Questions Arise Regarding Recall Financing

So if you haven't seen the video of a press conference held by Stuart Leeds, Theresa Caballero, and Tom Brown yesterday on the El Paso Times, you should go and watch it. Its fascinating stuff.

I noticed that during the press conference Theresa Caballero was asked a question from a reporter (from El Diario if I'm not mistaken) about whether the recall people had a PAC. Her response made me curious.

At another point in the press conference in response to another question, Caballero emphatically stated, "We follow the law."

Over the weekend there was a sticker attached to the El Paso Times that reminded people that they were running out of time to sign the recall petition. That costs money. Certainly more than $500.

I mention $500 because that is the spending threshold before you have to file as a PAC. So I went digging around to see if the recall people had filed a PAC.

I didn't find any listing of a PAC for the organization, although I did find a listing for El Pasoans for Responsible Government that lists Nacho Padilla as the point of contact. Which leads to another question, if they have a PAC, where is the financial reporting? I don't see campaign finance reports filed anywhere, but I know for a fact they have spent more than $500 because the sticker on the newspaper alone costs more than $500.

The recall people are acting within their rights as citizens to try to go for a recall. Its part of our system. But also part of our system is a set of rules and procedures put in place that the recall folks are required to abide by.

For the sake of our democratic process, I hope that they have.

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