Brownsville, A Very Political City Where Almost No One Votes But Bid-Rigging Abounds

Zip Code 78520: Summary

78520 contributed about 4 times as much as the average zip code.

2012 Contributions: $378,119
Average Zip: $84,561
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According to the website OpenSecrets.org Brownsville, TX is a very political city.  Zip Code 78520 alone had 4 times the national average in political contributions in 2012 with $378,119 committed to national campaigns.  Companies and individuals also contribute generously to local campaigns.  Yet, voter participation in the city of Brownsville hovers around 4, 5 or 6%.  UTB's Center for Civic Engagement with its Project 100% Vote has been an absolute joke.  The last candidate forum it sponsored on the UTB campus was attended by 6 adults including the candidates, zero students.  This past May, Mary Rose Cardenas Hall on the UTB campus was used as a polling place during early voting for a city-wide election as a convenience for UTB/TSC's then 13,836 combined student enrollment, 91.8% or 12,176 of whom are over the age of 18.  Only 151 votes were processed during 61 hours of operation, that is 2.47 votes per hour.  And you thought the Maytag repairman was bored to death?  Try working in a polling place all day that only gets 2 votes per hour!

So, why all the local political contributions to City Commission, County Commission, BISD, County Sheriff, etc. from individuals and companies?  These monies may not be in support of a certain political ideology as much as they are an attempt to gain favor in the awarding of contracts.

Despite the fact that contractors frequently have to be vetted or qualified with the contract awarded to the approved contractor submitting the lowest bid, there are a multitude of ways to get around this.  It's called bid-rigging.  The graphic on the left illustrates this.

In Brownsville and Cameron County frequently the same companies or the same individuals morphing into a variety of companies are awarded contracts again and again. There are several companies we could mention. This article will deal with one. The Escobedo brothers, Jaime and Enrique Escobedo use several companies, incorporating the word "American" in their company name, that dominate the marketing of security and surveillance cameras at the city, county and BISD.  American Surveillance, for example, was awarded a contract for cameras at the Olmito/Brownsville Sports Park for $200,000.  When the new multi-modal bus facility was built in downtown Brownsville, regulations put certain stipulations on contract awards exceeding $100,000.  American Surveillance was given two $100,000 contracts for security of the building, $100,000 for surveillance cameras and $100,000 for installation and electronics associated with the surveillance cameras.(In other words, buy the cameras from us for a hundred grand and then we'll install them for a hundred grand more.)

When the police department needed additional security equipment in 2012, Robert C. Luna from the Planning Department presented for approval by the City Commission a contract with American Surveillance. When a City Commissioner asked if the item had been put out for bids, Luna got flustered. Then Police Chief Carlos Garcia stepped forward to state that American Surveillance was considered a sole source provider to maintain continuity throughout city departments by using the same software.  Do you think Jaime Escobedo manufactures software?  Could not other bidders buy the identical software from the manufacturer if it was specified in bidding instructions?

The Escobedo brothers also showed up when the city needed bids on demolition of dilapidated houses in Brownsville.  This time the Escobedos presented themselves as American Contractors. Lol!

But, there's more.  All of a sudden the Escobedos became sole suppliers of the huge generators at the Port of Brownsville even before they needed them.  Here is the explanation given by Carlos Masso, then a candidate for District Attorney, but, then and now, an official with the Brownsville Navigation District:
"Regarding the contract with the Escobedos, I was not aware they owned the company. I do know that one of the Escobedos owns a security company named "American Security and Surveillance." The name of the company on the agenda was Valley American Contractors. Neither the agenda nor the backup to our agenda indicated that they were the owners. The company was the only bidder. Based on the information that was presented, if we didnt secure this generator now that it would cost us about 40% more if we waited to get a 2012 version which are not currently available. This generator would not have only been capable of meeting our power needs for the administrative building but also for the adjacent building. Furthermore, it was part of our security

Carlos Masso

grant and the Port was putting in a matching contribution of 25%. Those were my reasons for voting for it. Not because it was the Escobedos company."

Please notice that the Escobedos used the age-old salesman ploy that, if they bought the generator now, they would be saving money because the new models were going to cost more.  So, even though the Brownsville Navigation District didn't actually need a generator at the time, the Escobedo brothers needed the business.  Oh, BTW, I've been told that Carlos Masso is close friends with the Escobedos.  Do you really think he did not know they were the ones making this bid at the Port?