peter vallecillo l where is the american gi forum l voice of the mainland l 7 24 12

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Historia Chicana24 July 2012

Voice of the Mainland

URL:http://voiceofthemainland.blogspot.com/#!/2012/07/where-is-ameerican-gi-forum.htmlAccessed: 24 July 2012

Where Is the American GI Forum?Legacy of Dr. Hector P. Garcia Lost in Politics

By Peter VallecilloFounder/Director, Southwest Institute on Poverty and Civil Rights and

State Commander/Director, Dr. Hector P. Garcia, AGIF Organization of Texas, Inc.

24 July 2012

Peter Vallecillo in his home office.Photo: Michael Barajas - San Antonio Current - 9.14.2011

In 2007, much controversy stirred within the Hispanic Veteran community over the Ken Burndocumentary TheWar and its failure to recognize Hispanic contributions to World War II, much of itundertaken by the AGIF. However, many AGIF members soon found out that the leadership underAGIF National Commander Antonio Morales made a behindthedoorsagreement with Ken Burns and
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Florentine Films. One ofBurns contributors was Anheuser-Busch; which Anheuser-Busch thenturned out to be one of the sponsors for the 2007 AGIF National Convention in Oklahoma.

Several members of the AGIF requested a copy of the agreement between Morales and Burns butwere told to read it on the AGIF web-site. The web-site provided little or no information.

Morales never provided any documentation related to the agreement, however; several AGIFmembers joined and or formed a Defend the Honor Coalition to challenge Burns neglect to honorour Hispanic Veterans. In San Antonio a three hundred-plus march in front of PBSaffiliate/KLRN led to a meeting with the Board of KLRN. The meeting was crucial andsignificant as it played a role in editing, TheWar and adding two or three Hispanic Veteransbeing featured in the documentary. This effort in Texas also led to the production ofHernandezv. Texas and the Longoria Affair.

AGIF members noting the political involvement by Morales then requested financial recordsrelated to the Burns dealand other disclosures related to Morales tenure as AGIF National Commander.Morales refused and a lawsuit was filed and later (2009) was non-suited because a newly elected

Executive Board initiated their own investigation into several issues involving Morales contracts with otherindividuals.

In August 2008, an email from Rt. Lt. Col. Felix Vargas disclosed Morales may have beeninvolved in potential lobbying with Boeing to kill the air tanker contract that had being award toNorthrup Grumman. In exchange, Boeing was to give the AGIF funds to support an office inWashington DC; and Boeing in fact did sponsor the 2008 AGIF of Texas Inc., state convention.Vargas email mentions a contract between Morales and the American Petroleum Institute (API).The irony here is that in late 2007 Morales issued a Press Release, under the AGIF guise,supporting (Republican) legislation on behalf of major oil companies. Further, present and re-elected AGIF National Commander Alberto Gonzales (Colorado) in 2007 disclosed that anoilcompanyhadpaid his trip,Morales and others to Washington DC.

In Vargasemail he referred to Gil Rodriguez, AGIF of Texas Inc. Secretary/Treasurer as being thecontract person who set up a meeting with Boeing which later it was found that lobbyist, RichardStone, for (API). Additionally, in 2011 at the AGIF National Convention held in New Mexico,the AGIF of Texas introduced a Resolution supporting the XL-Pipeline which has nothing to dowith Veterans. The irony here is that API is supporting the XL-Pipeline and the API apparentlysponsored this years -2012-AGIF National Convention in Omaha NE.

A contract between IMPACT TEXAS, lobbing firm owned by Stone existed and entered intobetween Stone, Morales and a Colorado AGIF Chapter at which time Alberto Gonzales was theColorado State Commander. Stone in emails exchanged with 2009-2010 AGIF NationalCommander Francisco Ivarra admits that he did not do any work on behalf of the AGIF onVeterans issues; but reporting records show Stone worked on behalf of the AGIF on oil relatedissues.

Early 2008, Morales entered into an agreement with Manuel Mirabal, a known lobbyist nowworking for Toni Burgos and Associates in New York. The contract was never approved by theAGIF National Board of Directors. The contract, not more than four sentences long, gave


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Mirabal full authority to use the AGIF Vet-Hire program 501(c) (3) status as a pass throughagent for Mirabals Hispanic Technology and Telecommunications Partnership (HTTP). Mirabalwrote a grant proposal requesting and received $100,000 from AT&T.

The following was taken from a website on Mirabal and the HTTP:House Energy and Commerce

Chairman Joe Barton (R-Texas) has said he plans to introduce a bill to set a hard transition date of Dec. 31, 2006.But broadcasters and rural and minority groups are concerned that transitioning too quickly could leave many

households with no television signal at all. They formed the Coalition for a Smart Digital TV Transition last fall to

underscore concerns that a quick transition could turn millions of analog television sets into expensive

paperweights overnight.

