What is Richard Pineda?

While I worked for Norma Chavez, you know, the woman that is going to be your next congresswoman, I never heard about Richard Pineda.

Where did this guy come from?  

Really.

When did he all of sudden become the El Paso Times' go-to guy for all things local politics?

When asked by the Times for comment about the Mary vs. Mary race in the Lower Valley, Pineda had this little gem:

 "Money doesn't swing an election."

Hmmm.

So I now wanted to know more about this Pineda guy.  

Who is he?

Well, he is:

$68,088 plus benefits in El Paso ain't bad for the Associate Professor in Communication. 

But it even gets better when you know who he is married to:

Imagine that.

He makes $68,000 and his wife makes $122,400.  

On salary alone, not including benefits, the Pinedas are making nearly $200,000 a year.  

Ah, but I must correct myself.

Pineda's wife WAS making $122,400.  Apparently she is longer employed because she may or may not have been getting reimbursed for things that she should not have from her former employer.  

So for this guy to say what money can or cannot do is a bit rich.

In some instances, yes, money cannot swing election.  Like for example, you could be a Republican with $2 million, and still it would not be enough to win a congressional seat in El Paso.  

In other instances, damn straight money can swing an election.  If you are running against a not exactly popular incumbent in a Democratic primary in the Lower Valley and you need to establish some name ID, hey, KVIA is not exactly giving away ad space, the print shop is not exactly giving away mailers, nor is Whataburger ain't in-kinding you Number 1s to feed your campaign volunteers. 

If you are running office, and the choice is to have money or no money, yeah, you want the money.  

But not according to Pineda.  

Money  cannot swing an election, but apparently it can get you airfare and baby clothes.  

 

 

 

Comments

[Victor M.]

What a stupid comment. Who is this guy? So Mary raised $90,000 to buy a hooker? I mean come on, a lot of people make extra money during campaign season. It's good for the economy. Pineda is a loser.

[Hhhhmmm]

2 million in media ads on prime time and daily, flyers, newspaper, hired crews. Yeah a Republican could win. Dee Margo DID without 2 mill.

But then the opponents would say the election was bought.

[Who cars]

I think you all missed the point of this post. I too wondered who this Pineda guy is. He apparently is the heir to Greg Rocha for political commentary on local races. This guy is not that good at what Rocha did-even though I rarely agreed with Rocha’s opinion of election outcomes. Only in El Paso do government/public sector employees get deeply involved in local politics. Obviously this guy’s wife did something wrong that got her fired from TTU Medical school. Must have been pretty bad-public sector employees rarely get fired.

[Rico Suave]

So when you cannot debate the ISSUES you make it personal and slander.
Dr R Pineda is a local El Pasoan, Great UTEP instructor and probably his wife is staying home with their beautiful baby girl, therefore a Proud Father.

[Max Powers]

RS,

So you’re saying cannot swing an election?

Love,

Max

[enoughbs]

Money will swing an election. Maybe we need to ask Trump. Anywho Mary Sue Femath may have Money, May have brains. But unfortunately for Gonzalez, she has NONE of those things. The pansexual has got to be voted out. What Victoria Pineda needed to know is Anyone can be replaced - Something Victoria needs to Tell Susie Byrd. Byrd is NOTHING but Trouble and problems. Byrd will be Escobar's downfall.

[By-Tor]

Everyone here knows the writing is on the wall so there is nothing left to do but pretend that the fix was in from the start.

Sad.

[Killeen]

Rico Suave, That will be the story the Pineda's tell but she was fired for what I can only imagine was stealing. I can't see any other reason to leave.

[I will do the same thing]

Hold on, how do we know that she was fired? Evidence nowhere.

[Max Powers]

IWDTST,

So you’re saying with certainty she was not fired?

Love,

Max

[Conservative Cris]

Ha!This is a blog not the FBI. That Pineda girl pranced around treating people like shit and acting like she was someone. Well we all know what she is...thief, snob, bitch...whatever, she's not the taxpayer problem anymore.

[brenda]

Look when you put yourself in the public eye and comment on public races, you have opened yourself and your opinion to criticism. You want to be a proud father, stay your ass in the classroom and off the TV as a commentator. With regard to his wife, you want to keep your professional and personal life out of the public eye? Don't get a job that the taxpayers fund.