On May 3, 2000 the Charter Revision Ad Hoc Committee held a meeting at City Hall. At the meeting the commiteee considered a number issues -- how long should city officials hold office; what should they be paid; should El Paso have a city manager. According to the minutes, a member also showed concern about the number of signatures required to have items placed on a ballot through citizen initiative.
That member was Jaime O. Perez.
He reminded the committee that in order to have an item placed on the ballot, it requires 5% of the registered voters to sign a petition. Then he took a square look at Represenatative Larry Medina -- who was sitting the audience -- and asked if he would prefer having only 5% of the number of voters who voted in the last election be the requirement for initaitve.
Representative Medina said that he thought that the number of registered voters required to put an item on the ballot was too high -- it should be lowered.
The initiatve issue was an issue overlooked, and at the request of Perez, it made it onto the ballot for the January 20, 2001 election. "Amendment 2" asked the voters to approve requiring the signatures of 5% of registered who voted in the last general city election -- rather than 5% of all registered voters -- to get items on the ballot. On election day, the proposition passed with 67% of the vote.
Little did Medina know -- at that meeting in May, 2000 -- that the same man with the same question would use his own answer against him.
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Borderland Tuesday, May 7, 2002
Group starts petition to remove Medina
Daniel Borunda
El Paso Times
A move to recall East-Central city Rep. Larry Medina was launched Monday by the same group that unsuccessfully tried to roll back the city property tax increase last year.
Perez was a political adviser to Larry Francis, Caballero's opponent in last year's election, and has consistently criticized Caballero and Caballero's supporters on the council. Perez also was a campaign consultant for Eastridge/Mid-Valley city Rep. Luis Sariñana, a frequent foe of Medina and a vocal critic of Caballero and the BHI.
http://www.elpasotimes.com/stories/borderland/20020507-195453.shtml
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Borderland Wednesday, May 8, 2002
Council hears more outcry on BHI plans
Daniel Borunda
El Paso Times
Dozens of Central El Paso residents wearing T-shirts that said "Mr. Medina, I'm not a terrorist" filled the El Paso City Council chambers Tuesday as part of yet another heated council meeting regarding the Border Health Institute.
The council's agenda item about the TIF board drew the protesters, led by Jaime O. Perez, spokesman for the Citizens for Good Government and a campaign consultant for Eastridge/Mid-Valley city Rep. Luis Sariñana.
http://www.elpasotimes.com/stories/borderland/20020508-195707.shtml
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Borderland Saturday, May 25, 2002
In brief: Petition against Medina continues
Leonard Martinez
El Paso Times
As of Friday afternoon, Citizens for Good Government had collected 1,318 signatures to recall East-Central city Rep. Larry Medina, said Jaime O. Perez of Citizens for Good Government.
The organization says Medina has not represented his area well. Medina has said he was not worried about the recall. "I'm very comfortable with what I've done," he has said.
http://www.elpasotimes.com/stories/borderland/20020525-118294.shtml
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Borderland Sunday, June 9, 2002
1 year later, mayor's big ideas have alienated some
Daniel Borunda
El Paso Times
South-West city Rep. Anthony Cobos and Eastridge/Mid-Valley city Rep. Luis Sariñana met with Thomason-area residents in fiery gatherings. They are Caballero's most persistent critics on the council.
Sariñana has proposed instead a "virtual campus" using Internet technology. The proposal is on an Internet site by Jaime O. Perez, an adviser to Sariñana and leader of the recall effort against East-Central city Rep. Larry Medina.
The recall elections could cost the city almost $40,000 each, with up to three elections, the last of which could be next year, county elections officials said. Medina and Sariñana could still run for their seats after they were recalled. Their terms expire next May.
http://www.elpasotimes.com/stories/borderland/20020609-122051.shtml
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Borderland Sunday, June 9, 2002
Recall groups work on petitions
Laura Cruz
El Paso Times
Perez said he's not wasting taxpayers' money.
"If the petition is successful and Medina knows it's going to cost taxpayer dollars to conduct a special election, he can resign and run in the November election," Perez said.
"So if anyone is going to cost anyone money, it isn't going to be us."
http://www.elpasotimes.com/stories/borderland/20020609-122049.shtml
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Opinion Sunday, June 16, 2002
Recall-election process is being abused
John Cook
Guest columnist
Assuming enough signatures are verified, the most immediate cost is financial: $80,000 to $110,000 to hold special elections in each recall.
Jaime O. Perez, spearheading the recall of city Rep. Larry Medina, has already threatened to recall three other elected officials (myself included) simply because of our support for a unified medical campus commonly referred to as the Border Health Institute (BHI). Heading an organization he calls Citizens for Good Government, Perez claims broad-based support.
http://www.elpasotimes.com/stories/opinion/columnists/20020616-145463.shtml
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Borderland Wednesday, June 26, 2002
Recall effort may have violated law
Daniel Borunda
El Paso Times
The effort to recall East-Central city Rep. Larry Medina appears to have relied heavily on donations of corporate-owned resources, a felony under Texas election laws, a review of records by the El Paso Times shows.
