9 people plead not guilty in a Texas elections probe involving 'vote harvesting'
Source: AP
Updated 7:20 PM EDT, August 13, 2025
HOUSTON (AP) — Nine people, including a former mayor and city council member and the chief of staff to a state representative, pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to felony charges brought forth in a rural Texas county by Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton as part of a widening elections investigation that is being criticized by Latino rights activists as being politically driven.
The nine people appeared either in person or by Zoom during a court hearing in Pearsall, Texas, before state District Judge Sid Harle. All of the nine people, who were indicted in late June, have been charged with what is known in Texas as vote harvesting, a felony that often involves payment for collecting and dropping off other people’s absentee ballots.
In May, six other people, including Frio County Judge Rochelle Camacho, the top elected official in the county, were indicted as part of Paxton’s investigation. One of the individuals who pleaded not guilty on Wednesday was Juan Manuel Medina, who is the chief of staff for state Rep. Elizabeth Campos. Medina is also former chairman of the Democratic Party of Bexar County, where San Antonio is located.
Medina’s lawyer, Gerry Goldstein, declined to comment on Wednesday. “I’m going to do my talking in the courtroom,” Goldstein said. On Wednesday, Goldstein filed a motion to dismiss the indictment against Medina, who is accused of providing compensation as a third party to two people for vote harvesting in February 2024.
Read more: https://apnews.com/article/texas-vote-harvesting-fraud-charges-ba8c04636d56c99cc67a42a8bd04b708
This is how they do voter suppression and are targeting voter-engagement efforts.
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Last edited Thu Aug 14, 2025, 09:26 AM - Edit history (2)
I'm quite familiar with Manuel Medina. He's got one of the best criminal defense attorneys money can buy. Let's just say, I wish I could afford Gerry Goldstein.
I can't imagine Medina getting involved with rinky dinky "vote harvesting". "Vote harvesting" is something little old ladies do. It's mostly effective in small elections in small towns where a few ballots can change the outcome of an election. MM was managing a state rep election.
It's not his style to get his hands dirty. I can picture him giving a wink and a nod to it, if he knew about it. But what is he supposed to do? I think he will skate.
I think Cecilia Castellano will also get off.
As for the locals in Frio County? Who knows? It appears they had stuff going on for awhile down there.
It's a strange case. You've got a wealthy businessman from San Antonio and these people in this very small south Texas town all in one case. (The exception is Cecilia, who was a candidate state house and Manuel Medina was her manager)
Accusations are that Medina and Cecilia conspired with these small town locals to help Cecilia's campaign. I think the charges against Medina and Cecilia are pretty much a sham. Hauling in Cecilia during her fall campaign, gave an edge to her GOP component. I don't think they will find anything on her.
Did her campaign hire those people in Frio County? Likely....But, that's the way it is. Lots of campaign workers don't earn much and can be a bit sketchy, simply because that's the only work they can find. They find a niche and do it. I think that's the case all over the country.
But then the Frio County people are accused of stuff involving local elections going far back that are not even related to Cecilia's campaign.
The whole thing is strange.
I think part of the case will fall apart.
Manuel Medina ran for mayor of San Antonio in 2017
During his run for mayor, he was nicknamed the "Mexican Trump"
https://www.legistorm.com/person/bio/392955/Juan_Manuel_Medina.html
https://www.expressnews.com/columnist/gilbert-garcia/article/Manuel-Medina-embraces-new-role-as-chief-of-staff-16020078.php?utm_source=marketing&utm_medium=copy-url-link&utm_campaign=article-share&hash=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZXhwcmVzc25ld3MuY29tL2NvbHVtbmlzdC9naWxiZXJ0LWdhcmNpYS9hcnRpY2xlL01hbnVlbC1NZWRpbmEtZW1icmFjZXMtbmV3LXJvbGUtYXMtY2hpZWYtb2Ytc3RhZmYtMTYwMjAwNzgucGhw&time=MTc1NTE3NTc1ODE4OA%3D%3D&rid=YWYxMmViMWYtOTEyMi00YjhmLWI1MDgtNWZkMDcwYmE2MDcz&sharecount=MA%3D%3D
https://www.expressnews.com/news/local/article/In-Panama-Medina-s-company-received-at-least-11090443.php
Investments in San Antonio
The Martinelli presidency appears to have coincided with a surge in Medina’s personal financial worth, which he recently estimated to fall between $3 million and $5 million.
Medina has consulted for political figures such as former U.S. Rep. Ciro Rodriguez and Juan Carlos Navarro, an avid environmentalist who became mayor of Panama City and has remained a prominent figure in Panama.
He also ran for office in the PRI party in Mexico, but lost. After that he drew his attention to San Antonio.
https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/news_columnists/brian_chasnoff/article/Medina-worked-ran-for-office-in-Mexico-11037627.php
I also find it interesting that the media is now referring to him as Juan Manuel Medina..LOL I think that's his attorney's doing.
Everyone knows him as Manuel Medina, although Juan is his legal name. If you say "Manuel Medina", everyone will say, "Oh him". If you say "Juan Medina" everyone goes, "Who's that?" I think he's going to get off. After his dealings in Panama were exposed, I really don't think he would get involved with something illegal. He's just too savvy for rinky dinky little old lady stuff....He's also too savvy for Ken Paxton...LOL
You get the "Molly Ivans" award today!
