Thread: TX Lawmaker Puts Illegal Alien Housekeeper On County Payroll

Handy's former attorney - Ralph Martinez - has previously said Hernandez worked in the commissioner's home but that Handy had no knowledge of the woman's immigration status. He said his client later helped the woman find a legitimate county job after she left the commissioner's household.

Excuse me, but if Hernandez is an ILLEGAL ALIEN there is NO SUCH THING as a "legitimate county job" for her in THIS country.

Commissioner of Precinct 1 Expected in Court Tomorrow

Last Update: 8:32 pm

HIDALGO COUNTY - Hidalgo County Commissioner, Sylvia Handy, is expected back in court tomorrow to face new federal charges.

Court documents say she's been summoned to appear before a federal judge for "re-arraignment" on Monday.

An indictment claims Handy and her husband hired illegal immigrants to do housekeeping and babysitting at her home.

Federal prosecutors say she used more than $100,000 in taxpayer money to pay the women.

She's also facing charges of hiding illegal immigrants for money.

Handy continues working as commissioner of precinct one and she maintains her innocence.

www.krgv.com

Indicted Lawmaker Tries Bribing Witnesses

Last Updated: Wed, 12/02/2009 - 3:51pm

A south Texas lawmaker indicted earlier this year for paying her personal illegal immigrant domestic workers with public funds has tried to bribe witnesses who are expected to testify against her.

Hidalgo County Commissioner Sylvia Handy is accused of defrauding the county out of tens of thousands of dollars to pay the salaries of the undocumented Mexicans who cleaned her house and cared for her children. For at least five years the veteran commissioner paid the illegal aliens with county funds even though they never did any public work, according to a 70-page federal indictment made public a few months ago.

Handy put the illegal Mexican workers on her precinct payroll under assumed names and assigned them bogus maintenance jobs, according to authorities. Two women have so far admitted to a federal judge that they collected more than $100,000 by participating in Handy’s corrupt scheme and prosecutors estimate that tens of thousands more were illegally charged to the county throughout the years.

One of the women pleaded guilty to conspiracy, admitting that she got county paychecks while working as Handy’s personal housekeeper and babysitter for more than five years. Another woman, who is a McAllen school employee, said she let the illegal alien housekeeper use her Social Security number to avoid drawing attention to the fraud.

Prosecutors say Handy ordered a county human resources employee to create a fraudulent job application for one woman using an assumed identity, including someone else's Social Security number. The woman, who was subsequently promoted by the crooked commissioner, not only collected county paychecks, she withdrew thousands of dollars from her assumed identity's retirement account.

Handy has been free on $100,000 bond since being charged, but the “improper contact with witnessesâ€

Originally Posted by vortex

Wonder if she will run for re-election?
She should be deported along with her employees.

Yes, she should.

I am sure Obama has a position for her in his administration, now that she has commited a crime.

"People who are guilty plead guilty," said Al Alvarez, Handy's lawyer. "We haven't because we're not guilty. .

Hahahahaha......so why do we have so many prisons full of "innocent" people?

Originally Posted by bigtex

"People who are guilty plead guilty," said Al Alvarez, Handy's lawyer. "We haven't because we're not guilty. .

Hahahahaha......so why do we have so many prisons full of "innocent" people?

Because we didn't deport them? It costs a few hundred dollars to put these people on a bus or a plane and get them out of here. Instead we spend billions prosecuting and housing them for years. Get them out of here and keep them out. I'd rather spend another $2 to $3 billion a year guarding our borders to keep them out than spending it on lawyers, courts and incarceration expenses. Notify their home countries of the crimes they committed here so they are aware of the risk they pose and let them worry about prosecuting and housing their citizens.

Handy put the illegal Mexican workers on her precinct payroll under assumed names and assigned them bogus maintenance jobs, according to authorities. Two women have so far admitted to a federal judge that they collected more than $100,000 by participating in Handy’s corrupt scheme and prosecutors estimate that tens of thousands more were illegally charged to the county throughout the years.
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has this money been repaid or if Handy is guilty, will she have to pay the money back or forfeit property to settle the debt to the taxpayers

List of evidence against Handy includes recordings, campaign finance records
Comments 8
February 06, 2010 7:15 PM
Jeremy Roebuck
The Monitor

WESLACO — On paper, Roxann Garcia appeared to be a model government employee.

Hired as a maintenance worker in 2001 for Hidalgo County’s Precinct 1, she received a promotion after three years of service and was even recognized by her boss as “Employee of the Monthâ€

[quote="jean"]Indicted Lawmaker Tries Bribing Witnesses

Last Updated: Wed, 12/02/2009 - 3:51pm

A south Texas lawmaker indicted earlier this year for paying her personal illegal immigrant domestic workers with public funds has tried to bribe witnesses who are expected to testify against her.

Hidalgo County Commissioner Sylvia Handy is accused of defrauding the county out of tens of thousands of dollars to pay the salaries of the undocumented Mexicans who cleaned her house and cared for her children. For at least five years the veteran commissioner paid the illegal aliens with county funds even though they never did any public work, according to a 70-page federal indictment made public a few months ago.

Handy put the illegal Mexican workers on her precinct payroll under assumed names and assigned them bogus maintenance jobs, according to authorities. Two women have so far admitted to a federal judge that they collected more than $100,000 by participating in Handy’s corrupt scheme and prosecutors estimate that tens of thousands more were illegally charged to the county throughout the years.

One of the women pleaded guilty to conspiracy, admitting that she got county paychecks while working as Handy’s personal housekeeper and babysitter for more than five years. Another woman, who is a McAllen school employee, said she let the illegal alien housekeeper use her Social Security number to avoid drawing attention to the fraud.

Prosecutors say Handy ordered a county human resources employee to create a fraudulent job application for one woman using an assumed identity, including someone else's Social Security number. The woman, who was subsequently promoted by the crooked commissioner, not only collected county paychecks, she withdrew thousands of dollars from her assumed identity's retirement account.

Handy has been free on $100,000 bond since being charged, but the “improper contact with witnessesâ€