07/30/2026
Public Corruption Alert — Edinburg CISD
Grupo PODER: Edinburg CISD Deserves Transparency — Not More Backroom Deals
The Rio Grande Valley community is sounding the alarm on what’s happening at Edinburg CISD in their Superintendent Search and the pattern is impossible to ignore.
After previous Superintendent Mario Salinas resigned, the board launched a search for his replacement — but instead of hiring an independent firm, the district’s own legal counsel, the O’Hanlon, Demerath & Castillo (ODC) law firm, is running the process. That alone raises serious conflict‑of‑interest concerns.
ODC attorney Ben Castillo helped current board president Xavier Salinas secure a job as Weslaco City Manager shortly after Salinas left Hidalgo ISD (where ODC was also counsel). Months later, Salinas and the board voted to award ODC a $1.2 million‑per‑year contract — with no abstention, no disclosure, and no transparency about Castillo’s role in Salinas’s hiring.
Board member Dominga Vela also has connections with Gisela Saenz, former La Joya ISD superintendent, who was briefly named acting superintendent before an internal employee was appointed instead. The result: deep divisions among trustees and ODC attorneys over who will become the next superintendent.
🔍 The Pattern Across the RGV
Edinburg CISD isn’t alone — the same ODC‑linked network appears across multiple districts:
South Texas ISD: Ben Castillo (listed as lead counsel) obtained a TEA waiver so Sandra Ochoa, former Edcouch‑Elsa superintendent, could step down as a board member and become superintendent — despite clear nepotism concerns.
Edcouch‑Elsa ISD: A central‑office job was created for Ochoa while her husband, a sitting trustee, voted to promote her.
Brownsville ISD: ODC ally Alda Benavidez was installed as superintendent. Castillo had first placed her as acting and then as superintendent at EE ISD.
PSJA ISD: After a forensic audit exposed wrongdoing by former superintendent Jorge Arredondo, ODC later recommended him for another superintendent role at Grand Prairie ISD.
La Joya ISD: ODC attorneys Eden Ramirez, Eric Flores, and Dave Campbell maintained ties with district leadership — even accepting payments from the district after contracts ended.
Each case shows the same domino effect: ODC attorneys influencing who becomes superintendent, securing contracts, and protecting their control over public dollars.
⚠️ The Latest
At Saturday’s meeting, Edinburg CISD trustees ended without selecting a new superintendent. It’s clear who’s steering the process — and it’s not the community.
Ben Castillo and his firm are not kingmakers. Their actions reveal how corrosive unchecked influence can be to RGV public education.
✊ Grupo PODER Message
For years, ODC has positioned itself to shape leadership across South Texas school districts. Now, the Edinburg CISD community deserves better — a transparent, independent superintendent search, free from conflicts of interest, political favors, and attorney‑driven power plays.
Transparency Matters. Accountability Matters. Educational Justice Matters.
