Mother, Daughter Campaign Finance Reports~Sofia Benavides, Mary Esther Garcia

County Commissioner Sofia Benavides

Sofia Benavides was appointed to fulfill the term of her husband Pete Benavides in 2006, then won re-election in 2008 and 2012.

Viewing her recent 2013 Campaign Finance Reports, much of her financial support comes from the construction industry.

The HNTB Political Action Committee, Kansas City, MO(Construction Services, Engineering) gave her $2,000 in her recent campaign.  The S&B Political Action Committee, Houston, TX(Construction Services, Engineering) gave her $5,000.

She also received a personal contribution from Vicente Mendez, an Ambiotec engineer, for $1,000, a $100 from Mark Corbitt, an Edinburg, TX engineer and $2,500 from Jesus Salinas, an engineer from Mission, TX.  She received a $1,000 contribution from Linebarger, Boggin, Blair and Sampson and $2,000 from Naples Investment, Dallas, TX.

Noteworthy expenditures include $465.48 to Feldman's for 'beverages," $200 to the John Villarreal City Commissioner campaign, followed by another $100 and $125.00 to notorious politiquera Herminia Becerra for "burial expenses."

Mary Esther Garcia

Sofia's daughter, Mary Esther Garcia, is running for the newly created Justice of the Peace, 2-3 position in 2014.  While her mother cultivates the financial support of those in the construction industry, Mary Esther curries financial favor with bail bondsmen and Ruben Gallegos, Jr.

Bad Boyz Bail Bonds contributed $250, Agado Bail Bonds $150 and Pronto Bail Bonds $350.  Are the bail bondsmen hoping Mary Esther sends some business their way?

Other prominent contributors to Mary Esther include:  The Daniel Robles Law Firm, $1,000 and again for $250, Gilberto & Cynthia Hinojosa, $500, Fabian Limas, Jr.(the nephew of Abel Limas?), $250, Evarardo Garcia, $500 and $100.

Ruben Gallegos, Jr. just keeps writing checks to the Mary Esther campaign:  $500, $1,000, Ruben & Norma Gallegos, $200, Ruben & Elisa Gallegos, $200.

Mary Esther may want to rethink the arithmetic on her report.  She claims total political contributions of $8305, expenditures of $7605, then political contributions maintained as of the last day of the reporting period of $8305.  That is not possible.