undue influence peddling" to refer to illegal acts of lobbying.[1] However, influence peddling bears the stench of corruption that may de-legitimise democratic politics with the general public.
DO SOMETHING DA DO IT NOW INVESTIGATE ALL OF THEM!!!
That's why trump don't like illegals! puros dedos...
Indict somebody District Attorney do something...
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