For the most part, the public is completely unaware that this is going to happen, so the thought of

doing it sooner rather than later is of greatconcern, said Manuel Maribal, co-chairman of the

Hispanic Technology and Telecommunications Partnership. Fixing December 2006 as a date is a

mistake because it would leave a lot of people out in thecold. Hispanics are more likely than the

average viewer to rely on analog broadcast signals, Maribal said.

Ironically, Mirabals business partners represented several technology companies that would benefit fromthe potential lobbying Mirabal was engaged in. This is more than a possibility; as an accountingof the $100,000 showed that it was spent on enormous amount of travel, staying at expensivehotels; dining at some expensive restaurants; and potential contributions to both Republican andDemocratic National Conventions and/or Committees. Neither Mirabal nor Morales couldaccount for the$100,000.

Needless to say, Morales has his political followers; including an AGIF female member who is aconvicted felon which the AGIF National Constitution provides is bases for expulsion, which are indenial. But more specifically, Morales followers include Gil Rodriguez of the AGIF of Texas Inc.; andothers throughout the United States, but the association with the AGIF of Texas Inc. and presentAGIF National Commander Alberto Gonzales is significant.

Gil Rodriguez has been a Defendant in three lawsuits filed by AGIF members in Texas. Thelawsuits alleged denial of due process and denial of membership to Veterans. In 2009 court roomtestimony, Rodriguez claimed that if the AGIF allowed AGIF Chapters to be named or use thephrase of civil rights that corporation would not give the AGIF funds. This ideal was supportedby then AGIF National Secretary Alberto Gonzales informing Jose Garcia that his Chapter couldattend the 2009 AGIF National Convention but could not use the phrasecivilrights to name his chapter.Paul Herrera, than State Commander for the AGIF of Texas Inc., was also named as a Defendantin these lawsuits.

In 2010, the newly elected AGIF National Executive Board took actions and held hearingsagainst Morales, Herrera and Rodriguez; however, a TRO/Lawsuit by the AGIF of Texas Inc.was filed against the AGIF of the U.S. to stop the hearing proceedings against Morales, Herreraand Rodriguez. The AGIF National Board of Directors held a hearing on Paul Herrera and votedto expel him permanently.


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A hearing on the TRO was held in April 2010 in Hays County Texas. The judge in the casedenied the AGIF of Texas Inc., request for a TRO and allowed the AGIF National ExecutiveBoard to continue with the hearings. Morales and Rodriguez on advice of their legal counsel didnot participate in the hearings; the AGIF National Board of Directors voted to permanentlyexpelled Morales and Rodriguez. Herrera, Morales and Rodriguez appealed the decision at the

July 2010 AGIF National Convention held in Las Vegas but, by majority of the vote the ruling topermanently expel Herrera and Rodriguez was upheld. Morales was given a reprieve andprovided a ninety (90) day opportunity to present requested information and failed to do so andwas permanently expelled.

The unfortunate thing was the July 2010 AGIF National Convention all of the Executive Boardwho took actions against Morales, Herrera and Rodriguez were defeated. They were replacedwith present National Commander Alberto Gonzales, Alberto Gonzales wife, and threemembers of the AGIF of Texas Inc., of which two were existing officers of the AGIF of TexasInc. No sooner was Gonzales elected that the political cronyism reared its ugly head; Gonzales andMorales allies immediately argued errors had been committed in the expulsions proceedings but

never produced any detailed information other than misinterpretation of the AGIF NationalConstitution to their benefit.

Gonzales, without the authority or permission of the AGIF National Board of Directorsdetermined Morales had indeed submitted the requested information and declared Morales as amember in good standing. Gonzales was aware that an accounting firm had determined that theinformation Morales submitted was incomplete; nevertheless Gonzales allowed Morales,Rodriguez and Herrera to continue representing themselves as AGIF members in good standing.

Gonzales and the newly elected Executive Board then overturned a decision by the previousBoard to allow the establishment of the Dr. Hector P. Garcia AGIF Organization of Texas. Mostof the members of the Dr. Hector organization were individuals who had exposed the conduct ofMorales, Rodriguez and Herrera. Members and Chapters of the Dr. Hector Organization hadsubmitted a Petition to the 2009-2010 detailing the egregious conduct of the AGIF of Texas Inc.,State Board of Directors with supportive AGIF National Constitutional provisions; andrequesting the right and permission to establish the Dr. Hector Organization.

A lawsuit was filed by the Dr. Hector P. Garcia AGIF Organization of Texas whose membersincluded the daughter of Dr. Hector P. Garcia, Cecilia Akers Garcia; his brother Dr. C.P. Garcia;and his sister, Dr. Delia Garcia. Judge Stryker (Bexar County) ruled that the exhaustion ofadministrative remedies needed to be processed for the purposes of the court having jurisdiction.More than eight complaints were filed against Gonzales. However, instead of processing thecomplaints, Gonzales and the Executive Board arbitrarily then denied the Dr. Hector OrganizationsChapters and members their membership renewals. Hence, a second TRO/Lawsuit was filed.

