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With less than three months before the primary elections, the Bexar County Democratic Party is missing more than two hundred thousand dollars. The party suspects the money was embezzld by a local party worker. Today Bexar county democrats are presenting a united front and pledging to raise the money needed to fix the financial mess. Texas Public Radio’s David Martin Davies has the story.
December 23, 2009 · Standing as a group on the steps of the Bexar Country Courthouse the group of elected democrats tried to put the best face on an embarrassing scandal.
“There is no doubt in my mind that we will be better for the experience,” said U.S. Congressman Charlie Gonzalez.
He said as much as $222,000 from the Bexar County Democrats bank account is unaccounted for.
That money was supposed to be used to pay for the 2008 primary.
Where that money is now is a question for the police.
Former local Party Chairman Carla Vela alleges former treasurer Dwayne Adams for the loss – and he is a suspect in the investigation. Vela is being faulted for not realizing that the money was missing for over a year.
State Senator Leticia Van de Putte said the group of elected officials are calling for the arrest and prosecution of whoever is responsible, but she said the party shouldn’t be faulted. The organization is a victim of a crime.
“Think about Bernie Madoff. Think about what happened here with the courthous with the Southwest tickets airlines. I mean, people who are in elected public office can get duped,” said Van de Putte, referencing a recent scandal where local judges and the district attorney purchased large numbers of stolen airline passes.
The Bexar democratic leaders’ main concern now is getting the party back on a sound financial footing. They will be raising two hundred seventy-five thousand dollars in donations to pay the party’s over due bills.
“We didn’t have anything to do with this – shouldn’t be our problem – but this is a pledge on behalf of candidates to do that,” Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff.
Wolff said new party leadership is stepping in, and they hope that will be enough to restore public confidence in the damaged brand of the Bexar County Democratic Party.
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