EL RRUN RRUN
http://rrunrrun.blogspot.com/
---------------------------------------------------------------
MARCHAN CONVICTED OF BRIBING JUDGE LIMAS
---------------------------------------------------------------
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU1maawQ5-IaajIUdBpdPugZ99Ck19OvhaIE48AMMgtX_FwYNN4wpnkrVGD7VPIy-GESjHUmYkuhxUzKefzfoHYFw4H8GmH-rfsPXXxptHRhE-MO7ZwumgOMOSqthzJFd_lqWsKUKOvFQ/s1600/marchan2.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="435" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU1maawQ5-IaajIUdBpdPugZ99Ck19OvhaIE48AMMgtX_FwYNN4wpnkrVGD7VPIy-GESjHUmYkuhxUzKefzfoHYFw4H8GmH-rfsPXXxptHRhE-MO7ZwumgOMOSqthzJFd_lqWsKUKOvFQ/s640/marchan2.gif" width="640" /></a></div><br />Attorney Ray Marchan gambled with the feds... and lost.<br />Marchan has been found guilty on all counts in the FBI’s public corruption investigation of former 404th District Court Judge Abel Limas, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today. Marchan, 56, was found guilty just a short time ago on seven public corruption-related counts after two days of deliberation.<br />The jury found Marchan, a local attorney, guilty of one count of violation of Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organizations (RICO) as well as one count of RICO conspiracy, three counts of aiding and abetting extortion under color of official right, and two counts of aiding and abetting honest services mail fraud. Marchan was indicted June 22, 2011, following a three-year investigation of corruption by then sitting judge of the 404th Judicial District Court, Abel Limas.<br />“The successful prosecution of this case is an example of our strong stand against corruption and dedication to ensure the integrity of our entrusted public officials,†said Magidson. “We respect the jury’s decision and feel the verdict is justified based on the evidence we presented in court.†During the two-week trial, federal prosecutors presented evidence Marchan paid bribes to Judge Limas.<br />Marchan was a respected civil litigator in Brownsville. He had attended Rice University and graduated from Stanford's law school. In 2008, he was going through a divorce, and Limas said he had heard Marchan was headed for his third bankruptcy.<br /> Specifically, the evidence proved he paid bribes or kickbacks to Judge Limas in return for favorable judicial rulings and an appointment as ad litem attorney. An ad litem is appointed to represent the interest of any minor or disabled person in a lawsuit. Evidence proved Marchan received favorable rulings in two cases in which he was appointed as ad litem attorney, Aide Fink vs Sun Valley Dusting and Juan Mancillas vs American General Insurance.<br />Evidence showed Limas received cash payments totaling $6,200 from Marchan on two occasions shortly after Marchan received ad litem fees on the Mancillas case. On each occasion, evidence showed Marchan had contacted Limas and referenced the transaction.<br />Bank records were also entered as evidence. Limas testified as to the transactions and that the money was in return for having appointed Marchan as the ad litem attorney. He also testified to an earlier incident when he received money from Marchan, but he could not recall the specific amount.<br />In a third incident, Limas received a $5,000 check on June 27, 2008. An FBI agent testified he observed Limas arrive at Marchan’s office and only spending approximately five minutes there before leaving.<br />Prosecutors presented evidence proving Limas deposited the check shortly thereafter. Limas acknowledged though his testimony the payment was in return for having Limas deny a motion for sanctions filed against Marchan by opposing counsel in the Fink case.<br />Marchan was also convicted of the two mail fraud counts, which prosecutors proved mail use to carry out the bribe or kickback scheme. An attorney representing Sun Valley Dusting testified regarding one of those chargesâ€"the motion for sanctions mailingâ€"and to not knowing Marchan had been having improper communications with Limas on the motion. Federal law makes it a crime for anyone to use the mails in carrying out a scheme to defraud.<br />Jurors also heard testimony of Limas as well as an FBI special agent concerning the broader Limas investigation involving others already arrested and convicted of aiding and abetting Limas in the corruption as well as of others who also received judicial favors from Limas.<br />To date, a total of eight defendants, including former attorneys Jim Solis and Joe Valle, former Cameron County Investigator Jaime Munivez, Limas’ middleman Manuel Longoria, Armando and Karina Pena, and former bondsman Francisco Cisneros, have entered guilty pleas in relation to the Limas investigation. Limas himself entered guilty pleas to RICO public corruption-related violations and is scheduled to be sentenced August 27, 2012.<br />United States District Judge Andrew S Hanen, who presided over the Marchan trial, has set sentencing for September 24, 2012, at which time he faces a maximum 20-year prison term and a possible $250,000 fine for each count of conviction. Marchan was allowed to remain on bond pending that sentencing hearing.<br />The charges in relation to this case are the result of an ongoing three-year investigation being conducted by the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Brownsville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Wynne and Oscar Ponce are prosecuting the case. <a href="http://7thspace.com/headlines/415008/marchan_convicted_of_paying_bribe_money_to_judge_limas.html">[Article courtesy of 7thspace.com]</a><br /><br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6016803033174468094-4686347655215147283?l=rrunrrun.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>
