Max Powers

El Paso Times 0 Max Powers 2

Yesterday, THIS guy tweeted to the El Paso Times' Bob Moore and Aileen Flores:

.@BobMooreNews you should know the difference between fiscal and calendar years http://t.co/CLs0WbBj3Y

— Max Powers (@epmaxpowers) November 25, 2014

 

.@AileenBFlores do you know the difference between Fiscal Year and Calendar Year? @BobMooreNews @elpasotimes http://t.co/CLs0WbBj3Y

— Max Powers (@epmaxpowers) November 25, 2014

 Well, guess what?

From the El Paso Times, regarding that "smoking gun" email Commissioner Carlos Leon had:

Valenti today emailed County Commissioner Carlos Leon telling him that at the time of the August email, he was referring to the fiscal year and not the calendar year. Leon earlier this week released the email Valenti sent him in August, which said neither he nor his staff would be receiving bonuses this year. (Emphasis added)

Bascially, Commissioner Leon is a dumbass.  Valenti's crime is that he thought Leon would know better.  Oops.

UMC Board Chair William Hanson might to have backpedal on his comment about Valenti being "factually inaccurate."

What now of Veronica Escobar who has "flabbergasted" by Valenti's email?  Now she too looks like a dumbass.

Then you got the El Paso Times who used Leon's email as a centerpiece of their editorial today.

Talk about a clusterfuck. 

Again, Valenti's only crime is that he thought folks on Commissoners Court and UMC Board know how the budgeting calendar works. 

 

 

The El Paso Times Provides Veronica Escobar With Air Support

The El Paso Times editorial board chimed in today regarding the situation at UMC.

Not once is Veronica Escobar's name mentioned in that piece.

So much for the buck stops at the top.

But as I discussed before, the El Paso Times is reluctant to criticize Veronica Escobar because it feels by doing so it is endorsing  the Political Ghost of Luther Jones.

So the El Paso Times is doing a Veronica a solid.

But oddly enough, the El Paso Times is not really helping.

Per its editorial, UMC Board Chairman William Hanson states that Jim Valenti's email to Commissoner Carlos Leon was "factually inaccurate". 

Hanson is trying to basically say that Valenti lied without having to say so.

Hanson has a problem now.  He needs to explain the difference between "factually inaccurate" and a lie.  

Why, per Hanson's own words, did he say Valenti was being "factually inaccurate"?  If Valenti' is a lying, then say he lied.

Oh, but therein lies the rub.  Valenti did not lie.

Which brings us to the legal aspect of this.

The El Paso Council of Judges and Veronica Escobar are not exactly the best of friends.

If Valenti and the County have to go to court, it looks like it will be tough shit for Escobar and friends. 

That $120,000 will probably become $300,000.00 or probably more because the Commissioners Court and UMC Board are now dragging Valenti's name through the mud. 

But hey, whatevs.

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!

 

 

Oscar Leeser to Veronica Escobar: "Calmer Than You Are."

This issue regarding Valenti's bonus got me thinking about Mayor Oscar Leeser.

Leeser, like County Judge Veronica Escobar, is having something of a high-level personnel issue.

Where Escobar's issue is with Valenti, Leeser issues surrounds City Attorney Sylvia Firth.

A few on City Council are out for blood.  They want Firth's head on a platter.  Those city representatives have been rather vocal.  Leeser, on other hand, has been quiet.  He's sticking with Firth.  Certainly there is the whole legal aspect as to why the Mayor is sticking by Firth...contracts, City Charter, etc.   But for him it is all good politics, those on council that are normally seen as the "sane" ones are getting in a tizzy over this.  All the while Leeser is being cool, calm and collected.  And mind you, Firth is a Cook holdover. 

Now, let's look at UMC.  Veronica credits Valenti with a lot.  She has acknowledged his role in getting the Children's Hospital passed, a pet project of hers, as well as providing a plan to get her clinic plan through.  Veronica has been able to expand the scope of county government in large part because she has an administrator like Valenti.  But like so often with liberal policies, the bill is due...in this case with layoffs and the need for a loan.  Yet somehow, Veronica is surprised, so instead of sticking by Valenti she throws him out to the wolves along with the Hospital Board.  The fact of the matter is Valenti is only a symptom, not the disease.  The disease has been Veronica's program. In the effort to save the program, Veronica is getting more press time than she would like, and appears to have lost control of the situation. 

