The "VeroniCUNS" in the 2012 Democratic Primary!! Know your candidates & the political faction they belong to!

The “VeroniCUNS” were so named in a previous blog post.  To refresh your memory, the endearing term is named after the political figure head of the faction, County Judge Veronica Escobar and from the word “cunning” (see old blog posts on 1/19/12 and 1/23/12 for more detail).  The "Veronicuns" emerged as a leadership group out of the political faction known as the "Shapleighites". 

The cleverly composed composite of the “Veronicun” political faction is of “CRUELLA de Escobar” and her current political “Dalmatian Pack” (lap dogs and otherwise unless they lose then they are OUT OF THE PACK).   The composite provides a literal “snap-shot” of how to connect-the-dots to this diverse group of cohorts. 

Current members of CRUELLA de Escobar’s “VeroniCUNS” are (Left to right): State Rep. Marisa Marquez (there until she can be beat, which might be May 29, 2012), City Rep Susie Byrd (1^st Commander, BFF, and future candidate or staffer for either Escobar or O’Rourke – they have plans for her even if she is pro-marijuana legalization), County Commissioner Anna Perez a legal lapdog (and Candidate for 41^st District Court), State Rep Naomi Gonzalez (their 86% PAC purchase), Michael Wyatt (former law partner with Shapleigh, former Campaign Treasurer for Escobar, before she nominated him and voted for him to be the county “Ethics Attorney” (real ethical), Marty Schladen (El Paso Times reporter who has proven to be biased), Robert Francis O’Rourke nicknamed and on the ballot as “Beto” (I have heard various stories on how he obtained the nickname) is former City Representative and Candidate for Congress and 1^st Commander with Byrd, Robert Moore aka “Bob” is “Editor” of the El Paso Times (has turned out to be the Public Relations go-to-guy for the “VeroniCUN” political faction), City Rep. Steve Ortega aka “Stevo” (like “Baytoe”) is also a 1^st Commander (and has led the awarding of more no- compete contracts and corporate welfare of any councilman, indicted or not indicted, to date), and Darren Hunt of KVIA-TV (aka “Witch” Hunt for his pro-VeroniCUN “witch hunts” that Curella de Escobar sends him on).  All of them have earned their place on the composite per it’s author “2^nd Chance”!

And so here is the list of the "VeroniCUN" Candidates in the 2012 Democratic Primary:

"VeroniCUN Candidates/Incumbents  2012"

Robert Francis O’Rourke “Beto”                US Congress

Marisa Marquez (wannabe me)                  House District 77:

Anna Perez (pension seeker)                     District Judge, 41^st 

Lisa Aceves Hayes (recruit)                        District Judge, 383^rd 

Don Williams (wannabe “Veronicun”)       District Judge, 388^th 

Lucila Flores Camarena (real Veronicun)  District Judge, 388^th 

Jose Castillo (Criminal Blogger Mgr)         District Judge, Criminal Court 1

Victor Flores (wannabe “Veronicun”)        County Tax Assessor-Collector

Liza Montelongo (Baytoe 2^nd stringer)       County Commissioner Pct. #1

Vince Perez (Benedicto Arnoldo)                   County Commissioner Pct. #3

The VeroniCUN political faction has successfully pushed the biggest erasure of Latino/Mexican American/Xicano/Indigenous cultural symbols,  buildings, public art, using a very strategized “gentrification plan”, have forced expensive “round-a-bouts” in neighborhoods,  have awarded unprecedented no-compete contracts to questionable entities including friends and political allies, have pushed an eminent domain agenda on properties of interest to rich political allies and land speculators, have successfully pushed and passed toll roads (starting with Cesar Chavez Highway), placed on the Council for a vote domestic partner benefits that confused people in support of the measure, even though City Rep. Jan Sumrall had already passed it on Council in December 2003, then reversed a voters referendum on the issue (this issue was a done deal and on the books as passed), increased taxes, increased the indebtedness of the county and city with non-taxpayer approved bonds known as CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION, awarded tax breaks to what appears are political allies, supported privatization against the desires of organized labor and dissing union contracts even though all of them are proclaimed "Democrats".

Be aware of the “VeroniCUN” faction and be wise about your vote and selection of your candidates. Hold these people ACCOUNTABLE!! As for me and my household, we won’t be voting for any “Veronicun” candidates!

***The Criminal Blogger (CB) has been hired to help with campaigns and is associated with Art Fierro who is running various campaigns this cycle. Campaigns CB is associated with are Marisa Marquez, Jaime Castillo, Mary Gonzalez, Anna Perez and Vince Perez.  The Criminal Blogger IS a “VeroniCUN operative!

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From EDITOR back to REPORTER: El Paso Times Editor goes ROGUE to Report Voting SURGE!! (?)

