Controversy Surrounds Texas Democratic Candidate
A Democratic candidate aiming to secure a U.S. House seat in Texas has drawn scrutiny for his past association with an accordionist who has a history of child molestation.
Bobby Pulido, a two-time Latin Grammy Award recipient known for his Tejano music, faced backlash after it was revealed that he performed alongside Frankie Caballero, a registered sex offender. Caballero was convicted in 2014 for a second-degree felony assault involving an 8-year-old girl.
Reports indicate that Pulido and Caballero collaborated on various concerts between 2018 and 2021 across several cities, including Las Vegas and Minneapolis. Even now, Caballero continues to refer to himself as Pulido’s accordion player on social media.
In response to the allegations, Pulido’s campaign manager, Abel Prado, stated that Pulido had no prior knowledge of Caballero’s criminal history. “Bobby was not aware of Caballero’s sex offender status and didn’t intend to associate with anyone like that,” Prado emphasized, while also expressing sympathy toward the victims.
Interestingly, while court documents regarding Caballero’s case were not publicly disclosed due to the victim’s age, details about the charges and Caballero’s registration can be found on official state resources.
Pulido’s Republican rival, Rep. Monica de la Cruz, criticized him, claiming that he has been dishonest about his awareness of Caballero’s past. “My heart goes out to the children affected by Mr. Pulido’s associate. For decades, he introduced a multi-convicted predator into our community,” she remarked, adding that Pulido is inaccurately denying knowledge of Caballero’s crimes.
De la Cruz further urged the families of abuse victims to reach out to her office for federal assistance resources.
Following the emergence of these allegations, Prado asserted that Pulido learned of Caballero’s past in 2021 and subsequently dismissed him from the band.
In the recent election, de la Cruz notably outperformed Pulido, securing a lead of more than 14 points. It’s noteworthy that President Trump achieved a strong victory in this district as well.
Before these associations came to light, Pulido had attempted to attract media attention by inviting a 15-year-old Latina girl to her birthday party.
