Was the Thunderous Applause After Cesar de Leon's "I'm Staying" Speech Spontaneous or Orchestrated?

Screenshot of Brownsville TV Video of October 3, 2017
City Commission Meeting.  Commissioner Jessica Tetreau-
Kalifa Joins in the Heavy Applause for Cesar's "I'm Staying"
Speech.  Commissioner Rick Longoria, Not So Much

Remember the canned laughter and fake applause of early television shows? 

Would members of our own City Commission do something similar to mold the public's opinion of their beleaguered commissioner, Cesar de Leon, accused of overt racism, but possibly facing other charges after the initial smoke clears?

One citizen, Maria Blanca Trevino, thinks so.  Notice her comment:

"I'm willing to post up and with all the fellow citizens in front of the courts or commission next Tuesday.but not just talk it's time for action.this past week he(Cesar de Leon) and ben neece paid políticos to go to the commission to applaud for his fake apology just like his fake resignation.

Brownsville no more of his face in our community....rise and shine people !!!"

Is it possible that folks were persuaded or even paid to sit in the audience, awaiting Commissioner De Leon's comments, and then applaud vigorously.

Diego Lee Rot Self-Portrait

When the Brownsville Observer's music writer, Diego Lee Rot, got to the meeting at precisely 6:00 PM, the crowd was already standing room only, something extremely rare at city commission meetings.  He was told the fire marshall had ruled; no more inside the chambers.

Diego stayed in the hallway outside until just after Cesar's speech, thinking he heard an inordinate amount of applause, literally shaking the walls.

Was the applause spontaneous or orchestrated?

If we doubt the city is capable of putting its figurative thumb on the scales of public opinion, think back to the July 2014 public hearing about reducing E. 6th Street by one lane to accommodate a narrow bike lane and barrier.

On that night, one cyclist after another, even a student from Cummings Middle School, came forward to profess their love of cycling and difficulty in navigating E. 6th Street without a bike lane.(A couple even thanked Commissioner Rose Gowen for her tireless efforts in promoting cycling.)

I travel down E. 6th Street almost every day, seeing none of these "spontaneous" advocates of cycling alongside me in the bike lane.

Sometimes, things are not as they are made to seem.

Addendum:  After this article was posted on Facebook, we received a couple interesting, insightful comments:

Mary Helen Flores:  "Jim, the hallway outside city commission chambers was packed and it was silent after the de Leon speech which we heard on the T.V. out there. The applause coming from inside the room was disconcerting for myself and those I saw listening."

Barton:  Yes, one would normally expect a similar percentage of applauders in the hallway, everything else being equal.

Also, Rafael Collado:  "There were a bunch of preppy cheerleaders in there. St. Joseph type people."

Barton:  That makes sense too.  Cesar went to St. Joseph's.