The El Paso Times Editor Bob Moore has decided to go “reporter” and he personally posted an article he wrote for the newspaper. Awwww how special!  

He calls the 2012 Early Vote a “surge” in his headline: “Early voting surges 47%: Democratic congressional primary draws the most attention”.  Que cute! 

I mean really, where was he in 2008 when the TSUNAMI hit El Paso the election year that the “PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY” reported a RECORD Democratic turn-out and there was MINIMAL REPUBLICAN crossover vote.  Why?  Because the R’s were in their own McCain Primary, happily awaiting ringside for the Demo’s to duke it out and determine who would finally be the Democratic Nominee for President.  The 2008 Primary Election in Texas was not just a SURGE it was a literal Tsunami not just here in El Paso but across the nation (do you remember that election Bob?  Have you ever voted in a Democratic Primary?).

I was uniquely involved in that campaign as I was the first Latina in the state (the first elected official in the state and I believe the first Latino elected official in the nation) endorsing President Barack Obama (then just a US Senator and candidate for president).  It was a tough place to be considering that El Paso, Texas, the largest international Border City with Mexico in the nation, is/was a CLINTON TOWN!! 

Precinct Conventions in every precinct in El Paso reported real SURGES in voter turnout where dozens of people, in fact some precincts recorded over 100 participants (as was my personal Precinct), in Precincts where normally 1 or 2 people show up at the Precinct Convention. So this year’s turnout is to be expected and not really a SURGE from last year.  And this SURGE in voter turnout is not “headline” news Bob, it is very common.  It is what political consultants distinguish between turnout for a “gubernatorial” year or “presidential” year and consultants adjust projections based on these very different Primary years.  These are simple terms Bob you should learn for next Primary when it will be a “gubernatorial” year and a substantially lower voter turnout year.

I don’t know that I like your “rogue” methods going from “Editor” and back to “reporter” in this particular election.  It doesn’t speak well of your reporters and may cause readers to see this as your lack of trust of their journalistic capacity. Or it can be interpreted as your reporter’s “mutiny” to your rogue methods of serving as managing editor and injecting yourself as “reporter for the day” when you see fit. It is very interesting to watch and read, to say the least.

I don’t recall Tom Fenton, Don Flores or Chris Lopez as “Editors” EVER writing a story in the El Paso Times as the “reporter” much less a story in a partisan political race.  You have clearly demonstrated your insistence of putting tabloid reporting methods first in order to sell newspapers and you have demonstrated your lack of neutrality in the 16^th Congressional race.  This is very unfortunate for your readership but I am sure you will have your colleagues nominate you for awards to cover your very exposed nalgas!

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ADRIAN PEREZ: Frontera Bugalu’s Harpist, Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo Native Son

In my "out and about" stage of creative exploration, I have developed a great admiration and respect for a lot of local bands and musicians especially “Frontera Bugalu”.  It is one of the first original music bands I heard (post elected office) and have been supporting them ever since.  I have known some of the musicians and their previous musical acts for many years, but this band is an electrical, roots based, Latino influenced band that has a pretty amazing stage presence and their self-titled debut CD, has songs that stay in your head. 

In Frontera Bugalu's creative mixture of talent is Adrian Perez, harpist for the band.

Adrian Perez is a 22 year old card carrying Native American. Many of his fellow band members did not know this fact but after sipping a few tequila shots at my house in Austin with the band and friends of the band, those who did not know, learned that Adrian is a member of the Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo (Tigua) tribe here in El Paso. Part of the artwork hanging in the house, is Native American art, and I have several Tigua art pieces I have collected over the years that he recognized.  In a very subtle and non-assuming way, he motioned to artwork on the wall and stated it was “Tigua”.  I answered “yes, it is. You know the art origins because you are Tigua”. Adrian pulled out his federal Native American ID card and shared it with the group.  

It was down time for the band as everyone was feeling accomplished about a very strong performance and final gig of the “mini Texas tour” for the after party show in Austin, Texas. Frontera Bugalu played at the SXSW Film Festival reveal of a film by local guitar genius and filmmaker Omar Rodriguez Lopez. Adrian was one of the band members who crammed a three day gig starting in Marfa and ending in Austin.  He clearly has the most sensitive instrument, the harp, and travel with the instrument I assume is a delicate task.  In fact in 24 hours, from the gig in San Antonio to Austin, he discovered a few “dings” in his treasured harp and he had a knob that tunes a string, break.  Although, visibly concerned, he is mild mannered and extremely respectful and simply stated he only needed some “super glue” and he could do a temporary fix for the gig.   He didn’t complain, whimper, or sulk.  In true musicianship form, he fixed the problem so he could perform!