LINK: http://rrunrrun.blogspot.com/2012/06/marchan-guilty.html
---------------------------------------------------------------
HR 2578: CONSERVATION AND ECONOMIC GROWTH ACT MISLEADING
---------------------------------------------------------------
By <b>Jill Holslin</b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="line-height: 20px; text-transform: uppercase;"><b><br /></b></span></span><a href="http://www.attheedges.com/">http://www.attheedges.com</a><br />Since when did people who protect our wildlands become the enemy? That’s exactly what the sponsors of a new bill in the House of Representatives want us to believe.<br />Touted as a “border bill,†the omnibus bill HR 2578, titled Conservation and Economic Growth Act, rolls together 14 bills and would give the Department of Homeland Security complete control over public lands in all United States territory, not just along the border. A provision of the bill, sponsored by Rob Bishop (R-UT) would waive 36 key federal law protecting the environmental, tribal lands, wildlife protection laws in a 100-mile zone along both U.S. northern and southern borders.<br />The new omnibus bill is coming up before the House of Representatives on Monday and will be voted on by Tuesday.<br />The bill is extreme, misleading, and will do nothing to protect the environment or our borders. I stand with millions of others in opposition to this bill.<br />H.R. 1505 would override multiagency coordination that has been occurring on Federal lands since a 2006 Memorandum of Agreement between the Departments of Homeland Security, Interior, and Agriculture that has led to increased cooperation and leveraged resources.<br /><div>The House could vote as early as tomorrow on a monstrous, overreaching bill cobbled together by extremists willing to sacrifice our natural heritage.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhgDt8bjOErzmaQ8xG2qOY9-C667lF_thSOYVmFspBsgDsYlyWZP0YWvIWXHzPQfNQbqEPPLdem5A1SnLXlccEvfdH0f1GTQqIETjf31RdPKK0Z6DTTKBHWwv_kVARlM_m2QiPmJYgya4/s1600/Monterrey+Banco.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhgDt8bjOErzmaQ8xG2qOY9-C667lF_thSOYVmFspBsgDsYlyWZP0YWvIWXHzPQfNQbqEPPLdem5A1SnLXlccEvfdH0f1GTQqIETjf31RdPKK0Z6DTTKBHWwv_kVARlM_m2QiPmJYgya4/s400/Monterrey+Banco.JPG" width="400" /></a>This anti-wildlife bill would:<br />â€" <i>Waive Endangered Species Act protections within 100 miles of our borders -- leaving jaguars, ocelots and other rare wildlife without a lifeline;</i><br />â€" Overturn hard-fought, sensible rules that protectendangered sea turtles and shorebirds from being crushed by vehicles on Cape Hatteras National Seashore.<br />â€" Hand over tens of thousands of acres of old-growth forest in the Tongass National Forest to be clearcut by a private corporation. These ancient forests are home to rare pine martens, grizzly bears and other wildlife â€" and provide clean water that salmon need to survive.<br />Despite some delays reported due to compliance with environmental laws, 22 out of 26 Border Patrol stations on the southern border with Mexico report that the border security status (or “operational controlâ€) of their area of operation has not been affected by land management laws. Such a sweeping waiver of environmental laws, especially laws such as the National Environmental Policy Act that require interagency consultation, would result in a dramatic decrease in interagency coordination, consultation and trust â€" all key ingredients to improving national security along our borders.<br />Deputy Chief Ronald Vitiello of U.S. Customs and Border Protection spoke to the House Committee on Natural Resources last year, explaining that they don’t need this bill. They already cooperate with land managers, and that cooperation is essential to protect our borders.<br />Instead, factors like rugged terrainâ€"and not access delays or restrictionsâ€"have the highest impact on operational control. Of the four border stations that reported having been impacted, two of the stations did not even request additional resources or assistance to deal with the problem, and the two that did request help were denied by U.S. Customs and Border patrol because of budget constraints and other, higher-ranked priorities.<br />If the sponsors of this bill are so worried about protecting our borders, why don’t they listen to the border patrol?</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6016803033174468094-1037707142885773259?l=rrunrrun.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>
