A former Texas Democratic Party county chair was among nine party members indicted for alleged vote harvesting, according to reports.
Juan Manuel Medina, the former Bexar County Democratic Party Chair and former San Antonio mayoral candidate, was indicted on two counts of vote harvesting, KSAT reported. The indictments are the result of a statewide investigation led by Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Medina is accused of engaging in vote harvesting on behalf of Cecilia Castellano, who ran as a Democrat in the 2024 election for the Texas House of Representatives District 80 seat. Castellano was defeated by Republican Don McLaughlin.
Documents indicate that Medina allegedly provided “compensation or other benefits” to Rachel Leal and former Dilley council member Inelda Rodriguez in February 2024 in exchange for “vote-harvesting services.” Castellano, Leal, and Rodriguez have also been indicted in connection with the investigation, Newsmax reported.
“Cecilia is innocent. She didn’t do anything illegal and I don’t think they are going to be able to prove it,” attorney Don Flanary said, The Texas Tribune reported. “The problem is it’s very chilling for people.”
Five other people indicted included: former Pearsall Mayor Petra Davina Trevino, former Dilley Mayor Mary Ann Obregon, Susanna Flores Carrizales, Precinct 3 Frio County Commissioner Raul Carrizales III, and Pearsall ISD Board Secretary Maricela Garcia Benavides, the outlet noted further.
In May, six individuals were indicted as part of Paxton’s Frio County investigation, which last year led to search warrants that resulted in the seizure of Castellano’s phone and a raid on Medina’s home, the Tribune reported.
In September, a state district judge dismissed Paxton’s request to block a Bexar County plan to mail voter registration forms to county residents ahead of the November elections. However, the New Orleans-based 5th Circuit Court of Appeals overturned that decision after the Attorney General’s office filed an appeal.
Last month, Paxton announced investigations into 33 “potential noncitizens” accused of voting in the 2024 election. The cases were referred to Paxton after the Texas Secretary of State’s Office identified the voter registrations using the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ SAVE database.
Operated by the Department of Homeland Security, this system helps verify immigration status and confirm naturalized or acquired U.S. citizenship.
