Free Republic

January 14, 2005 9:36 AM OPIELA WITHDRAWS ELECTION CHALLENGE! Details to follow And related: January 13, 2005 6:22 PM HINOJOSA SLAMS OPIELA OVER REMARKS ABOUT SOUTH TEXAS ELECTION FRAUD Toureilles files motion to dismiss HD 35 election contest A border senator has sent a stinging letter to a Republican House candidate who is challenging an election defeat, accusing him of "divisive and racially insensitive" remarks. Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa (D-McAllen) told defeated House District 35 candidate Eric Opiela to "drop the racial overtones and negative innuendoes" after reading comments made by Opiela's attorney in a Border Buzz story on Jan....

SCOTT REESE WILLEY The Progress Karnes County attorney and rancher Eric Opiela said he has presented evidence to a special committee of state lawmakers on Friday showing that more than 1,700 fraudulent ballots were cast in the Nov. 2 general election in Jim Wells and Bee counties. In addition, he added, a precinct by precinct mathematical analysis of the illegal votes show that when the fraudulent ballots are deducted from the vote totals, Opiela won the race for State Rep. District 35 by 110 votes. District 35 includes Atascosa, Bee, Goliad, Jim Wells, Karnes, Live Oak and McMullen counties. “The...

Master of discovery, committee appointed for House election challenges. Speaker of the House Tom Craddick appointed Rep. Will Hartnett, a Republican from Dallas, Monday to act as the “master of discovery” for the three state House elections challenged from the Nov. 2 election, including results of District 35. Hartnett is a Dallas lawyer and chairs the House Judicial Affairs Committee. Also on Monday, Craddick appointed a nine-member committee, including five Republicans and four Democrats, to investigate the contested races. Last week Republican Eric Opiela filed a challenge in the Texas Secretary of State’s office regarding the results of the District...

AUSTIN — A South Texas official Friday disputed a legislative candidate's suspicions of "hundreds of irregularities" in the Nov. 2 elections, but a state agency separately said it has reason to suspect criminal misconduct in Bee County balloting. The recounts, sought and paid for by Eric Opiela of Karnes City, must start no later than Tuesday in Bee, Karnes and Jim Wells counties, according to the secretary of state's office. Opiela, the Republican nominee for the District 35 House seat, said he suspects "hundreds of irregularities" in Jim Wells County, including people voting despite not being registered. County voters favored...

Quirky voting patterns and super-high voter registration in Jim Wells County. The Republican candidate for Texas House District 35 says he plans to ask for a Recount tomorrow and is also considering an Election Contest after discovering a number of apparent voting irregularities. Karnes City rancher and attorney Eric Opiela was narrowly edged out by Democratic rival Yvonne Gonzalez Toureilles, an attorney from Alice, for the open seat in the general election. Toureilles won 23,138 votes, or 50.94 percent, a lead of 854 votes. Opiela secured 22,284 votes, or 49.06 percent. "We want to make sure that the voice of...