LINK: http://rrunrrun.blogspot.com/2012/06/hr-2578-conservation-and-economic.html
---------------------------------------------------------------
IN THE TRENCHES: BEGUM IS ASSAILED BY NORMA, ERIN AND HER MINIONS AT THE HIGH-RISE
---------------------------------------------------------------
By<b> Juan Montoya</b><br />When Justice of the Peace Pct. 2-2 candidate Yolanda Begum got a call from directors at the Villa del Sol at 700 E. St. Charles St., asking if she could donate a meat meal with the elderly residents at noon Monday because no one had come forward, she readily agreed.<br />The 14-story building houses 200 residents.<br />The U.S. Housing and Urban Development-funded facility run by the Brownsville Housing Authority houses many elderly residents at the high-rise who can benefit from the food donations of local residents."When I said I'd gladly do it, they asked me to come by so they could thank me personally and I could address the residents on where I stood on the issues," she said. "I got some of my volunteer supporters and went to the high rise to see the people."<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_WEkDy6wR34644j9GiRwKTibxObNIQcuSuc4fkjhJ9pPdUDwyzmJn6p81FnRJgSPEM54epaDvLWEw9p7MEHgjJ-ajU0e-P2wP9PUwXQxqt8uOKR7tnRB0ok2Ru8GT1hCwWNbNrlD8bAc/s1600/norma.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_WEkDy6wR34644j9GiRwKTibxObNIQcuSuc4fkjhJ9pPdUDwyzmJn6p81FnRJgSPEM54epaDvLWEw9p7MEHgjJ-ajU0e-P2wP9PUwXQxqt8uOKR7tnRB0ok2Ru8GT1hCwWNbNrlD8bAc/s400/norma.JPG" width="400" /></a>To her surprise, her opponent Erin Hernandez Garcia and her mother Norma were already there with a handful of campaign workers handing out campaign literature to the elderly residents. Their contribution to the nutritional needs of the residents?<br />"They had brought a little cake," said one of Begums' volunteers. "They were going to every table handing out campaign cards to the residents."<br />But that wasn't the half of it. As soon as Norma and Erin saw Begum and her volunteers walk in the room, they and their campaign workers assailed her and her supporters taking pictures of them in an apparent act of intimidation.<br />"I think they wanted us to feel as if we were doing something wrong," said a college student helping Begum. "They ran out into the middle fo the floor and started taking pictures of Yolanda in the middle of the room and when she was talking to the facility's director.<br />"Yolanda turned to Erin and asked her if she wanted her to pose so she could take her picture and Erin turned around and said 'I already did,'" said the worker. "What Norma and Erin did in front of all those poor people to Yolanda was the most impolite and churlish thing I have ever seen."<br />When the director was asked why the Hernandez were there at the same time that staff members had called Begum to ask her to contribute to the elderly residents' meal, she told them that it was a public facility and that there was nothing she could do about it.<br />"After the spectacle put on by Norma and Erin and her workers, Yolanda chose to leave rather than lend herself to those types of tactics," said the volunteer. "These people have no scruples." <br />An Internet commenter even went as far as to say that a photo purporting to show Begum filling out mail-in applications had appeared on the Cheezmeh Facebook page, an assertion denied by her campaign later in the day.<br />"All we were doing was handing out pushcards and asking for their support," she said. "I wouldn't doubt that they would doctor photos to try to make it appear that way. I don't put anything past these people." <br />Other Begum supporters said Norma Hernandez used the same tactics during a rally for Ruben Cortez, a candidate for the State Board of education District 2. At that meeting, Norma and Erin also assailed her and other Begum supporters and took their pictures.She said that Norma also offered to pay a barrio activist who was present $1,000 if he would switch sides and help Erin.<br />"He told her he had given Ms. Begum his word and couldn't go back on it," she said. "The weren't happy."<span style="background-color: white;"> </span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6016803033174468094-8511243684369005402?l=rrunrrun.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>
LINK: http://rrunrrun.blogspot.com/2012/06/in-trenches-begum-is-assailed-by-norma.html
---------------------------------------------------------------
ADELA'S EXPERIENCE MAKES DIFFERENCE IN GOP RUNOFF
---------------------------------------------------------------
