There are a WHOLE LOT of political undercurrents in the Cheney & Gonzalez indictments

[Gman]

and the least of it is Cheney and Gonzalez. Juan Angel "Johnny" Guerra, the DA in Willacy County is a nut. He was investigated last year for theft by a public servant. His office computers were seized and he was arrested. He supposedly had a vendetta against a bail bond company. He allegedly tried to extort $10,000 from the bail bond company, resold a seized car and falsely claimed $800 in expenses. He went to Mexico after that arrest. He seems to have a habit of that.(Link to Feb. 2007 article).

As for the District Judge Migdalia Lopez who was also indicted along with Cheney and Gonzalez, she scolded him in February 2007 for failing to appear in court and be in his office resulting in the dismissal of four criminal cases. He claimed he couldn't prepare the cases because his computers had been confiscated. Guerra and Lopez do not get along.

Also indicted with Cheney and Gonzalez was District Clerk Gilbert Lozano who said of Guerra in 2007, "I believe he is obsessed with power. He claims he is the top law enforcement officer in the county, and that he runs the county," said District Clerk Gilbert Lozano, who Guerra tried to call as a grand jury witness. "I believe his days are numbered. The word I hear is that people are fed up." These two do not get along. Guerra does not get along with a lot of people.

Ultimately, the charges against Guerra were dismissed last month, in October. But not before Guerra lost in the Democratic Primary for a try for a 4th straight term. The charges were dismissed after a 13th Court of Appeals ruling that Gus Garza, the special prosecutor who headed the investigation that led to the indictments - was improperly appointed to serve as special prosecutor in the case against Guerra. Guerra had previously defeated Gus Garza for DA and they have been political enemies ever since.

Of course, then in April of 2007:--RAYMONDVILLE -- Los Fresnos Justice of the Peace Gus Garza turned himself in to authorities more than a week after Willacy County District Attorney Juan Angel Guerra filed a second-degree felony charge against him. Garza, who has served as a special prosecutor in Willacy County, warned that the charge against him could lead to more charges against Guerra. Garza turned himself into a sheriff's deputies on a charge of obstruction or retaliation, Sheriff Larry Spence said. The charge stems from Garza's alleged disruption of a grand jury as it met with Guerra on Feb. 11, Spence said. Garza was released on a $1,000 ...

And there is much more in the undercurrents of South Texas politics, but you get the picture. Everyone else indicted along with Cheney and Gonzalez have had run-ins with Guerra at some point. What one needs to understand is that politics in the Texas Rio Grande Valley (far south Texas, commonly referred to as "The Valley") is as vindictive and backstabbing as you will find anywhere, with the possible and likely exception of Laredo. Even the Valley thinks Laredo is bad, but that's for another post. And that's not even getting into the ongoing quarterly or so federal indictments of sheriffs, deputy sheriffs and border patrol agents for their roles in drug smuggling with the Mexican drug cartels. That's not even getting into the regular and usual ongoing federal corruption investigations.

The throwing in of Cheney and Gonzalez was probably for flair, if not substance. It was more about one last fling at retaliation against Guerra's enemies Valley style. But if the Valley is united on one thing, it is the dislike of Republicans and that's likely why Cheney and Gonzalez were thrown into the mix.

This post was inspired by this post by Autorank.

[Cleita]

1. You know what right now I don't care who does it as long as it gets done.n/t

[Child_Of_Isis]

2. They are sure

spending a lot of time trying to convince everyone he is nuts. :shrug:

[Joe Chi Minh]

5. That's how it looks.

[Jackpine Radical]

19. That's what I was thinking.

Peace Patriot had some fascinating comments on another thread.

For your edification, I have stolen it in its entirety:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=4517148&mesg_id=4517509

Reading between the lines on this one, I think we have a filthy corrupt private prison system, with locals involved, and others including a state senator, a U.S. attorney, on up the chain to Alberto Gonzales and Dick Cheney (big investor in the private prison system). The locals have been trying to shut Mr. Guerra up, and shut down his investigation/prosecution and that of the grand jury. They filed false charges against him, which Judge Banales dismissed on all counts. (I'm pretty sure it was the same judge.) While this was happening, they raided Guerra's house. Mr. Guerra parked a camper at the courthouse, complete with a horse, two goats and a rooster--to mock their phony raid and charges. Now, what seems to be happening is that Guerra feels that the court proceedings on the indictments that the grand jury brought are being fast-tracked along with other accommodations to the likes of Cheney. He said that he had not received notice of Friday's hearing, and that there is normally a 72 hour time-frame, which was violated. Cheney and Gonzo lawyers were rushing to get a dismissal.

