The Quandary of the Cameron County District Attorney Race~Saenz or Mattingly?

Armando Villalobos

Another community could have absorbed the hit of a young, arrogant, hispanic lawyer becoming the district attorney and then abusing his office, but not the most impoverished county in the United States.  With political corruption beyond rampant, easily available and cheap drugs, Mexican nationals looking to notary publics for guidance, money being laundered every which way, the last thing Cameron County needed was a DA on the take.  Armando Villalobos didn't just betray his wife, his family, his community, he took a dump on a county legal/judicial system already on life support.  We do not gloat that our harsh words of January 4th proved true:
"If county officials received merit pay, District Attorney Armando Villalobos would owe several years of salary to Cameron County. He should also pay back the cost of office utilities that kept him climaticly comfortable, the costs associated with transporting him from home to office and back, the fees associated with keeping him electronically connected to the his constituents and the information highway. I do not begrudge his staff their pay as they simply must follow orders, although, if whispers are correct, Mando owes the county for the large segment of their workweeks devoted to his congressional campaign.
Villalobos as district attorney is as effective as a lifeguard with a water phobia. As we stated a few days ago: "We pay a district attorney handsomely in Cameron County to fight corruption, but like the cowardly lion in the Wizard of Oz, Armando Villalobos never had the courage. He deferred, stepped over, ignored the rampant political corruption in the county so as not to antagonize any segment of political support as he used the district attorney's office to launch his campaign for yet higher office."
If you think I'm overstating this, please consider the courage it takes for a citizen to come forward to report a crime, whether it be an act of political corruption, an assault, a robbery or some sort of white collar crime. They may be putting themselves in harm's way, risking retaliation, possibly including bodily injury or even death. Then consider the countless hours and expense of law enforcement in investigating, gathering evidence, apprehending, etc. All of this is for absolute naught if the district attorney fails to prosecute. Not to mention that the climate created by a do-nothing DA is one of emboldening political and other criminals to continue their corruption. Do you think County Commissioner Ernie Hernandez is the least bit worried about Villalobos proceeding with a case against him in the orchestrated, dishonest hiring of his felonious brother-in-law or that Carlos Quintanilla is the least bit worried about a perjury charge for false testimony in a deposition or two?
Villalobos has to be living in an absolute vacuum to have the unmitigated gall to run for higher office after exhibiting total failure in his current one. Armando Villalobos for Congress? That's an absolute joke!"

Luis Saenz Initially Going Cheezmeh

With Villalobos run for Congress and subsequent indictment, the door was open for new candidates for district attorney.  Luis Saenz, a former DA, initially reached out to Brownsville Cheezmeh for support, joining forces  for a chicken plate giveaway and Christmas shindig.  Why Saenz tired of Cheezmeh is not publicly known, but soon his Democratic opponent Carlos Masso started paying for Cheezmeh support as supported by the financial report of their infamous P.A.C., Bringing Brownsville Change.  

In the primaries Saenz overcame the huge politiquera effort by the Carlos Masso, Abelardo Gomez and Erin H. Garcia camps because his race was countywide.  Masso won Brownsville precincts controlled by politiqueras while Saenz overcame that with larger margins in the rest of Cameron County including SPI.  At this point Saenz was unbeatable, facing only Republican opponent Chuck Mattingly in the general election.  Saenz could easily become the next DA without using politiqueras or association with the obviously corrupt influences of the party.

"No one wins unless I say so!"  Herminia Becerra

Instead of taking the high road, Saenz participated in a Democratic rally featuring prominent politiqueras and Democratic politicos known for their corruption.  Carlos Masso, who had just attempted to steal the election from Saenz by using politiqueras and election fraud, now was embraced by Saenz who publicly accepted his endorsement.  Herminia Becerra, the "Queen of the Politiqueras" walked into the Amigoland Event Center sporting a Luis V. Saenz t-shirt.  

As one politico told me later:   "Jim, Herminia doesn't wear anyone's shirt unless they pay her. Simple as that.  Saenz sold out."  

Saenz and Masso

Someone with sensitivity to public perception simply would not have participated in an event with the notoriously corrupt Gilberto Hinojosa, politiqueras like Herminia Becerra and Margarita Ozuna, Ernie, Norma and Erin Hernandez, but Saenz was solidifying his base, while letting Brownsville voters know that he is part of what is wrong with local politics, not part of the solution.  

Visiting with one of Saenz operatives, I had learned this even before the October 20th event.  I asked the Saenz rep:  "Will Saenz, if elected, prosecute incidents of voter fraud that have been documented preparing for two voter fraud trials?"

I asked the operative to convey that question to Saenz, but he already knew the answer.  "Luis is smarter than that.  He will not deal with the small infractions but go after the head of the snake."  I assumed he meant Ernie Hernandez, but it was not reassuring that the rep felt Saenz would not prosecute voter fraud.  

Since then, we've seen Saenz openly cavorting with the Hernandezes, Gilberto Hinojosa, Carlos Masso and their politiqueras.  It is obvious he is part of the status quo and that is totally unacceptable.  Cameron County needs better.                                                                            

Chuck Mattingly

So, what about Chuck Mattingly?  He has prosecuted several notorious local cases successfully including child murder/decapitater John Allen Rubio.  One huge question remains about the mishandling of bail for murderer Amit Livingston, who was allowed to go free for 60 days to "get his affairs in order." He skipped town and has never been found.  While we understand it was Judge Limas' call and, no doubt, the corrupt DA Villalobos was involved in the miscarriage, Mattingly's silence is very troubling.  If you can get past that, Mattingly may be your candidate.  Forget Mattingly's suspension without pay by the Villalobos office and rumblings about Mattingly being "difficult to work with."  Anything coming from the Villalobos office has zero credibility.  We don't trust corrupt officeholders anymore than we trust Herminia Becerra.