SAN ANTONIO — Agents from the FBI and IRS raided the law office of Democratic San Antonio Senator Carlos Uresti Thursday morning.
Uresti is already facing a grand jury investigation into possible public corruption charges related to FourWinds, a defunct oil-field services company accused of defrauding investors.
"Today FBI agents are in my office, reviewing our documents as part of the Four Winds matter," Senator Uresti said in a statement.
Four Winds Logistics is a now-bankrupt company that sold sand used for fracking.
Three of the company's former leaders pleaded guilty to felony charges to commit wire fraud.
Uresti served as Four Winds' general counsel, but ethics experts question whether the senator was also recruiting investors to the company, and why he led another law client to invest nearly $1 million into Four Winds.
"That was either stupid advice, which is not a crime, or it was potentially corrupt advice," said Andrew Wheat of Texans for Public Justice, a non-profit that tracks public corruption.
There are also questions to what Thursday's raid might mean for Uresti's political career.
"Does this mean he's toast? I don't think it necessarily does. A lot will depend on what case the government might build against him," Wheat said.
The FBI released a statement on the raid Thursday morning saying, "Law enforcement Agents with IRS and FBI are lawfully present conducting a law enforcement operation. No further detail can be released at this time."
For some San Antonio Democrats, the raid came as a shock.
"[Senator Uresti is] a man that is followed by many people," said Grace Hernandez, a Bexar County Democratic Party leader. "But, I don't know, maybe there's a side of him that we don't know about."
Chairman Mechler Statement on the FBI/IRS Raid of TXDEM Carlos Uresti’s Law Office
“Today’s FBI/IRS raid of crooked Texas Democrat Carlos Uresti’s law office proves once again that there is an unprecedented amount of corruption among Texas Democrats. From State Rep. Ron Reynolds, who’s already been sentenced to a year in prison for ambulance chasing, to State Rep. Dawnna Dukes, who was indicted on thirteen felony and two misdemeanor charges, to the raids of Senator Uresti’s law office earlier today, Texas Democrats continue to find themselves mired in corruption and scandal. The cascade of these issues prove that Texas Democrats only care about power, as opposed to the constituents they’re supposed to be representing. I’d be quite nervous about the quality of candidates the Texas Democrats intend to field in 2018 right about now if I were them.”
Statement from Uresti:
Today, FBI agents are in my office, reviewing our documents as part of their broad investigation of the Four Winds matter. I have instructed my staff to fully cooperate with the federal investigators. I will help them in whatever way I can.
I am now at the Capitol conducting the people's business, working hard to achieve a good budget for the people of Texas through my continued service on the Senate Finance Committee, and to find solutions for the foster children of Texas, as the Vice-Chair of the Health and Human Services Committee. Likewise, I continue to work diligently to solve problems on the Veterans Affairs and Border Security Committees.
As always, I remain committed to serve my constituents.
We'll bring you more updates on this developing story right here on Spectrum News.
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