Had she stuck with Valenti, yea she would have pissed some people off, and Commissioner Leon would have made a stink, but Leon's hands are not exactly clean.   And four years from now, this would have been a non-issue. 

There are some thinking Escobar would be a great mayor, but if the she can't handle $120,000 at the County, what the hell thinks she can run the City?

 

Valenti's Words Twisted

UPDATE: Possibly source of confusion - Calendar Year vs Fiscal Year.  Which means both Leon and the El Paso Times are morons.

Now County Commissioner Carlos Leon is opening is piehole about Valenti's bonus.

He shares an email from Valenti that has made Veronica "flabbergasted". 

When all said and done, the Commissoners Court is pissed off about $120,000, but let us not forget that they, including Leon, did vote FOR the issuance of $152 million in bond money.  $120,000 by comparison is a chump change.   Then again in business, they say it is easier to ask for $10 million than it is $10,000, so there's that.

But back to that email, Valenti said:

"There were no bonuses paid in 2014 and we expect no bonuses through this year."

"Expect" is the operative word here.

Valenti did not say:

"There were no bonuses paid in 2014 and we WILL NOT get bonuses through this year."

There is kind of a big difference between what Valenti actually said and what Leon and Co. are reading. 

Valenti chose his words carefully.   After all, County Attorney Joanne Bernal is on that email chain.

There must have been a reason as to why Valenti did not expect a bonus in August.

Either the Board and/or Commissioners Court communicated something to him at that time, or he genuinely felt he did not deserve a bonus at that time.

If it is the former, then we need to know what, and if it is the latter we need to know why.

 

 

 

 

 

Jaime Abeytia Defends "The Powerless"

Jaime Abeytia has taken it upon himself to the defend "The Powerless".

In this case he refers to the "powerless" Commissioners Court.  

That the Court has no power over the UMC Board of Managers. 

I am sorry, but if you have the power to appoint, you have the power to persuade.

Technically, the Governor's office in Texas is a weak office, but Rick Perry changed that. 

How? 

He stayed long enough to fill in every single appointment office in the State with his people. 

Jaime is really pulling the wool over his eyes to believe that the Commissioners Court is powerless.

Jaime is besties with Art Fierro, who is married to Anna Perez.  The same Perez who while as Commissioner appointed William Hanson to the Board.  The same Hanson who has been out-in-front on this issue.  Is Jaime trying to say that if Anna were still commissioner, she could not convince or persuade Hanson to do something her way? After all, he's only there because of her. 

But forget Jaime.

This whole fiasco could have been over already had Veronica Escobar stood by the Board and Valenti. 

Would it look "bad"?

Yea, but just for a day or two. 

After that, it would have blown over.

So why should have Escobar stood by the Board and Valenti?  Because she has the political capital to do so. 

Let's face it, Veronica Escobar can be County Judge until the day she decides to call it quits.

Someone could try to run against her on a Valenti bonus, but when all is said and done, that won't move the needle much. 

At worst, Sergio Coronado runs - again - for County Judge.  And loses...again.

 

 

 

Veronica Escobar and UMC

I just love how County Judge Veronica Escobar is playing this whole Jim Valenti bonus thing.

Per the El Paso Times:

Escboar said Valenti and the Board of Managers need to address transparency issues with the public and improve relationships with Commissioners Court and other organizations, including Texas Tech and El Paso Children's Hospital.

What. A. Crock. Of. Shite.

What's this "improve relationships with Commissioners Court" bulls*hit?

The way Veronica is talking you'd think she does NOT have Jim Valenti's cell number programmed in her cell phone. 

Maybe this is why Veronica needs a County Administrator because she's way in over her head. 

But I doubt that.

There's an interesting story about LBJ visiting with Alabama Governor George Wallace.

LBJ was pressing on Wallace as to why he would not integrate schools in Alabama along with a whole host of other civil rights issues in Alabama.  

Wallace's defense was that he did not have the authority to.

 LBJ responded back with, "George, don't you shit me as to who runs Alabama."

So don't shit us, Veronica Escobar.

Either you run the County or you don't.

 

Marty Schladen Blows Jose Rodriguez

El Paso Times Canberra Bureau Chief, Marty Schladen, returns from his sabbatical in Australia and the first thing he does is a puff piece about State Senator Jose Rodriguez. 

