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In a sweeping voter fraud investigation that has rocked Texas politics, 15 individuals—many affiliated with the Democratic Party—have been indicted on charges related to illegal vote harvesting during the 2024 election cycle. The probe, spearheaded by Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, has brought renewed focus to Texas’ strict election laws and the ongoing political battle over ballot collection practices.
At the center of the case is Juan Manuel Medina, former Bexar County Democratic Party Chair and one-time San Antonio mayoral candidate. Medina was indicted on two counts of vote harvesting for allegedly organizing and compensating individuals to collect ballots on behalf of voters—an act banned under a 2021 Texas law. According to court documents, Medina coordinated payments to Rachel Leal and former Dilley council member Inelda Rodriguez in February 2024, on behalf of Democratic candidate Cecilia Castellano, who was running for the Texas House District 80 seat.
Castellano, who ultimately lost the race to Republican Don McLaughlin, has also been indicted, along with Leal and Rodriguez. Her attorney, Don Flanary, strongly denied the allegations, stating, “Cecilia is innocent. She didn’t do anything illegal and I don’t think they are going to be able to prove it. The problem is, it’s very chilling for people.”
Among others charged are several prominent figures from South Texas politics, including former Pearsall Mayor Petra Davina Trevino, former Dilley Mayor Mary Ann Obregon, Precinct 3 Frio County Commissioner Raul Carrizales III, Susanna Flores Carrizales, and Pearsall ISD Board Secretary Maricela Garcia Benavides. These indictments follow months of investigative activity that included phone seizures and home raids, including a February 2024 raid on Medina’s residence.
Paxton’s office has characterized the investigation as essential to maintaining election integrity, arguing that vote harvesting undermines public trust and violates the rights of voters. The 2021 law makes it a felony offense to collect ballots in exchange for compensation, with penalties including up to 10 years in prison and fines of up to $10,000.
Critics, however, argue the charges are politically motivated and target predominantly Latino political activists. They also warn the law is overly broad and could criminalize legitimate campaign activities like helping elderly or disabled voters submit ballots.
Separately, Paxton has also launched an investigation into 33 “potential noncitizens” who allegedly voted in the 2024 election, following referrals from the Secretary of State’s office using DHS databases to verify citizenship status.
With legal proceedings underway, the case is expected to serve as a high-stakes test of Texas’ controversial vote harvesting law and could have far-reaching implications for how campaigns engage with voters in future elections.
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