Why is Rachel Quintana Going to Meet the President?

If you saw the headline in the Borderland section of today’s paper, City Reps Holguin and Quintana are going to meet with President Obama about immigration reform.

I know the city paid for Rep Holguin’s flight and hotel. Which I think is appropriate because he is an elected official representing the City of El Paso and was recently re-elected. He and his wife have also had a long history of advocacy for immigration reform.

But Rachel Quintana? Are you kidding me? Why in the hell is she going? And for God’s sake, I hope we aren’t paying for her trip. She’s out of office in a matter of days. How could the expense ever be justified? More importantly, why are we paying for her to have a big ass road trip at the end of her political career so she can’t party it up in DC?

I’m sure she will say its all business and she wants to talk about the importance of immigration reform. Sure she does. That’s about as up-front and straight-forward as her political stage name.

Oh yeah, I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned that. She’s Veronica Rachel Quintana. A couple of friends of mine worked with her at FedEx and said the whole name change thing happened when she ran for office. No one knows why.

And another thing…what the hell does she know about immigration policy? She has NEVER been around a single conversation about immigration reform. I went through my notes and photo, audio, and video archives and I have no record of her being at a single immigration reform event or discussion.

There was just one on Saturday that I participated in, and guess who wasn’t there…V. Rachel Quintana.

I understand travel is part of the job of elected leadership and we should pick up the travel and lodging if they are doing business for the city. I’m not debating that point.

If she's going on her own dime, orale pues, have fun. 

But at some point someone has to speak up and say, WTF when a lame duck who is leaving office is just a few days takes an expensive trip on our dime if we have to pay for it.