And what's that I read Jose Rodriguez said about incoming Lt. Governor Dan Patrick...

Rodriguez said he had a good relationship with Patrick, who chaired the Senate Education Committee last year. Patrick, a former radio host, has been known as a conservative firebrand, but Rodriguez said reality is more complex than that.

"I've seen a side of him where he'll work with you," Rodriguez said, explaining that Patrick last year helped him pass several bills aimed at reforming the El Paso Independent School District.

For some Democrats, Dan Patrick is Satan Incarnate.  Yet, where is the outrage about Jose Rodriguez having a good relationship with Patrick? Some guys took out pitchforks over State Rep. Marisa Marquez for being friendly with not-quite-Satan-Incarnate Dee Margo.  But then some Democrats are sexist like that.

But I digress.

Marty goes on to talk about several of Rodriguez's bills, but fails to mention Rodriguez's legislative effort to help out our gay brothers.  I wonder, "Why?" 

I honestly doubt Marty will do a piece like this for other members of the delegation highlighting the bills they filed.

Look, I want to say Jose Rodriguez is to the left of Lenin.  But that would insult Lenin because at least Lenin had substance.

Jose is our accidental and unremarkable senator, yet somehow Marty bites and buys into what Jose is selling.

Folks, nobody in the Texas Capitol Building says, "Hey guys, let's go to Jose Rodriguez."

But then maybe Marty does know better, but he is suffering from a case of give-up.  Which in that case I get it.  Here you were hanging in Australia enjoying the good life, but then snap back to reality something about gravity, and here you are face-to-face with Jose Rodriguez.  Yeah, I would be feeling less than inspired myself.

 

 

 

 

A Lose-Lose Proposition For Veronica Escobar

County Judge Veronica Escobar is distancing herself from Jim Valenti.

It's what elected officials naturally do when smoke appears next to their allies and friends.  They abandon them, and act suprised..."I never thought!"

As I have said, Valenti should take the bonus.  He curries no more or no less favor with Escobar if he does not, and the reason why is that Escobar and Valenti made their bed together, figuratively, long time ago.

They both are attached to hip.

If she forces Valenti out, Valenti can sue.

If she nudges Valenti out with parachute, well, if you all are mad now about a $120,000 bonus, I can only image you all will go DEFCON 1.

 

 

 

 

Friday Quick Hits

Let's do this:

• Valenti Bonus: Jim take the bonus, do not decline it.  Otherwise you will make your bosses - the Board - look really bad.  And you do not want to piss off your bosses.  Above all do not listen to Vince Perez.  The guy did after all have a guy like Jaime Abeytia on his payroll. 
• College Ball: The good games are gonna be next week, but my pick for this Saturday is Arkansas over Ole Miss.
• Sean Kugler: Kugler has one more season to impress then after that he will be poached.
• Martin Paredes: Looks like he won't get deported anytime soon.
• Giants vs Cowboys: I know Eli is Eli, on the other hand, Eli IS Eli. But I will call it for the Cowboys, although I would not be surprised if the Giants win.
• Detroit vs New England: Pats.
• Miami vs Denver: Going out on a limb here, but I am calling it for Miami.
• Tampa Bay vs Chicago:  Tampa Bay still has a chance to make the playoffs.  I am calling it for Tampa.
• Everton vs West Ham: Everton.
• Man C vs Swansea: Swansea.

Let's All Feign Outrage At Jim Valenti

This may come as surprise to you, but of the $120,000 Jim Valenti has been awarded as a bonus by the UMC Board will be more like $70,000.00 after the federales take their cut.

I don't want to hear this non-sense that this does not happen in the private sector.  It does.

It is not unusual for top brass in the private sector to get bonuses even if their organization is bankrupt (see Energy Future Holdings).

You cannot expect a CEO to do something selfless.  That's not how you become CEO to begin with.

You can run Jim Valenti out-of-town, but other top-notch adminsitrators would not want to come to a place that does not honor a contractual agreement.  So thank the Board on that one.

Even if you do run Jim Valenti out-of-town, he'll just end up making more money in some more desirable place.

But let's say the Board does not pay Jim his bonus, Jim skips town.  Then the Board has to pay consulting firm about $300,000.00 to search for a new hospital head, and convince a new potential CEO that UMC is great place to work even though they may or may not fulfill their end of a contract.

But please, continue with your self-righteous indignation.