ON THE COLD FRONT HEADED TO THE AREA. >> STEVE SPRIESTER: COMING UP
IN JUST A BIT.
HER RUN FOR THE TEXAS SENATE BOOSTED BY HAVING A LAST NAME SYNONYMOUS WITH SOUTH SAN
ANTONIO POLITICS WE’RE
REFERRING TO SOCHI PENA
RODRIGUEZ DAUGHTER OF LONGTIME
US CONGRESSMAN
CIRO RODRIGUEZ. BUT AN
UNDERCOVER INVESTIGATION FROM
OUR DEFENDERS FOUND HER FATHER,
PLAYING A PROMINENT ROLE IN THE
RACE FOR SENATE DISTRICT 19
EVEN THOUGH HIS POSITION AS A
JUDGE PROHIBIT HIM FROM DOING
SO.
>> THE APPEARANCE.
>> OF.
>> SUPPORTING HER AND THAT’S
SOMETHING THAT.
♪
JUDGES ARE SUPPOSED TO AVOID UNDER WHAT IS KNOWN AS THE APPEARANCE OF IMPROPRIETY
STANDARD.
SO THAT’S.
>> PROBLEMATIC.
>> STEVE SPRIESTER: DILLON
COLLIER EXAMINES THE POTENTIAL
FALLOUT FOR THE CAMPAIGN AND
FOR
♪
FOR ♪ >> STEVE SPRIESTER: THE JUDGE
IN THIS DEFENDERS REPORT.
>> THIS CASE AN ARCHIVE FOOTAGE FROM ELECTION NIGHT 2010 SHOWS AN ENTHUSIASTIC GROUP
OF SUPPORTERS GATHERED FOR THE
ARRIVAL OF UNITED STATES
REPRESENTATIVE CIRO RODRIGUEZ,
HIS DAUGHTER SOCHI NOT
YET 30 BY HER FATHER SIDE AS
THEY WATCHED THE RESULTS
POUR IN HE WILL MOVE TO THE
PARTY, HOWEVER WOULD DAMPEN
WITHIN HOURS AND THIS EARLY
NOVEMBER NIGHT WOULD SIGNAL THE
END OF RODRIGUEZ’S
CONGRESSIONAL CAREER HAS HE
LOST TO KIKO SO THIS
WAS SOMETHING.
>> THAT WOULD BE ON YOU KNOW
ANY ANY ONE OF OUR CONTROL AND
WITH THAT YOU REALLY IS AND HIS
FAMILY WENT HOME BUT NEARLY A
DECADE LATER.
>> IT’S SOCHI’S TURNED TO TRY
HER HAND AT POLITICS, THE
DEMOCRAT RUNNING FOR TEXAS
SENATE
DISTRICT 19 A DISTRICT WITH
SPRAWLING BOUNDARIES HOW CAN
SENATOR US TO CONTINUE IN THIS
TO A STATE LEGISLATURE STILL
RECOVERING FROM THE STAINS
INFLICTED ON IT BY CONVICTED
FELON CARLOS URESTI’S THOUGHT
YOU DID THAT REALLY
>> WHO’S RUNNING FOR THE CASES
1900 OR OF HISTORY.
>> BUT JUST AS PENA RODRIGUEZ’S
CAMPAIGN WAS
TAKING OFF THE DEFENDERS
UNCOVERED FOOTAGE SHOWING HER
FAMILY ALREADY BREAKING THE
RULES HERE WAS YOU KNOW
INTRODUCING HIS DAUGHTER IN
SEPTEMBER DURING NO DEMOCRATS
EVENT TODAY.
>> WE WERE IN 30 WE LEARNED IN
A LOT OF DAYS.
>> AND WILL BE RUNNING
THROUGHOUT THE 17 COUNTIES THEN
IN OCTOBER SEE IT ALL AGAIN ON
THE MICROPHONE ALONGSIDE SOCHI
AT NATIONAL NIGHT OUT THE JUDGE
ALSO CAUGHT HANDING OUT HER
CAMPAIGN LITERATURE.
>> THE PROBLEM WITH THESE
ACTIVITIES IS THAT RODRIGUEZ IS
A JUDGE BEXAR COUNTY PRECINCT
ONE PLACE TOO AND STATE RULES
ARE
VERY CLEAR.
