One week delayed, so getting right into it …
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New UT Regent James Dannenbaum's potential connection to the FBI public corruption investigation in El Paso is a statewide story, and is only one of the stories involving his companies. For background, check out the Burkablog, which uses articles from the Brownsville Herald to summarize the story.
NPT pointed out some of the details involved in the potential connection this week, noting his contributions to El Paso County Judge Anthony Cobos and County Commissioner Miguel Teran. [link]
Dannenbaum is a heavy contributor, though, spreading hundreds of thousands of dollars around the state. For his contributions, check here (search in the contributor field for dannenbaum, james).
In other El Paso-related contributions, he gave $500 to state Sen. Eliot Shapleigh (listed as 213211) and $3,000 to former state Sen. Frank Madla (listed as 239072).
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Speaking of Shapleigh, he made an interesting speech Oct. 25 in San Antonio, stepping in for Arturo Sarukhan, Mexico's ambassador to the United States, as keynote luncheon speaker for the U.S.-Mexico Bar Association’s annual meeting and conference. For details, check out this piece in the Rio Grande Guardian. [link]
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Belated heard: Radio host Hector Montes on KHRO last week, getting state Rep. Paul Moreno to say he's going to run again for office. It was Moreno's first official announcement.
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Speaking of Moreno …
Seen: Lilia Ruiz, a political insider who has worked on many campaigns, on this city of El Paso web page.
She most recently has been working on the campaign of Marissa Marquez, who is running against Moreno. NPT was not able to contact Ruiz for comment. Marquez, who left a telephone number but did not respond to calls seeking comment, emailed this statement to NPT:
"Lilia Ruiz is one of many community leaders who volunteers in my campaign. Many individuals, including present and past elected officials, have dealt with this very issue and continue to be productive leaders in our community. From the beginning of this campaign, my family members have been my greatest supporters. My father has been my greatest advisor and serves as my campaign manager.
"Again, this race is about me and my decision to serve the people of this district whose issues have been long overlooked."
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Heard: City Rep. Rachel Quintana calling David Karlsruher a "jerk," loudly, on a Southwest Airlines flight to Las Vegas Friday morning. She must still be a bit sore over his offer to help her out with the media. [open letter to quintana]
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Seen: Candidate for 448th District Court Judge and current Municipal Court Judge Rick Olivo lunching with Hunt political consigliere Mark Smith at Jaxons on Tuesday (Oct. 16).
On Monday, Oct. 21, this news release: "Judge Rick Olivo has resigned his position with the City of El Paso as an Associate Municipal Judge, effective immediately. Mr. Olivo will focus his attention on running for the position of Judge of the 448th Judicial District of El Paso County, Texas, in the November 2008 general election."
His campaign has this web site, and the campaign announcement listed this phone number: (915) 544-6200.
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Seen: City Manager Joyce Wilson, and city reps Melina Castro, Steve Ortega and Beto O'Rourke, at the 2007 Annual Conference on the Creative Economy in Fairfax, Va. Also seen at the conference: Thomas Friedman, Richard Florida, and Alvin Toffler. [conference link]
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Speaking of Ortega, there was a fund-raiser for County Commissioner Miguel Teran Wednesday at Andale's on the East Side. Roster of heavy hitters there: County Judge Anthony Cobos and his chief of staff Jaime Perez, County Commissioner Luis Sarinana, Justice of the Peace Ruben Lujan, political consultant Moises Bujanda, members of the Lower Valley Ivey Clan, former County Commissioner Carlos Aguilar, sheriffs officer association officials Marvin Ryals and Robert Vasquez, city Rep. Alexandro Lozano, sheriff candidate Robert Almonte, Thomason Hospital board member Dr. Jesus Arturo Castro-Sandoval, and entertainer Jose Fong.
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Speaking of Sarinana, he has a re-election announcement a 10 a.m. in front of the El Paso County Courthouse.
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Finally, we leave you with this question from NPT Reader Lisa Turner: "Why is it that our Senators do not have an office here in El Paso?"
NPT asked, and received these emailed answers:
-- From Kay Bailey Hutchison spokesman Matt Mackowiak: “Although Sen. Hutchison would like to have more Senate offices across Texas than the six she currently has, she is deeply respectful of the limits of taxpayer dollars. Sen. Hutchison was in El Paso in August for the dedication of the new Desalination Plant and travels to El Paso many times each year. Additionally, El Paso is represented by our San Antonio regional office, and Sen. Hutchison has instructed her Regional Director Tony Jaso and her entire Texas staff to be available and accessible to El Paso citizens, holding frequent outreach meetings and attending community events each month.”
