MANRRIQUE: I WELCOME (SHERIFF) ERIC GARZA'S ENDORSEMENT

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

A youtube.com interview with a Spanish-language news medium has indicated that Democratic Party lame-duck Cameron County Sheriff Eric Garza has conveyed his endorsement for Republican challenger Santiago "Jimmy" Manrrique   against Democrat primary winner Manuel "Manny" Treviño.

Posted in youtube.com by Enrique Lerma, a reporter for Prensa Territorial, Manrrique said he was aware that Garza was endorsing him and said he welcomed his support and said he would gladly work with the sheriff to provide county residents the safety and security they needed. The acknowledgement that Garza had extended his support comes at 6:07 into the full interview. Manrrique denied that he had promised Garza any position in his administration should he win in the November 5 general election.

However, other sources have indicated that Garza was angling for the chief deputy position and that that he had secured Manrrique's promise to protect the positions of department administrator Charles Hoskins and his longtime friend Ricardo "Rick" Cornejo, currently the sheriff's office administrator.

The alleged endorsement by Democrat Garza of Republican Manrrique has irked Democratic party supporters and they questioned Garza's motives for jumping parties. Prensa Territorial's efforts to get confirmation from Garza have gone unanswered, Lerma said. 

Ironically, this will not be the first time that a Democrat who has lost a party primary has endorsed a Republican candidate in the general election. In fact, it was the late sheriff Omar Lucio, a Democrat, endorsed Republican John Chambers against Garza, who had beat him in the Democratic party runoff in 2020.  

At the time Lucio said that he could not see Garza, the former county district clerk who had no law-enforcement experience, take over the department. Chambers had 20-year plus experience as a police chief.

A statement from Lucio published on Chambers’ campaign Facebook page at time read, “I strongly and wholeheartedly believe that electing the democratic nominee for Sheriff would be a step back in the wrong direction at this time. I genuinely think that to sit in this chair and to be responsible for other people’s lives, you must possess the necessary law enforcement experience.”

In turn, Garza's endorsement of Manrrique would go counter to the statements he made after Treviño beat him in the primary runoff. At the time, Garza conceded early with an announcement. 

"Congratulations, Chief Manuel Trevino, on your Democratic Primary Runoff win! Your leadership and dedication shine brightly, and I’m excited to see the positive impact you’ll make moving forward. Best wishes for continued success,” Garza wrote.

However, Cameron County Democratic Party chair Jared Hockema said that if true, Garza's endorsement of a Republican after he lost the Democratic Party primary runoff indicated a disrespect and betrayal of the trust by the 4,359 voters who cast ballots in his favor. Trevino won with 5,415 votes, or 55 percent of the votes.

"I'll have to talk to Garza myself to see what he says about this, " Hockema said.

Incidentally, shortly after the runoff elections, there was also talk of loser Ruben Cortez in the Texas House of Representatives District 37 race trying to convince the voters to consider voting for Janie Lopez, the Republican incumbent. Both Gracia and Hockema said they had heard the same.

TEC FINES CORTEZ $10,OOO FOR MULTIPLE ELECTION VIOLATIONS

 Special to El Rrun-Rrun

The Texas Ethics Commission has levied a $10,000 fine – double the $5,000 cap on election penalties – on former Texas House of Representative D-37 candidate Ruben Cortez after finding that he repeatedly violated election law by failing to file election finance reports, filing late, and repeatedly failing to respond to its notices and inquiries. 

Additionally, the TEC gave him 30 days from the June 24 notice of default judgement to pay the $10,000 fine or the civil penalty will be referred to the Office of the Texas Attorney General – as are child support payments – for collection proceedings. No payment on the sanctions have been reported.  

The TEC issued its default judgement and Final Order on June 24, 2024 after holding a preliminary review hearing June 18 in Austin where Cortez failed to appear to respond to two complaints despite numerous documented efforts by the TEC through registered mail. telephone calls and emails, all of which he failed to respond or disregarded.

The TEC determined that it had given Cortez legally sufficient notice and that he had not demonstrated good faith to address the violations.

