Exhibit A: Why ‘I’m a Lawyer’ Isn’t Enough

The JP 5 race has officially entered the “trust me, I’m a lawyer” phase, and history tells us that’s usually where the comedy starts.

JP 5: 

Objection!

 - Credibility Not Found

There’s a familiar campaign jingle playing again in Precinct 5, and it goes a little something like this:

“Vote for me, I’m a lawyer.”

That’s it. That’s the hook. No chorus. No bridge. Just vibes and a bar card.

Jesus Olivas is running for Justice of the Peace, and his main selling point is that he’s an attorney. Which, in JP-land, is about as original as a campaign sign with red, white, and blue stars slapped on it. We’ve heard this pitch before—usually right before the follow-up promise:

“And don’t worry, I’ll totally close my law practice.”

Sure you will, primo. Just like every other attorney-JP who said the same thing… and then didn’t. It’s the political equivalent of “I’ll only have one beer.”

The Lawyer Flex That Keeps Backfiring

Here’s the thing: when you run on “I understand the law better than everyone else,” you are voluntarily raising the bar. You don’t get graded on a curve. You don’t get the “I’m new to this” pass. You don’t get to shrug and say “my bad” like the rest of us when we forget to return a library book.

If you’re a lawyer, the expectation is simple:

You follow the law.

Especially the easy parts.

Especially the paperwork.

Which brings us to the problem.

Campaign Finance Reports: Not Optional, Not Cute

As of now, Olivas hasn’t filed his most recent campaign finance report. And before anyone tries to spin this as a “technicality,” let’s be clear: campaign finance reports are not decorative. They’re not vibes. They’re not suggestions.

They are mandatory, basic, Campaigning 101 transparency requirements.

This isn’t advanced constitutional theory. This is “did you turn in your homework” level law.

And when your entire campaign argument is “elect me because I’m a lawyer and I know the rules,” but you can’t be bothered to follow one of the most visible rules of running for office? That’s not a small slip - that’s a credibility face-plant.

You Can’t Yell “Rule of Law” While Ignoring the Rules

You don’t get to lecture voters about legal expertise while the ink on your missing filing is still imaginary. You don’t get to demand trust while dodging transparency. And you definitely don’t get to act like this is no big deal when regular candidates - non-lawyers, regular folks - manage to file on time every cycle.

If anything, being a lawyer makes this worse, not better.

Because now the question isn’t “did he know?”

The question is “if he knew, why didn’t he do it?”

And neither answer inspires confidence.

Justice of the Peace isn’t about who has the fanciest résumé or the most Latin on their letterhead. It’s about fairness, accountability, and treating the law like something more than a campaign prop.

If your first act as a candidate is ignoring transparency, what exactly are voters supposed to expect once you’re wearing the robe?

Because in Precinct 5, folks aren’t looking for a lawyer who talks about the law.

They’re looking for someone who actually respects it.

File the report.

Then make the argument.

Until then?

Sustained.