Medina County Precinct 4 Justice of the Peace Tomas “Tommy” Ramirez turned himself into the Bandera County Sheriff’s Office on February 11, two days after he and three others were indicted by a Bandera County Grand Jury on charges related to election fraud, though he will dispute charges.
Ramirez was charged with one count of engaging in organized election fraud, one count of unlawfully assisting voter voting ballot by mail, and 17 counts of unlawful possession of a ballot/ballot envelope, and was released on personal recognizance.
All charges are felonies.
Ramirez has since been suspended without pay from his JP duties by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct, though Ramirez stated a hearing is pending to determine if the Commission will remove or modify the suspension. Other Medina County JPs – Pct. 1’s Glenn Klaus, Pct. 2’s William T. Tschirhart, Jr., and Pct. 3’s Clyde “Bubba” Howse – are currently filling in for Ramirez.
The case was presented to the Grand Jury by the Texas Attorney General’s office and indictments were handed down on Feb. 9. According to a press release from the AG’s office, the case involves allegations of vote harvesting at living centers in Medina County during the 2018 Primary Election.
Section 276.012(a) of the Election Code, Engaging in Organized Election Fraud, states, “A person commits an offense if, with the intent to establish, maintain, or participate in a vote harvesting organization, the person commits or conspires to commit one or more offenses under [Election Code] Titles 1 through 7.”
Further, Section 276.012(d) states, “In this section, ‘vote harvesting organization’ means three or more persons who collaborate in committing offenses under Titles 1 through 7, although participants may not know each other’s identity, membership in the organization may change from time to time, and participants may stand in a candidate-consultant, donor-consultant, consultant-field operative, or other arm’s length relationship in the organization’s operations.”
When asked for a comment, Ramirez provided the following statement:
“I was stunned by the allegations because there is absolutely no truth to them I have spent the last 27 years building my law practice and serving in this community which has created my reputation for fairness, sincerity and integrity. I entered the race for JP because I wanted to serve Medina County and make the office function better for its citizens. I feel I have done exactly that up this point. For people who know me, these allegations are absurd. To those who don’t, it provides reason to sneer and hate.
“I will vigorously defend myself to the fullest extent and I fully expect to be vindicated.
“Unfortunately, these proceedings are not uncommon. Below is an excerpt from a recent legal document that I believe applies perfectly to this case:
“‘A wrongful indictment is no laughing matter; often it works a grievous, irreparable injury to the person indicted. The stigma cannot be easily erased. In the public mind, the blot on a man’s escutcheon, resulting from a public accusation of wrongdoing, is seldom wiped out by a subsequent judgment of not guilty.’ People v. Rodgers & Reed, 92 Ill. 2d 283, 442 N.E. 2d 252 (1982).”
Ramirez defeated incumbent Phillip Montgomery for the Republican JP 4 nomination in the March 2018 Primary Election by 73 votes.
Ramirez received 724 votes, including 89 absentee votes, to Montgomery’s 651 votes. Montgomery received 23 absentee votes.
Indicted alongside Ramirez were Leonor Rivas Garza, Eva Ann Martinez, and Mary Balderrama. All three voluntarily appeared before a magistrate and were also released on personal recognizance.
The following booking information was provided by the BCSO:
Subject #1: Ramirez, Tomas
Charges: 1 Count: Engaging in Organized Election Fraud. – $1,000 PR Bond
1 Count: Unlawfully Assisting Voter Voting Ballot by Mail (Enhanced Multiple Offenses in Same Election) – $1,000 PR Bond
17 Counts: Unlawful Possession of a Ballot/Ballot Envelope (Enhanced Multiple Offenses in Same Election) – $1,000 PR Bond for each count
Subject #2: Garza, Leonor Rivas
Charges: 1 Count: Engage in Organized Election Fraud. – $1,000 PR Bond
2 Counts: Illegal Voting – $1,000 PR Bond for each count.
8 Counts: Unlawful Possession of a Ballot/Ballot Envelope (Enhanced Multiple Offenses in Same Election) – $1,000 PR Bond for each count
2 Counts: Election Fraud (Enhanced Multiple Offenses in Same Election) – $1,000 PR Bond for each count.
4 Counts: Fraudulent Use of an Absentee Ballot by Mail (Enhanced Multiple Offenses in Same Election) – $1,000 PR Bond for each count.
Subject #3: Martinez, Eva Ann
Charges: 1 Count: Engaging in Organized Election Fraud. – $1,000 PR Bond
9 Counts: Illegal Voting – $1,000 PR Bond for each count.
28 Counts: Unlawful Possession of Ballot/Ballot Envelope (Enhanced Multiple Offenses in Same Election) – $1,000 PR Bond for each count.
3 Counts: Purportedly Acting as an Agent – $1,000 PR Bond for each count.
5 Counts: Tampering with a Governmental Record w/Intent to Harm or Defraud – $1,000 PR Bond for each count.
14 Counts: Election Fraud (Enhanced Multiple Offenses in Same Election) – $1,000 PR Bond for each count.
4 Counts: Fraudulent Use of Mail Ballot Application (Enhanced – Voter 65 Years of Age or Older) – $1,000 PR Bond for each Count.
Subject #4: Mary Balderrama
Charges: 1 Count: Engage in Organized Election Fraud
9 Counts: Illegal Voting
2 Counts: Unlawful Possession of a Ballot/Ballot Envelope
1 Count: Fraudulent use of Mail Ballot Application
2 Counts: Unlawfully Assisting Voter Voting Ballot by Mail
2 Counts: Tampering with Governmental Record
8 Counts: Election Fraud
$1,000 PR Bond for each count.
By Marly Davis
Staff Writer