Judge Banales has a point, I think, with regard to Guerra/the grand jury's indictments of the local D.A., etc. These were the same people who filed false charges against him and raided his house. Note: This grand jury investigation was highly secret. There were code names for everybody. And Guerra was holding a lot of info at his house, as I understand it. That's probably why the bad guys filed the baseless charges--to have an excuse to raid his files. (I don't know if they got anything.)

Anyway, that's how I'm seeing it--from reading various news stories. Guerra lost his recent election and has only the same time left in office as Cheney. But he has certainly made his point, as has the grand jury, in exposing this corrupt prison system to national view. I don't know what the situation is as to who might take over the case when he leaves office in January. He continues as the prosecutor of the Cheney/Gonzo part of the case until that time, and I am fairly certain that if he was a "nut" or doing anything improper, Judge Banales would have removed him from the entire case. He did not. So we have a grand jury that corroborates his charges against those operating and profiting from this prison system (including Cheney and Gonzo), and a judge who protected him from false prosecution, and may be protecting the case against the locals by removing Guerra from it, so it has no taint. I'm not positive of the latter--that Judge Banales has the right motives--but that's what it's looking like right now.

[Buck Laser]

3. I have no inside knowledge of this particular brouhaha, but...

South Texas politics is and always has been a thing unto itself. Way back when, it was one of the border or near-border counties that delivered the votes that put LBJ into office. The people along the border are bright, crafty, and capable of almost incredible political maneuvers. If it takes their special talents to bring down Cheney and Gonzo, I'd like to find out how to send them an untraceable contribution.

[WolverineDG]

4. That's Box 13, Duval County to you, pal

the precinct where everyone showed up to vote in alphabetical order.

dg

[Gman]

13. That's the election where it was acknowledged that the dead have a right to vote in Texas

they'd done it all along for many years, but that Senate race brought them into the open. Now the dead voting in Texas is a time honored tradition... :sarcasm: for the sarcasm impaired!

[WolverineDG]

17. Bring out your dead! Bring out your dead!

Has a whole new meaning at election time. ;)

dg

[dixiegrrrrl]

14. You know about Box 13.....!!!!!

Not only alphabetically but in the same handwriting.
something like 27 names.
At the end of the sign-in ballot sheet.

You read Caro, perhaps?

good ole LBJ...he knew Texas politics, didn't he?

[WolverineDG]

16. Of course I know about Box 13

Doesn't every political geek in Texas? :shrug:

;)

dg

[Joe Chi Minh]

7. "I'd like to find out how to send them an untraceable contribution"!

You and the rest of the planet!

[Gman]

8. I think if Guerra is successful in convicting Cheney and Gonzalez that's fantastic

it took an IRS conviction to bring down Al Capone, probably the most unlikely way that he would be brought down considering all of his other crimes. Considering all of Cheney's and Gonzalez' crimes, this would be the most unlikely one to bring him down, but stranger things have happened, just like Capone. If this works with Cheney and Gonzalez I think that's great.

I spend several days a month in the Valley. I've been following the ongoing saga between Guerra and the special prosecutor Gus Garza since it began earlier this year because it was so absolutely absurd. A special prosecutor being indicted by the district attorney he was investigating? How wierd is that?

I'm not from there but I work with many people down there. I think I've got a good handle on the mood there from talking with these folks. I get to watch the local news and listen to the local radio. For what it's worth, Guerra is considered a nut and a lot of people are happy to see him go. But he also has his supporters.

[WolverineDG]

6. You left out the monthly indictments of BP & National Guard members

being indicted for human trafficking.

dg

[Gman]

11. It happens seemingly all the time

but realistically, probably once a month or so there is some news like that.

[UTUSN]

9. Thanks for all the work in putting it together on this weird bird.

Just hearing the words "CHEENEE/Gonzo indicted" runs thrills up our neck hairs, but then this dude is the source. It's got to come from somebody else, but who knows, discovery and such, were they to happen, might lead to the real deal. But the Texas upper judges are Rethugs, and if somebody credible like the Austin prosecuter, Ronnie EARLE, could barely get anything done on Tom DELAY, our hopes are nil in being pinned on *this* loon. From the o.p.'s Feb. '07 link (that leaves out how he handcuffed himself to a card table) :


*******QUOTE*******

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/MYSA022207_01A_DA_guerra_127c61e_html20155.html

Willacy DA wants to be jailed — again

RAYMONDVILLE — With a statute of Don Quixote on the table and a picture of Pancho Villa on the wall, Juan Guerra was in appropriate company this week during a bizarre protest outside the Willacy County Sheriff's Department.

"Just about every time someone goes out the door, he asks to be arrested," Sheriff Larry Spence said of the longtime Willacy County district attorney. "He wants to be in jail. He thinks he can rally the inmates and make the people march up and down the street. It's not going to happen." ....

