I am shocked at the continued attacks by KVIA news reporter Darren “WITCH” Hunt of political activities by the Latino community in El Paso, in particular those South of the Freeway. He started his tabloid style reporting of “pachangas” last year by jumping over bushes to stick a microphone in elderly people’s faces, and ask them if their vote was being bought and paid for with a taco.
Seriously, a “gordita”, rice, beans, and bread......or brisket, rice, "frijolitos" and jalapenos.....or “taquitos”, rice, beans, bread, jalapenos, and "chile con queso"......IS FRIGGING buying votes? How is that?
Seriously, a “gordita”, rice, beans, and bread......or brisket, rice, "frijolitos" and jalapenos.....or “taquitos”, rice, beans, bread, jalapenos, and "chile con queso"......IS FRIGGING buying votes? How is that?
Political “pachangas” are organized all over the state in Texas and in the United States but are called different names. State Representative Senfronia Thompson (D-Houston), the Dean of ALL WOMEN in the ENTIRE TEXAS LEGISLATURE, has her ANNUAL “fish fry” where thousands of her constituents come to her event. And why didn’t KVIA and Darren “WITCH” Hunt blow the whistle on former Congressman Ron Coleman (D-El Paso) when he would throw his famous Ron Coleman's Labor Day Bar-BQ at the Cattleman Steakhouse where 1500 plus voters would attend? Why, is there such an interest to focus attention on events in the LOWER VALLEY or any other part of town that has a political event called a “PACHANGA”?
Is it because candidates recognize that cultural relevance is important? Political research consultants call “knowing your audience” very important to outreach and “pachangas” or “menudos” or “café y pan dulce” events are culturally relevant to engage Latino voters with candidates in informal settings. Is Darren “WITCH” Hunt going to go after the “ROCK THE VOTE” events, because they have loud bands, and serve beer, and have rock stars to influence their vote? I doubt it.
It is offensive to me that Darren “WITCH” Hunt is focusing on political rallies in Latino neighborhoods of El Paso SOUTH OF THE FREEWAY to intimidate voters into thinking that their participation and hearing of candidates, dancing to a band, eating a meal, and getting raffle tickets for door prizes, is wrong. Other than cash prizes, political events like the “pachangas” we have in the Lower Valley or SOUTH OF THE FREEWAY are common place in everywhere America, but they are called by a different name.
And “DEADBEAT DAD CRIMINAL BLOGGER” SHAME ON YOU!! A self proclaimed “Chicano” participating in this conspiracy to target voters South of the Freeway and intimidate candidates and the Democratic Party to stop political rallies called “pachangas”, is RACIST!
KVIA, DARREN “WITCH” HUNT you owe the SOUTH OF THE FREEWAY voters in El Paso an apology for your racist tactics to steer voters away from having an opportunity to listen to candidates. CHICANO CRIMINAL BLOGGER, I am embarrassed for you for not calling this what it is RACIST!!
KVIA, DARREN “WITCH” HUNT you owe the SOUTH OF THE FREEWAY voters in El Paso an apology for your racist tactics to steer voters away from having an opportunity to listen to candidates. CHICANO CRIMINAL BLOGGER, I am embarrassed for you for not calling this what it is RACIST!!
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11 comments:
love your moxy norma-you go get em girl-keep the good fight up and we will have some semblance of parity when voting time comes
Thanks for putting it in proper perspective. SS
Menudo, tacos, gorditas (all food) are recognized as a legitimate expenses for ethics reporting at the federal, state, and local level. I guarantee you if Darren "WITCH" Hunt was a reporter in Houston, and he went to Rep. Senfronia Thompson's annual "fish fry" with a news crew and microphone and started asking the people there if they thought that Rep. Thompson was trying to buy their vote with "fish and chips", the African American community would not sit idly and take the voter intimidation tactics of a White male reporter of a national network. Would NOT HAPPEN!
So are $1,000 a plate and wine and cheese soirees at country clubs also tantamount to buying votes in exchange for a cheddar cheese cube, a Ritz cracker and a glass of cheap chardonnay? Oh no, "them nice folk" are too sophisticated to be bought. But, Mexicans and black folk (trust me, I heard the same BS when I lived in GA)? We are conquered people, trained to be told what to do after just a few sips from the keg.
That's why columnists like EPT's Joe Muench and layman pundit Darren Hunt can't reconcile the thought of "articulate" Latinas or even more astonishing, a well-versed Latino electorate. It doesn't fit into their one-dimensional brain.
