County judge fined for campaign finance violation

The Texas Ethics Commission fined Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra $500 after he failed to file two semiannual reports on time. 

Texas Ethics Commission convened on Dec. 8, 2021 for a preliminary review hearing regarding sworn complaint SC-3210343 to determine if Sec. 254.063 of the Election Code, which states that a candidate should file two reports each year no later than July 15 for the first and January 15 for the second, was violated.

The complaint against Becerra alleged that he did not timely file the July 2020 and January 2021 semiannual reports. The July 2020 semiannual report was due by July 15, 2020 and the January 2021 report was due by January 15, 2021. Both reports were filed on July 23, 2021 — three months after the complaint was filed.

According to a resolution from the Texas Ethics Commission, Becerra provided a supplemental statement from his spouse, Monica Becerra, who helps prepare reports. According to the statement, Monica Becerra stated that she didn’t understand why the July 15, 2020 report wasn’t turned in. 

“I asked the notary to see her ledger and there was an entry on [July, 15, 2020] for a campaign finance report,” the statement read. “I remember several candidates and office holders putting the reports together for one person to drop them off at the elections office. All the others made it, but Ruben’s did not. At this time I can’t say exactly why this happened, it may have been that I found a mistake I needed to fix, but am unsure at this time.” 

Regarding the Jan. 15, 2021 report, Monica Becerra highlighted several “extenuating circumstances” that hindered their ability to complete the report. The statement said that she broke her foot on Nov. 3 and then later the Becerra family contracted COVID-19. 

Although not a part of the initial complaint, the Texas Ethics Commission also considered whether the Hays County Judge timely filed the July 2021 semiannual report. Findings in the resolution from the commission found that Ruben Becerra’s July 2021 report was filed on July 16, 2021 — the filing deadline was July 15, 2021. 

The Texas Ethics Commission found that there was credible evidence that Ruben Becerra filed his July 2020 and January 2021 semiannual report late. Additionally, the commission found that, although not alleged in the complaint, there was credible evidence that there was a violation of Sec. 254.063 of the Election Code by filing the July 2021 semiannual report one-day late. 

The Texas Ethics Commission imposed a $500 civil penalty for the campaign finance violation. Ruben Becerra consented to the proposed resolution on Jan. 5, 2022. 

The ethics complaint was filed by Jon Leonard, who currently serves as Brandon Burleson’s campaign treasurer. Leonard said in an email, however, that he filed the complaint prior to joining Burleson’s campaign for County Judge. Burleson, who is challenging Becerra in the upcoming Democratic primary, said he finds it “very disturbing that our county judge thinks that rules that apply to everybody else do not apply to him.”

“It certainly speaks volumes about his regard for the rule of law that it took $500 fine to get Mr. Becerra’s attention and get him to comply with the law in his most recent filings,” Burleson said.

Becerra, who is running for a second term, said in a statement that Burleson has made a spectacle regarding the timeliness of his campaign filings.

“I have always chosen to run my campaign on ideas and beliefs that are in the best interest of the residents of Hays County,” Becerra wrote in his statement. “I am proud to say that in my first three years, we have accomplished many tasks that improved the lives of our residents and this attitude has been my guiding principle through the challenges of Covid. 

“I trust the voters will see past such attempts at distraction and choose a judge who has focused on bettering the everyday lives of Hays County residents,” Becerra added. 

Becerra was previously fined $250 for violations of sections 254.031 and 255.001 of the election code when he ran for San Marcos Mayor in 2016. He was also fined $500 for failing to file his 30-day pre-election report for the November 2018 general election and the January 2019 semiannual report.