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According to court records, Jose Sanz, a Republican candidate vying for U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar’s position in South Texas, was taken into custody in 2021 for allegedly assaulting a family member. In this particular incident, he was accused of hurling a chair at his sister.
After completing 36 sessions of batterer intervention and contributing 12 hours of community service at a church, Sanz’s case was dismissed.
According to records from Harris County District Court, a hearing has been scheduled for Friday to decide whether the incident will be removed from Sanz’s record. Sanz had filed for expunction on August 15, a month prior to announcing his candidacy.
No comment was provided by a spokesperson for Sanz in response to requests. Attempts to reach Sanz’s sister for comment were unsuccessful.
On April 12, 2021, Sanz was taken into custody for reportedly assaulting his adult sister with a chair, which is considered a misdemeanor offense.
The protective order states that Sanz was issued a restraining order two days later, which prohibits him from approaching the home where his sister resides within a 200 feet radius, or engaging in any threatening or harassing communication with her.
After paying a $1,000 bail, he was able to secure his release. A week later, Sanz’s sister submitted an affidavit confirming her decision to drop the charges and clarifying that she was not actually struck by the chair.
She wrote, “It was only after conversing with my mother and sister that I came to the realization that, in fact, the chair never actually hit me. Everything occurred so rapidly amidst all the excitement.”
The case was dismissed in December 2021.
Last month, Sanz made an announcement declaring his candidacy for the U.S. House seat. He is running as a Republican challenger against Cuellar, a Laredo Democrat and Sanz’s former boss.
Sanz joined Cuellar’s office shortly after the alleged incident in August 2021, taking on the roles of press secretary and district director until June of this year.
Cuellar’s team refrained from commenting, stating that they had no knowledge of the case during Sanz’s employment.
“Our main priority is addressing the concerns of the working families in the 28th Congressional District of Texas and delivering tangible outcomes through our work in Congress,” stated Jake Hochberg, Cuellar’s chief of staff. “We will refrain from commenting on any personal matters concerning opposing candidates and instead concentrate on the important issues at hand.”
In his campaign announcement, Sanz expressed that his time working for the Democratic incumbent was an exceptional experience, but it also made him realize that his values did not align with Cuellar.
“I am familiar with this district,” stated Sanz in a news release. “Being a conservative district, it desires a Congressman who will safeguard their family values and cherished way of life.”
Sanz, who was born in Mexico City and raised in the Houston suburbs, previously worked as a sports analyst for ESPN-Mexico before joining Cuellar’s office. Currently residing in Laredo, he continues his professional endeavors.
The 28th Congressional District, where Sanz and Cuellar will compete in the 2024 election, has been embroiled in a whirlwind of political turmoil for several years.
Despite aggressive targeting by Republicans, Congressman Cuellar managed to retain his seat in 2022. In both the 2020 and 2022 primary elections, Cuellar narrowly emerged victorious against his former intern, progressive Democrat Jessica Cisneros, who had also worked as his employee.
Cuellar’s Laredo home and office were raided by the FBI a few weeks prior to the 2022 primary election. Despite the investigation, the congressman claims that he was not the intended focus. It’s worth noting that Cuellar was neither arrested nor faced any charges.
