Joe Rivera Fakes Out No One with Last Minute Crossover Move

Joe Rivera is no Allen Iverson.  Those with courtside seats could read the lips of his hothead coach, Texas State Democratic Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa, distinctly shouting "Go left!" toward the County Judgeship "stolen" from Hinojosa in 2006 by new Republican Carlos Cascos.

The slow-footed, slow-witted Rivera tried to headfake to the right toward the Cameron County Clerk position, but almost no one went for the fake.

"I want to be one of the county clerks who has been in this office for the longest time," he said sitting in his office surrounded by memorabilia from 36 years in that office. "The longest one was 40 years. I have 36 and need another four to reach 40, " Rivera was quoted in El Rrun Rrun, Brownsville's most politically-connected blog, in a December 5th story.(Mean Mister Brownsville reported November 30th that Rivera was running for County Judge.) 

Coach Hinojosa

The opportunity to shine in the Guinness Book of World Records notwithstanding, Rivera could not resist the sweet nothings muttered into his ear by the persuasive Gilberto Hinojosa, who convinced Rivera that he "needed" him, that by running for County Judge, Ol' Joe could "unite the party."

Perhaps, Hinojosa, whose job as State Democratic Chair is not challenging enough to keep him from meddling in Cameron County Democratic races, is tutoring Rivera in BISD's version of new math, that 4 candidates for judge is less divisive than 3.

In reality, the only one actually faked out by Rivera's nearly wrenching his neck with a head move, is Sylvia Garza-Perez, who decided to switch games and run for County Clerk against her favorite opponents, two anglos, although this time along with one Hispanic, Arnold Flores, eager to leave Human Resources before Ernie Hernandez, Jr. asks him to do something illegal.