All I can say is- what was he thinking! Those pleated pants don't look good on him.
Patricia A. | 11.16.07 - 11:31 am | #

The Herald article said Barry was added after the BND board voted to enter negotiations with Bay Bridge and that Zavaletta asked him if he would like to join the lawsuit.

Whenever you are in negotiations with potential lessees or current lessees you, as a public official, should NEVER ask them for something. In fact you should not be asking for anything from anyone because of your status as an elected official. People approached by elected officials are in vulnerable positions and it makes it really hard to say NO. It’s wrong and you know it.
Ethics | 11.16.07 - 12:51 pm | #

Yeah, pleats are totally 1980s.
Melissa Zamora | Homepage | 11.16.07 - 1:34 pm | #

This whole thing just reminded me of the county employee party. I caught the last part of the last county meeting, and Cascos was explaining how this party had been financed under Judge Hinojosa. Basically, Hinojosa's office asked vendors for large donations. Cascos was adamant that he personally wasn't going to do, and that starting next year they should find a different way to fund it. The other commissioners were silent on this practice that also placed vendors in the vulnerable position of risking losing a contract if they don't pony up some money so that the judge's office can throw a party for county employees.

If this is the kind of complacency Zavaletta wants to eliminate and instill public trust, he can't avail himself of legal technicalities to justify something he should have known was ethically questionable.
Patricia A. | 11.16.07 - 4:00 pm | #

Wow.

Patricia, you need a blog of your own and you need it, like... yesterday.

Chris Davis | Homepage | 11.16.07 - 4:12 pm | #

Ok ... on a more serious note, pleats aside.

I certainly see it as a conflict of interest, and this one incident has unfortunately cast a shadow of hypocrisy and causes me, and I'm sure others, to question the sincerity of his indignation as the so-called ardent defender of the taxpayers of Cameron County.

PZ was quick to point out CD's apparent conflict of interest when it came to the work he performed for the law firm representing Dannenbaum. And, he's been quick to point out conflicts within the Villalobos administration.

Now, he is caught in the crossfire of his own litany, and his excuses to the Herald demonstrate to me that he's folding like an origami swan.
Melissa Zamora | Homepage | 11.16.07 - 5:28 pm | #

CD,

I will certainly grant you the appearance of impropriety; at a minimum.

It actually looks really, really bad.

The Conrado picture though? Conrad is in a pic with 16,000 other Cameron County residents if you wanted to be in the picture or not, bless his heart.

Jurgan
Kurgan | Homepage | 11.16.07 - 10:06 pm | #

I am not buying the quid pro quo - and remember I am the one who labeled Zavaletta as the master manipulator.

Clearly as to the last vote given the fact he was representing an employee of Bay Bridge commonsense would have dictated abstaining from the vote - his failure to see this commonsense gives insight into his true character.

That said - what was the quid pro quo? PZ was the one calling for the contract with Bay Bridge since what? last Spring - his position was well established long before the lawsuit.

At the time PZ put Chamber's name on the lawsuit Chambers did not work for Bay Bridge - a conflict of interest yes, quid pro quo no - the math is just not there.

Further as to the quid pro quo what would he gain - whether there is one person or a million people names on the lawsuit - it only takes one name for the lawsuit to exist -

the extra names are just an act of show tunes at a christmas party - it is nice, sometimes interesting, but does not change the composition of christmas.

So conflict yes- but quid pro quo - yea the math is just not there.

Now - you want something to talk about - and I am blown away no one raised it - it is PZ press release on how he is going to run the DA's office

If you wait for people to show they want to amend for their sins, the jail will be overflowing with petty criminals who in time will have the charges dismissed for want of prosecution.

He has zero understanding of how the plea bargain process works - people plead guilty who are innocent - there are reasons for that - people plead guilty to lesser included crimes as a compromise -

If he were to implement his plan the jails would be overflowing - the court house would come to a stand still and real criminals will have there cases dismissed for want of prosecution.

As to restitution - while he is waiting for the restitution - the county will go bankrupt building jails to hold everyone who will never be able to pay the restitution.

This is all a fundamental failure to understand how the criminal courts function.

