Become part of the movement for unbiased, accessible election information. Donate today.
Ernie Aliseda
Ernie Aliseda was a member of the University of Texas Board of Regents. He assumed office in 2013. He left office on February 1, 2019.
Aliseda (Republican Party) ran for election as Chief Justice of the Texas Thirteenth District Court of Appeals. He lost in the general election on November 6, 2018.
Aliseda is a former member of the University of Texas System Board of Regents. Aliseda was appointed to a six-year term in February 2013 by Gov. Rick Perry (R). His term expired in February 2019.[1][2]
Biography
Aliseda was raised in McAllen, Texas, and graduated from McAllen Memorial High School in 1984. He earned his bachelor's degree from Texas A&M University and his law degree from the University of Houston Law Center.[3][1]
In 1994, then-Governor George W. Bush (R) appointed Aliseda as judge for the 398th State District Court. Perry named Aliseda to the 139th district court in 2004.[1][3] In 2008 and 2009, Aliseda was chief of federal litigation for the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate of the Army XVIII Airborne Corps at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. According to The Daily Texan, the jurist donated significantly less to Perry's gubernatorial campaigns than other Texas bench appointees.[4]
As of 2016, Aliseda was a member at the national law firm of Dykema Cox Smith. He also served as a municipal judge in McAllen and as a lieutenant colonel and a military judge in the U.S. Army Reserve, Judge Advocate General Corps.[1][4]
Elections
2018
General election
General election for Texas Thirteenth District Court of Appeals Chief Justice
Dori Contreras defeated Ernie Aliseda in the general election for Texas Thirteenth District Court of Appeals Chief Justice on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Dori Contreras (D) | 53.6 | 241,673 |
 | Ernie Aliseda (R) | 46.4 | 209,556 | |
| Total votes: 451,229 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Texas Thirteenth District Court of Appeals Chief Justice
Dori Contreras defeated Ray Thomas in the Democratic primary for Texas Thirteenth District Court of Appeals Chief Justice on March 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Dori Contreras | 63.8 | 51,368 |
| Ray Thomas | 36.2 | 29,121 | ||
| Total votes: 80,489 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Texas Thirteenth District Court of Appeals Chief Justice
Ernie Aliseda advanced from the Republican primary for Texas Thirteenth District Court of Appeals Chief Justice on March 6, 2018.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | Ernie Aliseda |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Wallace Hall impeachment
 |
- See also: Wallace Hall impeachment trial
After he was appointed in 2011, University of Texas Regent Wallace Hall began looking into what he believed to be clout scandals within the University of Texas system. Hall investigated the university's forgivable-loans program, admissions policies and preferential treatment to politically-connected individuals.[5] Hall, as an individual citizen, filed FOIA requests with the University system after his inquiries via his role as a Regent were rebuffed.[6] According to his accusers, Hall filed requests of more than 800,000 pages, which some Texas administrators called an unnecessary burden.[7][8] However, a letter from University chancellor Francisco Cigarroa in February 2014 said that Hall likely requested fewer than 100,000 pages.[9]
[10] In addition, Cigarroa wrote: "During testimony before the Select Committee, some early witnesses implied that the U.T. System has not protected the privacy rights of students, staff, and patients. This is simply not true."[11]
An impeachment effort was begun in June 2013 to remove Hall from his position as regent. Some legislators justified the impeachment on the grounds that Hall did not disclose several lawsuits that he was involved in when he originally completed his regency background check. Hall updated Governor Rick Perry's office in April 2013 with the full list.[12][13] No unelected official in Texas had ever been successfully impeached or removed from office.[14] Perry spokeswoman Lucy Nashed said the investigations sent a "chilling message" to gubernatorial appointees.[15] She added that the investigation was "extraordinary political theater."[16]
