INSIDE INFORMATION IS MORE POWERFUL THAN MONEY MY FRIENDS

Thursday, March 13, 2008

THE REAL POLITICAL PULSE: THE POWER STRUGGLE BETWEEN LENCHO VERSUS THE EDC



HOW THINGS WORK. LET'S BREAK THIS VERY COMPLEX BEAST OF THE EDC (POWER GROUP A) AND LENCHO (POWER GROUP B) AND THE STRUGGLE FOR POWER IN NUECES COUNTY FOR ALL OF US TO UNDERSTAND. UNDERSTAND THE PLAYERS AND THE POWERSTRUCTURE. WE NEED TO KNOW THE SET UP AND WHY THINGS HAPPEN HERE IN TOWN.










CONNECTIONS: EDC, HUGO BERLANGA, RUBEN BONILLA.























THE ENEMIES TO EDC: LENCHO RENDON TRYING TO UNDERMINE EDC. LENCHO AND KAELIN REAL CLOSE. WILLIE VADEN AND LENCHO RENDON RUNNING PIPELINE FROM MEXICO TO U.S.


LENCHO WHEELING AND DEALING WITH REPUBLICANS?

LENCHO THE STAUNCH DEMOCRAT! WILLIE JUST HIRED HIM IN INGLESIDE. WHAT'S GOING ON? LENCHO IS TRYING TO CONTROL THE PORT. THE PORT COMMISSION IS NEEDED FOR SHAMSIE TO REPLACE ONE OF THE PORT MEMBERS. THE EDC HAS THE MIKE CARROLL ISSUE TO CONTEND WITH. THERE ARE 7 MEMBERS: 4 CONTROLLED EDC AND 3 BY LENCHO AND SOLOMONISTAS. THEY ARE GOING AFTER MONEY, OF COURSE. LENCHO CONTROLLING COUNTY. OSCAR ORTIZ IS PRETTY MUCH COUNTY JUDGE AND SHAMSIE IS STILL PULLING STRINGS ON THE COMMISSIONERS COURT. BUT AS FAR AS THE PORT RUBEN BONILLA, JUDY HOLLY(?), MIKE CARROLL (HEAD OF FROST BANK AND MEMBER OF EDC WAS MOVED OVER TO THE PORT), AND THE ELDERLY ANGLO GENTLEMAN WHO'S NAME ESCAPES ME IS APPOINTED BY THE CITY. AN APPOINTMENT IS PENDING AT THE END OF THIS YEAR. THE CONTROVERSY IS THAT MIKE CARROLL (HENRY GARRETT APPOINTED MIKE CARROLL PRIOR TO THE ELECTION ON THE CITY COUNCIL). EDC FEARED THE BALANCE OF POWER WOULD HAVE BEEN AFFECTED. NOW, THE OTHER PEOPLE OF LENCHO, YOLANDO OLIVAREZ (SOLOMON ORTIZ HELPS HER WITH CONTRACTS), KEN BERRY, BOBBY GONZALEZ. LOOKS LIKE BOBBY GONZALEZ WILL BE REAPPOINTED. YOLANDA WILL LEAVE SO THEY ARE TRYING TO PUT SHAMSIE (HE HAS JUST PUT IN AN APPLICATION). KEEP IN MIND THAT RENE RODRIGUEZ HAS SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION.

THE OTHER ISSUE IS THAT SHAMSIE IS WANTED ON THERE BECAUSE HE IS WITH LENCHO. NOW, OSCAR ORTIZ CONTROLS PEGGY BANALES AND BETTY JEAN. ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COMMISSIONERS COURT YOU HAVE CAZALES AND NEIL. BUT STRANGELY CAZALES HAS BEEN VOTING WITH ORTIZ. MIKE HUMMELL ON THE CITY COUNCIL SIDE IS FRIENDLY WITH LENCHO SO THEY WILL TRY TO GET ANOTHER MEMBER ON THE PORT APPOINTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE REASON THE PEGGY BANALES RACE WAS SO IMPORTANT WAS TO GET THE PORT.



NOW, LETS LOOK AT THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: TERRY CARTER IS RUMORED TO HAVE HIS DAYS NUMBERED ON THERE. EDC CONTROLS PORT NOW BUT LENCHO IS PUSHING TO CONTROL THE PORT. THE MAIN ENGINE THAT CONTROLS THE ECONOMY IS THE PORT SO THAT IS WHY SHAMSIE AND LENCHO COVET IT.