In the mean-time; several AGIF National Board of Directors had enough of the Gonzales and theExecutive Boards conduct and actions and filed their own lawsuit. In an April 16, 2012 settlement-Judgment (Bexar County)-Gonzales agreed that Morales, Herrera and Rodriguez had beenpermanently expelled as of October 2010 and July 2010 respectfully. However, not more thantwo months later Gonzales travels to Travis County where a lawsuit was filed by Morales,


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Herrera and Rodriguez against the AGIF of the U.S. Without notifying the AGIF National Boardof Directors, Gonzales, on June8, 2012 enters into a Final Judgment agreement with Morales,Herrera and Rodriguez reinstating them as members in good standing.

In an email dated June 8, 2012, Gonzales informs the AGIF National Board of Directors that his

back was up against the wall that he had no choice becauseDiscovery was asking him for documentsthat he did not have. This was essentially Gonzales excuse to reach a settlement with Morales,Herrera and Rodriguez. This is irony of this agreement: (1) it came less than two months afterGonzales reached a similar agreement acknowledging Morales, Herrera and Rodriguez werepermanently expelled; (2) the attorney representing Gonzales and the attorney representingMorales, Herrera and Rodriguez were located within two blocks of each other; (3) the lawsuitfiled by Morales, Herrera and Rodriguez was on June 7, 2012; (4) the next morning, June 8,2012the attorney representing Gonzales submits the answers to the lawsuit; and (5) by the afternoonof June 8, 2012 Gonzales and Morales, Herrera and Rodriguez reached the settlement agreement.

Sounds fishy; thats exactly what a Travis County Judge said when he read pleadings filed by attorney Art

Vega in a continuance hearing requested by the attorney representing Morales, Herrera andRodriguez. The Judge granted the continuance but abated the agreement Gonzales had signedwith Morales, Herrera and Rodriguez. A hearing on a Motion for New Trial is set for July 31,2012.

In a recent unprecedented action, 12 AGIF National Board of Directors voted to ImpeachGonzales, censure the Executive Board. Keep in mind this is organizational politics at its best.On July 18-21 the AGIF had its National Convention in Omaha NE; again Gonzales and theExecutive Board were re-elected. Most AGIF members believe that most of its members areprovided limited information by Gonzales and his cronies-the others simply drank the Kool-Aidbecause even when they are provided all the evidence, which by the way in the lawsuit filed bythe National Board of Directors against Gonzales and the Executive Board; more than 100documents were submitted into evidence, henceGonzales contention that he did not have anydocumentation is simply a lie.

Having said this, there is no doubt that those Kool-Aid drinkers and cronies may have voted to allowthe attorney representing Gonzales permission to represent them and Gonzales. The questionraised is that Gonzales and individual AGIF National Board of Directors could face legal actionsby the other AGIF National Board of Directors. The reason is: this was the only way Morales,Herrera and Rodriguez could have been reinstated-was by a fraudulent action committed byGonzales, the attorneys and way Morales, Herrera and Rodriguez. Why? Because Morales,Herrera and Rodriguez had missed the 90 days to file a civil action regarding their permanentexpulsion; which was almost two years ago. For the record, all of the evidence submitted, in thelawsuit filed by the National Board of Directors against Gonzales and the Executive Board;supports all assertions made in this statement.

Heres the kicker-Gonzales and the Executive Board, and officers of the AGIF of Texas Inc., whodirectly or indirectly are named as Defendants in lawsuits all were allowed to vote on issuesrelated to the lawsuits either filed against them or involved them. If this is not a conflict ofinterest what is? All had both a political and personal interest in the outcomes of the votes taken


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on all matters related to the lawsuits. Significantly, when voting to hire legal counsel torepresent themselves using AGIF membership funds.

It gets better: at the July 2012 AGIF Convention more than five or eight complaints filed againstNational Commander Gonzales, were denied saying they had no merit. Now, granted one

complaint there is a doubt that it may involve a disgruntled member but two or more, does notjustify a finding of no merit. In this case, the three individuals making the final ruling on denyingthe complaints were members of the Executive Board who had direct conflict of interest, and nodoubt were protecting Gonzales and his cronies. Before I forget, the lawsuit of Dr. HectorOrganization is going to trial in the immediate future.

If anyone believed LULAC had politics covered, welcome to the AGIF. Itmay be that bothLULAC and the AGIF maybe on their way to being dissolved or at best a split between twofactions; to this extent both LULAC and the AGIF may have forgotten why they were established.Dr. Hectors legacy in this case has been lost in the politics of the AGIF.

Peter Vallecillo, Founder/Director,Southwest Institute on Poverty and Civil Rights andState Commander/Director, Dr. Hector P. Garcia, AGIF Organization of Texas, Inc.

Peter Vallecillo, Director/FounderSouthwest Institute on Poverty and Civil RightsP.O. Box 17264San Antonio, Texas 78217Tele.210-824-4598Fax.210-824-0384

Historia Chicana

University of North Texas

Denton, Texas

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