In a corrupt city like El Paso there are many examples of the corrupt practices that keep the taxpayers under the weight of taxes exasperated by politicians looking to make a buck at the expense of the constituency they purport to represent. All communities have bad examples on their midst. Unfortunately, in a corrupt society like El Paso, the bad apples are so blatant that they publicly show you how corrupt they are.
Remember, as I have been demonstrating over the years, corruption is not just a criminal activity that can be prosecuted but it is also activities like not doing the job required of the individual for political reasons or looking for ways to ignore the intent of the law in order to continue the corruption at the taxpayers’ expense. When someone is corrupt, the answers to their actions is not, “it looks bad, let me see if I can fix it.” Instead the corrupt answer is “I am following the law,” or “I haven’t broken the law.”
On March 12, 2016, Marty Schladen quoted Marisa Marquez in the El Paso Times. There are two particularly important quotes that I would like to focus on today. In the first, Marquez is quoted as stating; “I am proud of my record on transparency and ethics.” In her second quote, Marquez states, “I did my own due diligence in contacting the Texas Ethics Commission back in July to ensure I was in compliance…I do not engage in any state-level lobbying and continue to follow all rules and regulations in accordance with the Texas Ethics Commission.”
Notice how Marquez focuses on not breaking the law instead of why it looks bad?
This is because Marisa Marquez isn’t looking at the interests of the taxpayers, but rather at her own financial interests.
The indications of questionable practices by Marquez are all over the place, even though she adheres to following the law.
Remember back in early 2014 when it was revealed that Marisa Marquez could be persuaded to “run interference” on a political agenda for “$13,500”? (Ethics and The Forma Group) This was revealed in a text message from Mark Smith, a person that I have demonstrated over the years works closely with Woody Hunt in helping politicians get elected. Hunt’s money flows through Smith and The Forma Group.
If The Forma Group sounds familiar to you it is because Marisa Marquez is working for them, even though she is still in elected office. As I have demonstrated over the years, The Forma Group is notorious for its lack of ethics and its questionable practices in running politicians. Follow this link if you missed my various write ups on their notoriety.
Therefore, on one hand we have Marisa Marquez arguing that she is following the letter of the law while many, including politicians, are questioning her ethics in working for a lobbying group while still in elected office. She argues that she has done nothing wrong.
Lobbyists, by their nature, work to persuade politicians to vote in favor of their clients. Lobbyists are paid by those that can afford them to control the outcome of legislation. Obviously the clients are looking for legislation that benefits them. It doesn’t take a genius to understand that if a lobbyist can place selected politicians in selected political offices then their jobs become that much easier.
In the case of Marisa Marquez, we know for a fact that she benefited extensively from The Forma Group for her political career. By extension and based on the evidence I have documented here on my blog, Woody Hunt is the single most important reason that The Forma Group exists.
Now add to all of that, a text message that clearly states that Marisa Marquez can be persuaded to run interference at the legislature for “$13,500.” The text message was sent by an individual that works very closely with The Forma Group.
Now she is working for The Forma Group even though many feel it is unethical for her to do so. Clearly something is wrong with the whole thing.
This is how corruption works in El Paso.
El Paso has added a new twist to the meaning of “Bad Apples”. In El Paso, we have to scrape the bottom of the barrel to find a few good apples.
Perhaps, the definition of ethics and perception hasn’t been properly explained or defined which is why the politicians and public always think “it’s ok” or “very clever”. Just because the law hasn’t been broken, doesn’t make it ok. Perception is everything so be conscious of what is being said or done. Of course, it could be the politicians just don’t give a damn about either and the public can’t be bothered. Keep the “free money” and benefits coming !
So the carousel continues and the happy tunes. Everyone is smiling and happy. “It’s all good”. Nothing wrong in the El Paso region, only a few million here and there wasted. We don’t need streets, we need street cars. We don’t need transparency, we need more secrecy after all it’s none of our business. We don’t need a DA, there’s nothing going on. We don’t need bus riders, we need more empty buses. Students don’t need prom dates, we need more teachers for dating.
Oh what the heck, we don’t need novellas, we have something better. We have city council and commissioners court to entertainment us and we can watch them live.
Sex, scandal, corruption!
“Pass of the North”.
Starring members of El Paso Texas government.
A novellas of truth epic proportions.
Dallas doesn’t have nothing on Pass of the North.
El Paso Times
You aint’t seen nothing until you have seen Pass of the North.
El Paso Ink
A must see!
West Texas County Courier
;0)
It’s now an open secret in Austin (and in some circles in El Paso, I assume) that she and Forma are the strings behind Ali Razavi and his Max Powers blog. They use him to fly political cover for her and also for Forma’s clients as well as to attack their enemies like Mary Gonzalez and Jose Rodriguez.
Please tell me more!!!
Love,
Me
Yes we all know Ali is a mover and shaker in El Paso. Ali shake a little to the left and moves a little right, the big El Paso King or Queen maker. Next they’ll have Ali doing the Macarena! :O)
With all the Love
Thomas
The Macarena is still a thing?
Love,
Me
Ali is still hoping he can score with Marisa. Ew!
Nah, I’m more interested in some girl that goes by the name of “Skipper”.
Love,
Me
Ali
Who are you trying to fool you would do Macarena for Norma! :O000 :O)
Marquez should not be working as a lobbyist while she is in office. She’s ten times worse than Norma Chavez ever was!
Ali has been trying to score with Marquez for years. He lost a fiancée over a night fueled by his booze and obsession for Marquez. That is why all of a sudden he’s singing her praises again. As soon as she got a phone call from the El Paso Times about the story they were doing she called him up and put him to work. Too bad those of us that used to work at the Capitol know both of their reputations all too well. Give him credit though, begging lobbyists to buy him and Norma some lunch had to be a full-time job.