DA calls to reject law enforcement support while accepting millions from trial lawyers 

SAN ANTONIO, TX – Earlier this week, Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales criticized law enforcement endorsements and support for district attorneys and state attorney generals.1 Questioning whether the “values” of law enforcement “align” with prosecutors, Gonzales stated that “endorsements and contributions…create a perceived (if not actual) impression that the elected official is beholden to that group.” 

If an endorsement or contribution makes a candidate beholden to the person or group who made the contribution, then District Attorney Joe Gonzales has a lot to answer for. Since January 2018, Joe Gonzales has taken over 180 donations amounting to more than $150,000 from attorneys and bail bondsmen2, and this figure DOES NOT include the almost $1,000,000 Gonzales received from just one donor, liberal billionaire George Soros. 

“Using District Attorney Gonzales’ logic, this means that he has a conflict of interest because he is now ‘beholden’ to the attorneys who gave him money,” said Jeremy Payne, President of the Deputy Sheriffs Association of Bexar County. “Apparently the District Attorney believes he, and all other judicial candidates and officeholders who have received donations from attorneys, are now obligated to do their bidding and adopt their values. If so, then he has serious conflicts of interest.” 

It is unfortunate that the district attorney does not think that the values of law enforcement align with the Bexar County Justice System. The DSABC does not believe that there is any inconsistency in our values and those of good and honest judges, district attorneys and states attorney generals. We hope that the DA would have more respect for law enforcement and understand that our voices matter just as much as his. 

Contact Jeremy Payne by phone at (210) 875-8142 or by email at [email protected].

1 “Bexar County District Attorney joins national call to end police union endorsements,” San Antonio Express-News, August 24, 2020.
2 Elections/Contributions Semi-Anual Reports, bexar.org, 01-17-18 thru 07-15-20.