By MICHAEL RODRIGUEZ
Managing Editor
editor@sbnewspaper.com
Mayor Joe H. Hernandez
San Benito Mayor Joe H. Hernandez is scheduled for arraignment Wednesday on the terroristic threat charges filed last year by a former city commissioner.
Hernandez’ case is the 81st listed on a criminal docket for hearings slated Wednesday, July 31 in Cameron County Court at Law No. 1. The mayor faces terroristic threat charges, a class B misdemeanor for which he has gone unarrested, filed by Ricardo R. Rodriguez, a former San Benito City Commissioner who served from 1975-79.
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Tell us Mr. Mayor, are you running for re-election? The community wants to know.
“He who laughs last, laughs best.”
LMAO
I would also speak on your behalf if La Raza was attempting to expose all the negative aspects of your term and life, assuming you are Latino…What you guys fail to recognize is a fellow latino that has a great deal of charisma, talks, and listens to many clients personal and domestic problems at work, and never looks down on them…Attempting to look down, speak out in public, and Judge a man’s character is literally reverting back and being extremely TRIBAL and TERRITORIAL…If you feel the Mayor hasn’t moved forward and represented SB in a dignified and professional manor, DO NOT cast your vote in his favor, but there is no need to come out in public and attempt to cut his throat and bash him…less, once again, there are NO SKELETONS in your closets
Say What?
The dude just tried to silence his critics because he did not approve of what was being said in public comments and you just want the public to sit down and shut up because he is Latino. According to you the newspapers should stop printing the negative stories because he is Latino. These is NOT North Korea!
Why don’t you start defending his actions instead of focusing on the fact he is Latino and he has skeletons in his closet but he is immune to public criticism. Everyone has skeletons in their closets, so What is your point? Maybe that is why many people don’t run for public office knowing they are putting themselves out in the public to be judged.
What YOU fail to recognize is that he is a “barber” who cuts hair, he is not a certified psychiatrist, psychologist, or medical professional to solve people’s problems. I used to be employed as a bartender and listened to peoples problem all night but I never solved their problems, domestic or otherwise.I also never looked down on them. Oh wait, that qualifies me to be Mayor!
I am going to lunch!
Denny Crane, Jr., I believe the repeated references to skeletons are designed to intimidate anyone daring to run against Hernandez. Kind of a veiled threat that, “if you challenge Hernandez, we will expose your skeletons.” Effective, as it weeds out the cowardly. Fortunately for us, we have plenty of good people in this community fit to hold office that won’t be intimidated.
Hammer, with all sincerity, I appreciate your loyalty to and defense of your friend. I am saddened, though, that you would speak on my behalf only if I am Latino. I’m hoping that’s not what you meant but that’s how it reads. Nonetheless, I truly do respect your opinion even though I don’t agree, and appreciate that you speak out in defense of your friend. No one is all bad, and it’s good you should point that out about Mr. Hernandez. It is admirable that you come to his defense.
Admittedly, I don’t know him personally as well as you. I agree he appears to be an excellent barber. He has been married to the same woman for many years, which says something positive about him — and his wife. I believe his children are college educated and successful, which again speaks positively of he and his wife. He is personable and, on a personal level, maybe even likable. Perhaps if I knew him better I could write more positives, but the fact is, I don’t know him well enough to do so. My disdain for Mr. Hernandez comes from his actions as mayor.
The last couple of days I have thought about your crab in a bucket analogy; it does apply to the mayor of our city. Our mayor, upon reaching the top of the bucket with his re-election, did nothing to elevate the crabs he perceived beneath him. Without citing instances that have been written ad nauseam, he set out on a systematic and determined course to knock down the crabs he felt wronged him once he again reached the top of the bucket. Instead of basking in the validation of his popularity and using it for the good of the city, he used it as a license to exact revenge.
Ever since re-election, his performance at center stage has been an embarrassment for us all. He was not humbled by the love and support of the humble masses; he became emboldened by the power and used that power, not for the common good of the city, but for self-serving benefit. As top crab, he didn’t elevate the other crabs; he pushed them further down in the bucket.
I do not know Joe Hernandez, the man, as well as you do, Hammer, but I do know the Mayor of our city, and his actions are despicable and embarrassing, and counter-productive to our growth. Make no mistake: If the name of our mayor was The Hammer or RSB, I would be equally critical of the same actions. Unfortunately our mayor’s name is Joe Hernandez, so if it seems I am picking on Joe Hernandez, the man, it’s because Joe Hernandez is committing these actions as our mayor.
If you want to assert Joe Hernandez is a good man, Hammer, I’ll concede he has some good qualities. But the City of San Benito desperately needs much than Mayor Joe Hernandez.
Joe Hernandez has retracted his attempt to muzzle residents from speaking during city meetings.
On the Aug. 5 commission agenda, he placed an item to remove the public comment period which allows residents to speak before commissioners for three minutes before regular meetings.
So much for that free speech stuff, eh?? UNBELIEVABLE.
