TEC: Texas House District 37 candidate owes $10K for failing to report campaign funds

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Former State Board of Education member Ruben Cortez owes $10,000 to the Texas Ethics Commission for failing to report his campaign contributions.

Cortez, who ran as the Democratic candidate for Texas House District 37 in the March 5, 2024 primary election and was unsuccessful in the primary runoff election, held on May 28, has been fined for failing to report over $12,000 in campaign contributions.

In the runoff, Cortez lost to Brownsville attorney Jonathan Gracia.

On June 18, the TEC held a preliminary review hearing for Cortez, who failed to show up. During the review, the TEC heard from two sworn complaints.

The first complaint alleged that after performing a basic accounting and reconciliation of Cortez’s campaign finance reports the funds were not adding up. A closer look at the finance reports, filed between May 16, 2022 and August 2, 2023, showed Cortez failed to properly disclose total political contributions maintained and did not properly account for his political activity, according to TEC.

The complaint found a discrepancy of $12,083.25.

“Based on the face of the respondent’s campaign finance reports, there is credible evidence
that the respondent did not properly disclose total political contributions maintained, or in
the alternative, the respondent did not properly disclose political contributions, loans,
and/or political expenditures,” the TEC stated.

The second complaint alleged that Cortez failed to file his January 2024 semiannual report.

The TEC reached out to Cortez multiple times in an attempt to meet with him about the allegations. The following is a timeline of their efforts:

• On Nov. 28, 2023, the TEC sent notice of the complaint to Cortez by both United States Postal Service certified mail, return receipt requested, and by e-mail to the addresses provided him.
• On Dec. 28, 2023, TEC staff called Cortez and left a voicemail asking him to confirm receipt of the notice letter. Cortez did not respond.
• On Jan. 3, the TEC sent a second notice to Cortez by USPS delivery confirmation. USPS records confirm that the second notice was delivered to the respondent’s home address on Jan. 6. He did not respond.
• On Jan. 29, the second complaint was filed and TEC left a voicemail for Cortez to notify him. He did not respond.
• On Feb. 5, the TEC sent notice of the complaint to Cortez by USPS certified mail, return receipt requested, delivery confirmation, and by e-mail. USPS records show the notice sent by certified mail was unclaimed and returned to the TEC; and the notice sent by delivery confirmation was delivered to Cortez’s home address on Feb. 9. In the letter, Cortez was summoned to reply within 10 days of receiving it. He did not.
• On March 26, TEC staff called Cortez but the call went straight to voicemail and the mailbox was full.

In May, the TEC sent notices for Cortez to appear either in person or remotely for the June 18 hearing. He did not respond to these notices.

At the June hearing, the TEC ordered Cortez to pay a $10,000 civil penalty. He has 30 days to pay from that date it was ordered, June 24. If Cortez does not pay in 30 days, the civil penalty will be referred to the Attorney General for collection.

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