During every election cycle without fail, the big developers and their bankers and attorneys select candidates for local office who claim to be fiscal conservatives that will “hold the line on taxes” but, in fact, are tax-and-spend progressives who support deficit-spending, higher taxation, and corporate welfare.
The members of the Vendido Caucus are always easy to identify. Their campaign contributions from Woody Hunt and his friends are reported on their campaign finance reports and on the Consent Agenda of City Council meetings.
Of course, at the El Paso Taxpayer Revolt we have a patented “Pigometer” that can detect corruption and dishonesty from as far away as the Andromeda Galaxy, so we have a unique ability to identify the members of the Vendido Caucus even before they report their campaign contributions publicly.
Without question, the “Vendido in Chief” is Renard Johnson, the candidate for Mayor whose long-time business partner was federally indicted in a $3 million Ponzi scheme and whose company faced a $277,000 judgment for firing a Hispanic employee who complained about discrimination. We have good information that Renard has raised more than $1 million from the Oligarchs and their friends, including at fundraisers in Austin and San Antonio. He has been carpet-bombing El Paso with UTEP-colored campaign signs with his Beto-esque smiling smile. His mendacious mailers, social media posts, and campaign texts claim he will lower taxes though he wants to build a deck plaza over Interstate 10 and an arena in downtown El Paso that would cost over $1 billion. Renard has the backing of Dee Margo and other RINO Republicans as well as progressives Veronica Escobar, Beto O’Rourke, and Ricardo Samaniego. His campaign slogan “It is our time” really means “It is our time for Chapter 9 bankruptcy.” We have endorsed his opponent Brian Kennedy.
As for the City District races, with the exception of Alejandra Chavez (whose district includes the entire country club crowd), the members of the Vendido Caucus raised most of their funds from outside the districts they are running to represent.
Alejandra Chavez, the former risk manager for Enron whose own business went bankrupt in 2009, when her business liabilities exceeded her assets by 14 to 1, is the vendido candidate for District 1. She is the best funded member of the Vendido Caucus and, if elected, would be the most committed sellout on City Council. Woody Hunt and his friends have raised tens of thousands of dollars for her campaign, which closely mirrors that of Renard Johnson. In fact, the two candidates have been placing their dishonest doorhangers together. We have endorsed her opponent Dr. Monica Reyes.
Josh Acevedo, who pretended to be a progressive but ultimately sold out to the developers, was just reelected to represent District 2. Among the contributions he reported on the November 12 City Council agenda are $1,500 from Edward Escudero, $2,500 from L. Frederick Francis, $1,000 from Adam Frank, $1,500 from Edward Houghton IV, and $2,500 from Woody L. & Gayle G. Hunt. We had endorsed his opponent Isabel Ceballos-Otten, who was vastly outspent by the vendido and lost her election on November 5.
Deanna Maldonado Rocha, the vendido candidate for District 3, reported on the November 12 City Council agenda “1,000 from Erin Martinez, $1000 from Ed Escudero, $2500 from Woody & Gayle Hunt, $1000 from Stanley Jobe, $2500 from Richard Francis, $2,500 from JK Robison, $1000 from Josh Hunt, $1000 from Miguel Fernandez, $1000 from Ted Houghton, $1000 from Doug Schwartz, $2500 from Steve Fox, $1000 from James Cardwell Jr., $1000 from Adam Frank, $5000 from TREPAC (Texas Realtors PAC), $1000 from Rogelio Lopez, $1000 from Steve Ortega, $1000 from Gary Porras, $1000 from El Paso Association of Firefighters Local 41, Inc. PAC, $1700 from Raymond Palacios.” Her opponent is Jose Rodriguez, who made it to the runoff only because he has the same name as a former Texas State Senator. We cannot endorse him because he is using his campaign to support his real estate career and he refuses to answer our questions.
Cynthia Boyar-Trejo, the vendido candidate for District 4, reported on the November 12 City Council agenda “$1,000.00 from Frank Adams, $1,000.00 from Jim Cardwell, $2,500.00 from Steve Fox, $1,000.00 from Edward Houghton, $1,000.00 from Miguel Fernandez, $500.00 from Margie Salazar, $1,700.00 from Raymond Palacios, $1,000.00 from Gary Porras, $1,000.00 from Josh Hunt, $2,500.00 from J Kirk Robison, and $2,500.00 from Woody Hunt.” She has sold out completely. We have endorsed the fiscally conservative incumbent, US Marine and EPPD veteran Joe Molinar.
Ivan Nino, the vendido candidate for District 5 who was criminally investigated for “Deceptive Business Practice” while working for the County in 2013-2019, reported on the November 12 City Council agenda “$1,000.00 from Blake Anderson, $1,000.00 from Miguel Fernandez, $1,000.00 from Steve Fox, $1,000.00 from Stanley Jobe, $1,000.00 from Rogelio Lopez, $2,500.00 from Woody Hunt, $1,000.00 from Gerald Rubin, and $500.00 from Jim Metzinger.” His boss is City Rep. Isabel Salcido, who voted for three tax increases and $389,000,000 in certificates of obligation. Nino is your standard thirty-something who wants to be a career politician and will do anything to get elected. We have endorsed his opponent Amanda Cunningham.
Fabiola Campos-Lopez, the vendido candidate for District 7 who lost her election on November 5, reported on the November 12 City Council agenda “$1,000 from Anderson Blake, $1,000 from Edward Escudero, $500 from Miguel Fernandez, $1,000 from Steve Fox, $2,500 from Frederick Francis, $1,000 from Ted Houghton, and $2,500 from Woody Hunt.” We have endorsed her opponent Lily Limon, who faces Chris Hernandez in the December runoff. We are hopeful that Hernandez will not take any Oligarchy money.
The choice in the upcoming December 14 runoff election is clear. Either we support higher taxation while the developers laugh all the way to the bank or we support the interests of the taxpayers of El Paso.