(Ed.'s Note: Once in a while [actually, quite often], we get sent photos that indicate an elected official might be taking advantage of their positions to get some kind of preferential treatment. We used to get photos of a certain county commissioner using the constable's parking spaces at the Harrison St. Cameron County Courthouse all the time and posted them until he stopped.
Seems that other people without the privileges taken by them resent this type of ostentatious behavior. Go figure.
In the photos above, it can be clearly seen that Ford 4x4 with state judge license plates is parked in a handicapped parking space. The sender said the pictures were taken at the Morrison Rd. Home Depot store on today at 10:20 am. We have asked around and found out that the plates belong to 404th District Judge Elia Cornejo-Lopez. We also found out that she was on the bench when the photos were taken.
As can be seen, the truck does not have handicapped plates nor does it sport the handicapped tag allowing it to use the restricted space.
After making several inquiries, we found out that the truck may have been driven by her husband Leo Lopez, who, as some of us remember, ran for Cameron County Pct. 2 commissioner a few years back. Well, we do know that Leo suffered some cardiac problems a few months back and that he has been recovering slowly from the ordeal.
Could it be that he simply forgot to place the tag on the rear-view mirror? Some say that the state of his health prevents him from driving and that he may even lack a license to operate a vehicle. We have not been able to verify the license issue, but if he was granted a handicapped tag, he has to have one. If it was him operating the truck, we can only wish him well and urge him to take all the necessary precautions to be safe.
Former Cameron County Judge Tony Garza [later Texas Secretary of State and U.S. Ambassador to Mexico] used to say that the appearance of impropriety was worse than an impropriety itself. That is the price to pay for being a public person, seeking public office, and enjoying the perks of the office. It comes with the territory. Whatever the case may be, the public has a right to question and to get an answer.)