Pandering Commissioner Dan Sanchez Should Be Rejected for County Judge

Bloated Cameron County Judge Candidate Dan Sanchez

When Dan Sanchez looks in the mirror, he sees a clever, ambitious man implementing a brilliant strategy to gain the county judgeship. While other potential candidates wallow in indecision, Dan has been unabashedly pandering to longtime politicos Aurora de la Garza and Joe Rivera, hoping to use their reciprocated support as a springboard to the judgeship.

When a brouhaha developed, not only over naming a satellite county building after the long tenured, but mediocre clerks, De la Garza and Rivera, but adding a non-approved, but exhorbitant $2,500 portrait of the two to be hung in the building, Sanchez saw an opportunity for heroism, if not sainthood. He offered to personally foot the bill for the portrait of the sleazy duo, sparing the taxpayers of the cost of the non-purchase order bill, but also hopefully ingratiating himself with the subjects of the inappropriate portrait. A Dr. Robert Robles fundraiser spared Sanchez from writing a check to cover the cost of the portrait.

Ever the opportunist, Sanchez racked his brain for another covert way to show his devotion to the two clerks. When it was mentioned that both Rivera and De la Garza had worked longer for the county than Tax Assessor Tony Yzaquirre, yet worked for a smaller salary, Sanchez snuck in an addendum to the commissioners court minutes authorizing a $2,000 raise for both clerks. When Sanchez sneaky actions created an uproar, Dan offered to have the money deleted from his own salary, again illustrating his willingness to spend for support for his county judgeship run.

These two incidents alone prove that Dan Sanchez is NOT the person Cameron County needs as county judge. In a county plagued by reciprocating personal favors, nepotism, job after job handed to the relatives of county officials, the LAST person Cameron County needs as county judge is someone openly pandering for support by putting money into the pockets of county officials.

When the time comes, Cameron County must say "NO" to Dan Sanchez for County Judge.