Over a quarter of $1 Million on a credit card

The Chambers campaign is being funded with an unknown credit card. His company was bouncing checks in August... who is providing the credit? 🤔

John Chambers has filed only two campaign finance reports. The first one on January 15, 2020 lists a single transaction: a payment, on the same day it was filed, to Pink Ape Media from Brownsville for $33,330.

The problem with that transaction is that the report was supposed to cover July-December 2019 only.

2ND SEMIANNUAL REPORT

This report was due on July 15, 2020, and should have covered the period from January 1st to June 30, 2020, but Chambers failed to file. 

According to the Texas Ethics Commission, a candidate is not obligated to file if his contributions or expenditures are less than $900; however, we know that is not the case since he paid Pink Ape Media $33,330 on January 15th.

REPORT DUE 30 DAYS BEFORE THE ELECTION

The recent financial report submitted by Chambers lists only TWO transactions. 

The first, $225,523.47 paid to Pink Ape Media with a credit card. The date of the transaction is not clear. It says 8/1/20, and 9/1/20 under it, which can mean two transactions, or a date range. 🤷🏽‍♂️ 🙄

The second transaction was also paid with a credit card, but it doesn’t have a date 🤦🏽‍♂️

No interest payments were reported.

On a cover sheet for subtotals, Chambers reported a monetary contribution of $1,300, and political expenditures for the same amount. However, the forms to itemized contributions and expenditures are missing.

MEXICAN BENEFACTOR 

The company owned by Chambers, and apparently managed by his children, was bouncing checks as recently as August 2020. 

So, it’s hard to believe that any bank would give him a credit card with a limit of over a quarter of a million dollars. 

Sgt. Rodrigo Almanza has been telling people that Chambers will be the next Sheriff. The charismatic and good looking Sargent was able to gain Lucio’s “affection,” and it is rumored that he persuaded Lucio to accept help for his re-election  from Almanza’s wealthy family from Matamoros.

Eric Garza’s victory in the Democratic Primary rocked Cameron County, and it appeared Rodrigo’s efforts to maintain his family’s influence in the Sheriff’s Office would crumble. But, Rodrigo saw an opportunity in Chambers. And, according to reliable sources, his family is investing heavily in the Chambers campaign.

Granted, Chambers will probably not find Rodrigo as “enchanting” as Lucio did; however, unlike Lucio, Chambers’ trust can be earned just with money.

CLUMSY PAPERWORK 

The financial reports filed by Chambers reflect the little experience he has as a manager. While he was Chief of Police of Indian Lake, he was the only full-time officer in the department most of the time.

Aside from the forms to itemize political contributions and political expenditures, he is also missing the notarized form where he is supposed to swear under oath that the information is accurate.

Furthermore, he lists zero outstanding liabilities and zero loans, which makes no sense since he obviously spent a quarter of a million dollars more than he actually paid.

FAIR QUESTIONS

In the last reporting period, Chambers outspent Garza 4 to 1... Cameron County has a history of electing Republicans, so with a well funded campaign, he has a legitimate chance to win. Given the size and importance of the Cameron County Sheriff’s Office, we must ask: who’s credit card(s) is he using to pay for his campaign? Who is vouching for him? Who is paying his credit card bills?

Keep in mind the Lucio campaign, and Chambers himself, have been promoting fake news linking Garza to the Gulf Cartel just because two local businessmen donated several times to his campaign in the first half of the year… despite the previous report showing his father loaned him the initial money required to get his campaign going.

Chambers’ use of Pink Ape Media to circumvent reporting requirements also raises serious ethical questions, and may even be illegal. 

Even worse, the Almanza family’s known ties to the Gulf Cartel raises legitimate security concerns for Cameron County, the Rio Grande Valley, and the country itself.