In considering assessing the fines, the TEC examiners stated that they assessed the following factors:

1. the seriousness of the violation, including the nature, circumstance, consequences, extent and gravity of the violation; 

2.the history and extent of the previous violations;

3. the demonstrated good faith of the violator, including actions taken to rectify the consequences of the violation; 

4. The penalty necessary to deter future violations;

5. and any other matters that justice may require 

With a quorum present, the TEC board found that Cortez's failure to respond to the sworn complaints "demonstrates a lack of good faith" by filing the July 2022, January 2023, and July 2023semiannual reports late, and failed to file three 2023 special legislative session reports.

"Given the respondent's pattern of disregard for the sworn complaint process and the laws enforced by the TEC, a substantial penalty is warranted," the order states.

Cortez's latest campaign finance report filed May 20, 2024, indicates that from February to May he had received $42,330 in political contributions for the May 28 runoff election for D-34 which he lost to former Brownsville Justice of the Peace Jonathan Gracia, spent $347,164 and had a total of $11,192 left on the last day of the reporting period.

Among those contributing their member's funds to help Cortez get elected were organizations like the Association of Texas Professional Educators ($3,000), Patrick Hammes, American Federation of Teachers president of  Brownsville Educators Stand Together (BEST) Leader ($1,000), Planned Parenthood of Texas Votes ($3,000), Texas AFL-CIO State Cope Fund, Texas Parent PAC ($2,500), the Texas State Teachers Association ($1,000), 

Other notable contributors to Cortez's failed bid for state rep were Brownsville engineer Carlos Marin ($1,500), Joe Salazar, an insurance agent from Brownsville ($500), Brownsville Independent School District board legal counsel O'Hanon, Demerath and Castillo ($1,000), El Padrino Bail Bonds ($2,500), and Nicole Ortiz ($10,000), a Harlingen resident who is described as being self employed.

Apparently still smarting from his defeat at the hand of Gracia, Cortez has reportedly started a WhatsApp chatroom urging voters to vote republican in the November general election and declared that he would challenge Gracia in the next state rep elections.

Astoundingly, on a nomination by his longtime business associate Brownsville attorney and charter schools representative Rick Zayas, Cortez – which the ethics commission sanctioned for ignoring the law – was named chairman of the board of the Region One Education Service Center. 

The Region One ESC region is made up of the eight county area of deep South Texas including Brooks, Cameron, Hidalgo, Jim Hogg, Starr, Webb, Willacy and Zapata counties and includes 38 school districts, including the Brownsville Independent School District (BISD). 

Among its duties is to approve vendors to service the districts with purchasing to include food and energy purchasing, and human resource cooperatives. In 2015, it approved Valco Foods to provide barbacoa to its member districts and ran afoul of U.S. Department of Agriculture rules that prohibit the purchase of Mexican products with federal funds, resulting in the BarbacoaGate scandal where BISD bought spoiled meat which was processed in Mexico. Cortez was on the Region 1 board at the time and has been there since 2011.

The investigation led the director of the Food and Nutrition Service Silveiro Capistrano to commit suicide the day before he was to meat with federal investigators.

Judging from his Facebook page, he and his BISD-employed wife are living in the lap of luxury and contemplating his next stab at elective public office. Will Cortez now use his campaign contributions from educator groups to pay for his $10,000 fines as a result of the TEC election violations?

YZAGUIRRE OUT AT TAX OFFICE, EDDIE IN: GARZA OUT AT SHERIFF, MANNY IN; GRACIA TROUNCES CORTEZ IN D-37

 DISTRICT 37 RESULTS 

AND CAMERON COUNTY RESULTS:

OF 220,000 REGISTERED VOTERS, LESS THAN 10,000 (4.49%) VOTED

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

Cameron County voters sent mixed messages with their votes in the runoff elections for Texas House District 37, the Sheriff and Tax Assessor-Collector's departments.

In all three contests, the candidate who came in second in the primaries came from behind to win the runoff.

In the Texas House race, a massive media campaign supporting Jonathan Gracia based on vast documentation that showed Ruben Cortez – a former Brownsville Independent School District and Texas School Board member – had racked up a record of self-serving acts that had resulted in million-dollar payoffs in lawsuits against the district, turned the tide and carried the one-time J.P. to victory.

