Judicial Candidates & Social Media

Candidates think social media is their friend. Typically the younger the candidate, the more they think that. But social media as a campaign tool, especially in local races, is just a place were mistakes are made. 

Don't get me wrong - as a blogger I absolutely love it because it gives me stuff to write about. 

But from a campaign perspective the campaign teams should tell their candidates to stay off social media, delete their accounts, or at a minimum, go back a few years and clean them up. 

I'd ban them from using their cell phones until after 7pm on Election Night. 

In no race is that more clear than in the race for the 327th District Court. On paper, you'd look at that race and think that its of the more talent-rich races because all four candidates are experienced lawyers. Half of the candidates are sitting judges. 

But also, half the candidates' social media posts demonstrate a complete lack of sound judgement. And the public has the right to know about that. Thankfully, they put it out there for all the world to see. 

Which I guess if you look at it in terms of what is best for the community - I suppose it is a good thing their social media gives us a window into the decisions they make. At least that helps voters understand who not to vote for. 

This is hands-down the absolute biggest self-inflicted wound I've ever seen a candidate make in a campaign. 

In Texas we elect judges. The argument is the electorate can choose judges that reflect their community or values. 

Theoretically. 

But the truth is, the average voter is wholly unqualified to pick a judge. We aren't lawyers. If we ever find ourselves in court - its a pretty freakin' bad day. 

With the exception of adoptions and divorces. 

Er, marriages. I mean marriages.

We have no idea what makes a good or a bad judge. 

The only thing we have to go on is the really abstract concepts of someone that seems to be fair, honest, smart, or possess good judgement. 

But at the end of the day, when it comes down to brass tacks - their entire job is predicated on their judgement. 

And when they demonstrate bad judgement, well it tells you all you need to know about whether or not they should be on a bench. 

Now, I'm willing to wager that if I was somewhere having a cold one with you or chatting over coffee and I told you what I'm about to show you - you'd think I was full of shit. 

And then I'd remind you that we are the same community that had a sitting County Commissioner who was also running drugs between here and Chicago. 

Okay, okay...I know what you're thinking. 

Just get to the screenshot already. 

Okay, okay - calmala...

Here's a picture from almost exactly three years ago to the day. Tomorrow would actually be three years to the day. 

On the right in the fur is 327th District Court candidate Cori Harbour-Valdez. I think she's an associate municipal court judge. 

The woman on the left....do you recognize her?

A staffer? Family friend? A relative? Movie star? Friend from college? One of the Real Housewives of the Westside?  

Nope.

That is none other than a young lady named Emma Coronel Aispuro. That name might sound familiar to you. But if it doesn't, I'll save you the trouble of having to google her name. 

That is Chapo Guzman's wife. 

Yes, that Chapo Guzman. 

Do you know of another?

Chapo claimed to have killed between 2,000 and 3,000 people. The worst day in El Paso's history was August 3rd. Remember how many people died that day?

Or better yet, do you remember how many people died on 9/11? 

If you don't know, its 2,977. 

I know we've sort of glamorized drug crimes because of shows like Narcos. I watch them too. Hell, I've watched that series so much that I added malparido to my cursing dictionary. 

But the reality is Guzman is a monster who was at one point the most wealthy drug lord on the planet and had, by his own admission, thousands of people killed. 

And a judicial candidate not only fan-girled his wife to the point of taking a picture with her - but she smiled in the picture. The wife of a man who claims to have killed more people than 9-11. 

Oh wait, the poor judgement doesn't end there...

Remember when I said it was almost three years ago to the day?

Take a look at where that photo was taken?

Have you put it together yet?

She took that picture - with Chapo's wife - during his trial!

It was like two weeks before the trial ended.

What in the Kate del Castillo, Sean Penn was she thinking???

Let's take inventory of all the bad choices made in that post. First, to think it would ever be a good idea to take that picture in the first place. I mean, is that something you brag about in the first place? Was she just hanging out at the courthouse during the trial? 

But lets say for shits and giggles you take the picture. Maybe show it to a friend or two after a couple too many mimosas at brunch? Okay, I'll buy that. 

But then...who thinks to themselves - hey, I'll post this on Facebook - and tag where I'm at to boot!

Okay, maybe you're an eccentric kind of lawyer who likes living on the edge and you don't care what people think. 

I can dig it. I guess. 

But then, on top of the other bad decisions...you get the idea to run for office and at no point does your Spidey Senses start a tinglin' telling you maybe you should go back and clean some shit up? 

Because if you weren't smart enough to delete that - hoping no one had a screenshot - you kinda deserve the consequences. 

Seriously - there are a lot of bad choices that happened with that post. 

Oh - and if you're fast enough - its probably still there. I mean there's no point in deleting it now, but I'm fairly certain that at this point, someone has told her to take it down. 

I mean the only worse decision she could have made was to take a selfie with Yolanda Saldivar. 

And. She. Wants. To. Be. On. A. Bench.

If you don't get that reference - never, ever, ever, ever, disgrace my blog with your eyes ever again because it should be a criminal act to not know who she is if you live in Texas or appreciate brown culture. 

I said what I said.