HUERTA CONNECTION: HUERTA IS TIED IN WITH MIKAL WATTS. THEY SIT ON SEVERAL BOARDS THAT THE EDC CONTROLS. MIKAL WATTS IS IN THERE. WHAT REMAINS UNCLEAR IS WHETHER LENCHO HAS ALLIANCES WITH WATTS.
BONILLA CONNECTION: BY RUBEN BONILLA GETTING HALF A MILLION FROM ONE, A QUARTER OF MILLION FOR FEES OF CITY ENTITIES FOR LEGAL FEES (FED TO SHAMSIE AND RENE RODRIGUEZ BACK WHEN TERRY SHAMSIE RAN). THAT IS WHY RUBEN BONILLA AND SHAMSIE NOT ON FRIENDLY TERMS BECAUSE RUBEN WAS RAKING IT IN. WHEN SHAMSIE CAME IN AS COUNTY JUDGE HE WAS IDEALISTIC AND WAS LOOKING AT THE FUNDS AND MONEY. RUBEN BONILLA MAKING OVER A MILLION FOR REPRESENTING SEVERAL ENTITIES.
NOW EDC AND RENDON/SHAMSIE FACTION: BOTH GROUPS ARE EXCLUSIVE.
LENCHO GROUP IS SO CLOSEKNIT. THE GROUP DYNAMICS IS THAT THEY ARE NOT INCLUSIVE. THE CIRCLE IS TIGHT. WHEN HILLARY CAME IT WAS EVIDENT. THEY CONTROLLED THE MEDIA WHICH ANGERED THE MAINSTREAM. IN THE LENCHO CIRCLE MIKE RENDON AND SARAH SALDIVAR (WHO WORKED WITH SOLOMONS DAUGHTER) ARE A PART OF THE GROUP.


THE BROTHER IN LAW DAVID MARTINEZ IS IN RTA, NOW SARAH LEAVING SO JOSEPH RAMIREZ IS ENTERING RTA. WHO APPOINTS THE RTA PEOPLE? THE MAYOR OF ROBSTOWN THROUGH THE SMALL APPOINTMENTS COMMITTEE. NOW DO WE UNDERSTAND HOW THE COMMUNITY CAN GROW WITH THIS OLIGARCHY? IT IS TOO EXCLUSIVE. THEY DON'T SHARE THE WEALTH WITH ANYONE.


SHAMSIE IS TIED IN WITH ALL THESE BIG DOLLARS, CONSULTANT WITH THE CITY OF ROBSTOWN, THE SCHOOL BOARD BUDGET OF ROBSTOWN.THE SHAMSIES AND LENCHOS DO THE PATH OF PAST RESISTANCE. SHAMSIE FIRST LATCHED ON TO FIL VELA, THEN RENE RODRIGUEZ, NOW LENCHO. SHAMSIE TRIED TO BE VERY ACCOMMODATING WITH EDC BUT THEY REJECTED HIM SO THAT IS WHY HE STARTED AWARDING THINGS TO DOS LOGISTICS AND OMEGA TO CURRY FAVOR WITH LENCHO AND NOW IS TRYING TO HELP MORE OF LENCHOS COMPANIES WHICH IS THE NEW ONE LR GLOBAL AND ASSOCIATES. REMEMBER THAT LENCHO YOU NEVER SEE HIM MUCH IN PUBLIC.

RECENTLY HE HAD A SEMINAR CALLED OCEAN SECURITY CONFERNCE WITH 34 COUNTRIES AND BROUGHT IN MILITARY PEOPLE AND THERE ARE DOLLARS BEING PUT OUT BY THE GOVERNMENT. SOLOMON SITS ON COMMITTEE TO AWARD MONIES THROUGH CONTRACTS. BY BEING RETIRED MANY OF THESE GENERAL AVOID BEING CONFLICTED. THE GENERALS USE THEIR INFLUENCE TO INFLUENCE THE PRESENT MILITARY PEOPLE WHO REPLACES THEM AND LENCHO FINDS A WAY TO PAY THE RETIRED GENERALS AS CONSULTANTS. HE MADE IT LOOK LIKE HE BROKE UP WIHT SOLOMON IN 2006 BUT IT WAS TRULY TO AVOID THE CONFLICT. THAT IS WHY HE IS USING HIS NEPHEW JOSEPH...TO AVOID CONFLICTS. SHAMSIE: AS COUNTY JUDGE HE WAS IDEALISTIC AND THEN BECAME REALISTIC AFTER THE EDC REJECTION. HE SAID, PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE BUT HE WENT WITH LENCHO. HE IS LIKE A WILLOW. HE HAS THAT CLASSIC BEHAVIOR AND GIVE IN AND DIVIDE AND CONQUER INSTEAD OF CREATE. THAT IS WHY HE JOINED WITH LENCHO IN ORDER TO BE WITH SOMEONE STRONG. HE ACTS LIKE A DEMOCRAT BUT PRACTICALLY BEGGED TO BE WITH EDC AND THE WHITES BUT AGAIN, THEY SPURNED HIM. DOS LOGISTICS MADE MILLIONS. THEY BOUGHT SHAMSIE A HOUSE. HMMM. THINK ABOUT IT. DID HE ACCEPT GIFTS LIKE THIS WHILE IN OFFICE? NOW YOU ARE SEEING THE PAYBACK THEY OWE SHAMSIE.

