I am a dues-paying member of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) since 2011. LULAC is a 501c4 non-profit organization, a “benevolent charitable, educational and patriotic organization” according to its articles of incorporation.
As a member of LULAC Council #4568, District 21 in the state of Texas, I received a copy of the LULAC’s constitution. Given my educational and professional background, it fell upon me to read and become familiar with my responsibilities as a member of this organization as described in the constitution. Based on this knowledge, I submit this statement.
In 2018, I was elected Director of District 21. I faithfully discharged my duties and responsibilities as District Director. Among my successful initiatives, I promoted LULAC throughout District 21 and helped create xx councils. These councils were active and helped promote the LULAC mission.
An email from District 21 Deputy Director Sal Carrillo on March 9, 2020, initiated what would become a campaign to misrepresent my actions as District Director. To show the progression from March 9, 2020, I have emails that show the offenses against me and my reputation. The email trail shows that the ultimate objective was to stop my District members from any discussion related to the topic of councils that are created to swing election outcomes. Since, as emails will show, I was not persuaded to end the discussion of this topic in my District, the attacks and harassment continued, even as I prepare this statement.
In an attempt to sweep this topic and me under the rug, at a District 21 meeting held on May 22, 2021, the Deputy District Director bypassed the impeachment process as outlined in the LULAC constitution and made unsubstantiated claims to make a motion to remove me as District Director. He was successful in passing this motion because of the council members that had not been credentialled.
Given the facts that pertain to the actions against me at this meeting:
- There is a process specified for impeachment of officers; and
- There is a process for submitting grievances to the National Board of LULAC.
My grievances with LULAC, the Organization, are as follows:
- I sent my first registered mail to National about my grievances with the Deputy Director and State Director on March 19, 2021, and I received no acknowledgement that would afford me the right to have my grievance heard.
- Given the organizational structure of LULAC as defined in the constitution, National Board of Directors has neglected its duty to assert its power to:
Article VI, Section 2, (4) To listen to appeals from members and/or Councils including charges of suspension or expulsion from the League and to rule according to the facts of the case.
And, given charges against me, the National Board of Directors neglected its duty to assert their power to assess claims against me that resulted in my removal as District Director:
Article VI, Section 2, (5) To impeach, remove, or suspend any person from office any member of whatever rank for dereliction of duty, conduct unbecoming an officer, violation of constitutional provisions, Bylaws, policies, or other activities contrary to LULAC principles and welfare, and not in line with the best interests of the organization.
In deference to LULAC members and their councils, this fraud must come to an end.
By neglecting to assert its constitutional duty, the National Board of Directors left ambiguity in the legitimate leadership in District 21. By neglecting to assert its constitutional duty, the National Board of Directors sanctioned the actions that led to the unconstitutional impeachment of me as District Director.
- Moreover, allowing a group of individuals to abuse their position in LULAC by creating councils for the sole purpose of swinging elections is un-American, un-democratic, and detrimental to the survival of the Organization. Article VI, Section 2, (5) appears appropriate for this activity.
My statement relates my experience, but I am not the only one. In fact, while deliberating the actions, or lack thereof, related to this issue we discovered a published account about how the LULAC leadership has historically left councils of good will to be thwarted by individuals abusing the honor-based tradition of the Organization to obtain power and position in the Organization. Refer to the text by Benjamin Márquez, LULAC: The Evolution of a Mexican American Political Organization (University of Texas Press, 1993). On page 114, Márquez writes:
The creation of great numbers of new councils by ambitious LULAC leaders has always been a source of controversy. In 1990, when the Texas state director of LULAC was removed by the national president, one of the allegations was that he fraudulently created a number of councils that would support his reelection bid. Similarly, the 1990 election of the LULAC national president was rife with accusations of vote buying and election fraud.
The good will of councils is frustrated by the creation of councils intended only to obtain power and position in the Organization. It is the duty of the Organization to fulfill its constitutional duty and impeach any officers that have been complicit or sanction the abuse of power through the creation of councils for the purpose of swinging elections. The defendants in this case are: Rudy Rosales, Jr., Sal Carrillo, Miguel Ortiz, Celia Vallez, and LULAC.