A detailed account of legal and ethics violations.
http://www.elpasotimes.com/stories/borderland/20020626-124331.shtml
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Borderland Wednesday, June 26, 2002
In brief: Recall leader urges Medina to resign
Daniel Borunda
El Paso Times
The organizer of the recall of East-Central city Rep. Larry Medina is asking
him to resign "to save taxpayer money."
Medina should resign and run to try to reclaim his seat in the November general
election, said Jaime O. Perez of the Citizens for Good Government political
committee.
Medina has said he won't resign and his supporters are collecting signatures on anti-recall petitions. The recall needs about 1,240 valid signatures by July 1. Some 3,000 signatures had been collected as of Monday, Perez said.
http://www.elpasotimes.com/stories/borderland/20020626-124335.shtml
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Borderland Thursday, June 27, 2002
Perez may file complaint with DA's office
Daniel Borunda
El Paso Times
After complaining Tuesday about "journalistic misfeasance," recall organizer Jaime O. Perez was closed-lipped Wednesday at a press conference in front of the El Paso Times building.
Perez complained Tuesday in a letter to Gannett Co., parent company of the El Paso Times, and in a column on his Web site (El Paso Metro.com) about an article published linking corporations and the recall effort against East-Central city Rep. Larry Medina.
Perez also alleged on El Paso Metro.com, an assumed business name for his Licotec Inc., that news articles and guest columns were an in-kind contribution.
Not so, Moss said. "I don't see how that would be a political contribution or expenditure. (The press) is just covering the news," he said.
http://www.elpasotimes.com/stories/borderland/20020627-124587.shtml
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Borderland Saturday, June 29, 2002
In brief: Authorities scrutinize recall effort
Daniel Borunda
El Paso Times
El Paso police and the El Paso County Sheriff's Office said Thursday they are looking into possible ethics laws violations in the recall effort against East-Central city Rep. Larry Medina.
"Although we have not received a complaint, we are evaluating these allegations to determine the need to open a criminal investigation," Capt. Larry Wilkins of the Sheriff's Criminal Investigation Division said.
The recall by Citizens for Good Government may have violated state laws with the use of corporate resources to promote the measure.
http://www.elpasotimes.com/stories/borderland/20020629-125158.shtml
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Borderland Monday, July 1, 2002
Leader of recall effort champions many causes
Daniel Borunda
El Paso Times
The most comprehensive story (and most glowing review of vice) on Jaime O. Perez by the El Paso Times, to date.
http://www.elpasotimes.com/stories/borderland/20020701-125768.shtml
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Borderland Tuesday, July 2, 2002
Recall petition filed; Medina vows to fight
Daniel Borunda
El Paso Times
On a day when he learned that his father had died and thousands of signatures seeking his ouster were submitted to city officials, a tearful East-Central city Rep. Larry Medina vowed he wouldn't resign.
A recent investigation by the El Paso Times found that the recall effort may have violated state laws preventing corporations from taking part in recalls.
http://www.elpasotimes.com/stories/borderland/20020702-126033.shtml
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Borderland Thursday, July 4, 2002
City rejects recall petition
Daniel Borunda
El Paso Times
The recall petition targeting East-Central city Rep. Larry Medina is "insufficient,"
the city clerk's office said Wednesday after consulting the city attorney's
office. And questions linger about whether the petition can be saved.
The petition, which alleges that Medina failed to protect the interests of
his constituents and accuses him of abuse of power, lacks an affidavit on
each page of the more than 300-page document. The petition holds about 3,000
signatures.
http://www.elpasotimes.com/stories/borderland/20020704-126602.shtml
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Borderland Friday, July 5, 2002
In brief: Group vows to fix recall petition
Times staff report
The group whose recall petition of East-Central city Rep. Larry Medina was rejected as "insufficient" Wednesday by the city clerk's office vowed to correct what petitioners called "a minor technicality."
The group, organized by Jaime O. Perez, said in a statement, "We are hopeful Mr. Medina will immediately tender his resignation."
http://www.elpasotimes.com/stories/borderland/20020705-126876.shtml
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Borderland Saturday, July 6, 2002
Recall needs 300 to verify signatures
Jennifer Shubinski
El Paso Times
Organizers of the recall petition targeting East-Central city Rep. Larry
Medina now face the challenge of finding about 300 people -- one signer from
each page of the petition -- to submit sworn statements vouching for every
signature on his or her page by July 13.
http://www.elpasotimes.com/stories/borderland/20020706-127188.shtml
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Borderland Sunday, July 7, 2002
In brief: Recall group vows it will verify names
Adriana Chávez
El Paso Times
A group petitioning to recall East-Central city Rep. Larry Medina vowed Saturday to have 300 necessary signatures by Monday. The 300 signatures are needed to fix the petition by having someone on each page verify the names of others on the same sheet. The lack of such verification was the reason the city clerk's office rejected the 3,500-signature petition last week.
