Judge Cascos Holds First Meeting with Bloggers, CAVA, Roger Ortiz~2nd Meeting to Include Election Commission

Mchale, Montoya, Valadez and Barton after meeting 

A fact-finding session including local bloggers, representatives of CAVA, Election Administrator Roger Ortiz, Judge Carlos Cascos and his administrative assistant Chris Valadez was held Friday at 10:00 in the judge's office in the Dancy Building.  

As the spirited 70 minute meeting wound down, groundwork was laid for a followup meeting after Labor Day that would include the 5 member Election Commission.

Mary Helen Flores of Citizens Against Voter Abuse handed all the participants a two-page handout with 18 comprehensive questions for the Election Administrator.  Time constraints prevented all of the questions from being addressed by Ortiz, but Flores was promised written answers.  Judge Cascos deferred initially to Flores, but also gave the bloggers an opportunity to air their concerns.  

Cascos opened by stating that Ortiz had described himself as "cooperative" with any efforts to correct problems with the election process in Cameron County.  Roger Ortiz said that, although he had received comments about election irregularities, he had never received a criminal complaint.  A blogger then mentioned nearly 40 fraudulent acts mentioned in sworn testimony in the Ruben Pena-Ernie Hernandez, Jr. trial.  "Judge Delgado did not question the merit of that sworn testimony, just indicating it was not sufficient to overturn the election.  Did you turn any of this information over to the Secretary of State?" asked Jim Barton of Mean Mister Brownsville.  Ortiz response was that the judge had not given him any such materials, but that those items still could be prosecuted.  

When Judge Cascos emphasized that affidavits of election misconduct were critical to correcting problems and prosecuting wrongdoers,  Juan Montoya of El Rrun Rrun commented:  "I don't know if any of you have read the accounts of election fraud detailed in my blog, but those accounts are backed up by affidavits that will be presented in the coming trial.  That includes the activities of Amadeo Rodriguez."

Jerry Mchale's comments kept coming back to the use of politiqueras, particulary in Brownsville.  He cited Ernie Hernandez, Jr.'s use of politiqueras to defeat Alice Wilson for City Commissioner some years ago.  Mchale of the  Brownsville Blues blog then asked Carlos Cascos if he had ever used politiqueras.  Cascos admitted he had used one.  Mchale then asked both Cascos and Ortiz to rate the politiquera problem on a scale on 1-10.  Cascos chose 7, Ortiz 5.  

Cameron Park Election Judge consulting with the Andrades
of the Abelardo Gomez camp

Nena Barton of Mean Mister Brownsville related the account of how the election judge at Cameron Park had called the election administrator and the sheriff's department as we were trying to document illegal activity.  I directed my comment to Mr. Ortiz:  "You were more concerned about us taking a picture of one of the vans than the outright election fraud being committed."

"We have a picture of the election judge, leaving the polling place to cavort with the Andrades brothers of the Abelardo Gomez camp.  She thought Nena and I had left Cameron Park."

"Have we prosecuted that lady?" Cascos asked rhetorically.  


"We need an election administrator who is pro-active, reaching out to the nursing home management, adult day cares and other similar facilities," Mchale continued.  Similar words were written in a Mean Mister Brownsville article on August 4, 2012:  

"Clear communication with the nursing homes, adult high rises and adult day care centers as to what the election code permits and does not permit. Surely, the training from the state covers this. That information needs to be communicated to the owners and managers of these facilities and subsequently to their support staff. This is long overdue."

After the meeting, I visited briefly with Chris Valadez.  We talked about going out to the the nursing homes, adult high rises, etc.  Somewhat out of turn, I told Chris:  "I don't think Roger Ortiz has the public speaking skills to handle this.  Someone like yourself, who can speak extemporaneously, inject a little humor, but communicate clearly is needed."  Valadez said he would be happy to accompany Ortiz on such pro-active missions.