An American flag flies from the top of the RV he is staying in outside the sheriff's office. Signs taped outside read: "New Office of The Willacy County District Attorney," and "Jesus Still Loves Guerra."

And a menagerie of farm animals around the RV is growing.

"I've got a rooster and some goats. I brought a horse yesterday and I'm bringing a donkey today," said Guerra on Wednesday, adding, "I feel better surrounded by animals than these jerks." ....

In 1991, the county commission appointed Guerra as district attorney despite his meager experience. He soon made headlines by dismissing hundreds of drunken driving cases, earning the sarcastic nickname as "The Great Emancipator." ....

"His weakness is that he'll either not be prepared for trial or not be capable of having a trial. So the ultimate trump card is to push it to trial. And I've never had to try a case with him," the lawyer said. ....

********UNQUOTE*******

[Peace Patriot]

10. Well, you've interpreted everything against Guerra, and I wonder about that.

I'm looking at the same news reports, and I interpret each of these items differently. Guerra has been going after stinking corruption in a private prison system--corruption that goes all the way up to Dick Cheney and Alberto Gonzales--and those who are profiting from it tried to head him off, by filing a bunch of false charges against him--all of which were dismissed--and raiding his house, where he was keeping files on the grand jury investigation (because he didn't trust anybody at the courthouse).

I love this guy! After they raided his house, he parked himself in a camper at the courthouse, with a horse, two goats and a rooster for company--to ridicule their false charges. They probably caused him to lose the election by all this smearing (which has a very Rovian smell about it), but he got the last laugh. The grand jury agreed with him and after lengthy consideration of his evidence, brought these indictments. Whatever happens now, the rest of the world has been made aware of this private prison system--where human rights violations (including one death) are rampant--and Cheney and Gonzales' connection to it.

When you are dealing with bad guys that are this bad--and we're talking real bad, it appears to me--you have two choices: 1) shut the fuck up and bury your head in the sand--for your own safety; or 2) bravely pursue the bad guys, and go for publicity as your safety. He chose the latter, and we are all better informed because of it. He won't get to carry the cases to conclusion. But he has done the public a great service, as has the grand jury he was working with.

[Gman]

12. You are quite correct that he has exposed prison abuses that sorely needed to be exposed

and exposed Cheney's and Gonzalez' role in it. I agree that is a great thing. But he blew it by throwing his political enemies into the mix. And it's not like they went after Guerra because he was working on this big indictment over the prison. That happened later after Guerra was indicted last year.

District Judge Migdalia Lopez is a very sharp woman and is widely respected. He didn't need to throw her into the mix. As for Senator Eddie Lucio, I don't know why he's in it, but a state senator in Texas is a very powerful position and I can see how they could have clashed in a great many ways. My dealings with Lucio have been warm and cordial, but then I don't live in the Valley.

The reason I posted this is because I don't want people thinking this is something that could seriously put Cheney and Gonzalez away. Maybe another prosecutor could do it, but not this guy. It's not going to happen.

[SpiralHawk]

22. "Profit-making prisons are fab for republicon cronies. Sneer." - VP Five Deferments Cheney

"Too bad about you noisy proles (smirk). Sneer."

- VP Dickie 'Five Military Deferments' Cheney

[pacalo]

15. Two things in the indictment give me reason to give Guerra the benefit of the doubt.

-- Cheney has $85 million invested in the Vanguard Group. Cheney would want to protect this significant investment & the huge amount would buy a lot of influence;

-- Gonzales prevented investigations into the prison. He did everything he was asked to do by Bush/Cheney.

[autorank]

18. Hey there. This is useful information

Thanks for sharing this.

I read the indictment and found it logical. I'd certainly want to see the evidence they've gathered.

I'd read some of what you presented but not all of it. Those are Chicago style politics on 'roids.

We'll see what happens. The delay Friday was interesting. Banales had helped Guerra in the past
and has his own problems.

Here's the judge:


Judge Banales, south Texas judge hearing Cheney - Gonzo indictment.

Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Orders Fact Finding Into District Judge's Traffic Mishap
http://www.kiiitv.com/news/local/33929034.html

The judge crahsed his caddy into a state vehicle parked on an off ramp. Wasn't drunk but it was
a strange deal. He was cleared but not before the Texas Supreme Court (you know, the one that
said incest wasn't an appropriate reason to take the kids out of that cult compound a few months
ago) did it's own digging.

Interesting part of the world, the Texas - US border. Sounds like it might have the same level of
corruption as DC;)

Thanks for the info. It's interesting stuff.

[WolverineDG]

20. Incest wasn't part of that case

Nice try, though.

dg

[autorank]

21. What do you know ... not much. Nice try though

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0805/S00436.htm
Texas Supreme Court Challenges Incest Taboo
Saturday, 31 May 2008, 3:41 pm
Column: Michael Collins

Texas Supreme Court Challenges Incest Taboo
Court Contra Culture?