Medina was attending his father's funeral Saturday. Later, he issued a challenge
to recall organizer Jaime O. Perez.
"I'll let Jaime Perez just do it (turn in the petition). ... He's the last thing on my mind today," Medina said. "But I challenge Jaime Perez to name one good thing that he has done in the last 20 years for citizens of this city."
http://www.elpasotimes.com/stories/borderland/20020707-127492.shtml
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Borderland Friday, July 12, 2002
In brief: Group to submit recall petition today
Daniel Borunda
El Paso Times
The amended recall petition against East-Central city Rep. Larry Medina will be turned in today, recall spokesman Jaime O. Perez said Thursday. The petition, which was rejected last week because it lacked affidavits, will be turned in at 10:30 a.m.
The recall group Citizens for Good Government is asking that a member be present during the city clerk's verification of petition signatures.
http://www.elpasotimes.com/stories/borderland/20020712-128854.shtml
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Borderland Saturday, July 13, 2002
Group files 2nd petition for recall of Medina
Tammy Fonce-Olivas
El Paso Times
For the recall effort to be successful, the city must certify that at least 1,239 signatures belong to registered voters who live in District 3, which Medina represents. Perez said his group certified 1,295 signatures.
http://www.elpasotimes.com/stories/borderland/20020713-932.shtml
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Borderland Wednesday, July 17, 2002
Investigators to question recall leader
Daniel Borunda
El Paso Times
Perez makes contradictory statements to the El Paso Times regarding corporate contributions to the recall effort and missing information on recall campaign financial reports.
http://www.elpasotimes.com/stories/borderland/20020717-2116.shtml
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Borderland Wednesday, July 17, 2002
Medina suit says Perez, companies violated law
Jennifer Shubinski
El Paso Times
East-Central city Rep. Larry Medina filed a lawsuit Tuesday against Jaime
O. Perez for alleged violations of the Texas Election Code and conspiracy.
The lawsuit alleges that Perez and his political committee, Citizens for Good
Government, violated the state's election code by using corporate-owned resources
in a recall election campaign.
http://www.elpasotimes.com/stories/borderland/20020717-2119.shtml
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Borderland Tuesday, July 23, 2002
City rejects petition to force Medina into recall election
Daniel Borunda
El Paso Times
City officials rejected the petition calling for a recall election of East-Central city Rep. Larry Medina because, they said, only 90 of the more than 3,000 signatures on the petition were valid.
"The petition is dead now," Deputy City Clerk Diana Nuñez said.
Armando Castellanos, who identified himself as president of the recall group Citizens for Good Government, said his group has not decided whether to start a new push to recall Medina.
Recall leader and spokesman Jaime O. Perez was unavailable for comment because he has been at Thomason Hospital since Thursday due to possible food poisoning, Castellanos said.
http://www.elpasotimes.com/stories/borderland/20020723-3992.shtml
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Borderland Tuesday, September 3, 2002
In brief: Recall organizer to run for mayor
Daniel Borunda
El Paso Times
Jaime O. Perez intends to run for mayor and will file a campaign treasurer form today, he said Monday in a news release.
The treasurer filing allows a candidate to raise campaign funds. A formal announcement of his candidacy will be made later this year, Perez said. The election is in May.
Perez, one of Mayor Ray Caballero's critics, led the failed recall effort earlier this year against East-Central city Rep. Larry Medina.
http://www.elpasotimes.com/stories/borderland/20020903-17595.shtml
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Borderland Sunday, November 17, 2002
In brief: Trial date set for Medina-Perez suit
Louie Gilot
El Paso Times
The 327th District Court has scheduled a jury trial date for the lawsuit by East-Central city Rep. Larry Medina against Jaime O. Perez. The lawsuit, which alleges that Perez and his political committee, Citizens for Good Government, violated the state election code, is now slated to begin Sept. 16, 2003. Perez's group filed a recall petition in July, with more than 3,500 residents wanting to oust Medina from office.
http://www.elpasotimes.com/stories/borderland/20021117-43982.shtml
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Borderland Sunday, February 23, 2003
Recall election attempt queried
Daniel Borunda
El Paso Times
The failed recall effort against East-Central city Rep. Larry Medina is under investigation by the police Public Integrity Unit for alleged violations of Texas election laws, police confirmed.
"This has nothing to do with any type of civil case or a lawsuit," Sambrano said. "This is a criminal case, not a civil case."
http://www.elpasotimes.com/stories/borderland/20030223-79793.shtml
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Borderland Monday, August 25, 2003
Perez poised to join city staff
Charles K. Wilson
El Paso Times
East-Central city Rep. Jose Alexandro Lozano is poised to add former mayoral candidate Jaime O. Perez to his staff as a research and policy analyst at Tuesday's City Council meeting.
http://www.borderlandnews.com/stories/borderland/20030825-13445.shtml
