SAN ANTONIO – State Representative Roland Gutierrez introduced the “Pact Act” on Thursday, also known as the Political Anti-Corruption and Transparency Act.
Gutierrez referenced two KSAT 12 defenders investigations involving County Justice of the Peace Ciro Rodriguez, regarding Rodriguez’s short-term salary adjustment, which has now lasted more than two years.
The other investigation delved into Rodriguez violating the State Code of Judicial Conduct by campaigning for his daughter, Xochil Pena Rodriguez in the State Senate race.
Gutierrez said the legislation is intended to hold elected officials and candidates to a higher standard and accountable when needed.
“What we do in public office, it’s a pact; it’s a promise to voters. It’s a promise to stakeholders. It’s a promise to people that I’m going to be in public service. I will follow the law,” Gutierrez said.
Rodriguez said the Pact Act seeks three main goals:
- Public officials who are found guilty of a crime would not receive retirement or health care benefits upon leaving office
- Rethinking current nepotism laws by removing all parties from office involved in collusion
- Finding of guilt by ethics commission would lead to an automatic referral to the District Attorney’s Office
Gutierrez and Pena Rodriguez are currently in a run-off to be the Democratic candidate for Senate District 19 in the November general election.
We did reach out to Pena Rodriguez’s campaign and received this response:
“Clearly, Roland Gutierrez will say anything, collude with anyone and even create a fake newspaper, to mislead the public – all just to get elected. Maybe that works for those Republicans who blindly follow their President, but we should expect more from someone who is now claiming to care about corruption and transparency.”
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