Independence Has its Costs

Controversy surrounds my candidacy for District 120 State Representative. I am currently the sitting State Rep for District 120. I am the first Independent in the House in over 50 years. I filed to declare that I would be running as an Independent in October 2015. I came in first in the Special Elections in May and won the runoffs in August.

Express News will be coming out with two articles, one about a recent warrant that was published all over the media and about some checks that were written, paid in full and dismissed over 21 years ago. I didn't know that running for an Independent would bring about this much attention. Some people are in the discredit business. If a case has been dismissed and a person does the right thing and turns themselves in on trumped up charges what more can a person do.

I wanted to be on the November ballot to give voters a choice, so I put a team of people together, mostly volunteers to help me collect petition signatures. After hours of work, we were able to collect 616 signatures. We only needed 500 to qualify to be on the ballot. We received a letter from the Secretary of State's Election Division that we were 16 short.

Because I seldom take no for an answer, I challenged the Secretary of State's Election Division, so they allowed us to show more valid signatures, which we were able to do. In September, the Secretary of State's Office, certified me to get on the ballot.

Upon learning that the Elections Division certified me to be on the ballot, the Democratic Party did an open records request to review my petition and decided to sue me and force me off the ballot. A District Judge ruled in my favor, even though my opponent and the Democratic Party accused me of fraud.

Some of you have probably seen articles about me in Express News, a broadcast on KSAT and other media outlets and online outlets and have probably wondered what my side of the story is. Just so you know and some of you know me, I am the type of person that will meet my problem head on and make it a point to face situations. Being human, sometimes I fall short, but for the most part, I admit my mistakes and seek to make them right, if allowed to do so.

Early last week, I received an anonymous call that I had an active warrant and would be arrested at the "Great Debate" hosted by the San Antonio Observer. After my attorney researched, I found that I did have an active warrant for a charge back in 2012. I have to say that it came as a shock, especially because the charges were filed by my niece and the charges were assault with bodily injury. I had no knowledge of the warrant, contrary to what others believe. I immediately turned myself in, and was processed in and out. Contrary to news reports, I was not picked up, arrested, or handcuffed.

I found out that if someone accuses you of assault with bodily injury, a warrant is issued without hearing the other side of the story. As a State Legislature, that is disturbing to me and I will fight to gather information from others who've had this experience, in an effort to change that law.

Just so you know, my niece was terminated from my business, she was disgruntled and came to my office demanding to be paid before her check was scheduled to be paid. She barged into my office and ram shacked my office, took items that didn't belong to her. I let her go without any physical contact. She came back and broke in my office and stole my iPad and laptop. My mother was able to talk her into giving it back. She was paid in full and never told me since 2012, that she had filed charges against me.

I gave her another opportunity earlier this year and found that she charged almost $1,000.00 on the company business card, stole claim's checks, the company vehicle, the company deep freezer and came into our residence and stole all the company records and my son's personal records to include bank account information, business licenses and more.

As your State Legislature, I felt it is my duty to provide you with an explanation of the latest developments. I respect all my constituents and have the utmost respect for this office and appreciate those that have voted for me already and those that will be casting their vote for me in this election.