In July 2013, University of Texas Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa and Board Chairman Eugene Powell responded to the ongoing investigation and negative remarks against Hall from some elected officials and University of Texas staff. Cigarroa said Hall was not allowed to access anything without review by university lawyers to ensure they met federal privacy standards.[17]
In a July 15, 2013, letter to state representative Jim Pitts, Powell wrote:
| “ |
Regent Hall's efforts extend to bringing the U.T. System into a competitive position nationally; especially related to offering blended and online learning opportunities to U.T. students. ... I would point out Regent Hall's excellent service to the Board in terms of time and energy. I appreciate his Board service and his dedication and hard work designed to fulfill his fiduciary obligations. ... I am aware of no instance of Regent Hall inappropriately sharing information that is confidential by law with others outside U.T. System and encourage you to identify any specific concerns you have in this area.[18] [19] |
” |
In February 2015, an independent report by Kroll Associates, commissioned by the Regents Board, confirmed a "pattern of special treatment for well-connected applicants to UT." While the report did not show evidence of any quid pro quo, it did show that "extra acceptances were extended every year to accommodate special cases" and that the "President’s Office ordered applicants admitted over the objection of the Admissions Office." It added that "efforts were made to minimize paper trails and written lists" during the process." The Wall Street Journal wrote that the report should "should put an end" to the concerns over Hall's clout investigations.[20]
Regents committees
Aliseda serves on the following Board standing committees:[21]
- Academic Affairs
- Facilities Planning and Construction
- Health Affairs
- Technology Transfer and Research
See also
Personal
Aliseda is married to his wife, Debbie. They have five children.[1]
External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- Campaign website
- Campaign Facebook page
- Campaign Twitter page
- LinkedIn page
- Texas Judicial Branch
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 University of Texas System, "Ernest Aliseda Biography," accessed June 27, 2016
- ↑ The Dallas Morning News Trailblazers Blog, "Gov. Perry appoints three members to UT Board of Regents," February 21, 2013
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Hidalgo County, Texas, "Resolution in Honor of U.T. Regent Ernest Aliseda," June 25, 2013
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 The Daily Texan, "10 things you didn't know about regent appointees Ernest Aliseda, Jeff Hildebrand," May 20, 2013
- ↑ American Spectator, "Transparency for Thee," October 25, 2013
- ↑ Daily Texas Online, "Facing impeachment, Regent Wallace Hall defends actions in debate with Sen. Kirk Watson," September 28, 2013
- ↑ Daily Texas Online, "Former UT System vice chancellor alleges Regent Wallace Hall’s ‘clear intent to get rid of Bill Powers’," October 24, 2013
- ↑ Dallas Morning News, "UT regent sought 800,000 documents, official says in impeachment hearing," October 22, 2013
- ↑ Watchdog, "‘Witch hunt’ fallout: Speaker calls for narrower public records law," February 5, 2014
- ↑ Texas Tribune, "UT System Responds to Transparency Committee Directives," February 3, 2014
- ↑ Texas Tribune, "Cigarroa letter to the Committee on Transparency in State Agency Operations," February 1, 2014
- ↑ Texas Tribune, "UT Regent Wallace Hall Updates Lawsuit Disclosures," April 30, 2013
- ↑ Real Clear Policy, "The Campaign Against Wallace Hall," August 15, 2013
- ↑ News-Journal, "University of Texas regent not worried by impeachment inquiry," September 9, 2013
- ↑ Texas Tribune, "Transparency Committee to Mull Impeachment of UT Regent," June 25, 2013
- ↑ Texas Tribune, "Perry Blasts Impeachment Probe of Wallace Hall," October 30, 2013
- ↑ Texas Tribune, "UT System Pushes Back Against Criticism of Regent Hall," July 16, 2013
- ↑ University of Texas System, "Letter from Eugene Powell to Jim Pitts," July 15, 2013
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ The Wall Street Journal, "Texas Admissions Rumble," February 12, 2015
- ↑ University of Texas System, "Board Committees," accessed October 31, 2013
Federal courts:
Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas
State courts:
Texas Supreme Court • Texas Court of Appeals • Texas Court of Criminal Appeals • Texas District Courts • Texas County Courts • Texas County Courts at Law • Texas Statutory Probate Courts • Texas Justice of the Peace Courts
State resources:
Courts in Texas • Texas judicial elections • Judicial selection in Texas