As to plea bargains Cameron county needs standardized pleas for specific crimes - it takes politics out of it - standardized pleas are pretty normal in most major cities

Bobby WC
Bobby Wightman-Cervantes | 11.16.07 - 10:39 pm | #

Bobby WC, you have the law background. After seeing all this stuff on PZ I started to question his motive for the lawsuit against Dannenbaum. Can he actually file such a lawsuit as a taxpayer? If so shouldn't he also be sueing the port because it is a party to the settlement? If he could not file such a lawsuit is PZ setting up all the other Plaintiffs to have to pay Dannebaum's attorney fees? Do you have any insight on this?
Questions | 11.17.07 - 12:31 pm | #

taxpayer lawsuits are pretty standard in the US - the lawsuit is good - remember the issue is not if someone is doing something good - which I believe the lawsuit to be - the issue is the motivation behind the lawsuit.

I believe before all things are done and over - the BND is going to get something out of the lawsuit.

But using Dannenbaum as a boggyman does not fly with me - I view it as a wedge issue type motive - such as is being used in immigration - gay rights - you name it.

But then which politician does not use wegde issues? - they all do -

Peter's problem is he tried to make people believe he was different when in fact he is the same -

this angered people

the bottom line is - if he succeeds at forcing dannenbaum to the table people will vote for him - he will win -

being shocked this is happening is kind of like being shocked there is gambling in Las Vegas

It's politics

Bobby WC
Bobby Wightman-Cervantes | 11.17.07 - 1:21 pm | #

I am the first to say that I want Dannenbaum to pay but that's not what the lawsuit is asking for. I also will be the first to say that I don't like lawyers that file lawsuits that should not be filed.

I've been googling this issue and from what I found taxpayers don't have open access to the courts. There are few exceptions. In fact alot of news sites mention a very recent case involving the Bush administration that deals with "taxpayer standing". Just about everything I have seen is a taxpayer trying to stop the government from spending money on something that is not constitutional not suing a private company to do away with a settlement agreement. A situation like this is the responsibility of the port. If PZ doesn’t like the path the port is taking he should get with his fellow commissioners to work something out not just start suing companies.

I know PZ hates Dannenbaum but there are rules and laws in place for a reason. Did PZ ignored these rules and laws and moved forward with this lawsuit anyway? I wish PZ would chime in to put our minds at ease.
Questions | 11.18.07 - 8:37 am | #

Now, let's address an even more serious issue. Although I agree that PZ had a potential conflict, I'm sure others exist concerning his fellow BND commissioners. I'm looking into those.
Melissa Zamora | Homepage | 11.18.07 - 10:41 am | #

Actually, I like the pleats.
Anonymous | 11.18.07 - 4:09 pm | #

Wow it seems Ms. Zamora is looking to deflect the spotlight from peter.
concerned | 11.19.07 - 5:26 pm | #

No, I'm not. PZ's actions have brought to light the issue of potential conflicts of interest on the board in general. I plan to explore those.

I believe PZ's response (posted on my blog) to the conflict of interest allegations only made matters worse. There is some contradicting material in his response, and, he continues to believe no conflict exists.

I continue to believe there is a conflict.

I am sure that fellow commissioners are tapping their heels in jubilation at this issue when it's very likely they have their own conflicts of interest on the board. Such hypocrisy irks me.

Call it what you will, deflection or not. PZ will SHARE the scrutinizing "spotlight" with the others. I don't doubt that PZ is working on finding the potential conflicts of his fellow commissioners, too.

Still "CONCERNED?" Sign you real name and attach some sincerity and validity to your so-called "concerns."
Melissa Zamora | Homepage | 11.19.07 - 6:34 pm | #

What i find most disturbing about this site is the arrogance that those who would dare believe Mr. Zavaletta did no wrong are forced by the thought control police on this site to justify or explain how they arrived at that conclusion. Talk about some sick Orwellian joke.
Anonymous | 11.19.07 - 7:35 pm | #

I can’t believe the press release and his statements that he did nothing wrong. Let’s put it as simple as possible. By Zavaletta’s own admission, Mr. Chambers was a manager for a large ship dismantler AT THE PORT. Zavaletta is a Port Commissioner. As a Port Commissioner his decisions affect the business that Mr. Chambers manages. When approached by Zavaletta, a commissioner with that decision power, what would anyone expect Mr. Chambers to say when asked by Zavaletta to join his lawsuit?

The following is from a February 15, 2004 Brownsville Herald article:
…controversy culminated Friday when Cantu was arrested and arraigned on charges of abuse of official capacity. The Class A misdemeanor charge stems from an Oct. 29 meeting where Cantu, 48, allegedly asked jailers for their help with his re-election bid.
Simple | 11.19.07 - 7:56 pm | #

"Anonymous" using PZ's e-mail address (by default) and posting from PZ's IP said:

"What i find most disturbing about this site is the arrogance that those who would dare believe Mr. Zavaletta did no wrong are forced by the thought control police on this site to justify or explain how they arrived at that conclusion. Talk about some sick Orwellian joke."

