Former State Rep. Kino Flores, who was indicted last year on multiple counts of tampering with a governmental record, was convicted today on eleven of those counts.
Flores, a 14-year state representative, was convicted of five counts of misdemeanor tampering with a governmental record, four counts of felony tampering with a governmental record and two counts of misdemeanor perjury.
He faces up to two years in a state jail and a $10,000 fine on each of the felony counts. Any state jail time assessed for each count must run concurrently with other counts under state law.
Flores, D-Palmview, elected to be sentenced by state District Judge Bob Perkins, who set sentencing for Nov. 22.
Flores and his lawyers left court without commenting.
“This verdict represents the public saying to public officials that they expect elected officials to maintain the highest ethical standards,” Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg said. “That accurate and full public disclosure is an important part of public service and that the public will not accept excuses like ‘I was too busy’ or ‘I just didn’t know.’”
Two points: 1) Keep this in mind the next time someone claims that prosecutions by the Travis County DA’s Public Integrity Unit are partisan in nature. 2) I don’t know about you, but I sure am glad that Flores declined to run for re-election. He won a hard-fought primary in 2008 that was largely about his Craddick connections, and I would have been leery about betting against him this year had he run, even after the indictment. So much better this way.