Mendoza's letter

The following is the text of Robert Mendoza's letter

November 20, 2007

This is a formal submission of a grievance against the County of Ector, Texas, and its election commission. On June 11, 2007, I was abruptly terminated as the county's elections administrator. I was not terminated for any reasons based on job performance or misconduct. In fact, I successfully negotiated difficult circumstances for the County with the Federal Government, and I was well respected among my peers at the State and National levels. My Hispanic heritage and my work to promote voting among Spanish speaking population were among the chief factors that motivated my superiors.

Indeed, after years of Ector County's neglect regarding recruiting the Hispanic vote in that county, as documented by the US Department of Justice (DOJ), I made unprecedented headway in voter outreach in that area, appeared on local Spanish language media, sponsored activities promoting grassroots voter registration, and bilingual demonstrations of new electronic voting equipment, etc. to meet the stipulations of the Federal consent decree Ector County was compelled to adopt by the DOJ.

Consequently, I earned the respect of the politically theretofore underappreciated (but majority) Hispanic community/populous but the enmity of the then and politically strong (but minority) Anglo community/populous in Ector County. Indeed I emailed the DOJ in early May to once again discuss the issue of what I perceived improper behavior and interactions between the DOJ election monitors and my poll workers. The county’s main DOJ contact, however, was very upset and the county attorney expressed discontent straight to my immediate supervisors.

Over 50% of the Ector County population is Hispanic and an estimated 85% of the County’s officials are Anglo Americans. The DOJ has noted this County is “good old boy-cowboy County” and “slow to change.”

The complaints against me that were referenced at the meeting that resulted in my termination were all made by Caucasians (e.g. the Ector County ISD Assistant Superintendent, the Phone Contractor Representative, the County Attorney, other local officials and representatives). As additional evidence that it was the messenger and not the message at issue with the County, my Anglo assistant Mitzi Schieble was able to procure election equipment that I was denied twice within one year (Aug. 2006 and March 2007) which was imperative to ensure conducting smooth elections in the busy 2008 election cycle.

Indeed, I was warned at the time of the Spring vote on election equipment by a county elected official (when we both met in his office) that the county’s leaders were watching me closely and also acknowledged how difficult it was for an Hispanic individual to make headway in Ector County Government/Politics.

Furthermore, and contrary to the statute, I was not fired for “good and sufficient cause.” Indeed, the county judge publicly stated I was fired for my “personality,” and that my work performance was fine. Additionally, I was never formally or informally evaluated or even given a performance review, and I was never formally or informally criticized, warned cautioned or in any way made aware of such criticisms. The County never, during the term of my appointment, utilized any means available to them to bring maters of deficient performance to my attention. Again, the County’s reluctance or refusal to employ such standard measures, as informal/formal reviews, evidences their unlawful motives.

Also, and contrary to long-standing precedent and procedure, I was initially informed of these undocumented, amorphous, and spurious complaints for the first time and only three hours before I was actually notified of my termination. I was not permitted to be present at the May 29th meeting at which my termination was initially plotted out between the election commission and the commissioner’s court. In fact, and while on military leave in New York (I serve in the US Navy Reserves) the County Judge Susan Redford advised me that only DOJ matters were to be discussed, and that I would be allowed to any questions or negative comments in that regard. However, and according to local news reports, this was the first of two such meetings wherein my ultimate termination was orchestrated.