Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Gilberto Hinojosa's Plan to Regain Control of Cameron County

Jerry, Nena and I at the Ice House
While Nena and I were visiting with Jerry McHale at an Alex Dominguez event held at the Ice House on FM 511 this past winter, County Judge Candidate Joe Rivera came up. Extending his hand to my wife, he said:  "Well, I know I have your vote."

Nena, a little taken back by the brashness of the question simply said:  "Well, no."

Later she would elaborate:  "Does he think that just because I'm hispanic and older I'm voting for him?"  Likely Joe has many supporters in that group, but it's arrogant to assume someone in that demographic is an automatic vote.

Gilberto Hinojosa
Arrogance and entitlement may come easily to someone entrenched in county government for 36 years, now aiming at 40. Actually, Rivera was on his way to a record setting 40 years in one Cameron County position, County Clerk, until he received a visit from Cameron County's political puppeteer, Gilberto Hinojosa.


Hinojosa, the remaining Cameron County political manipulator, standing over the corpse of Ernie Hernandez, Jr., having the reacquisition of the county judgeship on his bucket list, insisted Joe Rivera run for County Judge.  Simply put, Hinojosa did not think Sylvia Garza-Perez, who had filed for County Judge, could beat Carlos Cascos, so he arranged some sort of deal with Rivera and Garza-Perez.  Soon, Sylvia-Garza Perez was putting the word "clerk" over "judge" on her political signs and Joe was filing for County Judge.

Fueling Hinojosa's drive to have a puppet as county judge was his loss to Carlos Cascos in 2006.  Next, Gilberto pulled out all the stops to defeat Cascos in 2010 with John Wood. Hinojosa was simply hell bent to the point of bullying poll watchers and having Election Administrator Roger Ortiz so confused his head was spinning.  Uncounted votes were found in restrooms and forgotten precincts resulting in several recounts, but, somehow Cascos escaped as winner.

This will be an interesting race to watch for the next few months as the affable, confident Rivera takes on incumbent Republican Carlos Cascos.




24 comments:

  1. Yeap! Heard Gilbert Hinojosa is putting up a slate of candidates for BISD. Gilbert the funny looking character wants control of it all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Beware Everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  2. As State Dumbokratic Chairman, Gilberto Hinojosa is embarrassed that his home county has a Republican County Judge. This isn't about what's best for the citizens of Cameron County, its about what Gilberto thinks is best for him and his political "status". Joe Rivera is an old man who has served the county for many years and should resign and go fishing. He has a jovial smile and loves the "glad handing" part of the political process. Joe isn't running for Joe, he is running for Gilberto and the culture of political corruption that Gilberto espouses. Most of us can see through this campaign and will vote for Carlos. Many; the elderly and ignorant who can't see what's happening will vote for the "old corrupt school" represented by Joe Rivera and Gilberto Hinojosa.

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    1. Nice try attempting to paint Joe "El Chino" Rivera with the brush of Gilberto Hinojosa. It will not work. Joe is an independent thinker who is a self-made success story. He is as wily as a coyote and as tenacious as a Gila monster. Carlos Cascos is an opportunist who took up the label of "Republican" because he has no opportunity in the Democratic Party. The Republican Party does barely exists in the Valley, it is a tiny minority. People voted against his opponents, not for him. This time around he has a real political opponent who knows what he is doing. I take offense to your stupid ass comment about the "elderly" not knowing what is happening. That certainly is a way to win friends and votes. You are doing Joe a great favor. Please spread the word around how ignorant all the elderly are and we surely hope Cascos hires you to be his campaign manager.

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    2. you are absolutely correct, the root of all this corruption lies with the democratic party. how is it possible to let the same clique of old useless and incompetent politicians control millions of dollars of our tax money? how come they get to choose who we're going to vote for? why do we let them? this isn't a democracy. how come there's only two "parties" and if you don't belong to one of them a candidate will be selected for you. a fucking pyramid scheme!! pct. chairs do as they're told. it is a machine. fuck em!! we should have 12 candidates!! joe rivera used to be young trailblazer but that fire blew out a long time ago. he has no ideas or vision. his shining achievement, notwithstanding the commissioning of his portly portrait in san benito, has been to stay out of the feds net that's already snagged limas, villalobos and rosenthal. rivera's agenda is to keep the party in control and dish out jobs and favors.

