Posted on 10/28/2005 11:11:12 AM PDT by SwinneySwitch
Amado Abascal III, a powerful four-term state district judge from Eagle Pass, was indicted Thursday, accused of falsely reporting the source of $15,000 in cash from the Kickapoo Indian casino.
According to the indictment returned by a Travis County grand jury, Abascal lied three years ago when he claimed in a campaign finance report that 15 individuals each had donated $1,000.
Instead, prosecutors said, the money came from tribal manager Isidro Garza Jr. in two lump-sum payments.
The felony charge of tampering with a government record carries a maximum penalty of two years' incarceration and a $10,000 fine. A conviction also could jeopardize Abascal's license to practice law.
The indictment resulted from an ongoing multiagency federal probe of finances at the Kickapoo Tribe.
"Its just part of a continued effort to follow every lead in this case. We were not investigating the judge, but the money trail led to him," said Alonzo Pena, special agent in charge of immigration and customs enforcement in San Antonio.
"There was tremendous field work," he said about the case, which was handed to state officials because of the offenses.
Abascal didn't return calls seeking comment. His lawyer, Roy Minton of Austin, said the judge did not knowingly file a false campaign report.
"The judge accepted that money with the understanding it had come from those named individuals. There's nothing more to it," he said.
Abascal, 51, a former district attorney, is the ninth person to be charged in the past two years with financial crimes related to the Kickapoo. The tiny tribe operates the Lucky Eagle Casino, the state's only legal gaming house, on a reservation outside Eagle Pass.
This year, Maricela Mendoza, the former director of the Kickapoo health program, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from the tribe.
Seven more people, including former state Rep. Timoteo Garza of Eagle Pass, his father Isidro Garza Jr., and two other family members, await trial this spring in federal court in Del Rio on a range of financial charges.
The roots of the Abascal case lie in an October 2002 tribal coup that was triggered by complaints of corruption and despotic rule. In a public "vote of conscience," tribal members ousted a dominant faction led by Isidro Garza Jr., a non-Indian, and tribal chairman Raul Garza, a Kickapoo.
A huge federal investigation of tribal and casino finances was launched, and late last year it bore fruit in a 26-count indictment that named six people, including the Garzas. A seventh defendant was added in a superseding indictment.
Among the more tantalizing features of the federal indictments were hints of questionable political payments to unnamed public officials.
"On or about Feb. 7, 2002, defendant Isidro Garza Jr. gave $10,000 in cash to a state district judge," read the indictment, which also mentioned a separate $5,000 payment to a state district judge on March 1, 2002.
According to the federal indictment, a Lucky Eagle Casino check for $10,000 was made out to the unnamed judge and then cashed at the casino, with the second $5,000 payment coming the same way.
Attention quickly focused on Abascal because of $15,000 in donations appearing on his 2002 campaign reports. In documents filed with the Texas Ethics Commission, Abascal listed 15 individuals as each giving him $1,000 — 10 of them on Feb. 12, and five more on March 1.
State law limits cash donations to $100 from any individual or source during a single reporting period. It also limits the amount a candidate can accept from any individual in each election, $1,000 in Abascal's case.
Thirteen of the $1,000 donors had obvious links to the Kickapoo tribe.
Among them were tribal manager Isidro Garza Jr. and his father Isidro Garza Sr.; casino manager Lee Martin; and tribal administrator Joe Guerra. However, when quizzed by a reporter this year, one of the alleged donors denied giving the money and two others declined to talk about it.
Abascal was expected to run unopposed for a fifth term next year in the 365th Judicial District, which covers Maverick, Dimmitt and Zavala counties. His legal difficulties could inspire challenges for a post he has held for 16 years.
He also might be forced to step down from the bench until the charges are resolved.
"When a judge is indicted for felony or certain misdemeanors involving official misconduct, our commission can suspend the judge," said Bob Warneke, general counsel to the Texas Commission on Judicial Conduct.
He said the suspension can be appealed, and nothing prevents a suspended judge from running for another term.
An official at the State Bar of Texas said that depending on the offense, a lawyer's license can be revoked because of a felony conviction.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
jmaccormack@express-news.net
Not too lucky for the judge!
Kickapoo Ping!
Please FReepmail me if you want on or off this South Texas/Mexico ping list.
Shudda paid in "Joy Juice"
(hat tip to Al Capp)
Wow when I first saw this I thought it was the kick'a cowpie tribe and my buddy Eaker was in trouble.....
The Kickapoo, btw, are allowed to freely cross the U.S./Mexican border as the tribes "homeland" encompasses land in both countries. No ICE allowed on the Kickapoo Reservation.
What? You mean gambling can lead to political corruption? Say it ain't so.
I didn't report contributions, I called mine "winnings"!!!!
They said poo. Kick a poo.
LMAO !
"This year, Maricela Mendoza, the former director of the Kickapoo health program, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from the tribe."
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1446223/posts
The "tribe" gets about a million a year from the Great White Father in Washington, for it's health program alone, and we are NOT allowed on the Kickapoo Reservation?!
"We have met the enemy and he is us!" ~ Pogo
Didn't see any party named.
See #3.
Travis County grand jury. That would be Ronnie Earle doing this.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.