In the Tax Assessor-Collector's race, Eddie Garcia's simple slogan that 36 years in office were enough apparently resonated with the voters and overshadowed the accomplishments Tony Yzaguirre touted in his campaign and his endorsement by virtually all elected officials across the county.

That and dark references to the 40-plus charges levied against the him and five other tax office

employees years ago – despite the fact that they were all acquitted – appealed to the "throw all the incumbents out" momentum and carried Garcia to victory. 

That and a determined cadre of political allies across the county nurtured by his sister Gaby, a district judge, worked to Garcia's advantage.

In the sheriff's race, Primera Police Chief Manuel "Manny" Treviño overcame a second-place finish in the May 4 Democratic primary and bested incumbent Eric Garza by nearly 1,000 votes in the early voting from which Garza never recovered.

So while voters opted for new blood over more than 30 years experience in the tax assessor-collector's race, they also chose the experience as a lawman (more than 30 years) of Treviño over Garza for the sheriff's position. 

It didn't help that Garza's management missteps triggered turmoil, resistance, and lawsuits over alleged political retaliation in the sheriff's department from the day he took office.

From there on, it was a civil war between factions in the department and which set Garza at odds with the county commissioners, especially after the U.S. Marshal's Service removed federal prisoners from the county's jails at a cost of some $3 million a year to the county.

Treviño's campaign emphasized getting along with the commissioners court and fashioning a cooperative attitude with state and U.S. authorities to return the federal prisoners. After the tumultuous three years with neophyte lawman Garza at the department's helm, a promise of stability and experience there apparently appealed to the voters who darkened the oval next to Treviño's name.

Garcia at the tax office might do well to take a cue from what happened to Garza and not come into the tax assessor-collector's office determined to overturn its recognized efficient operations and make wholesale personnel changes if he doesn't want to disturb the revenue flow to taxing entities which could generate a similar backlash there four years from now.

They talked the talk, and now we want them to walk the walk for their constituents.

THE REAL RUBEN CORTEZ: GRACIA OBVIOUS CHOICE FOR D-37

 (Ed.'s Note: One of our eight readers from up the valley sent us this mass social message aired by Tejanos Against Corruption PAC reminding voters of what Brownsville resident Ruben Cortez – in a runoff against former JP Jonathan Gracia for Texas House of Representatives District 34 – did while in public office. Cortez, like a recurring nightmare, is once again trying to bamboozle the voters with his smooth criminal act and hopes the district residents have by now forgotten his unenviable performance which ended costing taxpayers millions. Refresh your mind with this.)

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

Taken from the Federal lawsuit by former School

Superintendent Hector Gonzales:

CORTEZ TRYING TO RIG INSURANCE CONTRACTS TOWARD PAL JOHNNY CAVAZOS:

Cortez, who has a H.S. diploma (GED?) became one of 15 new members to the Texas School Board of Education and ran against Celeste Zepeda Sanchez, who has a Bachelor's and Master's degree and has been an educator for 45 years.

With early voting starting on May 20th, please don't forget what Cortez accomplished as a BISD trustee. From the lawsuit in state court by former Superintendent Hector Gonzales:

February 2007: (Ruben) Cortez visited Gonzales and told him he did not want insurance provider Healthsmart as the new insurance carrier for the district. He told Gonzales that he and the other (co-conspirators) wanted Mutual of Omaha, or any other firm in which Johnny Cavazos would be the agent. Gonzales said he would not participate in this conspiracy.

March 2007: Cortez approached Gonzales again on the same issue and insisted that Gonzales only recommend one of Cavazos' insurance firms for the upcoming insurance contract. Again, Gonzales refused to join the conspiracy.

Dec. 2007 to February 2008:(Rolando) Aguilar, (Ruben) Cortez, and (Joe) Colunga met with Gonzales to discuss their "concerns" regarding the upcoming health insurance contract. They made it clear that they did not want Healthsmart, but one of Cavazos' companies.

