The robocall starts off with the deceptive script that informs you that it is a "state-funded" survey to gauge political engagement in the community.
Then the interviewer asks you how you stand in various political races.
"Do you support Ted Cruz or Beto O'Rourke for United States Senator?," is the first question.
Then they work themselves to the 197th District Court primary race, and then the Cameron County Judge's race in the primary and then the November election.
But it is the Texas State Representative District 37 race that gives away the deception.
"In the race for District 37 State Representative, do you support 34-year veteran State Rep. Rene Oliveira or county commissioner Alex Dominguez?"
When a Dominguez supporter got the call, he questioned the interviewer to ask whether the framing of the question was appropriate, and whether the way it was asked was implying that Oliveira was a military veteran.
The interviewer hem and hawed and allowed that inserting the word "veteran" did seem to imply Oliviera had some sort of military service.
"I told them that but they told me to just stick to the script," she told the respondent.
After she hung up, the respondent – who had taken a screen shot of the telephone number (956) 435-4098 – dialed the number and got a recorded answer. The taped message said that the caller – Norma Hernandez – could not come to the phone and could he call back later.When he again tried to call back, he got the taped message that "the subscriber number you dialed is not in service..."
We had thought that "Hernandez" referred to politiquera Norma Hernandez of vote-harvester fame, but now are told it refers to one of Oliveira's secretaries. (She and her husband Ernie Hernandez, both Oliviera adherents, have endorsed Oliveira for reelection and are pictured with the candidate above). Nonetheless, Oliveira seems to be a magnet for Norma Hernandezes in Brownsville.
In fact, in his June 1, 207 to December 31, 2007 Ethics Commission campaign contributions and expenditures report, Oliveira listed two payments to Hernandez totaling $3,050, one for $300 and another for $2,750. The robocalls will probably not included in the current report.
Come to think of it, it may have been a "state-funded" survey after all because a state representative paid for it out of his campaign contributions, but even when it's weasel-worded, the intent to deceive is obvious. Are things getting to the point where the incumbent feels the footsteps and has to stoop so low to get reelected?