2 San Antonio City Councilmen Arrested

KSAT 12 ^ | October 9, 2002

[Alissa]

SAN ANTONIO -- FBI agents on Wednesday arrested District 4 Councilman Enrique "Kike" Martin, District 2 Councilman John Sanders, and criminal defense attorney Jack Pytel.

When Martin (pictured, left), who was being escorted by agents in handcuffs, was asked what he was arrested for, he said : "I'm hoping to find that out myself."

It is not clear why the men were arrested. FBI officials are scheduled to have a new conference later Wednesday to discuss the arrests.

Keep it on ClickonSA.com and KSAT 12 News for updates throughout the day.

[JennysCool]

Yowsah! Any ideas on the reason, Alissa?

[JennysCool]

... I mean in addition to the fact that having the nickname "Kike" ought to be actionable for starters ...

[Alissa]

NO! But it's huge news here. They say over the radio report that City Hall is in shock!

[justshutupandtakeit]

Of course, these are Democrats right?

[Alissa]

Yes Democrats all three!

[sockmonkey]

Two city councilmen and two prominent local lawyers were arrested by federal agents this morning on charges of participating in a bribery scheme to get the city's lucrative tax collection contract.

Councilmen Enrique Martin and John Sanders and lawyers Jack Pytel and Juan Pena were led separately into the federal building in handcuffs and are awaiting arraignment.

According to a federal indictment, Pena gave Pytel $25,000 on March 14 and Pytel gave Martin $2,500 in cash to get his vote in favor of the Linebarger Goggan Blair Pena & Sampson bid. He also gave Sanders a similar amount.

On April 18, the City Council approved the contract with both Martin and Sanders voting for it.

[dixiechick2000]

Bump to find out why they were arrested.

I'm nosy...

[dixiechick2000]

Ooooh, that was fast! Thanks!

[AgentEcho]

My inside source states it's a bribery case. And it's a good source.

Aparently they have both sides of the bribe. The lawyer was bribing the council members.

[newgeezer]

When Martin ... was asked what he was arrested for, he said : "I'm hoping to find that out myself."

In other words, he's not sure which of his many crimes caught up with him first.

[Dog Gone]

Please tell me that they were on the ballot this November.

[ravingnutter]

a bribery scheme to get the city's lucrative tax collection contract.

Darn...I was hoping they had nailed some city council members over bribes on the PGA deal...

[Zathras]

Is it just me or does the FBI seem to be finally off their butts?

[bankwalker]

Yes Democrats all three!

Of course! You can tell because there isn't a letter after their names indicating party affiliation.

[Cicero]

I figured they were Democrats when their party affiliation was not given.

There are such people as corrupt Republican politicians, but unlike Democrats they are always identified as such in news articles.

[Lacey]

There are such people as corrupt Republican politicians, but unlike Democrats they are always identified as such in news articles.

LOL; ain't that the truth.

[ValerieUSA]

2 San Antonio City Council members arrested

Associated Press (Houston Chronicle)

SAN ANTONIO - Two San Antonio City Council members and a local attorney were arrested this morning by FBI agents.

FBI spokesman Rene Salinas said agents arrested council members John Sanders and Enrique "Kike" Martin. Salinas identified the defense attorney as Jack Pytel.

Neither Salinas nor officials at the U.S. Attorney's office would say why the men were arrested.

Sanders, Martin and Pytel were led one by one into the FBI's downtown office in handcuffs late Wednesday morning for arrest processing. All three were brought back out after noon.

All were stern-faced, and didn't offer comments to gathered reporters.

Sanders represents the city's predominantly black East Side, while Martin's mostly Hispanic district is in southwest San Antonio. Both men were elected in May 2001.

Pytel, who also works as a lobbyist, served as a local counsel for millionaire businessman Allen Blackthorne, who was convicted in 2000 of soliciting the murder of his ex-wife in Florida in 1997.

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/metropolitan/1610621

[ValerieUSA]

Texas ping

[anymouse]

Apparently 3 more hispanic Texas Democrats have just endorsed Texas Republicans. :)

[Flyer]

2 San Antonio City Councilmen Arrested

Hey y'all, say hello to Ben Reyes for me!

---

[humblegunner]

Good job FBI!

So what have we learned, guys???

Party Profiling?

[BUSHdude2000]

Jailbirds are free on bond tonight. Unbelievably, they will be at council meeting tomorrow.

http://www.sareview.com

[MeekOneGOP]

Apparently 3 more hispanic Texas Democrats have just endorsed Texas Republicans. :)

LOL !

I just got your ping, Val. So what's the deal? I see they've been released??

[deport]

http://news.mysanantonio.com/story.cfm?xla=saen&xlb=180&xlc=834086&xld=180

UPDATED: Two S.A. councilmen arrested on bribery charges

By Maro Robbins

Express-News Staff Writer

Web Posted : 10/09/2002 11:55 AM

Two San Antonio city councilmen and two prominent local lawyers were arrested this morning by federal agents on charges that they participated in a bribery scheme to get the city's lucrative contract for collecting delinquent Municipal Court fees and fines.