Sept. 16, 2008:CFO Antonio Juarez recommended AAG/Berkley for the Stop-Loss Insurance contract which was not adopted by the board at that meeting. Afterwards, Cortez visited Gonzales in his office and told him he did not like the recommendation and didn't like "being lied to." Gonzales said he would have Tony Resendez, counsel with Walsh, Anderson, Gallegos, Brown and Schultze to look into the matter. Resendez recommended the matter be handled administratively with a warning to Juarez that perhaps he did "not communicate effectively" to the board.

Oct. 21, 2008:Cortez requested a consent item on the agenda related to "apparent misinformation" directed toward board members on insurance contract. Another "superintendent evaluation" was placed on agenda but no action was taken. Aguilar. Cortez, and Colunga all met with Gonzales separately after the meeting regarding Juarez. Each conveyed to Gonzales that they wanted him to fire Juarez for "lying" to them regarding the Stop-Loss insurance contract they wanted to go to Cavazos. They all wanted Gonzales to fire him and then give a recommendation to Cavazo's company.

When Gonzales didn't fire Juarez, but instead reassigned him to a grant administrator position, Cortez's reaction was immediate. – "Upon discovering the reassignment, trustees Aguilar and Cortez went to Gonzales' office outraged.They both screamed: "Why didn't you fire Tony? Why didn't you just terminate him?"

SUBVERTING THE BISD'S GRIEVANCE PROCESS TO "GET HIS ENEMIES":

– Immediately after the Sept. 23, 2008 board meeting: Gonzales and board members attended CUBE convention in Las Vegas and Cortez approached Gonzales and told him the current board did not extend his contract because they were going to "hold him hostage." He also said his job "was on the line" and that the superintendent needed to "prove that he would do as they directed" and to "start proving himself by firing (former Special Services Director Art) Rendon because that would make Colunga very happy."

Further, Cortez said there was going to "be a change" and that Gonzales needed to "play ball with his side" or be fired. He also said that once Zayas was elected, they would have the majority vote and that they wanted the current insurance policy cancelled and a new insurance policy to be awarded to Cavazos. Cortez also told Gonzales they wanted Rendon fired and his contract terminated immediately. Further, Cortez warned that Gonzales "needs to listen to him because they will be in control and all he has to do is do what they tell him to do" because "this was the way Brownsville operated."

– In the days and months following this episode: The BISD majority and its co-conspirators tried to procure false grievances against Gonzales in a further attempt to discredit, discriminate against, and terminate him.

– Sept. 18, 2009: Because of his refusal to stop and/or silence efforts to uncover and expose illegal and other improper activity of the conspiracy, Gonzales was terminated. He further charges in his petition that the conspirators – including Cortez – "manipulated and created evidence, coerced and intimidated witnesses, gave false testimony, and falsified records to make it appear that the Special Services Department was in a financial mess and in an organizational shambles. Further, the conspirators controlled, corrupted, and manipulated the entire grievance and appeal procedure such that the outcomes of specific and selected cases at the conspirators' choosing, were pre-determined."

SO THIS IS "KEEPING POLITICS OUT OF THE CLASSROOM"

Also May 2008: Cortez went to Gonzales and instructed him to promote his wife to principal of Benavides Elementary. Cortez threatened Gonzales that "if he wanted to remain at BISD as superintendent, he should make it happen. Gonzales said he could not oblige such a request. Cortez responded "we will see what happens." Cortez was also in the majority sued by former Special Needs Department Director Art Rendon, who stated in a sworn deposition in his case (Southern District of Texas 1:10-cv-00198) that:

"58. On or about June, 2008, Ruben Cortez, a sitting board member on BISD, contacted Plaintiff directly via telephone. He (Cortez) instructed Plaintiff to hire his sister, Linda Aguilar, for summer school employment as a Special Education teacher.

59. Plaintiff informed Mr. Cortez that BISD had hiring policies in place and instructed him that the hiring application for the summer of 2008 had already been accepted and processed.

