Bexar County DA Fears Proposed Rule
On Friday, March 15, liberal/leftist Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales reacted to a proposed rule by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton that would allow him to remove some District Attorneys who do not provide additional reporting on certain cases. Gonzales’s concern comes from the fact that he has been consulting with the Wren Collective, a leftist legal group, in prosecuting police officers in San Antonio… a fact that he has tried to hide.
In an ironic and sarcastic comment, Gonzales said, “The mission of the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office is public safety and holding accountable those who endanger our community. Shifting limited resources from the courtroom to the copy room to comply with these new rules will impact our mission.” Gonzales ignored the high crime rate caused by repeat offenders, whom his office did not fully prosecute.
Paxton’s proposed rule would require district and county attorneys in counties whose populations are over 250,000 to provide additional reporting to the AG’s office. The additional reporting would be for cases in which a person arrested for a violent offense is not indicted and cases in which a poll watcher or peace officer is indicted.
Gonzales called the proposal “burdensome, unnecessary, and potentially very costly to our citizens.” He said they must report case dispositions to the Office of Court Administration. However, Gonzales has been targeting peace officers since his tenure began.
On Thursday, February 22, KSAT Channel 12 News reported that attorneys for three former San Antonio police officers accused of committing crimes while on duty filed motions accusing the Civil Rights Division of the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office of intentionally concealing evidence that would have cleared their clients. Robert Almonte II, a legal expert, said failure to disclose evidence is a grave issue that violates a prosecutor’s fundamental obligations.
Almonte noted defense attorneys would not seek a mistrial unless there were legitimate concerns, and judges similarly grant them reluctantly. It remains to be seen how the courts will oversee the various requests to dismiss cases following multiple mistrials in a brief period involving the same Gonzales-led prosecutorial division.
Liberal political groups and nonprofits are influencing George Soros-funded district attorneys across the nation. These district attorneys have recognized that they have broad discretionary power to decide what cases to prosecute and how to prosecute them with a liberal/leftist political spin.
However, justice must be objective, based on the law, and not influenced by politics. Gonzales’s administration of justice in Bexar County is politically motivated, and he must be held accountable or removed.
3-15-2024