WHY DO FEDS WANT BLAYLOCK OUT OF LUCIO CASE?

By Juan Montoya
Does Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Wynne want to recuse most to the members of the Cameron County Bar Association (and some from Hidalgo) from participating in the defense of some of the principals in the Armando Villalobos-Eddie Lucio racketeering trial?
Wynn told U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen that he was reserving the right to introduce into evidence during the Lucio trial a 2008 audio recording between Lucio's defense attorney John Blaylock. The recording is reportedly a conversation between Blaylock and Limas about Limas’ campaign. Limas voices concern about re-election, the local daily reported.
 “I can’t rule it out,” Wynne said.
Blaylock, known as a bulldog in local legal circles, correctly interpreted as a subterfuge by the government to  remove him from the case. Local legal observers say that if the government achieves its goal, it would remove Blaylock and Lucio will have to be replaced by another attorney who would have to play catch-up defending the accused.
"It's like forcing the opposing team to change quarterbacks before the big game," said one. "Obviously, Wynne doesn't want Blaylock on the defense table."
It would be hard for Lucio to find a local attorney with whom Limas did not speak to about his election with formidable campaigner Elia Cornejo-Lopez, the current 404th District judge. Every election she has been in has been a bare-knuckle, no-holds barred event. Limas probably spoke about his concerns with more than a score of attorneys as he solicited funds from them for his campaign.
Who, among those listed below, could pass Wynne's litmus test and defend Lucio?
The following attorneys made contributions to Limas and were listed in his campaign contributions report for the 30-day period (January 1-24) before the 2008 election against Cornejo-Lopez:

Barrera, Horacio (Mr.): $1,500
Benavides, Gilberto (Mr.): $1,000
Bonner and Bonner: $500
Denton Navarro Rocha and Bernal: $250
Esparza and Garza: $1,000
Garcia and Martinez: $2,500
Garcia and Villareal: $2,500
Graham, Joseph (Mr.): $750
Hemphill, Paul (Mr.): $200
Hinojosa, Fred (Hon.): $500
James, Tony (Mr.): $500
Law office of Bruce Tharpe: $2,500
Law office of James Belton: $500
Martinez, Tony (Mr.): $500
Pena, Ruben (Mr.): $1,000
Perez, Frank (Mr.): $500
Rodiguez Colvin Chaney and Saenz: $1,000
Rodriguez, Reynaldo (Mr.): $2,000
Rosenthal, Mark (Mr.): $1,000
Royston Rayzor Vickery and Williams: $1,000
Rubane, Rebecca (Ms.): $800
Sweetman Sabo and Toland: $200
Vela, Manny (Mr.): $1,000
Vidaurri Lyde Gault and Quintana: $1,000
Villareal, Javier (Mr.): $2,000
Watson, J. Lynn (Ms.): $2,000
Whittington, Randy (Mr.): $500
Williamson, John (Mr.): $1,000

If we were to go back to the prior reporting period, we would undoubtedly find the other half of the attorneys practicing in the local courts among those making contributions who had discussed Limas' concerns about the election. Does Wynne have recordings of them, too, and is awaiting to pick who to have as an opponent?
The Brownsville Herald reported that "Blaylock said playing the tape was an attempt by the federal government “To injure me.” He said it was like “striking my client over my shoulder. I haven’t done anything wrong.”
Hanen requested that all parties involved attempt to reach an agreement by Feb. 8 as to whether the recorded conversation between Blaylock and Limas will be played at the trial.