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    3. True..sad but true

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  3. Gilberto Hinojosa is a DICK! He cares nothing for the people; only promoting his ego and continuing the corruption of his party in Cameron County. He preys on the ignorant and the poor....his Crystal City roots are deep and his loyalty to corruption even deeper.

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  4. You should report on how the board president of CASA of Cameron & Willacy Counties Inc. is trying to use her position on the board to promote Joe Rivera's Campaign. I heard she is trying to set up events for CASA while at the same time using those events to promote Rivera's campaign. How would people feel knowing that their tax's are being used to promote a candidate.

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    1. It starts with you...report it !!! Joe 's manipulation must stop....

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    2. Nice try, CASA of Cameron County is housed at Carlos's property on St Charles. Your squeaky clean candidate moved out as soon as he knew he could manipulate CASA to rent from him. Look it up.

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    3. Maybe you should ask the board members. I'm sure they have a different story.

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    4. As a former casa board member I can attest to the fact that we approached the judge to rent his property due to a fire destroying our then location. It was vacant due to him moving to another building. We agreed to a lease at a very reasonable rent for a property that size. WE approached him he did not seek us out. For anyone to suggest that he manipulated anything is just wrong.

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    5. Thank you former casa board member for speaking up and stating the truth. If any one doubts this, all they have to do is ask for the minutes from that board meeting discussing the rent. Jim, please contact current casa board members and expose the plan the board president had for promoting Rivera's campaign via casa events. It's fine to support whoever you want, the problem is using a nonprofit as a means to do so. I know I do not want my tax's being used for this purpose.

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  5. Joe is part of the status quo, part of the corruption that has plagued our poor county for way too long, Joe has to go, with Joe and Sylvia... God help us

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    1. Corruption at its best..:(...

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  6. With Ruben Pena out of the running, I'm voting (dare I say) Republican.

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  7. I am voting for the person not for any party..I believe Casco is doing a good job..I don't feel Rivera is a candidate with the background necessary to fill this important position. .Joe you should be enjoying your retirement. .

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  8. Before we start the bashing why don't we wait & listen to both candidates. Let's listen to their thoughts as to how getting them elected will help the county. It would not be fair to paint cascos w the Republican extremism we've seen at other levels. If we do that then it would be fair to paint Rivera w the corruption associated w the Democrat party or with the ties to Hinojosa & not forget ray ramon. Let's listen to their platforms. I don't wanna hear about what the other guy hasn't done or done but what the candidate is going to do and how they intend to do it. It's simple.

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    1. ...then vote for Cascos because Rivera is up to it to his eyeballs.

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  9. Joe Rivera a real opponent? He knows what he's doing? Is that why he stated he wants to create jobs by partnering w counties to the south of us? By recommending to raise taxes? By trying to purchase self portraits without following policy? By always asking for raises for himself? Yea he does know what he's doing.

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  10. Joe Rivera seems to be in a race with County Commissioner Sanchez to see which one can get so fat that they burst, first. These public "tics" are gigantic and add to that the beard on Sanchez and he looks like a fat version of Sasquatch. Their "fatness" is a threat to the public......because when they do explode there will be collateral damage to the people around them. They are both like "tics" who have sucked so much blood (or resources from the public) that when place on their stomachs, their legs don't touch the ground.

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  11. COME ON, NOW. WE ALL KNOW THAT CASCOS HAS DONE AN ADMIRABLE JOB AS OUR COUNTY JUDGE. HE REPRESENTS US WELL AND HAS NEVER EMBARRASSED US - AS HAVE NO MANY OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS. HE DESERVES OUR SUPPORT. HE DESERVES TO KEEP HIS ELECTED OFFICE. I'M A DEMOCRAT, BUT I'LL VOTE FOR THE RIGHT MAN - NOT ALONG MY PARTY LINE. OH WELL.

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  12. Casa does rent cascos's property for $1600 per month. Casa approached him & he was nice enough to rent it to casa @ below market price. Casa moved in after a fire destroyed our prior location. Cascos had moved long before casa moved in & long after the fire. Casa board member

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    1. The board president and River's wife are best friends. All anyone has to do it ask their board members for the real story and I am sure more than one will be willing to tell you what the board president has been trying to do.

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  13. Hmm..when is the lease up? Time to raise the rent. Way to go board president.

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