Rodolfo “Rudy” Delgado, who previously served as the 93rd District Judge in Hidalgo County, was elected to the Place 4 seat on the appellate court in November.
Despite being under indictment the Democrat narrowly won the election for the appellate court. He beat out his Republican opponent Jaime Tijerina, who had been appointed to fill Delgado’s unexpired term for the 93rd District Court in June. That term expired Dec. 31.
Delgado was indicted in February 2018 on three counts of bribery and three counts of violating the Travel Act. He was later charged with an additional count of conspiracy and obstruction of justice, court records show.
The State Commission on Judicial Conduct first suspended Delgado on March 1 without pay from presiding over the 93rd District Court. In late April, Delgado announced he was resigning from the post, according to the commission.
This latest suspension means he’s also precluded from serving in any judicial office.
The commission issued the order Wednesday afternoon.
In the federal indictment, Delgado is accused of soliciting, demanding and accepting bribes in exchange for favorable rulings for about a decade.
Delgado was first elected to the 93rd District Court in 2000.
It lists instances where Delgado is accused of accepting bribes in exchange for an agreement to set bail for three people. He’s accused of accepting two bribes of about $260 and one of $5,500 between 2016 and 2018, according to the document.
In one instance, he’s accused of taking a truck valued at about $15,000 from an attorney in exchange for favorable consideration of a client.
The 13th Court of Appeals is made of up six justices and spans 20 counties, including Nueces.
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He declined to comment Thursday to the Caller-Times on his suspension but noted he’s already taken the oath of office, which was done Wednesday in Edinburg.
