For the Support

By Gregg Wendorf
Advance News Journal

This week’s column was going to be about state District Court Judge Joe Ramirez (the 464th) and how he ended up without opposition in next year’s Democrat Primary, and why local attorney Abiel Flores jumped ship to run for another court that will have no incumbent, even though initially he went around to local attorneys asking for money to run against Ramirez, but that can wait for next week.

The big story, though, has to do with Joe Ramirez, followed by Flores who is now running for the 332nd. This one case I stumbled across in Ramirez’s court, though, has me simply amazed at what he did to this one woman whose case unfortunately landed in his court with Attorney Katie Klein backing the male defendant. Simply amazing. Unbelievable, and you won’t believe it either once I write it.

In my opinion, all impartiality aside since this is an opinion column, here is a judge who needs to be voted out of office, but he will run unopposed next year, giving him four more years on the bench. Actually, five years. Probably more.

In Hidalgo County, the one-party county, once a judge gets elected, few will ever run against an incumbent. After all, what attorney wants to run against a sitting judge, not knowing how many cases he or she might have that land in that same court?

Not many, if any.

Oh, there have been a few over the years, but it’s usually because the judge has stepped on the wrong toes. Handed down the wrong opinion, actually, the right opinion in most cases, against a family member of a higher-ranking judge. That sort of thing.

The Joe Ramirez story can wait for next week, though, and in fact, the story about his handling of the 464th will probably take up more than one issue to expose. Now that I’ve heard enough about this one case, I need to go back and look at other cases he has adjudicated and see how he’s treated other plaintiffs in his court. You know, those without money and/or connections.

Switching on to a more pleasant topic, to everyone who has supported The Advance News Journal this year and the past 46 years (come next March) that it has been in print, thanks. A lot. Without you, without your support, both advertisers and readers, The Advance would have gone the way of so many other newspapers across the U.S. — dead and buried.

Since 2005, approximately 2,900 newspapers are now out of print, with more drying up every week. (Source: Forbes.)

Thankfully, we’re still here, working to publish stories without fear or favor, working to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.

That said, we wish you all a Happy New Year, with a few exceptions.