60. Cortez sent Plaintiff his sister's application and insisted Plaintiff call her immediately and give her a job. Plaintiff set up a meeting between Cortez's sister Linda, Ana Lerma, who was a Special Education supervisor, and Dr. Lee Garcia, Assistant Director for Special Services. At the meeting, Ruben Cortez's orders were followed, and Linda Aguilar was given a job for the summer of 2008.*Source: https://rrunrrun.blogspot.com/search?q=Ruben+cortez&m=1

THE REAL RUBEN CORTEZ:

Ethics Complaints

Cortez TX Ethics Commission Complaint 2-5-24Download document


Cortez TX Ethics Commission Complaint 11-28-23Download document

Tax Delinquency
Tax Document 1Download document


Tax Document 2Download document

Federal Lawsuits


Judge Hanen Decision 6-23-10Download document

NEWS SCANDALS

BAD FOR TEXAS

He (Cortez) was hired as a grant writer by Ruben Gallegos Sr. and Ruben Gallegos Jr. for International Educational Services (IES), a shelter for migrant minors that was shut down by the federal government after it was revealed - among other things - that the Gallegos had been paying themselves between $600,000 to and $700,000 in violation of federal guidelines.

And he won't say that he was getting around $70,000 as a "grant writer," although there is no mention of what grants he wrote or whether they were successful.

Not profiting from the misery of children? Did he refuse the cash or return it once he found out? Hardly.

Cortez even got the AFT teacher's union to issue a scathing assessment of the charter schools and migrant centers in Texas and they issued a statement saying:

“Anyone associated...with the troubling work of building and running a child prison camp should be disqualified from running for office..."

And what was IES for whom Cortez worked and received his inflated salary if not that?

And if the AFT had done their due diligence they would discover that Cortez was actively pursuing the establishment of a charter school in Brownsville which would have been in competition for state funding with public schools.

People from Brownsville remember when Cortez was trying to raise seed money to establish one here, going as far as to contact Ray Montanero – among others – to invest in the scheme that would leave a nice pile of cash from public-school funding in his bulging pockets.

"Everyone remembers thinking, why is Cortez pushing for a charter school when he's a member of the Texas State Board of Education and trying to fund a charter school in competition with the public schools when he was a BISD school board member where his wife is a principal commanding a $100,000 salary from the public schools,?" recalled a former county administrator.

And if the AFT had done their due diligence they would have discovered that Cortez was actively pursuing the establishment of a charter school in Brownsville which would have been in competition for state funding with public schools."Criticizing his opponent Luis Villarreal for having worked for one year while he (Cortez) was receiving his $70,000 from I.E.S. is the height of hypocrisy, a hypocrisy that has characterized all of Ruben's public life," he added.

(Ed.'s Note: Ruben Gallegos Sr. and Ruben Gallegos Jr. are scheduled to go on trial for conspiracy to steal from federal grants and embezzlement this September 3. IES finance director Juan Gonzalez, Sr.'s father-in-law and political uncle to Ruben Gallegos Jr., has pleaded guilty and will turn state's evidence in the government's case against the two men.)



*Source: https://rrunrrun.blogspot.com/2022/02/ruben-cortez-pot-calling-kettle-black.html





Tejanos Against Corruption PAC is a political action committee made up of Texans dedicated to promoting transparency, accountability, and honesty in the political system. Through its efforts, Tejanos Against Corruption PAC seeks to empower voters with information to make informed decisions and elect strong leaders.
© 2024 Tejanos Against Corruption PAC. All Rights Reserved.

T.E.C. CITES SCOFFLAW CORTEZ, ORDERS HIM TO APPEAR

(Ed.'s Note: The chickens have come to roost for Ruben Cortez, who must now defend his non-compliant actions before the Texas Ethic Commission. After years of defying reported violations of Texas elections ethics law, Cortez is now summoned to appear before the TEC June 18 to explain why he has chosen to ignore Texas election law.

If District 37 voters think that Cortez will be there to represent them, his number 1 priority will be to defend himself first. Oh, well, given his performance in previous public positions, it's just about par for the course.

The good news is that Cortez is in a runoff with Jonathan Gracia, who as an officer of the court has always complied with the law, and will represent our interests first in the Texas House of Representatives, District 37.)

