Commenter Connects Representative Rene Oliveira, Catalina Presas-Garcia and Linebarger

Cata Presas-Garcia

A blog commenter feels he has successfully connected the dots supporting his claim that Representative Rene Oliveira AND BISD Trustee Catalina Presas-Garcia are both securely in the pocket of the legal firm of Linebarger, Goggan, Blair and Sampson, LLP. The commenter submits a claim that Rene Oliveira is representing Presas-Garcia against a lawsuit alleging theft.

"Heard that Rene Oliveira is now representing Catalina Presas-Garcia in a law suit against her for stealing money during a real estate deal she was handling. Heard she stole $8,000.00 by using it as her own private stash. She then went around town begging for money from family, friends and vendors to put the money back in the real estate deal gone wrong. Very Bad! Now isn't it a conflict of interest that Linebarger, Goggan, Blair and Sampson LLP pay Rene Oliveira to represent Catalina Presas-Garcia, after she voted to give them the BISD Tax Collection contract for 3 years? Look at the posted agenda for the October 1st meeting. It clearly states that the current tax collection law firm be extended for three years. Do you not think it was Catalina Presas-Garcia pulling strings with her fellow board members to vote yes on the contract for Linebarger, Goggan, Blair and Sampson LLP. After all did their firm not recently wine and dine several of those board members to ensure the vote?"

This may be the lawsuit the commenter was referring to:

CATALINA PRESAS GARCIA,
Defendant. OF CAMERON COUNTY, TEXAS


PLAINTIFFS' ORIGINAL PETITION

TO THE HONORABLE JUDGE OF SAID COURT:

NOW COME MANUEL SALINAS and JUAN M. FIGUEROA, hereinafter called
Plaintiffs, complaining of and about CATALINA PRESAS GARCIA, hereinafter called
Defendant, and for cause of action show unto the Court the following:

DISCOVERY CONTROL PLAN LEVEL

1 Plaintiffs intend that discovery be conducted under Discovery Level 3.

PARTIES AND SERVICE

2. Plaintiff, MANUEL SALINAS, is an Individual whose address is in the Belle
Glade, Palm Beach County, Florida.
3. Plaintiff, JUAN M. FIGUEROA, is an Individual whose address is in
Brownsville, Cameron County, Texas.
4. Defendant CATALINA PRESAS GARCIA, an Individual who is a resident of
Texas, may be served with process at her office at the following address:
25 Skyview Dr.
Brownsville, Texas 78521
Service of said Defendant as described above can be effected by personal
delivery.

PLAINTIFFS' ORIGINAL PETITION

PAGE 1


JURISDICTION AND VENUE

The subject matter in controversy is within the jurisdictional limits of this
co u rt.

6. This court has personal jurisdiction herein because Defendant are Texas
residents.
7. Venue in Cameron County is proper in this cause pursuant to Section 17.56
of the Texas Business and Commerce Code and under Section 15.002(a)(1) of the Texas
Civil Practice and Remedies Code because all or a substantial part of the events or
omissions giving rise to this lawsuit occurred in this county.
FACTS

8. On or about June of 2010, the Plaintiffs entered into an earnest money
contract for the sale of a home located at 113 Lucylle Lane, Brownsville, Cameron
County, Texas. Under the contract, Plaintiff JUAN M. FIGUEROA was to sell to Plaintiff
MANUEL SALINAS the above-described home. On the contract, Defendant CATALINA
PRESAS-GARCIA, signed as a representative of both the Seller and Buyer as an
intermediary. Plaintiff Manuel Salinas gave CATALINA PRESAS-GARCIA three cash
deposits to place in escrow with the title company, Sierra Title in Brownsville, Cameron
County, Texas. On each of the following occasions, Defendant CATALINA
PRESAS-GARCIA gave MANUEL SALINAS receipts for the cash deposits as follows:
June 5, 2010 -$ 500.00
July 8, 2010 -$ 5,500.00
November 14, 2010 $ 2,000.00
Total cash $8,000.00 (See Exhibit A)



PLAINTIFFS' ORIGINAL PETITION

PAGE 2


Under the terms of the contract, Plaintiff MANUEL SALINAS was to give a cash
portion of the sale in the amount of $8,000.00 and finance $42,000.00 for a total purchase
price of $50,000.00.

9. After the November 14, 2010 deposit was placed with Defendant
CATALINA PRESAS-GARCIA, Plaintiffs continued to ask Defendant CATALINA
PRESAS-GARCIA why they could not close on the sale of the house and she continued
to give the parties excuses of why she could not close the transaction.
CATALINA PRESAS-GARCIA did not place the contract with Sierra Title in
Brownsville, Cameron County, Texas until January 26, 2011. At that time, CATALINA
PRESAS GARICA only deposited in Sierra Title's escrow account $500.00 although she
had collected a total of $8,000.00 as of November 14, 2010. On or about February 24,
2011, the parties showed up at the title company ready to close and Defendant,
CATALINA PRESAS-GARCIA told them that they could not close and the deal fell
through. Plaintiff, MANUEL SALINAS shortly thereafter asked for the return of his
$8,000.00 and was astonished to find out that as of March 14, 2011, only $500.00 of the
$8,000.00 had been deposited into the escrow account at Sierra Title Company.
Plaintiff, MANUEL SALINAS asked Defendant, CATALINA PRESAS-GARCIA where his
money was and she could not answer said question. He told her she better deposit the
money by March 18, 2011 or he was going to go the police authorities. On that date,
March 14, 2011, Defendant CATALINA PRESAS-GARCIA deposited $3,600.00 in cash
into the escrow account at Sierra Title Company (See Exhibit B). On March 18, 2011,
Defendant CATALINA PRESAS-GARCIA deposited two cash deposits (one deposit of

PLAINTIFFS' ORIGINAL PETITION

Rep. Rene Oliveira

The claims the commenter makes about theft of monies are unproven, but the charge that Presas-Garcia and Oliveira follow the drumbeat of Linebarger has been well established.

As this blog noted in 2012:  With Rene Oliveira retained by BISD as interim counsel, but still connected to Linebarger, the February 2, 2012 board meeting agenda contains an action item INCREASING the tax collection rate by 2.5%, netting the collection firm an extra $125,000. And who is that newly named firm? Linebarger, Goggan, Blair and Sampson LLP.

When it came time to name a firm for delinquent tax collections at BISD, Cata Presas-Garcia also came to the aid of the Linebarger firm:

      (MMB, 1-17-2013)The Perdue firm representative gave a very self-assured presentation, documenting superior collection to Linebarger when they replaced them in Hidalgo County. Linebarger followed, emphasizing consistent collections and the size of their company's presence in Texas. Enrique Pena and company gave the last presentation. Presas-Garcia asked Mr. Pena if he was the one they call "Ricky", a not-so-subtle condescension. During Pena's presentation, Presas-Garcia looked bored, then left for a rest room break with a very strident walk with her clogs pounding the wooden ramp to the exit door. By the time she returned Enrique Pena had turned the presentation over to Julio Lozano, a poised presenter. Lozano paused noticeably until Presas-Garcia made it back to her seat. "Continue your presentation" admonished Escobedo. "I will when Mrs. Presas-Garcia makes it back in. Thank you for joining us, Ms. Presas-Garcia" he stated with more than a little sarcasm. . . . . . . . . .


As we hurried to our truck to make another appointment, I asked someone on the Pena team about the obvious disrespect from Catalina Presas-Garcia. "She always treats our company that way because she gets paid by Linebarger."