-- From John Cornyn Texas Press Secretary Jessica Ferguson: "Sen. Cornyn has visited El Paso numerous times while in the Senate to meet with local citizens and address their needs. He and his office are regularly in contact with elected officials, local leaders and ordinary citizens from the area. In addition, his staff travels there regularly. Representing more than 23 million Texans, Senator Cornyn has seven regional offices covering the entire state of Texas. Each geographic region is represented by staffers who work out of a centrally located office in the region. El Paso is represented by the Southwest Regional Office, which is located in San Antonio.
"When he is not required to be in Washington for votes, Senator Cornyn regularly travels to El Paso to meet with constituents, community leaders, organizations, members of the military, and many other constituents in the area to ensure their concerns and needs are being addressed. In addition to the Senator’s visits, his Southwest regional staffers visit El Paso and the region regularly to meet with constituents and get a firsthand look at new developments around the city.
"A few weeks ago, Sen. Cornyn hosted a conference call with top officials at U.S. Customs and Border Patrol to discuss ongoing proposals to erect fencing and barriers along the Texas border with Mexico. USCBP Sector Chiefs from El Paso were among the participants. During this meeting, Sen. Cornyn made clear that the Department of Homeland Security must consult with local officials along the border regarding fencing locations.
"Most recently, during the August recess, Sen. Cornyn visited El Paso to highlight expansions at Fort Bliss that are increasing the installation’s importance for national security and the war on terror. He also discussed improving care and benefits with troops and their families, and toured the newly unveiled Restoration and Resilience Center for wounded warriors.
"He also visited El Paso a second time in August to deliver a legislative update to members of the Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce and the El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce."
Tha tha tha that's all, folks!
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Previous Inner Loops
-- 10.15.07: El Paso GOP: Elephant or mouse? Meanwhile, Democrats are busy raising money, and we know where that comes from. Plus, Asarco, EPISD and Montoya, HACEP, the Children's Hospital and Castro's fund-raiser. This week's Inner Loop, delayed and stopping just short of completion.
-- 10.5.07: Money, and lots of it. Noriega, Watts, Cornyn, Shapleigh, Pickett, Hahn, Brown, Kennedy, Huerta and a cast of about 1,000 members of the El Paso "hot core" of political animals and political prey. And who was at Rick Perry's fund-raiser? The Inner Loop keeps circling.
-- 9.28.07: Regional Congressional politics, but where's the big guy? Meanwhile, we see and hear Kennedy, O'Rourke, Elizondo, HACEP, a handful of judges, and a crowded house in the sheriff's race, with a new entry ready to announce. The Inner Loop, where the rubber hits the road to the best of all possible El Pasos.
-- 9.21.07: This week, we take you inside the tinfoil hat, featuring a cast of thousands: Lee Trevino, The Strelz, Asarco and Quintana, a Shapleigh sitdown, Reyes, Leon, Wiles, fundraisers and more. The Inner Loop avoids traffic by circling around the urban gridlock of El Paso politics.
-- 9.14.07: Getting loopy this week with Richardson, Esparza, Shapleigh, Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, Tenet, Parra, Aguilar and Moreno, just to name a few. Is there a voter rollback in Ysleta? How about candidates for district courts? Read on for questions, answers and mass confusion.
-- 9.7.07: Theresa Caballero and Jaime Esparza, plus other campaign contributions. Margo and Haggerty, Tilghman and Reyes, Rosenbaum and Quintana, Samaniego, Cobos, Perez, Friends of the El Paso School District, Hunt, Hicks and Pickett, Marquez and Moreno, and so on. To paraphrase a comic genius, El Paso, we have met the enemy, and they is us.
-- 8.24.07: Pushing the polls has begun, the city is facing "one tough lawyer" (but not that one) in the Elizondo case, a city appointment dilemma (hint: Holguin wins on one, but will the mayor get his Jobe?), and Shapleigh, Chavez, the Republicans and more. By the way, where'd Ann Lilly get off to?
-- 8.17.07: It's election season, and here are a few dates to keep. Also, some fund-raiser updates, a TIRZ tidbit, some FBI fallout, a lawsuit over construction at the UTEP Garden Inn, Glass Beach and more.
-- 8.10.07: Moreno’s challengers emerging, and a few other answers about candidates for Chavez’s judge seat and Teran’s county seat. Also, an intriguing City Council board appointment, a high-level Hunt resignation, a major Margo move, and more morsels for you political junkies.
-- 8.3.07: Notes and quotes about Reyes, Perez, Teran, Moreno, Lozano and more. Plus tidbits about CF Jordan, the Children’s Hospital, and finance reports. A new NPT feature.
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