KNOW THE REAL RUBEN CORTEZ IN RUNOFF AGAINST JONATHAN GRACIA FOR TEXAS RESPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 34

(Ed.'s Note: One of our eight readers from up the valley sent us this mass social message aired by Tejanos Against Corruption PAC reminding voters of what Brownsville resident Ruben Cortez – in a runoff against former JP Jonathan Gracia for Texas House of Representatives District 34 – did while in public office. Cortez, like a recurring nightmare, is once again trying to bamboozle the voters with his smooth criminal act and hopes the district residents have by now forgotten his unenviable performance which ended costing taxpayers millions. Refresh your mind with this.)

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

Taken from the Federal lawsuit by former School

Superintendent Hector Gonzales:

CORTEZ TRYING TO RIG INSURANCE CONTRACTS TOWARD PAL JOHNNY CAVAZOS:

Cortez, who has a H.S. diploma (GED?) became one of 15 new members to the Texas School Board of Education and ran against Celeste Zepeda Sanchez, who has a Bachelor's and Master's degree and has been an educator for 45 years.

With early voting starting on May 20th, please don't forget what Cortez accomplished as a BISD trustee. From the lawsuit in state court by former Superintendent Hector Gonzales:

February 2007: (Ruben) Cortez visited Gonzales and told him he did not want insurance provider Healthsmart as the new insurance carrier for the district. He told Gonzales that he and the other (co-conspirators) wanted Mutual of Omaha, or any other firm in which Johnny Cavazos would be the agent. Gonzales said he would not participate in this conspiracy.

March 2007: Cortez approached Gonzales again on the same issue and insisted that Gonzales only recommend one of Cavazos' insurance firms for the upcoming insurance contract. Again, Gonzales refused to join the conspiracy.

Dec. 2007 to February 2008:(Rolando) Aguilar, (Ruben) Cortez, and (Joe) Colunga met with Gonzales to discuss their "concerns" regarding the upcoming health insurance contract. They made it clear that they did not want Healthsmart, but one of Cavazos' companies.

Sept. 16, 2008:CFO Antonio Juarez recommended AAG/Berkley for the Stop-Loss Insurance contract which was not adopted by the board at that meeting. Afterwards, Cortez visited Gonzales in his office and told him he did not like the recommendation and didn't like "being lied to." Gonzales said he would have Tony Resendez, counsel with Walsh, Anderson, Gallegos, Brown and Schultze to look into the matter. Resendez recommended the matter be handled administratively with a warning to Juarez that perhaps he did "not communicate effectively" to the board.

Oct. 21, 2008:Cortez requested a consent item on the agenda related to "apparent misinformation" directed toward board members on insurance contract. Another "superintendent evaluation" was placed on agenda but no action was taken. Aguilar. Cortez, and Colunga all met with Gonzales separately after the meeting regarding Juarez. Each conveyed to Gonzales that they wanted him to fire Juarez for "lying" to them regarding the Stop-Loss insurance contract they wanted to go to Cavazos. They all wanted Gonzales to fire him and then give a recommendation to Cavazo's company.

When Gonzales didn't fire Juarez, but instead reassigned him to a grant administrator position, Cortez's reaction was immediate. – "Upon discovering the reassignment, trustees Aguilar and Cortez went to Gonzales' office outraged.They both screamed: "Why didn't you fire Tony? Why didn't you just terminate him?"

SUBVERTING THE BISD'S GRIEVANCE PROCESS TO "GET HIS ENEMIES":

– Immediately after the Sept. 23, 2008 board meeting: Gonzales and board members attended CUBE convention in Las Vegas and Cortez approached Gonzales and told him the current board did not extend his contract because they were going to "hold him hostage." He also said his job "was on the line" and that the superintendent needed to "prove that he would do as they directed" and to "start proving himself by firing (former Special Services Director Art) Rendon because that would make Colunga very happy."

Further, Cortez said there was going to "be a change" and that Gonzales needed to "play ball with his side" or be fired. He also said that once Zayas was elected, they would have the majority vote and that they wanted the current insurance policy cancelled and a new insurance policy to be awarded to Cavazos. Cortez also told Gonzales they wanted Rendon fired and his contract terminated immediately. Further, Cortez warned that Gonzales "needs to listen to him because they will be in control and all he has to do is do what they tell him to do" because "this was the way Brownsville operated."

