Mark Aguirre, formerly a Houston police captain, was paid by wealthy Republican donor and deranged quack Steve Hotze to "investigate" voter fraud. Aguirre rammed a van he "thought" was loaded with "illegal" ballots, but it was not and he was arrested in 2020. He has finally been indicted, reports Cory McGinnis.
Mark Aguirre is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and could face up to 20 years in prison. Aguirre was arrested last December after prosecutors say he ran his SUV into the back of the truck of an air conditioning technician. Aguirre allegedly told police he believed the victim was behind a massive voter fraud scheme and that there were 750,000 fraudulent ballots in his truck. After the victim got out of his vehicle, Aguirre allegedly aimed a pistol at his head and ordered the man to get on the ground, according to the DA. Two additional vehicles then pulled up, with Aguirre ordering an unidentified person to search the truck, according to previously filed court documents.
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According to Ogg, Aguirre was allegedly paid more than $250,000 by conservative activist Steve Hotze to investigate voter fraud through Hotze's group Liberty Center for God and Country. "Aguirre victimized an innocent guy," Ogg said. "He made this victim feel like he was going to die. And the fellow was not involved in any type of voter fraud, but instead was just an air conditioning repairman with a box truck."
Some coverage of this has a subtly exonerative note, implying that if there were ballots in the van, it would have been reasonable for far-right goons to ram it off the road, put the driver on his knees at gunpoint, and maybe worse.
When you spot uncanny bullshit like that lurking in the tone or content of coverage, remember that the best thing that could happen to the media business is Trump smirkingly emceeing as things get… worse.
