Controversy in Texas Congressional Race
A surprising turn of events has emerged in the Texas 15th Congressional District race, as singer Bobby Pulido, who has won a Latin Grammy and is now campaigning as a Democrat, was recorded boasting about aiding a longtime bandmate with a troubling history. The audio reveals Pulido discussing how he assisted Frankie Caballero, a convicted child sex offender, in escaping prison. While Pulido’s campaign has brushed off these claims as “hopeless slander,” the tape indicates otherwise.
A 2019 YouTube interview resurfaced recently, showing Pulido telling comedian Jose Luis Zagal that he went directly to Caballero early on in his career to “get him out of jail.” The campaign is now suggesting that this statement was merely to indicate an invitation for Caballero to perform, rather than to suggest financial aid for his release. Court records indicate Caballero had a history of arrests from 1990 to 2000, culminating in a four-year sentence for sexual assault involving an 8-year-old girl in May 2014. Following his release, he continued to perform alongside Pulido. The singer is now running against Republican incumbent Monica de la Cruz in the same district.
Reports from December highlighted that Pulido was already facing scrutiny upon his announcement to run for the South Texas state legislature, particularly concerning the clash between his current campaign and past online activity.
Concerns about Pulido’s values and judgment have been vocalized by family members, with his social media accounts reportedly filled with links to explicit content.
In 2013, Pulido commented to an audience about visiting a porn site, wondering if the musicians featured received royalties. Just later that year, he shared another post that seemed intended for humorous effect, saying, “Homemade porn when you’re sleep deprived?” In 2015, a link to a porn site was removed by Pulido, who claimed his account had been hacked.
A spokesperson for his campaign later acknowledged that Caballero struggled with drug addiction.
A July 1994 courtroom document in Caballero’s sexual assault case revealed he was released without bail, conditional on paying $75,000 if he failed to attend court. A former prosecutor pointed out that these personal recognizance bonds in felony cases were quite unusual and likely required the District Attorney’s approval.
Caballero was only briefly held on sexual assault suspicions, and upon release, his employment as a musician was noted. His criminal background includes DUIs, drug-related charges, and multiple assaults spanning over three decades, leading to several prison sentences and parole agreements.
Pulido’s campaign has claimed ignorance regarding Caballero’s status on the sex offender registry. Meanwhile, Monica Dela Cruz continues her re-election bid in the South Texas border district.