– In the days and months following this episode: The BISD majority and its co-conspirators tried to procure false grievances against Gonzales in a further attempt to discredit, discriminate against, and terminate him.

– Sept. 18, 2009: Because of his refusal to stop and/or silence efforts to uncover and expose illegal and other improper activity of the conspiracy, Gonzales was terminated. He further charges in his petition that the conspirators – including Cortez – "manipulated and created evidence, coerced and intimidated witnesses, gave false testimony, and falsified records to make it appear that the Special Services Department was in a financial mess and in an organizational shambles. Further, the conspirators controlled, corrupted, and manipulated the entire grievance and appeal procedure such that the outcomes of specific and selected cases at the conspirators' choosing, were pre-determined."

SO THIS IS "KEEPING POLITICS OUT OF THE CLASSROOM"

Also May 2008: Cortez went to Gonzales and instructed him to promote his wife to principal of Benavides Elementary. Cortez threatened Gonzales that "if he wanted to remain at BISD as superintendent, he should make it happen. Gonzales said he could not oblige such a request. Cortez responded "we will see what happens." Cortez was also in the majority sued by former Special Needs Department Director Art Rendon, who stated in a sworn deposition in his case (Southern District of Texas 1:10-cv-00198) that:

"58. On or about June, 2008, Ruben Cortez, a sitting board member on BISD, contacted Plaintiff directly via telephone. He (Cortez) instructed Plaintiff to hire his sister, Linda Aguilar, for summer school employment as a Special Education teacher.

59. Plaintiff informed Mr. Cortez that BISD had hiring policies in place and instructed him that the hiring application for the summer of 2008 had already been accepted and processed.

60. Cortez sent Plaintiff his sister's application and insisted Plaintiff call her immediately and give her a job. Plaintiff set up a meeting between Cortez's sister Linda, Ana Lerma, who was a Special Education supervisor, and Dr. Lee Garcia, Assistant Director for Special Services. At the meeting, Ruben Cortez's orders were followed, and Linda Aguilar was given a job for the summer of 2008.*Source: https://rrunrrun.blogspot.com/search?q=Ruben+cortez&m=1



THE REAL RUBEN CORTEZ:

Ethics Complaints

Cortez TX Ethics Commission Complaint 2-5-24Download document


Cortez TX Ethics Commission Complaint 11-28-23Download document

Tax Delinquency
Tax Document 1Download document


Tax Document 2Download document

Federal Lawsuits


Judge Hanen Decision 6-23-10Download document

NEWS SCANDALS

BAD FOR TEXAS

He (Cortez) was hired as a grant writer by Ruben Gallegos Sr. and Ruben Gallegos Jr. for International Educational Services (IES), a shelter for migrant minors that was shut down by the federal government after it was revealed - among other things - that the Gallegos had been paying themselves between $600,000 to and $700,000 in violation of federal guidelines.

And he won't say that he was getting around $70,000 as a "grant writer," although there is no mention of what grants he wrote or whether they were successful.

Not profiting from the misery of children? Did he refuse the cash or return it once he found out? Hardly.

Cortez even got the AFT teacher's union to issue a scathing assessment of the charter schools and migrant centers in Texas and they issued a statement saying:

“Anyone associated...with the troubling work of building and running a child prison camp should be disqualified from running for office..."

And what was IES for whom Cortez worked and received his inflated salary if not that?

And if the AFT had done their due diligence they would discover that Cortez was actively pursuing the establishment of a charter school in Brownsville which would have been in competition for state funding with public schools.

People from Brownsville remember when Cortez was trying to raise seed money to establish one here, going as far as to contact Ray Montanero – among others – to invest in the scheme that would leave a nice pile of cash from public-school funding in his bulging pockets.

"Everyone remembers thinking, why is Cortez pushing for a charter school when he's a member of the Texas State Board of Education and trying to fund a charter school in competition with the public schools when he was a BISD school board member where his wife is a principal commanding a $100,000 salary from the public schools,?" recalled a former county administrator.

And if the AFT had done their due diligence they would have discovered that Cortez was actively pursuing the establishment of a charter school in Brownsville which would have been in competition for state funding with public schools."Criticizing his opponent Luis Villarreal for having worked for one year while he (Cortez) was receiving his $70,000 from I.E.S. is the height of hypocrisy, a hypocrisy that has characterized all of Ruben's public life," he added.