Do not worry, WTP, for we’ll speak in one united voice at the polls in 2014. Until then, we always have this venue to speak our minds. Trust me, they are hearing us, which is why they’re trying to shut us up any way they can control. Most anything they do now can be undone under a new commission and administration. The mayor showed us that when he undid the Veteran’s Memorial plaque. Thanks mayor!
Hijo la mo…I surrender…lol…My only escape outta this CRAB pow camp is pending the mayor’s re-election…My ocean front property in Reynosa is still accepting bids, people…:-)
Wow, Pepe Roni, great response with all the links to video and articles! Wish I knew how to do that. Really adds substance to your views!
@ The Hammer – your arguments don’t even make sense . The only one making race an issue is you! Are you suggesting that because he is Latino, we should accept his incompetent and unethical actions ?
Seriously if anybody needs to crawl under a rock , it would be this ” good man”, but since he has no shame , I don’t think it’ll happen anytime soon !
‘
Haha, Tack! Thought never occurred to me he’ll be reelected. We’ll see, won’t we. You know, though, if I was to expose the location of the rock, you’d be the first to come wiz on it! The only avoidance you practice is reality! Do appreciate your comical spin, Tack. Keep it coming.
I used to post on here under a pseudonym name, really doesn’t matter what it was, my close friends are familiar with what that name was. I decided to blog under my real name, primarily because I don’t mind others knowing my sentiments on particular matters. That being said, I fully respect my esteemed bloggers for posting under pseudonym names, certainly within your prerogative.
I have closely followed and observed our Mayor’s political spiraling demise. And I would be critical of our mayor if he would be Anglo, Latino, African-American, etc. But one can’t seem to come up with the realization that the majority, if not all of Joe Hernandez’s woes are self-inflicted. After all, he is the one that:
* allowed a friend to set up a raspa stand next to his place of business, even though he knew this was against city ordinance.
*. Admitted to others he indeed was parked and photographed Rodriguez’s house. Why would he do this?
*. At a city organization meeting, he abruptly interrupted Mrs Sandra Tumberlinson when she addressed him as Joe, and scolded her, stating she was to address him as Mayor. I personally know a State Representative from Laredo, he is constantly telling me to call him by his first name, ad opposed to his title.
*. He upset many in the community when he was adamant about changing the name on the plaque at the Veterans Memorial Pavillion to reflect his own.
I tend to be a glass half full type of individual, and always try to see the good in people. I siincerely wish I could be writing to submit a list of Joe’s, I mean our Mayor’s accomplishments.
God Bless us ALL
Senor “The Hammer” or is it “The Lawyer” (You can’t touch this!), you seem to be the only commenter here who has come to the defense of a so-called “good man”, according to your definition.
You want to talk about “a shame and an outrage”, “Harboring charge dismissed in San Benito Case” and “Case against mayor’s accuser dismissed!” is about a man who was “NEVER GUILTY”, yet he was handcuffed and arrested for such a silly charge as “harboring a run-away”. The judge was probably laughing within while dismissing the charges.
On the other hand, your “good man” was never handcuffed or arrested while facing” charges or allegations of “making terroristic threats”. He was a free man until the day of his recent arraignment.
It is interesting that in your little “crabs analogy” you mention the words anger, animosity, and harassment.
HERE is a visual example of ANGER”, HERE and HERE are more visual examples of “ANIMOSITY and HARASSMENT” publicly displayed by your “good man” and his cohorts.
It is quite interesting how you try to justify the “good man’s reaction” to the exposure by the San Benito News of his (skeleton) failure to pay his “property taxes”. Yes he was elected to a second term as Mayor but as you very eloquently put it, “You get what you pay for….,” a tax dodger who has no problem over spending taxpayer dollars as long as it is not digging into his pocket”.
Your attempt at introducing race or “La Raza”in defending your “good man” because he is LATINO needs to be restored in the attic of the shop class of that great philosopher and teacher, Mr. Jay Shoemaker!
RACE has NOTHING to do with this!!!!!!!!!
The “Arrogance” and the “I am the KING” attitude displayed by Mr. Hernandez is what is at issue.
NOTHING he does WRONG is EVER his FAULT.
It takes a “Good Man” to admit when he is wrong!
Reform “La Chachalaka de” San Benito…What rock are you going to crawl under and hide if the mayor is re-elected once again???….”EXPOSE” the location so it can be marked and avoided……. My ocean front property in Reynosa, is still taking bids for anyone with a skeletal free closet!!!..
Please understand, Tack Hammer, that it is not a fellow Latino, nor Latinos, I intend to embarrass by exposing their negative attributes. It is a MAYOR — a should-be dignified position and community figurehead — that embarrasses himself and his community by his thuggish behavior and incompetence that I wish to, not embarrass, but expose.
How sad you should make this about race! There are plenty of races to our north, south, east and west that laugh at us, not to mention fellow Latinos in our very own community who would laugh, if it wasn’t so painful, at the pathetic antics of our mayor. This is not about the color of a man. It’s about a man coloring outside the lines of decency and the law, coloring our community in an unfavorable hue. The only race that is of relevance here should be the stampede of voters feet as they race to the polls in 2014 to rid our community of the petty and criminally incompetent officials we have in office today.
