SILVA FILES ETHICS COMPLAINTS WITH CITY, STATE VS. CARDENAS: CLAIMS $100,000-PLUS UNACCOUNTED FOR

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

Local businessman Ezequiel "Zeke" Silva has filed ethics complaints against District 4 city commissioner Pedro Cardenas with the City of  Brownsville Ethics Advisory Commission and with the Texas Ethics Commission based on the elected official's failure to comply with rules of both entities requiring office holders to file financial campaign reports.

Silva states in sworn, notarized, affidavits that the city's information office has confirmed that Cardenas has not fled the financial campaign report required by law to be filed in January 15, 2024.

"Commissioner Pedro Cardenas, as of July 8, 2024, has failed to file campaign finance report due on January 14, 2024, a violation of Article VI, Financial Disclosure," his complaint with the city's ethics advisory commission, states.

Likewise, Silva's complaint with the TEC states that the nature of the alleged violation goes contrary to Title 15 of the Texas Election Code "concerning political contributions and political advertising."

As proof of the alleged violation, Silva attached the correspondence between him and the city's public information specialist Juan Gutierrez.

The complain with the city's ethics commission was filed July 11, and the complaint filed with the TEC followed on July 12.

Both the city and state complaints focus on some social post reports by Cardenas himself that, for example, in just one golf tournament he held, he received $1,000s from more than 100 sponsors –including political candidates and office holders, vendors doing or seeking business with the city, and established professional institutions, law firms, and local businesses – and has not disclosed the names of the contributions, the amount they gave him, or, more importantly, what he did with the money.

Among those Cardenas listed on his Facebook page who had made sizeable contributions are:
Congressman Vicente Gonzalez, the Brownsville Police Officers Association, Sate representative Erin Gamez, Border Health PAC, DHR Health-Brownsville, Mr. Taco, CAG Professional Services, Mor-Wil LLC, Al Chile, Anchor RGV Properties LLC, Fruia Motors, L & F Distributors, Republic Services (city vendor), and G&T Paving, also a city vendor.

Cardenas also posted that many others had paid to be sponsors of his golf tournament such as the law firm of Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño, Solaris Development, a major downtown city grant recipient, the Joe Salazar Insurance Group, St. Joseph Academy in memory of Anuar Jobi,  the Law Office of Fabian Limas, also a city grant recipient, former PUB board member and McDonald's Franchise owner Ana Oquin, the Cisneros Law Group, firmer state rep Eddie Lucio III's Orange Theory Fitness, the Law Office of Ernesto Gamez,  Fiestas Outdoor Billboards,  

Others include Manuel "Manny Treviño, Cameron County Democratic Party Sheriff candidate, Fresamex Futsal, MBMT Law Firm, Ethos Engineering, Ricardo's Restaurants, Steve Guerra, chairman of the Brownsville Navigation District, Cardenas Motors, Constable Abel Gomez, former Brownsville mayor Trey Mendez Law Firm, and Transcar Express.

Still other contributors to Cardenas campaign fundraiser include former city commissioner Jessica Tetreau, Eddie Garcia, BISD member and Democratic Candidate for Cameron County Tax-Assessor-Collector, GI Associates, Eliseo Davila, a RCR Realtor, Garduño Tax Associates, Villareal Law Firm, 7th and Park Cycles and Coffee, Los Trevi Drive-Thrus, etc...

Unless Cardenas files his campaign finance report, none of these contributors will be able to get a tax write off for their political contributions. But more importantly, the public needs to know who gave Cardenas a contribution and how much it was. 

If vendors kicked in money, what do they expect in return from their city commissioner? And how much did he use for campaign purposes and how much did he keep? It is important to note that this is his third year of golf fundraisers, and the $10,000s or more in revenue generated by these fundraisers could present potential conflict-of-interest issues between contributors and this elected official. But until he files his campaign finance report, the pubic will remain in the dark. Cardenas appears ready to rake in the cash again. 

"Ready for next year?," he asks in his post.  

Some commenters have observed that Cardenas' apparent disdain toward the required reporting rules are characteristic of his attitude toward election code rules. They point out that Cardenas has already

declared that he no longer lives at the place of residence he listed when he filed for office, and of his intention of running for the At-Large-B position to be left vacant by commissioner Rose Gowen in May 2025.

Under the rules, Cardenas – like any other candidate – must have appointed a campaign treasure upon announcement, private or public, of his candidacy for any other position. So far, the city reports that it has not received a treasurer appointment form.

That has drawn acrid comments from this blog's readers such as the one below:

"PEDRO you should've done your homework and turn in your paperwork, but instead you will be in front of the GRANT LINE with the completed application to try to use other peoples free money. Your exuberant message is sickening because a.lot of us know you are in this for yourself , family and your lifetime Matamoros friends. What are your words? ~,excitement, determination, commitment, vibrant, engaging with with residents, more prosperous Brownsville? AHHH, I'll stop there , because you are doing all this for yourself. You letter really laid the "CREMA on the Tacos " really thick. !! You are being seen for what you are, unfortunately your entourage doesn't, because they will benefit like you. Brownsville deserves better !!!