<br />By <strong>Fernando Treviño</strong><br />From Texas GOP Vote<br />Who would have thunk, but South Texas actually has an interesting race on the Republican side for Congress! Of course we are still in the middle of a runoff, but now that we are getting close to November we must look at our candidates and decide who is the conservative that can actually win. <br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Congressional District 34 is probably the most competitive seat in Texas, right behind CD23 where Republican Freshman Francisco “Quico†Canseco is running for reelection, and we must be smart about who we nominate.<br />In this runoff, we have two Republicans - Adela Garza and Jessica Puente Bradshaw - running for the opportunity to face the winner of the Democrat primary. With this being an open seat, there has been a lot of interest and even some gossip. Despite proclaiming that “Leaders Lead, Not Mislead,†Jessica Puente Bradshaw has resorted to spreading rumors about Adela Garza and her family life, even stating that State Rep. Jose Aliseda has only endorsed Garza because they are related - completely not true . . . perhaps someone is jealous?<br />Though this race has been heated at times, these two woman have some things in common; for instance, both Adela Garza and Jessica Puente Bradshaw were born in Mexico and moved to the US at a young age. Both of these candidates undoubtedly love this country and appreciate the opportunities afforded to those willing to work here; they are running as Republicans after all.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheqbWVI4giOA1fc_YLNBWSxaWtPAtM-g5siHZwsWGHwmCg9-ms0Jv_nXUQdnertoTGJqMn6g4lAsImCSjbNhw_5ha6gDBdqo90dFng9tB-b9Kn8sYI3c3frWntnv2ztXHgy6t39Wi1vas/s1600/adela-garza-jessica-puente-bradshaw-cd-34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="175" rca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheqbWVI4giOA1fc_YLNBWSxaWtPAtM-g5siHZwsWGHwmCg9-ms0Jv_nXUQdnertoTGJqMn6g4lAsImCSjbNhw_5ha6gDBdqo90dFng9tB-b9Kn8sYI3c3frWntnv2ztXHgy6t39Wi1vas/s320/adela-garza-jessica-puente-bradshaw-cd-34.jpg" width="320" /></a>Regardless of who wins, South Texas Republicans will be nominating a Hispanic woman who can beat back decades of liberal lies along the border.</div>(Interestingly, in one of her ads in Brownsville, Bradshaw sais she was a "Brownsville native.")<br />The major difference between Garza and Bradshaw though is their experiences. Jessica Puente Bradshaw makes a lot of claims, namely that she is a “political analyst,†but what exactly does that mean? Plenty of people can talk and read about politics, but shouldn’t we want representatives who can live conservative values rather than just memorize them?<br />As a Texas Southmost College Trustee, Adela Garza was elected to protect the local community college and greatly delivered. TSC, a two year college, was “married†to the University of Texas at Brownsville, a regional four year university, and while the name recognition was good, the skyrocketing cost was not. What’s worse, the UT System Board of Regents gave the TSC Board of Trustees an ultimatum - gift us $200 million worth of assets to be paid for by your local taxpayers or separate the two institutions. As any conservative would do, Adela Garza acted with the majority of her board to save millions of assets for her taxpayers by fighting against a larger power seeking to impose its will.<br />In the aftermath some lost their jobs in what has come to be known as the “Great Divorce,†but it was not at the expense of taxpayers or on the backs of students. You’ve got to feel bad for those who lost their jobs, but this is what cutting government looks like - universities are government entities and working to save money and cut costs inextricably leads to losses. <br />However, Adela Garza has not only fought in the public sector, she is also a successful small business owner who has started several companies in South Texas - some have succeed and some have failed, but such is the nature of the private sector.<br />As the owner of a pharmacy, Adela Garza understands first hand the negative effects of government overreach; whether it’s because of Obamacare or a tax system that punishes success, Adela Garza knows that government can only create jobs when it gets out of the way of the private sector. <br />Funny thing about experience, Adela Garza has actually done what we as conservatives want to see - she has created jobs in the private sector and cut the size of government as a college Trustee. In contrast, her runoff opponent Jessica Puente Bradshaw has only read and opined about the issues that face us. She might be a good public speaker, but at this juncture in our nation’s history, we need fighters who can actually deliver!<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6016803033174468094-8750096796909502546?l=rrunrrun.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>
LINK: http://rrunrrun.blogspot.com/2012/06/adelas-experience-makes-difference-in.html
RSS URL: http://rrunrrun.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss
This email sponsored by:
1&1 Internet - 6 Months Free on new Hosting packages
http://www.1and1.com/?k_id=7538907
This email is a service of QuickThreads.com.
To manage your subscriptions, login here:
http://www.quickthreads.com/myaccount.php
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
No comments:
Post a Comment