Councilmen Enrique "Kike" Martin (above, center) and John Sanders (below, right) are escorted by FBI agents to the downtown FBI office.
Jerry Lara/Express-News

Councilmen Enrique Martin and John Sanders and lawyers Jack Pytel and Juan Pena have been charged in the indictment, which states that the councilmen accepted bribes totaling $12,000 in exchange for votes in April favoring a bid by the San Antonio law firm of Linebarger Goggan Blair Pena & Sampson.

Sanders, who represents District 2, was arrested in City Council chambers. Authorities arrested Martin, who represents District 4, and Pytel at Southwest General Hospital.

At their arraignments this afternoon, Martin, Sanders and Pytel were released on their own recognizance after posting bail of $50,000 each.

Martin and Sanders are both expected to attend Thursday’s meeting of the City Council.

Pena, a partner in the Linebarger firm, was arrested today in Edinburg and was to appear before a magistrate in McAllen.

At an afternoon news conference, FBI agent Steve McCraw and U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton hinted that the investigation is far reaching and that other officials are being examined.

“The U.S. attorney's office and the FBI will not stand by while public officials sell their offices,” Sutton said.

A federal indictment states that when the City Council originally voted on the tax collection contract on Jan. 10, Sanders voted against a bid by the Linebarger firm. Martin abstained during that vote.

On April 18, Martin and Sanders voted with the majority of the council in awarding the contract to the Linebarger firm.

The nine-count indictment states that Pena gave $25,000 to Pytel, who had been contracted by the Linebarger firm to lobby the City Council.

Pytel, according to the indictment, then gave $2,500 in cash to Martin “on or about March 14.” At the same meeting, the indictment states, the two men discussed paying a bribe to Sanders.

Sanders then accepted $2,500 in cash in return for his support of the Linebarger bid, according to the indictment.

Martin received an additional $5,000 from Pytel about 10 days before the second vote, according to the indictment, which adds that Sanders received an additional $2,000 as payment for his vote on May 1.

For a more detailed report, see stories in Thursday’s San Antonio Express-News.

10/09/2002

Related Links
Contact the Express-News Send press releases or story ideas to the City Desk or fax them to 210-250-3105. Comments Send comments about this section using our feedback form.

[Rightly Biased]

can ya put me on yer Texas ping list? please....thanks

[ValerieUSA]

*LOL* I don't really have a ping list, I just typed in the handles of a few Texans. MeekNming has the big Texas ping list. I'll remember you next time... rightly biased. Rightly Biaed... good handle!

[ValerieUSA]

oops, I lost your "s" so soon. *LOL*
What's a "sickfreak"?

[BUSHdude2000]

Council critters won't be in council today.

http://www.sareview.com is updating

[Alissa]

I've been so busy today, but I did catch that Martins was meek enough to accept the fact that the (Democratic) Mayor didn't want him there, however Sanders was bitching about it!

All I have to say is Carpenter represents my area, and if he's involved he's toast.

[txhurl]

Remember that Al Capone was ultimately busted on tax evasion charges..... SA (and particularly her police force) has a terribly entrenched coke habit.

[DaGman]

San Antonio's city council elections are officially non-partisan. That means there is no Repub or Dem label on anyone. Neither of those arrested have run for office as a Repub or a Dem. No one knows what their political persuasion is.

[anymouse]

They are crooks, so it is a safe bet they are Demo-rats. Since SA is unfortunately dominated by Democrats, they are likely Rats. It is a trivial thing to look up which party they are registered to vote with. That would verify their leanings.

[MeekOneGOP]

Thanks for the ping, Val !!

....and thanks for the info on #25, deport !!

[AppyPappy]

They are Dems but they will walk. "Everyone does it"

[anymouse]

Whether or not they get off the hook, the political damage is done. Moral outrage over this type of corruption pushes moderates to move right and motivates conservatives out of compacency and into the poll booth. It also tends to supress the Democrat base vote, as they are quick to get disallusioned when their "heroes" get caught flagrently violating the law. I would say that this is good for at least a 5 point swing to the right for San Antonio Republican candidates.

[BUSHdude2000]

http://www.sareview.com is reporting that sources believe SA mayor will ask council critters to resign at a news conference in a little over an hour.

[MeekOneGOP]

Thanks ! Whatcha wanna bet they say "Say whut?".....

Thanks for the update !

[logician2u]

No one knows what their political persuasion is.

This is very interesting.

Does Texas keep party affiliation confidential except at the polling places? I recall that nobody knew what party, if any, Ross Perot was registered with the first time he ran for President in 1992.

And none of the wimpy reporters had the stones to ask him.

[DaGman]

In Texas you choose your party during the primaries. You just show up and vote in the primary of your choice. I guess that then makes you a "member" of that party. There's no pre-registering with a party like in some states.

San Antonio conducts non-partisan city council elections. I don't believe non-partisan city elections is state law but rather San Antonio's choice.

[holyscroller]

Wow! That's worth the price of admission to see a bottom-feeding lawyer in handcuffs. That's right up there with man bites dog stories it's so rare.