LR GLOBAL OPERATES LIKE PART MARKETING PART BUSINESS (CONSTRUCTION, PUBLIC RELATIONS ETC). PARTICULARLY FOR MILITARY CONTRACTS. THEY ARE BRINGING IN SHAMSIE AS A CONSULTANT. THEY ARE CLEVER. SHAMSIE IS BEING PAID BY ENTITIES. THINK OF SOLOMON ORTIZ WHEN HE WAS YOUNG, GETS OUT OF ARMY, RUNS FOR CONTSTABLE, COMMISSIONER, SHERIFF, AND EVERY SINGLE PUBLIC POST IS ALWAYS PAYING MONEY. THEY NEVER HAVE SERVED ON SCHOOL BOARDS, CITY COUNCIL. THEIR WHOLE MENTALITY IS TO PIMP OFF SYSTEM. SAME WITH LENCHO. HE DOESNT HAVE TO PAY SHAMSIE, THE CITY AND SCHOOL BOARD OF ROBSTOWN FUNNELS MONEY. ROD RAMON AND ABEL HERRERO ARE A PART OF THE CLICK. NOW GRANTED, WE ARE ALL TRYING TO MAKE MONEY AND FEED OUR FAMILIES BUT THIS IS PIMPING OFF THE SYSTEM. THIS IS POLITICS.REMEMBER BORCHARD? HE APPOINTED TO THE PORT THE SAME BANKER WHO HIRED HIM. THE PEOPLE AT THE PORT NOW BUY THE INSURANCE IS BOUGHT WHICH BILL DODGE WAS ASSOCIATED WITH (BILL DODGE BANKER AT ROBSTOWN. SAME INSURANCE COMPANY IS BEING SUPPORTED BY LOBBYING EFFORTS OF HUGO BERLANGA AND RUBEN BONILLAS IS THE LAWYER! WHAT A RACKET!CONSULTANTS EVERYWHERE.
NOW EDC: PRIMARILY ANGLOS BUT CURIOUSLY MORE PLURALISTIC. THEY SHARE MORE OF THE WEALTH. THEY ARE MORE SOPHISTICATED AND NOT SO HEAVY HANDED AND PROJECT HIGHER STANDARDS. AL JONES, MIKE CARROLL, JOE FULTON, BERRY CONSTRUCTION AND ANYTHING YOU CAN THINK OF, BUT WHAT HAPPENS ITS A SMALL MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX. ALTHOUGH NOT SO TIGHTKNIT AS LENCHOS THEY ARE STILL SOMEWHAT EXCLUSIVE.THE EDC'S FORMULA IS SIMPLE. ITS A SHADOW GOVERNMENT. ROOTS GO BACK TO HAYDEN HEAD. HAYDEN HEAD WAS AN ATTORNEY. NEVER RAN FOR OFFICE. HE WAS INVOLVED WITH THE PORT. HE MADE SURE THAT CITY COUNCILMAN WERE BUSINESSMAN. WHEN THINGS WANTED TO BE DONE, HE WOULD GET PEOPLE WHO WANTED A CONTRACT, AND THE MEETINGS (LIKE THE MARKETING PLAN FORWARD CORPUS CHRISTI) AND WOULD SAY THE CONTRACTORS WOULD PAY FOR THE MARKETING, LOOK FOR CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION FROM THE PUBLIC (HAYDEN HEAD STARTED AMERICAN BANK IN THE 1970'S WHICH AL JONES IS THE HEAD OF NOW). A THREE PART OPERATION BEGINS: YOUR BUILDERS(THEY PROVIDE THE FINANCING FOR THE MARKETING TO SELL THE PROJECT), THE POLITICIANS LIKE MAYOR (LOOK WHO CONTRIBUTES MONEY TO THE POLITICIANS DAVID ENGOLS TO JUAN GARCIA EXAMPLE) AND THEN THE BANKS FUNDS IT (AL JONES IS THE MODERN DAY HAYDEN HEAD, FINANCED PACKERY, AMERICAN BANK CENTER, WHATABURGER FIELD).POLITICAINS SELL IT, BUILDERS MARKET IT, BANKS FINANCE IT. ON THE FOOD CHAIN POLITICIANS ARE THE LOWEST. HERE YOU HAVE THE EDC (NONPROFIT) WHICH IS A DEFACTO POLITICAL MACHINE. THEY CAN'T BE AUDITED BY THE CITY!!! THE CITY CAN'T LOOK AT THEIR BOOKS. ANOTHER THING, THE CITY GIVES THEM AUTHORITY FOR THE EDC TO DECIDE WHERE ECONOMIC GROWTH IS BEST, WHERE LAND VALUE SHOULD BE RAISED. THESE GUYS ON EDC KNOW WHERE LAND WILL RAISE VALUE, THEN THEY GO BUY THE LAND! THIS IS INSIDER TRADING. OVERNIGHT A PIECE OF CRAP LAND BECOMES GOLD. (INSIDE INFORMATION IS MORE POWERFUL THAN MONEY MY FRIENDS). THE EDC IS A POLTICAL MACHINE. WHO GETS THE CONTRACTS? 90 PERCENT OF PROJECTS, WHATABURGER FIELD AND AMERICAN BANK CENTER: JOE FULTON! MIKE CARROLL, ED MARTIN (HEAD OF BERRY CONSTRUCTION) CHANGE LEADERSHIP ROLES (DON'T CONFUSE KEN BERRY THE SOLOMONISTA WITH THE MAIN FAMILY).
CITY AND COUNTY CONSTRUCTION PROJECT DIFFERENCES. JOE FULTON WAS LATE ON PROJECT HE UNDERBID EVERYONE ON. HE SAYS "I CAN'T DO IT WITH WHAT I BID, NEED MORE MONEY(THIS IS KNOWN AS COST OVERRUN). AMERICAN BANK CENTER, WHATABURGER FIELD. HE HAS SELDOM IF EVER COMPLETED A PROJECT ON TIME AND HAS DONE COST OVERRUN BIG TOWN. THE SHADOW GOVERNMENT THEY ARE ON, THE EDC ALLOW THESE COST OVERRUNS AND THE CITY HAS NOTHING TO SAY ABOUT.CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP: APPOINT PEOPLE ON EDC BECAUSE THE CITY AND COUNTY CAN ONLY APPOINT SO MANY.LET'S LOOK AT NUMBERS. LESS THAN 1 PERCENT JOB GROWTH (WORKSOURCE) THEY GET INSIDE INFORMATION AND EVERYONE MAKES MONEY AND THE COMMUNITY RARELY BENEFITS. IF YOU DESTROY THE EDC, THEY WILL JUST BUILD ANOTHER ORGANIZATION. LOOK AT THE AMERICAN BANK CENTER BOARD AND YOU WILL SEE MANY BIG PLAYER. THE HEAD OF CCISD IS THERE. WHERE DID HE WORK? AMERICAN BANK. WHO HAS MARKETING CONTRACT: CAROL SCOTT (WIFE OF MARK SCOTT). JOHN LONGORIA: HE SITS ON ADVISORY BOARD, NELDA MARTINEZ ON CITY COUNCIL SHE SITS ON ADVISORY BOARD OF AMERICAN BANK TOO.
SAME THAT SHAMSIE AND LENCHO DO THE EDC DOES. THEY GO AFTER ENTITIES OF GOVERNMENT AND GO AFTER PUBLIC DOLLARS (WE ARE CREATING JOBS SAYS JOE FULTON IF YOU BUILD WHATABURGER WITH CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION? YOU CREATE NOTHING.

