El Paso Politics

It could be a concern about fielding questions about his political affiliation, but in a bit of a surprising development Dr. Michiel Noe was a "no-show" last night at the Eastside Democrats meeting. The organization unanimously endorsed El Paso Community College Trustee Art Fierro for the position. Being the only auxiliary of the Democratic Party on the Eastside, the endorsement is the most important endorsement of this brief election season. Interestingly, the Chair of the Eastside Democrats is former City Representative Emma Acosta. She was not in attendance at the meeting. She and Dr. Noe served as colleagues on the El Paso City Council. Her former staffer Dora Oaxaca is also a former staffer of Dr. Noe and is working on his campaign, so Acosta's absence was likely strategic. But it wasn't unnoticed. Noe Democrat? For his entire political career Dr. Noe has been under a cloud of suspicion about his political affiliation. At one point at a political function Noe men...

The editorial in today's edition of the El Paso Times underscores a point I have been making about Republican candidate for Sheriff, Tom Buchino. The editorial was about Crime Stats Again Puncture Border Myths and outlined the fact that while crime was up slightly nationwide, the areas that were consistently bucking that trend were urban areas along the border that have consistently seen drops in the rate of crime. But you already knew that because you live in El Paso. And that is really the point that I have been making about Buchino. Take a look at any of his social media, look him up on YouTube, etc and you will see that he clearly has an agenda of further militarizing the Sheriff's Department if elected. In the words of Levar Burton, "But you don't have to take my word for it..." forget the dress-up or the time he actually fired a weapon in his video and just check out what Buchino says in his own words in any number of his campaign videos. Here's one go...

Yesterday was Labor Day and it got me to thinking about unions in town. As you know I'm a lifelong union guy and do work for unions in town. That is why when I see unions do things that I know is ultimately going to hurt other unions, it bothers me. Thus my criticism of the El Paso Sheriffs Officers Association and others. But the one that I think is doing the most damage to unions in town is AFSCME, and mostly because of Hector Montes. This post has video of how Montes got what he deserved a couple of weeks ago at a Commissioner's Court meeting. Since Montes makes it a point to be the public face of an otherwise good union, its his public actions that are the problem. Very often it appears that Montes uses his position with AFSCME as a platform for him to advocate for his own view points rather than what is in the best interest of AFSCME or its membership. And example is that Montes is often critical of union-friendly members of governing bodies because he has a personal beef ...

Sources in City Hall indicate that Zulema Lazarin, former secretary of the El Paso Latino National Republican Coalition intended to file candidacy papers to pursue the office being vacated by City Rep Rachel Quintana. Her desire to pursue the office was also written about it in my homie Sammy C's blog a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately, according to multiple sources at city hall, Lazarin couldn't file to run for District 5. Turns out there was a little problem along the way for Lararin... she doesn't live in the district . Lazarin in fact lives in Representative Holguin's district. According to sources she spent some time on the 10th floor yesterday after finding out she lived in the wrong district. There was no indication as to what she was doing but I'm told she was in the Mayor's office and Representative Holguin's office. I don't know for sure, but I'm betting she went to inquire with Holguin if he intended to run for re-election. Lazarin was ...