Is Dan Sanchez Breaking the Law? A Reader Makes That Claim

From the editor:  The following was sent via email by a reader who claims that Cameron County Commissioner Dan Sanchez, a candidate for County Judge is in violation of the Texas Election Code:

"Violations. See Dan Sanchez Facebook posts or

his signs in Harlingen.

Every single Sanchez sign violates the law. I have been making political signs for more than 10 years and I know the law so does every other political sign maker. The only reason a sign maker does not follow the law is because he is being told by the candidate or candidate underlings what to print. Look at Chinos signs, Bences, Gus Ruiz signs.

County Commissioner Dan Sanchez

They follow the law but Sanchez cannot follow a simple rule because he believes he is above the law. So everyone else has to follow the law but not Sanchez. No one will report him because they are afraid of his revenge. Ask any county employee who was forced to sign his petition.

Misrepresentation Of Office Title. A candidate may not represent that he or she holds an office that he or she does not hold at the time of the representation. If you are not the incumbent in the office you are seeking, you must make it clear that you are seeking election rather than reelection by using the word "for" to clarify that you don't hold that office. The whole word "for" must be at least one-half the type size as the name of the office and should appear immediately before the name of the office."

It's the whole word not just the letter F. But not even his letter F complies with the law.

Sec. 255.006.  MISLEADING USE OF OFFICE TITLE.  

(b)  A person commits an offense if the person knowingly represents in a campaign communication that a candidate holds a public office that the candidate does not hold at the time the representation is made.

(c)  For purposes of this section, a person represents that a candidate holds a public office that the candidate does not hold if:

(1)  the candidate does not hold the office that the candidate seeks;  and

(2)  the political advertising or campaign communication states the public office sought but does not include the word "for" in a type size that is at least one-half the type size used for the name of the office to clarify that the candidate does not hold that office.



(e)  An offense under this section is a Class A Misdemeanor.