Digging for facts...Two comments weigh heavily on my mind
Two recent comments to RGV Politics got me curious enough to find out more. The first comment encouraged readers to "do our homework" in regards to the infamous $6 million loss in indigent health care funds. The anonymous commentator referred to an April 11, 2005 "memo" from the Department of Health to legislators about the disbursement and subsequent loss of a total $6 million for the Valley. Well, I contacted the webmaster of the Texas Department of Health web site, and was forwarded to the County Indigent Health Care Program within the DSHS. We exchanged information, and the employees of that department were very helpful. Unfortunately, they were unable to locate in their records any "memo" dated April 11, 2005 the subject of which was indigent health care funds for Hidalgo and Cameron counties. They asked if I had more information, but I told them I only had what the anonymous commentator left me. It wasn't enough, so unless "anonymous" can provide us with more detailed information as to where to find this "memo", I can only assume it never existed. The other comment I will address has to do with County Court at Law No. 6 candidate Fidencio Guerra, Jr. An anonymous comment was left on my post regarding Guerra being listed in the "Worst Judges in Texas" article in the 2/11/06 issue of The Texas Observer. The article was written by Nate Blakeslee who was referencing a quote that appeared in Texas Lawyer in 1992 about Guerra's comments in a domestic abuse case. The anonymous commentator wrote that the quote he mentioned to Mr. Blakeslee was "untrue. But he didn't print that". Well, I contacted Nate Blakeslee and he informed me that "the reporter for Texas Lawyer asked Guerra if he said it, and he admitted that he did." Fine by me. Now, a lot of you may be saying, "just let it go, we know they're lying and they'll never admit it". Well, maybe so, but my mission with this blog is to provide responsible and reliable information. When anonymous commentators insist that what political candidates are spreading are "truths and facts", and that the media are the ones taking things out of context, I feel it's only necessary to be able to substantiate those claims. If I find any falsehoods, then I'm going to point them out to those readers who deserve to know.
posted by Hector @ 12:20 PM
4 Comments:
Great job! Thanks for taking the time to look for the truth.
there is so much negative advertising going on by salinas, that it must be looked at whether any of it is true. Can a political commercial be allowed to run if it is a lie?
Re: Nate Blakeslee said a reporter for Texas Lawyer asked Guerra if he said it, and he admitted that he did.
Judge Guerra, when asked about the Article if the Hidalgo County Bar Association Debate, denied even knowing such an article existed. Once again, I was the attorney on the case and no such thing was said, a local reporter for the Monitor asked me the same question and I gave that reporter the same answer.
I noticed that Nate Blakeslee, himself, did not hear it. That is irresponsible reporting. First Hand Knowledge is necessary when accusing someone of something so drastic. I gave him first hand knowledge, but my comments did not sell papers.
I read the article Blakeslee referred to. In no way did Judge Guerra say what was quoted, it was an outside party; neither the husband, wife, DA, assistant DA nor the Judge. In fact Judge Guerra only agreed that the substance of the comment was true, but not that the actual comment were his words.
Post a Comment
<< Home