"Please enlighten me on how Ernesto de Leon is involved in this fiasco? Is this the same viejito that ran to Channel 5 so he could get himself on TV reporting some company? How is he involved? Is he related to Cesar de Leon or que?"
By Juan Montoya
It happens all the time if you happened to be named Garcia, Rodriguez, Gonzalez, or any of the other common names, like Garza, etc.
People will often mistake you for someone else because of your last name.
Sometimes the notoriety will follow you just because your good name name happens to be one in the news.
That's the situation that former City of Brownsville commissioner Ernesto de Leon found himself in this past week. The big news last week was the release of a secret recording in social media of current commissioner Cesar de Leon where he went on a harangue that covered just about every elected official and personage in the city. And, oh yes, he uttered the "N" word along with the "F" adjective.
Well, the comments and text messages started coming hot and heavy from those who thought it involved former city commissioner Ernesto de Leon, a bible-thumping, righteous Aggie who would never use that type of language. But while some may take it with a grain of salt, Ernesto is one of those from the generation that still respects tradition and people's reputation, so it bothered him to no end that people were mistaking him for the younger De Leon.
"People are texting me and asking if I am that De Leon and I'm not," said the former commissioner. "People who saw the article in the paper think it's me and that couldn't be further from the truth."
In fact, the former commissioner was so rattled that he went to the publisher of the Brownsville Herald and asked that a clarification be made in the front page to let people know it wasn't him. The newspaper, of course, wouldn't comply but did offer him a discount if he bought an ad. Well, the former commission, a frugal sort, wouldn't go that far, and he was content to talk to us and have us send out the message that the sujeto in question was not him.
In fact, the last time he was in the news it was on Channel 5 when they helped him get a $150 refund from Ronco, the marketing chain that sells products on television. He had sent out for a set of knives and wanted a refund. It took him two years and an appearance on the "On Your Side" consumer advocate section on Channel 5 before he achieved his goal.
Then the De Leon controversy surrounding secret tapes and the "N" word got him notoriety he didn't desire.
"Se levantan injurias contra mi buen nombre," he complained to his former colleagues and city commissioner Pat Lehmann and John Wood. "I tell you it's not me."