El Paso Politics

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                                                    Contact: Astrid Misher October 10, 2012                            ...

This is probably going to send Max Powers scattering to post a flurry of comments, which should be entertaining all by itself. PRESS RELEASE El Paso County Democratic Party Denounce Marquez and Gonzalez State legislators Marisa Marquez and Naomi Gonzalez are two of the youngest, brightest and most effective lawmakers that have served El Paso at the state legislature. They both have overcome obstacles and public doubt and hold much promise for continuing leadership for El Paso and the state; however, in a season where extreme elements of the Republican Party have a super-majority in the Texas legislature, Marquez and Gonzalez have taken upon themselves to risk their integrity, reputations and credibility to support a "lock step" Republican nominee in the candidacy of Dee Margo instead of the viable, proven Democratic nominee, Joe Moody, for the position of District 78. It is important to gain as many Democratic seats as possible to combat the Republican budgetary attacks on ou...

Congressman-Elect and former City Rep Beto O'Rourke will be the guest speaker at tonight's community meeting for City Rep Eddie Holguin's Office. The meeting will be at 6:00pm at Villa Y Zapata Restaurant located at 1452 N. Zaragoza.  A picture of Representative Holguin was unavailable for this piece. 

Sources within the Republican Party indicate that the member of the State Board of Education from El Paso, Charlie Garza, has apparently made complaints to the office of Texas Governor Rick Perry as well as the Lieutenant Governor's and Chairman of the State Board of Education offices about an upcoming trip to El Paso by Texas Education Administration Commissioner Michael Williams. The sources indicate that Garza believes its an ethical violation on the part of Williams because he's allegedly coming under the guise as official business in his capacity as Texas Education Commissioner and participating in a town hall where he is set to defend Margo's vote on education cuts. However his is also allegedly going to do some fundraising stops in El Paso on behalf of Margo. If this is being called an official trip then it is presumably paid for by taxpayers. Sources within the Republican Party indicate that is the specific issue Garza has a problem with. Its h...

More criticism of State Representatives Marquez and Gonzalez following their endorsement of Republican State Representative Dee Margo over his Democratic opponent Joe Moody. Robledo is one of two local representatives to the state Democratic Executive Committee and is the former Chair of the Paso Del Norte Tejano Democrats. Here is the text of the letter being sent from the El Paso State Democratic Executive Committeewoman Rebecca Robledo: It is with great sadness and even greater disappointment that I am writing these words regarding Representatives Naomi Gonzalez and Marissa Marquez. What they have done to the Democratic Party is an embarrassment. Rep. Gonzalez and Rep. Marquez, as so-called Democrats, have allowed themselves to openly endorse a Republican Dee Margo against our very own Democrat Joe Moody under the pretext that Moody was going to run against Marquez which is not true. Instead, after the redistricting took place, Moody moved his family to the district which he is runn...

In a letter released today by the leadership of just about every Democratic Party auxiliary club in El Paso County, Representatives Marquez and Gonzalez were condemned by the leadership of the organizations. The leadership stopped short of asking for their resignation but did call for the censure by the appropriate local, state, and national Democratic Party levels. This is the first public action rebuking Representatives Marquez and Gonzalez for their endorsement of a Republican candidate. In order for this to really be an impact on Representatives Marquez and Gonzalez there are a couple of people that also need to make a public declaration of their opposition of the endorsement of a Republican by the two legislators. Senator Jose Rodriguez and Congressman-elect O'Rourke. Rodriguez because he's not only the head of the delegation but because he is a member of the Democratic National Committee. He is therefore uniquely obligated to stand up for the Party. O'Rourke because h...

The drama continues is in Socorro, Texas. Now there is a yet another episode of Socorro politics brewing. Last night Mayor Trini Lopez resigned his position as the Mayor of Socorro, leaving the city without a titular head. The reason Lopez gave for leaving his post is because of the elections that are being held in November 2013 instead of this past April which effectively gave the folks on city council an additional 18 months of their term. Lopez says he quit because he didn't want to be part of government that could be breaking the law. But Mary Garcia, who is Mayor Pro-Temp, questioned the timing of his resignation right before the city was going to examine what they deem to be questionable business practices on the part of Lopez. They have a meeting set up on Wednesday and the item language appears to indicate that the council is already in a punitive posture towards Lopez. Lopez told the El Paso Times he was unaware of the special meeting. Sorry, but if you are the Mayor of So...