Adrian Perez, is a multi-instrument classical guitarist.  He started playing at 7 years old with whom he calls a classical guitar maestro named “Domingo” a Mexican national from Mexico City.  At that young age, he concurrently played with a relative of “Domingo” named “Joseph” (a music student at Berklee College of Music in Boston) whom Adrian learned rock and blues guitar.  His interest in music continued and at 13 years, he was studying James Clarkston style guitar (that blends Flamenco with classical guitar), and he joined his first mariachi group at Valley View Middle School.

When Mariachi Vargas came to El Paso Adrian says he was taken by the harpist, and bugged him about showing him some exercises.  Shortly after, his father (a guitar aficionado and musician) bought Adrian a harp. 

He started attending music conferences and at the Las Cruces International Mariachi Conference, he met his “mentor, teacher, friend” Sergio Alonzo who plays with the “Mariachi Camperos De Nati Cano” one of the 3 top mariachi groups in the world.  (Mariach Camperos De Nati Cano are Grammy Award winners and the mariachi group that collaborated on Linda Ronstadt’s “Canciones de Mi Padre” recording). He studied with “Checo” during Spring break, Christmas break and summers and has utilized the mentorship and studies to advance his playing.  Because of him he says, Adrian has been influenced to teach the tradition and Checo's sessions have greatly influenced his public performance.

At 18 years old, he says he was fortunate and honored to perform as a substitute for Checo with Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano. After that, he was invited to audition for “Mariachi Sol De Mexico” and he is a musician that is “called up” regularly to perform with other groups across the country.

In January of 2011, he started to play with “Frontera Bugalu” which he calls “more of a pop culture, Mexican-Latino roots group”.

Tonight (May 6,2012), he performs in the Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo tribes newest 

entertainment venture, Socorro Entertainment Center.  Frontera Bugalu opens for multi-Platinum record, Grammy and Latin Grammy Award Winners, “Calle 13”, for the general public and tribal members and their families!

His parents are Jesus and Virginia Perez and he has a younger sister Kristina and younger brother John Paul. His family members include political leaders of the tribe including 2 former Governors of the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo including his uncles, former Governor Art Sinclair and David Sinclair served on Tribal Council (Adrian's mother is their sister).  His cousin former Governor Albert Alvidrez, served as Governor of the tribe during the time they had Indian Gaming on the Reservation. All of them are supportive of the young and talented Adrian Perez and his musical career.  His father played trumpet and guitar in a band, influencing the young Adrian.  Although capable of playing multiple instruments, his focus now is on the harp.

He has incredible stage presence and is a gifted musician to watch.  Make sure to keep an eye out on any performance by “Frontera Bugalu”.  Tonight we watch the Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo Native son, perform on tribal land.    

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SHAME SHAME SHAME on you STEVE ORTEGA! The YISD has the right to hold a board meeting in the community! What are you afraid of??

The Ysleta Independent School District Board of Trustees will hold a special meeting today to discuss district matters including the impact to schools in the area, in the event an international bridge is built at Yarbrough.  The meeting will be today Riverside Middle, 7615 Mimosa, at 6 pm. Unfortunately, City Representative Steve Ortega issued a scathing press release admonishing the school district for holding a school board meeting in the community. The school district doesn’t JUST EXIST to educate school children Mr. Ortega, but has a responsibility to engage and educate a community when a school district and or public schools are impacted by transportation projects that could displace families.

SHAME, SHAME, SHAME on you STEVE ORTEGA!  For skirting the issues of the possibility of an international bridge being built at Yarbrough and playing politics for  your friend and political ally.  The international bridge at Yarbrough is far advanced in planning and drawings in the long term Mobility Plans and you know it!  Maps exist, don’t they MR. ORTEGA.  These maps demonstrate plans for connecting the Yarbrough bridge with Mexico. In your typical arrogance, are you the one who proposed the naming of the bridge “Cesar Chavez Bridge?. 

Rep. Ortega you attended a meeting that I held in February 2010, where you quickly exited the building to boo’s and parents asking you where you stood regarding the construction of an international bridge at Yarbrough.  I coordinated that meeting as Chair of the International Border Bridge Task Force under the Metropolitan Planning Organization (I still have those papers and the video) until political ally Ted Houghton, (as Chair of the Transportation Commission not MPO) appointed you Chair of ANOTHER Border Bridge Task Force Committee, because of concerns that I did not support destroying neighborhoods and disrupting YISD schools in the immediate area, and because you were going to make incremental steps to push forward with the bridge at Yarbrough. 

Your press release lists a Presidential Permit as part of the criteria to move forward with the bridge, yet you fail to mention that a Presidential Permit does NOT happen without the consent of the sitting Congressman where the bridge is proposed.  Isn’t that the real reason that you are angry? Because your political ally Beto O’Rourke is running for Congress, and as a congressman, he will sign off on a bridge at Yarbrough, unlike Congressman Silvestre Reyes who has adamantly and repeatedly stated his opposition to the bridge at Yarbrough. The people have a right to know who is the wolf in sheep’s clothes?   

