Dear Ms. Deborah Paz,
According to the Texas Ethics Commission, you established the PAC “Women’s Voices for Political Reform” on June 14, 2023 and listed yourself as Treasurer.
On July 5, your PAC filed a “Notice of Intent for Recall and Removal of City Representative Joe Molinar, District 4,” even though your home on Hamilton Avenue lies within District 2.
The address of your PAC is 522 San Francisco Avenue, which is the same address as RallyPoint Public Affairs, LLC, the political consulting firm of Jeremy Jordan, who is the husband of City Rep. Cassandra Hernandez.
You appear on the 8-Day Campaign Finance Report of Cassandra Hernandez because you were paid $186 on October 4, 2020 as a canvasser in support of her re-election campaign.
You clearly have a relationship with both Rep. Hernandez and Mr. Jordan.
This would explain why you sought to recall Rep. Molinar and why you filed ethics complaints against Chief City Auditor Edmundo Calderon, Rep. Alexsandra Annello, and Rep. Brian Kennedy—because your friend Cassandra Hernandez perceives them as political opponents.
Of course, three of your four actions of have failed, with the complaint against Kennedy pending.
But to the point…
Section 2.92.070(D)(2) of the City Code required you, as Treasurer of your PAC, to file a campaign finance report with the City Clerk by July 17, but you failed to do so and your filing is not on their webpage.
Moreover, Section 254.063(b) of the Texas Election Code also required you to file a campaign finance report by July 17, but it was filed 38 days late, on August 24.
Thus, you have violated both City and State law.
About one month ago your PAC sent a mendacious mailer to District 4 residents soliciting signatures to recall Rep. Molinar from office. Even though your effort failed, you are required to account for the expense and explain the source of your funds on your January 15, 2024 report, which I hope you will file on time.
So far, the only expense you have reported is in your July filing with the State: a $100 in-kind donation from you for the design of your PAC logo.
As a taxpaying citizen of El Paso, I have three questions for you:
1. Have Cassandra Hernandez and/or Jeremy Jordan been actively collaborating with you?
2. When will you file your long-overdue July 17 finance report with the City?
3. Do you plan to file your January 15, 2024 finance report with the City and State, indicating the source of funds for your mailer and the corresponding expenditures for design, printing, and postage?
I look forward to your reply.
Respectfully,
Max Grossman
bcc: media and friends