FIL VELA: THE PRODIGAL SON RETURNS: REPRINTED FROM EL DEFENZOR
Sunday, December 16, 2007
THE PRODIGAL SON
THE PRODIGAL SON RETURNS???
FILEMON B. VELA, JR.Backed by a prestigious background in politics and son of the late and great Federal Judge Filemon B.Vela, Sr., “Fil” Vela has risen to power on his own over the last decade and half. Many consider him a political genius while others, such as members of the Trial Lawyers “Club” in town view him as a dangerous threat to their survival. Now that he is controlling his vast power and law firm which has merged with the former power Lyons and Rhodes of Houston and San Antonio, many of the old guard which are the white and powerful “Yacht Club” trial lawyers have run for cover. 
Many believe that this Ivy league trained (Georgetown and U.T. Law) bilingual son of a federal judge although very modest and low-key, is one of the greatest political strategists and true politicos that South Texas has ever seen. His blue eyes and light features coupled with his modest dress and low-key manner lull many into believing that this man of modest appearance is of no serious consequence, but those in the political know realize that “Fil” has connections from Brownsville, Texas to Washington D.C. that run deep for decades and woe to those who challenge him politically.
Vela’s movement in the shadows and chess-like and political warlike mentality led many to follow him, especially when he was the Democratic leader along with Kingmaker and attorney Rene Rodriguez in the 90’s and early 2000’s in Nueces County. After 2003, some believed that his “leaving” Corpus Christi was a sign of weakness, but now many are learning the hard way since the 2006 cycle that this thought was dead wrong; rather, Vela according to the Southside Defender sources was creating a vast web of contacts on the Democratic and Republican side to form a steel mesh that would ensure that his chosen candidates would achieve victory whether they be Republicans in Corpus Christi or Democrats in San Antonio.Many Democrats in South Texas were bitterly disappointed when his wife Rose Vela ran as a Republican and announced the same in January of 2006 but now others believe that Vela is supporting candidates on both sides of aisle including Democrats in San Antonio, however, over the last year their has been no complaints over her rulings now in a higher court or when she was on the bench for a decade in the 148th District Court as a Democrat. One politico commented, “Vela is doing what he needs to do to get his candidates in to win. Who really cares if a judge is Democrat or Republican if they are going to be fair and middle of the road? Look at Tom Greenwell…he is the only Republican Judge in Nueces County on the district level and has the overwhelming support of the public and of lawyers and what horrible fate has occurred to the voters of South Texas with him being in the last 6 years? Nothing! Is Vela hypocritical? Aren’t Democratic politicos who have their hand out and wear three layers of different candidates t-shirts over each other on election day and display the t-shirt from the candidate that is paying them the most the real hypocrites?”Many have rumored that Vela caused great rifts and crossover in the Democrat party by his landslide victory of his wife Rose Vela in the Court of Appeals races. Most thought that there would be no way that Rose would win so handedly in a several county race including Hidalgo, Nueces and Cameron but she did. Not only did she do that but her victory helped “pull” votes for other candidates such as Sheriff Kaelin (who is a force of nature himself) and County Judge Lloyd Neil. Still others believe that the leadership void that was left by Fil was taken over by the white patrones like “Compadre Watts” who presently has his own troubles after resigning from his “Exploratory Committee” for U.S. Senate. Family reasons were claimed as the reason for the resignation but many firmly believe it was the scandals with Thomas J. Henry as the accuser and Mauricio Celis being the accused over the last several weeks.What is happening in Nueces County and other areas for the paradox of more democrats crossing over while the rest of the nation has Republican fatigue? In a nation that grows tired of the Iraq war and repeated Republican scandals, South Texas seems behind the times by a decade and playing catch up on the Republican side. OR is it more likely that Republicans realize that the values and virtues they extol, of conservatism, family and hands off business are parallel with born citizen Mexican Americans and new immigrants? Definitely when Karl Rove was the key note speaker at the Bay Area Citizens against Lawsuit Abuse (BACALA) event on November 27, 2007 there was a diverse demographic representation of 50% Anglo and 50% Hispanic with a few African Americans and Asians in the crowd. Approximately 2000 people attended. One noted politico made the comment that, “these people in BACALA are steamrolling…the Celis and Watts issues are boiling over…we can’t even get the Caller