>> JUDGES CANNOT CAMPAIGN FOR
OTHER PEOPLE ON FIRST
GLANCE IT HAS THAT
APPEARANCE MICHAEL AARON’S IS A
PROFESSOR AT SAINT MARY’S
UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW,
THERE’S ALWAYS BEEN A
FEAR THAT.
>> A JUDGE IS BECAUSE THEY HAVE
A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT
ROLE IN OUR SYSTEM THAT AND
LEGISLATORS.
MAY FALL INTO THE TRAP OF
FEELING THEMSELVES AS
AN ALTERNATE.
>> TYPE OF LEGISLATOR RODRIGUEZ
APPEARS TO BE THE LATEST MEMBER
OF THE JUDICIARY TO VIOLATE THE
TEXAS CODE OF
JUDICIAL CONDUCT. IT PROHIBITS
JUDGES FROM USING THE
PRESTIGIOUS THEIR OFFICE TO
ADVANCE THE PRIVATE INTERESTS
OF
SOMEONE ELSE AND FORBIDS THEM
FROM USING THEIR NAME TO
ENDORSE CANDIDATES FOR ANY
PUBLIC OFFICE IF YOU WERE
SOCHI’S
CAMPAIGN MANAGER.
>> WOULD YOU RECOMMEND THAT HE
ENGAGED IN THIS TYPE OF
BEHAVIOR MAYBE IF I WERE HER
CAMPAIGN MANAGER I WOULD
SUGGEST THAT.
>> HE PLAY A MORE LOW KEY ROLE
OR MAYBE MORE A BEHIND THE
SCENES ROLE. AND I’M SURE HE
COULD BE QUITE EFFECTIVE IN
THAT ROLE.
>> AN OFFICIAL WITH THE STATE
COMMISSION ON JUDICIAL CONDUCT
SAID DUE TO CONFIDENTIALITY
CONSTRAINTS. SHE COULD NOT SAY
WHETHER THE COMMISSION IS
CURRENTLY
INVESTIGATING RODRIGUEZ.
NEITHER FATHER NOR DAUGHTER
RESPONDED TO OUR FORMAL REQUEST
FOR INTERVIEW. BUT WE WERE ABLE
TO TRACK DOWN SEE YOU KNOW AS
HE LEFT WORK. JUDGE.
♪
>> I DON’T WITH
KSAT 12 BEEN TRYING TO REACH
YOU REGARDING CAMPAIGNING FOR
YOUR DAUGHTER, HE WASN’T IN THE
MOOD
♪
MOOD ♪ TO TALK.
I’VE BEEN
E-MAILING IT TO SHOW YOU A
VIDEO OF YOU AT THE
200 DEMOCRATS DINNER. THEY
THINK YOU VIOLATED THE STATE
CODE OF JUDICIAL CONDUCT 3
HOURS LATER THE JUDGE
APPARENTLY CHANGED HIS MIND AND
IN A VOICEMAIL TOLD
ME QUOTE.
>> I KNOW I’M NOT SUPPOSED TO
ENDORSE MY DAUGHTER AND I’M NOT
SUPPOSED TO PASS OUT ANY
LITERATURE IF THAT’S THE CASE.
I APOLOGIZE TO MY CONSTITUENCY
FOR
DOING THAT. IT’S A TOUGH
SITUATION BECAUSE YOU WANT TO
DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN FOR YOUR
DAUGHTER IN
THIS CASE. BUT THAT’S NOT GOING
TO BE HAPPENING ANY MORE IS
GOING TO BE SAID FOR THE
DEFENDERS DILLON COLLIER WERE
YOU IN 21 KSAT 12 NEWS.
>> STEVE SPRIESTER: WE REACHED OUT TO THE OTHER 2 CANDIDATES IN THE RACE FOR TEXAS SENATE
DISTRICT 19 INCUMBENT PETE
FLORES
DECLINED COMMENT. WHILE A
CAMPAIGN SPOKESMAN FOR ROLAND
GUTIERREZ RELEASED THE
FOLLOWING STATEMENT. EVERY
JUDGE AND TURNING KNOWS THESE
RULES SENATE DISTRICT 19 IS
SEEN ENOUGH SCANDAL AND
FLOODING OF THE LAW. WE DON’T
NEED ANOTHER SENATOR.
>> WHO WON’T FOLLOW THE LAW
END QUOTE.
>> STEVE SPRIESTER: PENA
RODRIGUEZ LATE THIS AFTERNOON
RELEASED A FOUR-PARAGRAPH
STATEMENT THAT DID NOT ADDRESS