"Thought control police". Run-on sentence or no, I like the sound of that.

And I imagine in your world, "Anon", some animals really ARE more equal than others, right?

Christopher Davis | Homepage | 11.19.07 - 9:58 pm | #

Ha Ha Ha
BUSTED!!!!!!!!
peter you sly fox, you almost had us but Big Brother is always watching.

HAHAHA
thezipper | 11.19.07 - 11:54 pm | #

I tought that if we log on as anon, you CD would respect our privacy???
WAS I WRONG!!!!
IF YOU CAN BRING US OUT, can you tell me who is BB, K, M??
CHINwawa, CHINgao | Homepage | 11.20.07 - 2:26 pm | #

"I tought(sic) that if we log on as anon, you CD would respect our privacy???
WAS I WRONG!!!! IF YOU CAN BRING US OUT, can you tell me who is BB, K, M??"

[Sigh]
Argelia, Argelia, Argelia...

My comment system is different than the standard Blogger system, in that it lists IP addresses of commenters. It makes it easier to permanently ban the addresses of the rowdier Anonymous Cowards.

But my system is also like Blogger's in that when a reader clicks to comment, near the comment bodyspace they'll see blanks for Name and Email. If a commenter has filled those blanks once upon a time (like YOU DID, Argelia) and they don't clear out their browser's cookies, the info autofills those blanks upon the next visit to the same site.

Both you and your fearless leader failed to clear out your respective cookies.

Simple as that. Rocket Surgery or "thought control policing", this isn't.

MORALS OF THE STORY:
1. Clear your cookies.
2. No one's out to "get" you. Unless, of course, they are.

Yours in Christ,
Big Brother

Chris Davis | Homepage | 11.20.07 - 4:43 pm | #

For me, what I enjoy about blogging most is the critical thinking aspect. The following post raised a valid and interesting post which demonstrates the type critical thinking I love - I'm tired and pissed right now (bad trip to VA today) so I have no real opinion as to its merits - I just love when people think.

"I can’t believe the press release and his statements that he did nothing wrong. Let’s put it as simple as possible. By Zavaletta’s own admission, Mr. Chambers was a manager for a large ship dismantler AT THE PORT. Zavaletta is a Port Commissioner. As a Port Commissioner his decisions affect the business that Mr. Chambers manages. When approached by Zavaletta, a commissioner with that decision power, what would anyone expect Mr. Chambers to say when asked by Zavaletta to join his lawsuit?"
Bobby Wightman-Cervantes | 11.20.07 - 6:22 pm | #

CD don't play!!!!!!
thezipper | 11.20.07 - 10:33 pm | #

"...When approached by Zavaletta, a commissioner with that decision power, what would anyone expect Mr. Chambers to say when asked by Zavaletta to join his lawsuit?"

Uh, "No."
Anonymous | 11.21.07 - 6:18 am | #

"Uh, 'No.'"

How naive.

Chris Davis | Homepage | 11.21.07 - 3:01 pm | #

MZ, your own blog site claims that it is the blogger's right to remain anonymous. So why bust someone's balls if they didn't add their name. Is the info typed invalid because I did not put my name down? Take another look at your own blogger rights, Mijita.
It's Prime Time! | 11.29.07 - 3:14 pm | #

Como que, mijita? Don't patronize me, mijito.

OK. You're right. I was too harsh.

BTW, what the heck do you mean by "It's Prime Time?"
Melissa Zamora | Homepage | 11.30.07 - 10:07 am | #

MZ, I am just horrible at picking a names. Maybe you can give me one? Meanwhile, I'll remain, "Nameless".

PS: you weren't that harsh...and thats the first time i call anyone "mijita".

-Nameless
It's Prime Time! | 12.03.07 - 6:49 pm | #

No worries. ... Although I'm sure CD knows who you are. Remember, he's Big Brother, and he's always watching.
Melissa Zamora | Homepage | 12.04.07 - 1:16 pm | #

If he does, oh well. Questions? Comments? Bring them to the table, baby.

(no, i didnt call you baby).

I'm outta here!
Nameless | 12.05.07 - 6:46 pm | #