Times to publish the issues and show the problems some lawyers are causing and political scandals occurring in Corpus and the San Antonio Express News’ John McCormick is educating us about our own backyard through the paper and on the web site www.mysa.com”. Many feel the frustration that this politico who wished to remain anonymous has.Even the local politicos and media personalities have had vigorous debates about the phenomena over taquitos and coffee. Many hope that the Democrats can maintain their seats and contend that South Texas has always been a stronghold for Democrats and does not fall in line with many of the ultraconservative agendas that individuals like Karl Rove pushed for over the last several years. Others who decided to vote split ticket or follow the “Velacrats” led by Rose and Fil Vela and turn Republican are of the contention that Fil Vela has made it “easier” for many Hispanics who relate to conservative values to crossover and the continuous tumult in the Democratic party itself leads to the ability for the Republicans to make inroads with Hispanics. One politico stated: “You look at the numbers and South Texas is almost doing a “180” of what the rest of the country is doing…slowly but surely Republicans have been gaining traction in South Texas and it is likely that Texas will stay Republican controlled at least for the near future.”It is uncertain whether or not one man like Filemon B. Vela, Jr. can be seen as the person changing politics in South Texas but it is for certain that he started an avalanche that you cannot reverse. Whether he is seen as a political mastermind or the “Darth Vader” of politics is an opinion that is split among many. Hundreds of Democrats are still loyal to him and showed it in the 2006 election voted for Rose Vela his wife who won handedly. To complicate matters more, many Hispanics no longer identify with the Democratic Party which has proven to be a party of many camps fighting against each other and occasionally but not often uniting together. Democrats are under crisis and many are drawing opponents including an unconfirmed rumor, all three of the State Representatives, Ortiz, Herrero and Garcia. Mr. Herrero may even be facing an independent from Robstown to complicate matters although again such information is unconfirmed. Many democrats who admire Fil only wish that he was not Republican which begs the question: Would many Hispanics crossover and join Fil on the other side?Time will tell if the movement that spread across America will finally trickle down to South Texas and cause many to switch far right in the political spectrum paradoxically as the nation may very well shift center or left. Republican Nueces County Chair Bertuzzi hopes this to be the case due to the recent scandals brought out by trial lawyers and the suspect campaign contributions associated with the scandals which may further cripple and weaken the democratic party which relied on heavy money from individuals such as Mauricio Celis and Mikal Watts who for years were the “Patrones”. Other factors such as the uncovering of possible voter fraud in Robstown by local “politiceras” in 2006 and the other individuals who many feel have “their hand out” in the Democratic party to create and entrepreneurship out of politics may have turned many average Democrats off. It is rumored that the Republicans desire to have a candidate against every seated Democratic official in South Texas. These factors combined may further cripple the already fragile Democratic controlled Coastal Bend and Rio Grande Valley.Perhaps the bleeding of Red (Republican) and Blue (Democrats) colors into one may be beneficial to all of us. Many believe that you cannot sustain Democratic controlled counties in South Texas with the latest series of scandals involving lawyers and Karl Rove reading the now infamous letter by Mikal Watts stating that he has great influence over judges in South Texas to the applause of many at the BACALA event. Many believe you cannot sustain an attack from within and from without. A group is truly only conquered when they themselves turn from their beliefs from within which may be happening here with the Democratic party. Only a strong and unified front may save the control in South Texas by the Democratic party from the party of Lincoln. But can the Democrats truly be saved if young and powerful men like Vela are blazing a path that is uncertain as to whether their choice is Republican or Democratic one?MORE TO COME IN OUR NEXT ISSUE AS THE POLITICAL SEASON IN SOUTH TEXAS HEATS UP.HOMERO VILLARREAL
3 comments:
Hey Homer, Nice to see your work back on the web. Whenever you need anything, we are here. Well anything we can provide. Now to the business at hand.
Why is the Velacrat here in our City?
Fil Junior only seeks a Federal Bench for Rose
Velacrat is making friends with the Federal Entrapment gang and sycophants up to the ones he believes will elevate his Rose to a Federal Judicial Bench.
I am going to digest the rest of the articles and will respond.
provide defenzor.net