Cobos Buys Surveillance Equipment, Installs In County Office

EL PASO – El Paso County Judge Anthony Cobosconfirms toABC-7 he used campaign money to buy a surveillance system for his office at the County Courthouse.

In an exclusive interview with ABC-7’s reporter Martin Bartlett, Cobos also says he hired a local private investigator firm.Cobos says he doesn’t feel like he has a choice in the current political climate and the on-going federal public corruption probe.

“WhatI have purchased is a recording system for my office,” Cobos said.

According to campaign finance reports, Cobos paid about $1500 to Brandon Enterprises in October.

“What we are looking at is a recording device that protects me from unauthorized entry and untruths,”Cobos said.The officials also said he paid the firm for some private investigation work.

“When people tell lies against you and you’re a public official … you have to prove yourself innocent … it’s not the other around,” Cobos said.

“It’s been a very unique year,”he said.”I think people understand and think that most people understand that there is a political element to what’s going on at the courthouse.”

In the past, theFBI flatly denies their investigation has anything to do with politics.

ABC-7 attempted to get in touch withrepresentatives at the Texas Ethics Commission in Austin, to see if purchases like the one Cobos made were allowed, however no one returned our calls.

However, according to the information the ABC-7I-Teamreviewed regarding campaign expenditures,by all appearances it is legal for Cobos to spend his campaign money in this way.