Thank you Ju, for putting this in perspective. I am so glad that this KVIA segment has been recorded for further review. Lots of racial undertones! Not surprised about the criminal blogger, but the professor, wow. I wonder if we will see Darren "WITCH" Hunt at the "Wine and Cheese" events on the Westside, sticking a microphone in the well-to-do ladies faces asking them if they were bought off or influenced with the wine that they paid $1000 bucks for.
I first want to thank-you for starting a blog that touches on issues that are of concern to the El Paso electorate. The more people that dialog on issues, the more chances we have of meaningful solutions. In regards to Mr. Hunt’s piece on panchangus, the real issue I had was the slanted bias given to Vince Perez. I happen to think that Mr. Perez is the best candidate for Precinct 3, but felt that Mr. Hunt’s piece gave him an advantage over his rival candidates. A better job could have been done relating the message that some candidates feel the panchangas are harmful without giving Mr. Perez so much airtime.
In regards, to panchangus, fish frys, or Bar-B-Q’s, they all invite corruption to the table. The majority of voters at these events couldn’t tell you one iota about the issues that the candidates running for office stand for, but they will remember the man or women that gave them free food and beer and vote accordingly. Sad and disheartening for those candidates that want to make a difference, but election rules deem this type of activity legitimate, even if it is morally flawed. South of the Freeway voters have had almost no one in the last 40 years represent them with a since of urgency and the result is communities like Socorro that continue to back pedal. I look forward to your future blogs.
I saw News XTRA and it was definitely both racist and biased in favor of Vince Perez and was also a hit piece against Norma Chavez and Theresa Caballero. Aren't both of these women enemies of Darren Witch Hunt and the Deadbeat Abeytia? Dr. Payan made Abeytia look like a fool when he corrected his lies and stereotypes about poor Mexicans in the valley. What about the favors the rich get for their contributions? When Abeytia said the pachangas would only happen in the lower valley, Payan told him they happen all along the border, in the south and elsewhere. The criminal blogger as you call him also said giving a child a bike wasn't so bad because they can't vote, but giving money to an adult is wrong. So these kids don't have parents who vote? Payan is smart, but I think the Deadbeat is mostly just a chismoso.I heard he takes money himself, but it looks like he doesn't want these people to get any. I read somewhere a while back that he stuffs himself with food and beer at all the campaign parties.
"Pachangus" disagree with you on many things. A fish fry, or Bar-B-Q, or wine & cheese, or ice cream political event does not influence a poli's vote. It is more of a community type setting instead of the private El Paso Club type events, or "home" events, that some lobbyists and money "bundlers" have for candidates or elected officials.
A bundler is someone who contacts people and organizes a bundle of cash for a person in amounts like $10,000 or $20,000 or $100,000. Bundlers have to comply with ethics laws, but there is no comparison to a "bundler" event and a "pachanga".
At most "pachangas" there are no political checks collected, it is usually mariachi bands, or a home band, food, beverages, and yes raffles with door prizes. It is cultural, and political, and an informal but comfortable setting, family friendly, and kind of a sit around and meet candidates type event.
I am concerned with the racial undertones of Darren "WITCH" Hunt's story. The discussion last night turned into a "only South of the freeway, or in the Lower Valley" problem. Sorry "Criminal Blogger" since you are NOT Texan, you do not know that political pachangas are prevalent in all of Texas in Mexican barrios.
It is not an invitation to public corruption, give me a break. A taco doesn't influence a vote.
The other thing that "WITCH" Hunt does is play political favorites. He is an extension to the political arm of one political faction that in my opinion, abuses the FCC rules on campaigns. His racist piece on "pachangas" shows to what extend he is willing to stretch the rules.
Pat, you are correct, Darren "WITCH" Hunt is biased in his writing and reporting of political events. He was stalking me and voters outside political "meet and greets" last year, directly using intimidation tactics on voters, by sticking his cordless microphone in elderly peoples mouths asking if the meal they had, influenced their vote. I think a formal complaint with the FCC and the US Attorney General are in order. (BTY, This blog post has surpassed all blog posts to date, including "los doce en dos mil doce" which was the first.)
Happy New Year!
You are comparing two types of events. One type is where citizens get together to raise money for their candidate. It can be humble (like the Posole fundraiser that Vince held) or the $1000 dinners that others have (Mr. Margo, for example.). In the pachanga case it is the fact that the candidates are giving cash back to potential voters that makes everyone uncomfortable. It is about the cash, not the get together. The politicos involved should have known better.
What exactly would we be complaining to the FCC about?
Thank you.
A complaint should be filed because of steering and to the US Attorney Geheral's office because of voter intimidation. Have a call into MALDEF but they are deeply involved in the redistricting hearings. Darren "WITCH" Hunt needs to be called out on this.
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