"SEEING THROUGH" PAT AHUMADA'S TRANSPARENCY~30 DAYS BEFORE ELECTION CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORT

"Money talks, 

but it don't sing and dance and it can't walk"

"Forever in Blue Jeans"

Neil Diamond, c. 1978

"Transparency, accessibility, accountability. . . . Yes, Pat Ahumada. candidate for City Commissioner, District 2, hits those high notes on the campaign trail, even giving out his home phone number to prove his point.

Admittedly, Pat will talk to you, but even elitist Tony Martinez is doing that during THIS campaign.

After a recent forum, Ahumada and I shook hands as the conversation turned to Tenaska.  As I tried to explain the weird arithmetic of the deal, that Brownsville ratepayers would pay 65% of the plant's cost for 25% of the power, Ahumada interrupted:

"They came to me about Tenaska.  I said 'no!"  They came to me about Casa del Nylon.  I said 'no!' " Pat told me.

"Those were bad deals!"

Next, the conversation turned to the $26,139 check intended for a vendor, that Pat deposited to his own account in 2008.  Ahumada has read my take on this over the years and so did not even try to blame Finance Director Pete Gonzalez, the teller who wrote out his deposit slip("Why wasn't she indicted?) or remind me that he'd "forgotten his glasses."

Instead, he explained:  "People know that I have $10,000 worth of overdraft privileges with the bank."

Why did Pat say this?

He know's that I've heard and reported that his account was likely overdrawn at the time of the deposit($180 in arrears is what I've heard) AND that as much as $6,000 of the money was spent BEFORE it was returned to the city.

So, who is supporting Pat Ahumada and why?  Perhaps, his recent Campaign Finance Report, received by the city April 2, 2019 can shed some light.

The report, due 30 days before the May 4 election, reveals relatively modest income and out-go, $9,629.47 in contributions, $8,193.47 in expenditures.

Abraham Galonsky

Abraham Galonsky is the largest single contributor at $2,000, which might explain why Pat is saying very little about La Casa del Nylon deal this time around.

Do you recall how Pat described his efforts at helping an "ordinary citizen" with permitting issues pro bono?  

Well, that "ordinary citizen" is Indian millionaire Bagwandas Wadhani, who, like Galonsky, forked over $2,000 to the Ahumada campaign.

Of the two Montanaro kids, Aida and Rey, campaign treasurer and campaign manager, respectively, it was Rey who actually made "in-kind" contributions, $1,000 for a mailout and another $136.08 for "table rental, chairs and beer."

Gadfly Roman Perez blessed the Ahumada campaign with a $100 bill, sometimes called a "Benjamin" on the street.  That will gain Perez entry into any future Ahumada event and a free handshake with the candidate, although Pat should be duly warned that Perez may want the money back if things don't go his way.

Graphic by Diego Lee Rot

Of note on the expenditures side are two payments of $300 each to Juan Montoya of El Rrun Rrun for advertising, likely for well-written efforts by Juan, juxtaposed between "Alex Begum, Law Giant" and "Mike Hernandez III's GBIC, Best Thing Since Sliced Bread."

Yes, transparency, Baby!