(Ed.'s Note: Ruben Gallegos Sr. and Ruben Gallegos Jr. are scheduled to go on trial for conspiracy to steal from federal grants and embezzlement this September 3. IES finance director Juan Gonzalez, Sr.'s father-in-law and political uncle to Ruben Gallegos Jr., has pleaded guilty and will turn state's evidence in the government's case against the two men.)



*Source: https://rrunrrun.blogspot.com/2022/02/ruben-cortez-pot-calling-kettle-black.html





Tejanos Against Corruption PAC is a political action committee made up of Texans dedicated to promoting transparency, accountability, and honesty in the political system. Through its efforts, Tejanos Against Corruption PAC seeks to empower voters with information to make informed decisions and elect strong leaders.
© 2024 Tejanos Against Corruption PAC. All Rights Reserved.

EARLY VOTING FOR MAY 28 DEMOCRATIC RUNOFF (MAY 20-24). *PLEASE NOTE RUNOFF RACES NOT ON THE BALLOT TODAY

TEXAS STATE REPRESENTATIVE, DISTRICT 37

Ruben Cortez, Jr.

Jonathan Gracia

CAMERON COUNTY SHERIFF

Eric Garza

Manuel "Manny" Trevino

CAMERON COUNTY TAX ASSESSOR-COLLECTOR

Antonio "Tony" Yzaguirre, Jr.

Eddie Garcia

https://www.cameroncountytx.gov/elections/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Early-Voting-Locations-for-the-Primary-Runoffs.pdf

SAN BENE CITY COMMISSION WILL VOTE TO OUST SANCHEZ

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

The chickens have come home to roost for San Benito Place 4 City Commissioner Carol Lynn Sanchez. 

In Tuesday's San Bene City Commission meting, there is an agenda item to declare (her position) as vacant, abandoned, and her unqualified to hold the office.

Sanchez was one of four candidates who filed to run in the Democratic Party primary for District 37 of the Texas House of Representatives. Her opponents included former county commissioner and state rep Alex Dominguez, former Texas Board of Education member Ruben Cortez, and former Justice of the Peace Jonathan Gracia.

That race resulted in a runoff between Cortez and Gracia and the eventual winner in the Democratic primary will face Republican incumbent Janie Lopez in the November general election. Lopez ran unopposed in the Republican primary. 

But Sanchez was either unaware (or didn't care) that she automatically forfeited her Place 4 seat on the San Benito city commission by filing for the position.  

Her first office holder campaign report filed on January 16 lists a San Benito address (391 Palo Rosa) and the next one filed a month later on February 12 shows a Harlingen address (301 E. New Hampshire, Apt. 8).

JANUARY 16, 2024 REPORT

FEBRUARY 12, 2024 REPORT

In doing so, she apparently ran afoul of the San Benito City Charter which states that a city commissioner must reside inside the city limits. So does this mean that by listing her residence on the report in Harlingen she relinquished her San Benito city commission seat?

And the highly mobile city commissioner ran awry in the House election, too. In her January campaign finance report, she lists her address as 391 Palo Rosa San Benito, clearly in District 35.

In Carol’s second Financial report she uses the Harlingen address that falls in District 37. But the Texas Election Code  states that: "He or she must have been a resident of the state for two years immediately preceding election, and for one year immediately preceding election must have been a resident of the district from which he or she was chosen."

You've got hand it to Sanchez for having so much chutzpah. When she announced for office December 2023, myRGV's Fernando del Valle reported:

“As a lifelong resident of the district, I’ve seen firsthand the struggles our communities have faced over the years,” Sanchez, an attorney, said in a campaign announcement."

There are other curiouser discrepancies, too. In her January report, she lists a political "office held" as a San Benito city commissioner, Place 4.

One month later, she lists "none" held.

Now the question before the San Benito City Commission this Tuesday is: "Will they follow their own city charter, and state law and vacate Place 4 – and remove Sanchez from the commission  – or will they become a rogue city commission and disregard the rules of governance in their city they swore to uphold when they took office?