Previously you referred to him as a “good man.” Not sure what you base that judgment on, for it’s the actions of your proclaimed “good man” that has tarnished the position of mayor and embarrassed our city. Yes, the community did reelect him. Since that election, he has done little but embarrass this city and reveal a character that can be characterized as anything but good.
Now you, too, have revealed much about your character.
Que onda Reform San Benito,…I am a Genie that manifested in a bottle of Jim Beam Jay Shoemaker hid and forgot about in the attic of his shop class, here on planet earth and in San Benito, Texas…What difference does it make where I originated…You should focus on and be concerned with the disgusting racing stripes you constantly sport on those calsones of yours, fore you sure know how to sling crap, and waste your time looking stupid, by attempting to expose the negative attributes of a fellow LATINO that has been re-elected to serve this position…Mr. X is understandable???…He fought for Justice and HIS race…The prieto Mr. X de SB along con La Raza de SB are opposite and hell bent and totally intent on inflicting as much damage upon each other, as they can…The Gringos just to the north of SB must be stomping their feet and laughing really hard at us….It’s simple…The time to vote grants us our freedom of choice…Then we put THE HAMMER down and move on with our lives…Clowns in the circus/Crabs in a bucket….How SAD
From where does “The Hammer” originate? ‘Hounds83’ is understandable. likewise, ‘Mr. X’ (hello Malcolm!), ‘Reform San Benito.’ But where did you come up with “The Hammer?”
@ Hounds 83…LOL…I’m impressed with the Ostrich theory of yours, but the term he is serving is his 2nd, is it not???…Tell me, what pathway would YOUR reactions take,{ since you’ve so eagerly taken on the personality of 1 of them crabs}, had La Raza dug in the sand and began exposing the skeletons in YOUR closet….Tell me there are no skeletons in YOUR closet and I will sell you my ocean front property in Reynosa
@ The Hammer …I’m familiar with that story…. but it does not apply in any way to this incompetent ” good man” . The only thing bringing him down is his own incompetence and arrogance. Anger…animosity…harassment all sentiments and actions coming from him. He is doing a pretty good job bringing and keeping himself down all by himself, doesn’t need anybody else pulling him down. With all due respect to you , perhaps the only digging in the sand that needs to be done is by you, it seems like you have your head in the sand , like an Ostrich . I’m sure your familiar with that saying….
@ hounds83…next time you go to SPI…dig up at least 5 sand crabs…put them in a bucket and watch them closely as they attempt to climb out to freedom…they will ALWAYS pull the crab that is just about to make his escape, right back down…anger…animosity…and harassment is the nature of La Raza de San Benito…You get what you pay for…:-(
That old ‘crab’ analogy of yours is OLD and trite. Stop your race baiting. I would hope anyone literate enough to read this blog would by now have gotten over that tired old garbage, especially in San Benito. We have too many other serious problems!
A couple of quotes to ponder …
“I wish I could say that racism and prejudice were only distant memories. We must dissent from the indifference. We must dissent from the apathy. We must dissent from the fear, the hatred and the mistrust…We must dissent because America can do better, because America has no choice but to do better.” – Thurgood Marshall
“Whoever debases others is debasing himself.” – James Baldwin
@ The Hammer, the only thing that is a shame and outrage is that San Benito is the laughing stock of the valley ! What you failed to mention is that this ” good man ” is responsible for this as well as the barrio board ! 2014 can’t come soon enough !!!!!
It’s a shame and an outrage that people judge a good man who has yet to be proven GUILTY…..My SB, once again the DRAMA CAPITOL and laughing stock of the valley…:-(
Poor Hernandez. Now people are committing “forgery” against him. Will the madness ever cease?! By all means, those people committing “forgery” against him should be prosecuted in the very same manner he’s being prosecuted — half-hearted, undercharged and unarrested.
Joe, let me remind you of past comments you made to San Benito News reporters:
November 8, 2012: “In response to the accusations, Hernandez said, “Just because I stopped in front of a house doesn’t mean [said allegations] are true.”
November 13, 2012: In response to these allegations, Mayor Joe H. Hernandez said, “I did show him (Garcia) a picture, but they’re taking this thing out of context. It had nothing to do with their allegations.”
Joe, stopping in front of a house is one thing. But you have admitted publicly that you were showing another person pictures you took of Rodriguez’s house while stopped. Maybe we, the public, could give you the benefit of the doubt if it was just your word against others. But when you admitted to taking photos and showing them to another, it just makes their version more believable than yours. Why were you there taking pictures of a man’s house if you weren’t there to threaten him?!
Joe, please don’t insult the intelligence of the people of this community. Admit you did wrong — you did — and take your punishment like a man. Calling others liars when it’s very clear you’re the one lying is quite undignified. Wish I could say it’s beneath you but, as we all have come to expect in this community, nothing is beneath you.
I agree, he’s an embarrassment for san benito. But this is what we get when stupid people vote for stupid
We need a whole different administration,no more hair cutters,no more raspa stand scam artists.
Whether or not he goes to jail, he’s up for reelection in 2014. You can then vote him out of office. But he should go to jail, as you or I would, just the same.
Hope he goes to jail. We need someone far more competent in this administration than he is.