In addition, doesn’t your political ally Beto O’Rourke have a father-in-law with business interests in and around both sides of international ports of entry? If not, who are the partners in theses “Verde” land parcels? Or is it a “mystery of God” that they are sub-named “Verde”!

“Group 1 appears to be served by a new POE as they are located almost directly across from Riverside High School page 2 REDCO map

Group 2 by the Airport appears to be most directly served by a new POE from Ave FCO Villareal cross over streets appear to give them access to Zaragosa

Group 3 appears to be most directly served by Zaragosa but cross over streets appear to give them access to a new POE from Ave FCO Villareal

Group 4 are adjacent to the Zaragosa bridge

 1. These sites are directly across from Riverside High School

Verde Bermudez 1411 129,762 SF  Av. Antonio J. Bermudez Bermudez Industrial Juarez – Mexico Bermudez Industrial Park

Verde Bermudez 1451 95,300 SF  Av. Antonio J. Bermudez #1451  Bermudez Industrial Park

2.  In front of Airport

Verde Northgate  59,189 SF  Taguchi #250  Private Industrial Park. Close to Juarez International Airport

Verde AeroParque 276,847 SF Carr. Panamericana Km. 18.5 No.9031 Verde Aeroparque Juarez – Mexico located in front of Juarez International Airport

Verde AeroParque - Bldg # 4 150,993 SF  Av. Roberto Fierro 6351  Verde AeroParque Juarez – Mexico In front of Juarez International Airport

Verde Las Torres  485,999 SF  Verde Las Torres Juarez – Mexico Corner of Av. Henequen and Av. Las Torres

3. Road east of and parallels to direct road to Zaragosa

Verde Independencia I - Bldg # 1 385,815 SF  Boulevard Independencia # 2550

Verde Independencia I - Bldg # 2 217,367 SF  Calle Refugio de la Libertad 2551  Colonia Fray Garcia de San Franciso

Verde Independencia I - Bldg # 4 120,854 SF  Av. Independencia 2551 Verde Indepencia

Verde Independencia I - Bldg # 7 181,133  Av. Independencia 2550 Verde Independencia I Industrial Park

Verde Independencia II - Building # 4  205,145 Corner of Independencia Ave & Manuel Talamas Ave

4. These Sites are adjacent to Zaragosa Bridge

Verde Rio Bravo I 116,250 SF  420 Manuel Sandoval Vallarta  Rio Bravo Industrial Park

Verde Rio Bravo II 150,694 SF  1235 Rio Bravo Ave.  Rio Bravo Industrial Park"

There is nothing wrong with real estate investment. There is nothing wrong with real estate development and master planning, but be HONEST WITH THE PEOPLE and tell them when you have a conflict of interest BETO O'ROURKE!!

The Ysleta Independent School District school board Trustees, are holding a meeting in the community.  Today, May 2, at 6 pm, at Riverside Middle School, 7615 Mimosa!  I think it is important for anyone interested in the issues of building or not building an international bridge at Yarbrough to be there.  I will be there!

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WHO WAS GIVEN PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT FOR A DWI?? Where does an honest cop go to tell his side of the story?

Have you been in a situation where you think you may have had too much to drink, but you were fortunate enough to have a party host sit you down and give you something to eat and drink (non alcoholic), maybe talk to you for a couple of hours, let you take a nap, before sending you out to drive home. 


Or have you have been to a club where the responsible club owner recognizes that you might have had too many cocktails and so the responsible club owner called you a cab home. Or maybe you did the mistake of NOT listening to friends and not listening to bar owners and YOU DROVE YOURSELF HOME AND GOT YOURSELF A DWI!

How many people arrested for suspicion of driving while intoxicated have had the luxury to have the Command Station where you have been”booked” closed down, police officers sent home, and food and beverages (non-alcoholic) brought in, and a couple of hours LATER, you were allowed to “blow”?  

How would you like it if a high ranking elected official was treated with preferential treatment so as not to embarrass himself or the community and was awarded the above mentioned treatment to help with the “blow” outcome?
What would you do if you were a police officer or an almost retired Assistant Commander, stationed at the Command Center where an alleged incident of a high ranking elected official who was picked up for DWI, and you witnessed preferential treatment, but a representative of a high ranking official at City Hall, helped orchestrate the preferential treatment and subsequent hush-hush cover up?

Where do these very disturbed police officers (two police Sgts know something, one sourced as from Downtown and the other at the West Side Command Center) go to tell of the incident and preferential treatment?  I think that it is the DPS Texas Rangers who are called in to look into a police cover-up of an incident like this.  Do you know where good El Paso Police Officers go to share their side of a story?

The people have a right to know......THE TRUTH!

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