Michael Collins
"Scoop" Independent News
Washington, D.C.

The Texas Supreme Court just struck a blow at the foundation of civilized society - the incest taboo. On April 28, 2008, the Court overturned a Texas Department of Family and Protective Services finding that removed 130 children from a religious cult compound set up by a convicted sexual abuser. The court found that child protective authorities had not shown a sufficient danger to prohibit the children residing with their parents at the “Yearn for Zion” facility founded by Warren Jeffs, “prophet” and leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (FLDS). The Court argued that there were a number of options (counseling, etc.) available to protective services before separation could be justified.

Please note that the FLDS cult is not associated with the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints (commonly known as the Mormon Church). FLDS members would be subject to automatic excommunication from the Mormon Church due to their participation in polygamy.

Based on a request for help from the FLDS facility, Texas protective services workers found that forced marriage of adolescent girls 17 and under to adult males’ decades older was an accepted practice. There was strong concern about incestuous combinations in these polygamous "spiritual" marriages. As a result, a lower court ordered DNA tests for all involved at the cult's Texas compound. There were other findings of grave concern according to the head of family and protective services Carey Cockerell. These included possible sexual abuse of young boys.

The 130 children ordered returned to their parents are part of a larger group of 467 children removed by child protective authorities. The 130 will return to the Texas FLDS compound. The ruling is a significant step in hastening their removal from foster care arranged by child protective authorities and a reunion with parents living in the cult compound (see below).

The cult compound, known as "Yearning for Zion", is located in the Southwest Texas town of Eldorado, located in Schleicher County, population 3,000. Child protective authorities received a call from a 16 year old girl living in the compound claiming that she'd been forced to have intercourse with a 51 year old man against her will. Authorities, visited the compound, investigated, and were shocked to find that teenage girls were married to and intimate with men decades older, all a part of Prophet Jeffs' divine plan.

Fundamentalist LDS sect leader Warren Jeffs' behavior has been the subject of law enforcement attention for years. He made the FBI's most wanted list for "sexual assault on a minor." Apprehended by Utah authorities in 2006, Jeffs was convicted of two counts of "rape as an accomplice.” This entailed Jeffs' role in the marriage of cousins, a 13 year old female and 19 year old male. He is now serving ten to life for those crimes.

Other cases proceed against Mr. Jeffs. In Arizona, he is on trial charged with arranging the marriage of two teenage girls to male relatives; Jeffs is currently seeking dismissal on a technicality. He argued that Arizona law only covers incest between adults -18 years or older. Thus, the 17 and under teen marriages he arranged to male relatives didn't qualify.


Founder and proclaimed prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. From the FBI's "Most Wanted" list

[WolverineDG]

23. So you find a website more credible than actual pleadings?

Incest was never a part of the case.

dg

[autorank]

24. The children were removed for a variety of reasons

One of which was that the head of the groups, Rev. Jeffs, and several of the elders had multiple wives. It was suspected at the time, as per Jeffs practices, which were part of trials in Arizona and elsewhere, that incest was involved up to the point of actually having children marry. The request for DNA tests for the children was made on this basis.

http://edition.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0804/22/ng.01.html

Over 400 children were tested. The the adults at Yearn for Zion refused and only 39 were tested. They had good reason no doubt. But this makes the process harder. Jeffs was forced to take a DNA test a few months ago and I have not seen the results of that. Given his two convictions in cases where incest was involved, it's going to get ugly.

The DNA issue, the abuse of children by their biological relatives was a part of the original CPS case and key the keeping the children away from the cult. Everybody knew that and it was part of the evidence.

The Texas Supreme Court chose to ignore this and a ton of evidence and send the children back. That's ridiculous.

The evidence presented is compelling. The fact that only 39 adults at the compound would take tests is also revealing. It points to gilt. The Morman religion has no strictures against DNA testing, although they reject these folks, who claim a true Mormmon lineage.

Was incest a reason given to keep the children away from the compound. No, but the DNA testing and other measures to protect the children were. The court trivialized the CPS findings. It ignored the role of the cult leader who is viewed as divine by the members while that leader was on trial for child abuse and promoting incest. It concluded that there wasn't enough evidence. That's truly pathetic. The children should have been returned only after the suspected abuse and incest was cleared, given the nature of the cult and its leader. The failure of adults to take DNA tests provides a clear inference on what they were hiding. The Texas Supreme Court is barbaric or myopic or both.

[WolverineDG]

25. Whatever

All you know about this case is what you've seen on TV & read on websites, which btw are a bit out of date, which means you know squat.

dg