Fierro's Falsehood?

Nothing is more annoying than listening to politicians twist themselves into a pretzel about an issue, being hypocritical about an issue, or misrepresenting facts. 

What is particularly annoying about that from politicians is that they have a knack for implying something without saying it, or frame something in a way that only maintains a kernel of truth, but just enough to create doubt. 

I saw Art Fierro speak a couple of times recently and that particular affinity towards framing things in a particular way that tries to optimize Art. 

But as much as the Trump Administration would have their sheep believe, there are no such things as alternative facts. At the end of the day there are two constants in politics - facts and bullshit. 

Let me break down a couple of things before we go to video, because my favorite things in local politics is catching people say things that are demonstrably untrue. 

Art Fierro's lit is straight-up divorced from reality. I mean politicians are famous for political double speak but Jesus H. Christ this is Hall-of-Fame-Hypocritical.

First is one of his mailers where he completely rewrites history. I mean worse than the Texas State Board of Education. 

This mailer says he needs voters' help to stop the Republicans "from taking away our voting rights, defunding public education and continuing to limit Medicaid..." 

Are you kidding me? Fierro was on the Elections Committee. He was entirely ineffective as evidenced by the fact that you know, they passed all that shit he said he was fighting. 

But seriously, how much was he actually fighting in the first place? He was one of the first Democrats to sell-out and return to Austin to ENABLE the GOP to pass all the things in his mailer he says he's against. In exchange for a seat that wouldn't have included Claudia Ordaz Perez. Instead, he was rewarded by the GOP for helping them and State Reps Ordaz Perez and Lina Ortega were punished and drawn into the same district. 

A district that now has Ysleta and Rim Road in the same district. 

Oh don't think that's all of it. Get a load of this one from a door hanger. 

Now he reinvents himself from the anti-Republican crusader to a centrist. The door hanger talks about extremism and gridlock. First of all, there is no gridlock. If there was, the Democratic Caucus would've have had to leave the state. Second - how do you like that progressives? I'm looking at you El Paso Young Democrats...the guy you're supporting is calling the policies you almost all uniformly support (as do many of us in the Party) "extremist". Instead of being like AOC or Bernie and fighting on principle, he's talking about how we need "leadership that unites us...". 

Translation - a centrist. 

My favorite part of all of Art's lit is the fact that he talks about leadership and fighting. And this goes to the ABC 7 Xtra appearance recently - Art Fierro didn't pass any legislation this last term. Now he will try to twist himself into a pretzel and mince words by saying he got things passed out of the House - nothing to write home about mind you - but he got nothing passed into law. 

Nada.

Zip.

Zero. 

No matter how he tries to frame it or run from the truth - that is a fact. I mean, not even the proposed Super Bowl Holiday Bill, arguably the most substantive bill he's ever proposed. Which c'mon man, if you can't pass a bill relating to football in Texas, what are you even doing there in the first place...?

Also, the fact that Art sold out and didn't pass anything flies in the face of his unifier message. 

But here's my favorite one. I almost fell out of my chair when I read it. Read the portions underlined in red. 

Now he's back to fighting against Republicans - but has the audacity to say he's been fighting for voting rights, healthcare access, etc..."at every step". 

As we say in the streets, ¡NO MAMMES!

At every step wouldn't include the step where he stepped on to a plane (without telling most of the Democratic delegation) and flew back to Austin and stepped back into the Capitol - enabling the Republicans to step all over our rights. 

Art's team can't seem to figure out what exactly they want their message to be. 

Captain Uniter is also attacking COP on her contributions from local Republicans. Which is funny because I'm wondering when exactly Art Fierro became opposed to talking Republican money from local donors that routinely give to Democrats. 

Was it because they stopped giving it to him when he asked for it? 

Because here is a quick list of just the names I know off the top of my head that are Republicans that contributed to Art since he's been a state representative:

The Hunt Foundation

Randy Bowling

Robert Bowling

Rick Francis

Pat Haggerty

Woody Hunt

Marathon Oil PAC

One Gas PAC

Texans for Lawsuit Reform

Stanley Jobe

Raytheon

Ike Monty

I mean that's just a quick look at his finance reports from the two sessions he's been in the legislature. I bet if I looked over his entire career as an elected official there'd be more. 

Weird how all of a sudden Republican money is a problem. 

Oh, I almost forgot....

The video.

See, if you follow politics long enough you'll often find examples candidates, saying one thing in front of one group and something else in front of other, flat-out lying, or really stretching the truth like my mom stretches masa when she makes tortillas. 

Here's a prime example. The following video is less than a Tik-Tok, so check it out because Art Fierro is waxing poetic about a particular bill. 

Its such a bad bill, she's against victim's rights, yada yada yada.

I mean he really lays it on thick about that bill. 

Except one problem. Facts are stubborn things. 

I looked up the vote on that bill. Come on y'all, you know how this ends...

Art Fierro voted in favor of the bill he was criticizing his opponent for supporting. If its a bad bill, its a bad bill. I have absolutely no problem with a candidate saying so. They are both representatives and both have records to be scrutinized. But he left people in that Northeast audience with the impression that he was opposed to that bill. 

He never told them he also voted in favor of it. 

And that ladies and gentlemen - is the Art of deception.