YOU ARE PASSING ON A BILL TO FUTURE GENERATIONS. THIS IS WHAT LENCHO/SHAMSIE ARE DOING AND EDC IS DOING. LESS THAN 1 PERCENT JOB GROWTH. ALL THE TAXPAYERS MONEY WENT TO THESE PEOPLE THIS IS THE IGNORANCE OF THE TAXPAYERS OF NUECES COUNTY.
PACKERY CHANNEL: THE CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI BORROWED 9 MILLION. HOW MUCH INTEREST DID AMERICAN BANK CHARGE IN INTEREST? 99 PERCENT INTEREST AND YOU AND I ARE PAYING FOR IT. USURY, NO LESS. IT WAS ON LOYD NEILS WATCH.
CONCLUSION: THE FLOODGATES OF OPPORTUNITY. THESE GROUPS MONOPOLIZE POWER AND HOPE. THESE PEOPLE CREATE NOTHING AND PROFIT AMONG THEMSELVES.PEOPLE OF CORPUS CHRISTI, CHECK IT OUT. DO THE RESEARCH. YOU DON'T NEED A COLLEGE DEGREE TO COMPREHEND THESE THINGS. I CARE ABOUT MY COMMUNITY AND THESE GROUPS UNDERESTIMATE THE PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY AND THEY THINK WE WOULD NEVER FIGURE IT OUT. BUT WE ARE FIGURING IT OUT.


