Online petition chastises DA over Yates case
A petition is circulating online expressing disappointment with the way Cameron County District Attorney Armando Villalobos handled the arrest of County Auditor Mark Yates.
“Local news channels were at Mr. Yates’ office for the arrest, indicating someone informed them the arrest was to take place and wanted to make sure they were there to film it … These actions seem to go further that just stinky county politics,” reads a portion of the petition, dubbed “So Very Disappointing.”
“We, the undersigned, are wholeheartedly disappointed with the political maneuvering of Cameron County District Attorney Armando Villalobos. Mr. Villalobos is up for re-election next year and we will remember his shenanigans at the voter’s booth.”
The petition was started by “a concerned Cameron County citizen,” according to the Web site where it is posted: thepetitionsite.com/1/so-very-disappointing.
Yates was arrested at his office and booked into the Carrizalez-Rucker Detention Center in Olmito on June 25. Authorities anticipated Yates, who had to don an orange inmate jumpsuit and beige sandals, would spend the night in the detention center.
He is accused of violating the competitive bidding process for renewing an insurance contract. He was arraigned on a misdemeanor charge and released on bond.
Villalobos said he has seen the petition and has no idea who is behind it. The petition was sent to him by the first person who signed it.
“I don’t take it as a personal attack,” Villalobos said, adding it is not the first time a petition displeased with his office has been sent to him.
“It comes with any political office. … (W)hen you are put in charge and trying to do your job according to what is mandated, you are going to upset some people. Does it bother me to read negative comments about myself? Yeah, I’m human (but) it’s expected.”
Villalobos believes the group upset by the arrest is a “small vocal group not used to seeing the law applied equally.
In fact, he said, Yates might have received favorable treatment because he was able to get released from jail quicker than normal.
“Nobody gets out in two hours. Mr. Yates was able to get his friends or whoever to order a judge down here to bond him out before most” people do, Villalobos said.
As of Thursday evening, 285 people had signed the petition, which is seeking 1,000 signatures. It is unknown what will be done with the petition.
Many who signed the petition are from the Harlingen and San Benito area. Many of the signatures appear to be those of prominent businessmen and women in the area such as former three-term Harlingen City Commissioner Donna Bonner.
She has known Yates and his family since he was a boy, she said, adding that Yates would never do something that would bring a scandal to his family name.
“They are very good people,” Bonner said.
“I have told Yolanda De Leon that I would be glad to raise money for his defense. I will be glad to do anything that is necessary because I feel very, very strongly about this,” she said.
An evidentiary hearing regarding Yates’ case was to be heard today before visiting Hidalgo County state District Judge Mario E. Ramirez Jr., but was postponed after Yates’ attorney requested more time to consider “additional matters,” defense attorney Paxton Warner said Thursday.
A new hearing date has not been set.
A writ of habeas corpus requesting the hearing was filed by former Cameron County District Attorney Yolanda De Leon, who is representing Yates.
The writ requests the charges against Yates be dropped because he did not violate the government code listed on the arrest affidavit.
The code cited pertains to requests for competitive bids if the contract is for construction, repair or renovation of a structure, road, highway or other improvements or addition to real property.
lmartinez@brownsvilleherald.com
Brownsville Herald reporter Emma Perez-Trevino contributed to this report.
