Coup
D’Etat? FBI Corruption?
by
Jaime O. Perez
The raids conducted by our local Gestapo (FBI) with great spectacle and abusive behavior were designed to topple the thorns-on-the-side of a powerful class of “dons” who have come to dominate El Paso.
Everyone, except El Paso voters deliberately kept ignorant of the truth by English print media, know those “dons” have succeeded in acquiring political control of the city but it is not enough. They must also silence opposition and, if necessary lock them up.
County politicians, not in their pocket, are a nuisance and require use of a
hammer: enter the local FBI wrapped in callous discretion, armed with official warrants, notices and subpoenas and overwhelmed by their zealous pursuit of a handful of con men who have been milking the federal government of dollars intended for the disabled.
Those insensitive to the fleecing of El Paso are already gearing up to replace those being victimized by the FBI ‘putsch.’ Rumors abound regarding opportunists who want to position themselves to run against those victimized by the shameless orchestrated public FBI stunt. The political bodies are not yet in rigor mortis and the minions at the service of mega-billionaires are already trying on the black suits of higher office for size.
Such is the callous political culture of our fair city.
Beyond any reasonable doubt, the raid on the offices of Commissioner Luis Sarinana and County Judge Anthony Cobos, who have been in office a mere three months, and who have been under constant assault by the El Paso Times, under the direction of Don Flores, may cause irreversible political damage.
Already no less than three stories and editorials by Flores’ operation intimate the subjects of the investigation are guilty.
But, it defies common sense any documents dealing with NCED now Ready One or Bob Jones would be found in County files or computers. The investigation has been ongoing for years.
The convincer this is nothing more than a coup d’etat by those intent on controlling El Paso is the simple fact computer back up systems (servers) are not in the County building. These would contain all the information that contained in the individual computer desktops in the offices. The gory spectacle of an agency seemingly used by mega-rich is too much to stomach for anyone who believes in America.
The harassment of office secretaries by the Gestapo (FBI) adds a contemptible note. The Gestapo (FBI) played the classic good cop, bad cop, except it was all bad cop. The poor secretaries were verbally assaulted, ‘I know about you, we recorded all of your conversations, we know about your family (!?). You better help us and tell us what we want to know…etc.’ Such intimidation and browbeating befits Mafia dons more than those sworn to uphold the law. Law & Order move aside. El Paso Gestapo (FBI) is the new drama to watch.
Ready One issued a statement taking issue with the media they are not the subject of a federal investigation while their spokesman’s phone is tapped.
So much for honesty.
Who’s On First?
The search warrant issued by Federal Judge Frank Montalvo names a number of El Paso persons and businesses: Anthony Cobos, Luis Sarinana, Miguel A.
Teran, Miguel Teran Jr., Arturo “Tury” Duran, Roberto “Bobby” Ruiz, John Travis Ketner, Ruben “Sonny” Garcia, LKG, Truancy Prevention Services (TPS), Rogelio “Roger” Garza, Valley Risk Consulting, Mega Services, David Escobar, Luther E. Jones, Nancy Turrieta, Raymond Telles, Lorenzo Aguilar, Bear Stearns, RBC Capital Markets, Noe Hinojosa and Estrada Hinojosa.
The warrant identifies the location of the offices to be raided and the types of materials that could be confiscated including financial records, bank records, correspondence, notes, bids and proposals, company and personal bank cards, appointment books, I-pods, telephone records, political contributions. It goes on to define records as electronic recordings (computers), notebooks, smart cards, CD-ROMs et al.
The Rule Of Law Is A Joke
The use of the FBI as a hammer against political figures in so public a fashion is reminiscent of the power of the German Nazi Gestapo little more than a half century ago. Everyone has seen that power exercised ‘live at 5’
on every television station. The message is unmistakable. ‘You are guilty because we are raiding you not because we may have any evidence.’
The orchestration, of course, includes the El Paso Times, strongly subsidized by governmental entities in the form of advertisement, prepared with a news piece even as the raid was initiated. The immediate patronizing, pontification to the victims of the assault would turn the strongest of
stomachs:
“It’s probably not the best of strategies to challenge the FBI when its agents are going through your office. It seems that a sense of cooperation would be better received…Cobos and the commissioners are professing ignorance of why they were being investigated…Well, that’s no surprise…the “new” Commissioners Court took office a few short months ago, it’s been a poster child for political strife and controversy…until this matter, all of it, is cleared up, how can El Pasoans have any confidence in their governance by Commissioners Court?” The implicit invitation for political enemies to attack is glaring. Never mind practically all politicians were beneficiaries of Bob Jones’ largesse and Chris Balsiger’s and Marc Schwartz’s moola. But, they are untouchables. Nothing on their political protégés and their contributions from those indicted.
More To Come
Many people have received notice this week their communication with Marc Schwartz and others were intercepted. These communications were in connection with the on-going investigation of NCED / Ready One. The persons named in the investigation in addition to Schwartz were Adrian Pena and David Navarro, both of El Paso. Local chiefs ordered the FBI raids to make a show of the investigation and further intimidate potential accomplices of those indicted for defrauding the US government. The interceptions included both oral and text communications from any and all persons to and from the above named persons.
Bob Jones and Marc Schwartz contributed to a number of political campaigns including Cook, O’Rourke, Lozano and others. Chris Balsiger is on record as having contributed to O’Rourke and an invitation to a fundraiser includes the name of Woody Hunt.
Campaign contributions were generously doled out when contracts with NCED were being negotiated with the various units of government YISD, EPISD, City and County. This is why there were also raids on the homes of other officials such as Sal Mena. The negotiations co-incidental with campaign contributions (quid pro quos) laid the basis of the criminal investigation and indictments.
A local attorney commented, “It is my opinion they (FBI) were really after the records of the previous office holders: Dolores Briones (currently occupied by Anthony Cobos) and Betty Flores (currently occupied by Luis Sarinana). It doesn’t make sense there would be any records implicating either of the current office-holders in the County since they have only been there for a few months. I think making a spectacle of the thing was to scare other accomplices and came in response to pressure from the political group in power.” Sarinana added an ironic twist, “If the FBI was after the records of my predecessor, they should have raided Commissioner Escobar’s office.
That's where they are.”
Cobos has said the financial interests of various local players are behind the use of the FBI to hammer them publicly. “The close relationships between FBI officials and a political interest group is the worst corruption I’ve seen in a long time,” said Cobos. He added, “It’s nothing but a smear campaign. If they were after documents from my predecessor, they should say that publicly and apologize to him (Sarinana) and me.”
Fight Back
It is imperative the victims of governmental harassment fight back. The gratuitous advice of the El Paso Times a.k.a. public relations firm for the city majority directed by Don Flores should be rejected out of hand. The last thing the targets of mega-billionaire Gestapo should do, is remain silent at a blatant, orchestrated political assassination.
When Nazis arrested the Communists, I said nothing; after all, I was not a Communist.
When they locked up the Social Democrats, I said nothing; after all, I was not a Social Democrat.
When they arrested the trade unionists,I said nothing; after all, I was not a trade unionist.
When they arrested me, there was no longer anyone who could protest.
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This perspective first appeared in Border Observer, Jaime O. Perez, Editor