MORE TO COME. COMMENTS PLEASE.





Thursday, April 05, 2007

This should be included with the Oso Golf Course Land Deal.

County: Tell us more on courthouse

Commissioners hear idea to turn building into a legal center

By Beth Wilson Caller-Times
April 5, 2007


The 1914 Nueces County Courthouse may be priceless to preservationists, but local developers are putting an $11 million price tag on restoring its legal legacy.

County commissioners didn't offer the courthouse to Judson Partners, a group with a plan to turn it into a law center, but indicated Wednesday they were interested in hearing more from the state and other developers.


In a commissioners workshop meeting, developer Dan Judson presented his plan to buy the building and find the private funds to renovate it and bring in a law center that eventually would become affiliated with a law school.

a Law School in South Texas (with an ethics watchdog student body) and a new Kenedy Board of Directors (transparently structured)


County Judge Loyd Neal said he'd be interested in any deal that made financial and historical sense for the building that was the site that handled the county's business through much of the previous century.

"We have a long way to go from workshop to reality," he said. "If you make a good offer, we might sell you a courthouse, and I'm not sure I'd want a reversionary clause."

Commissioner Chuck Cazalas said any sale discussion would have to consider value of the land in addition to the building.

Neal said later that he has no estimate of the value of either the land or building and he's not sure the county would be able to sell the courthouse because a deed restriction was placed on the building when the county accepted grants from the Texas Historical Commission.

John G & Marie Stella Kenedy Memorial Foundation and John G Kenedy Trust (KFATSO)"Kenedy Foundation And Trust" ATTORNEY & "Caller Times LEGAL SPECIALIST" (As well as in House Counsel) Jorge Rangel and wife Guadalupe Rangel of Corpus Christi Beat Magazine and along with Anne Armstrong on Tx A&M Univ. System (College Station) Board of Regents. She wants a Law School in South Texas.


Judson said that if the county is willing to sell the building to his group, it is willing to put in about $200,000 for further studies to determine what would be the best use for the building that's been vacant since 1977.

This should be included with the Oso Golf Course Land Deal.


Judson said Wednesday a law center or school would keep the legal history of the building intact and two restored courtrooms could be used in learning. He has spoken to some law schools in Texas but said it is too early to say which ones. He has not received confirmation of interest in establishing a branch campus or center here.

He said he's also interested in using the building for residential and office space. While he doesn't have firm costs for such projects, he said renovation and the land could be between $11 million and $15 million and would be entirely privately funded.

"We are crystal clear that you don't want to use taxpayer money," he said.

Commissioner Peggy Banales, whose precinct includes the courthouse near the Harbor Bridge, said she wants to restore the courthouse to "its grand ole' lady style," but confirmed the county didn't want to put any more taxpayer money into its restoration or renovation.

A $2.85 million renovation of the building's south wing exterior was completed last year.

Community donations and county funds provided the local match of $950,000, but in 2005, commissioners declined to put up $1.76 million to match state grant funds to continue renovation. Cost for complete restoration has been estimated as high as $30 million.

Any contract to sell the building likely will include a clause returning it to the county if it isn't completed. Neal said Wednesday he's not sure whether the court would ask for such a clause.

The building can't be demolished until 2025 because a deed restriction was placed on the building when the county accepted renovation grants from the Texas Historical Commission.

Judson said he expects the county, if the county proceeds, to go through a public process to approve the sale and a renovation project, including asking if other developers are interested in any courthouse reuse plans.

Commissioners took no action to approve Judson's plan but authorized county staff to confer with the Texas Historical Commission, which must approve any changes in the building as a condition of accepting state grant funds.

"We will certainly consider this further under the advice of our county attorney and others," Neal said.

The county must notify the state of any changes, including transfer of the building, said Stan Graves, director of the commission's Historic Courthouse Preservation Program. He said the commission prefers historic courthouses remain county-owned, used for government and open to the public.

"The specific idea of using the facility as a law school has a certain appeal in that it would allow the courtrooms, judge's chambers and other major spaces to remain in the use originally intended," he said in a written statement. "Such a proposal would be preferable to something that would change the original structure and intent of the building."

Contact Beth Wilson at 886-3748 or HYPERLINK mailto:wilsonb@caller.com wilsonb@caller.com

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